Monday, January 28, 2013

oh blog it

I’m not enjoying Windows 8. There was a time I spelled it windose. Full disclosure - I’m a Mac guy who has a few windows machines in the closet. I’m writing this on a MacBook Pro.

All my computer experienced originated through work. You see, I was working before the PC was invented. Oh I remember the mysterious Unix, and the simple Ms. Dos. Mac showed up with nicer colors and sounds. The most important thing was it just worked easier.



So why Windose 8?

Last week I was honored by a call from my brother. He was going shopping for a laptop and wanted my opinion. He hates computers. I know a few others that do. I blame windose and the community of spammers for the rancor my brother and others like him have towards these machines.

We discussed the lovely MacBook Pro but the reality of the marketplace makes it hard to justify a machine for occasional use that’s double the price of other functional machines.




I enjoyed our shopping experience. He told me a trip to the dentist is better than shopping for a laptop for him.

We ended up with a Lenovo for under $500. It came with Windows 8.

I still remember the crazy windose 3.1 memory allocation exercises. Windose NT offered hope for the crazy software. Most of my recent trials were on an older beast running windose XP.

I spent a few hours helping him to get things setup with 8, but it’s certainly not great. My impression of it is they crammed a tablet system into laptop software. Too many functions seem to disappear from sight. The opaque windows don’t offer a view of what’s going on inside.

My frustration peaked when I couldn’t get a youtube clip to play on his laptop.

Anyone have a Window 8 experience to share?


(note: I received NO sponsorship but wish I did for this post.)




19 comments:

Bill Lisleman said...

Unfortunately, our desktop died a couple three months ago. We decided to get a laptop, this go round. Fortunately, I went out for Chinese the night before we were headed shopping. My meal culminated in a Fortune Cookie whose message read: "Windose 8? RUN FOR YOUR FREAKIN' LIFE!!!"

Bill Lisleman said...

LOL - that was a good fortune for you. thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

I'm not entirely sure what the thought process was there! (The youtube app for Windows is called MetroTube, I believe.)

Bill Lisleman said...

The computer guru kid who tends to our pc's says Windows 8 touch screen Windows 7. Then he says "how stupid." Well, that's all I know.

Bill Lisleman said...

I agree with him. thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

Don't use it...still on Vista

Bill Lisleman said...

I've read that Windows 8 is clunky and didn't realize until I read through the comments that it's more suited for a touch screen. I'm still running Vista, so I guess I'll put off getting a new laptop until they've figured it out. Besides, mine is still working, so....

Bill Lisleman said...

Oh if it's working don't fix it - makes sense to me. The "experts" are predicting most of the people moving to tablets. I'm not so sure.
thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

you use a graphic pad? If I have my names right vista was between xp and 7 - right?

Bill Lisleman said...

I have an IMac now, but I never really had any WIndows problems. Not even with Vista. What I liek aboutthe mac products is that they sync with each other.

Bill Lisleman said...

The sync is very good if you have a calendar and contact lists. Years ago I had a PDA that sync'd those items. Of course smartphones replaced the PDA's very quickly. I don't have smartphone but then I don't really have anything to sync. It also works well with the I-pods.
thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

I'm not so sure about that, either.

Cperz said...

I went to the Microsoft store and took the Microsoft 8 class. Hated it. I will hang on to Windows 7 as long as humanly possible. In fact, my desktop has Vista Pro on it and even that is better (IMHO) than Windows 8. The Windows 8 feels more like a smart phone than a computer. I get the feeling the designers are way more concerned about being techy and cool over being smart and functionality.

Bill Lisleman said...

For many, many years I only used Windows products. I finally gave up after getting too many viruses. Now I own a MacBook Pro. I haven't had any issues since I switched.
My 15 year old just purchased Windows 8. I will have to ask him if he has run across any problems.

Bill Lisleman said...

I think you were very smart to switch over. I've enjoyed Mac's for many years. thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

I do love having easy access to the internet but I do hate the problems computers have. I think if I had the extra money, I'd go with a Mac next time.

Bill Lisleman said...

They are not perfect but I do think they are better. Often the problem can be in the network. Computer problems are extra frustrating because they often are too difficult to track down the source.
thanks

Bill Lisleman said...

seems to be a Disqus glitch. Cheryl P. wrote --

I went to the Microsoft store and took the Microsoft 8 class. Hated it.
I will hang on to Windows 7 as long as humanly possible. In fact, my
desktop has Vista Pro on it and even that is better (IMHO) than Windows
8. The Windows 8 feels more like a smart phone than a computer. I get
the feeling the designers are way more concerned about being techy and
cool over being smart and functionality

Bill Lisleman said...

Anything Mac, I love shopping for! Know nothing about 8 but read a review today about th new Microsoft 365 (the Office suite) ... it was quite positive and tempting to download. I'm still using Entourage.

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