Windows 8

I have stuck with Windows 7 on my Desktop but needed a laptop to run some of my new AVs. I ordered a Windows 7 machine but received a Windows 8 one, which I decided to try. Like most of the comments above I experienced difficulty with the new opening screen, and decided to try installing a 'classic shell' which takes you straight to the old Windows 7 opening screen, and includes the start button. Also it helps close down. It is a free download from www.snipca.com/7907. This is mentioned in Computeractive 9-22nd January, and although I have found some of their suggestions not good, this one does just what I required.

I'm not "wrong"; I stated a fact. On a vanilla install (one that hasn't been BROKEN by someone attempting to do something "clever", the Explorer link works fine. And even if it DID get corrupted, for whatever reason, all you have to do is unpin it, run explorer.exe, right click its icon on the taskbar and click "Pin to Taskbar". But as I said, out of the box, it works fine.

Also, RE: the Start Button, it's still there; if you sling your mouse down to the bottom left hand corner, it appears; it's just auto-hidden by default as it takes up unnecessary screen real estate. In addition, most keyboards have TWO Windows Keys on them, and there's a massive Start Button on the charms bar (WinKey+C, or mouse to bottom right corner).

In addition, right clicking in the bottom left or pressing WinKey+X, pops up THIS little beauty:




Which is quite possibly the best feature ever included in an operating system. The menu's actually completely customizable as well, so you can add your own shortcuts to admin tasks in there.

I am not doubting your knowledge of the OS and how it is supposed to run 'out the box'. I am saying that it was was wrong of you to disregard and push aside the very real initial experiences of 'this customer', which were poor enough to convince me that (for now) I will avoid the new OS.

In moving to a new machine I need security that the interface will provide me with a rock solid reflection of the content I place on the machine, every time 100%, and reassurance that my current collection of software will install and run smoothly, and that I'll be able to easily and quickly configure things as I do now. That is the experience I need at this point. I determined that this new product would not provide that.

I am willing to spend time in future reading up and learning about new Windows features and how to configure it, but that'll take time, and no doubt things will be adjusted as a result of user feedback. For now I don't have that time, and I need to just upgrade to a faster machine and keep on doing my stuff. So the new OS is not for me.

Sigh. When 3td party solutions leap to the rescue it says something. Looks like the cycle of every alternative windows being rubbish continues.

Friend of mine installed Windows 8 recently. After he'd used it for about a week, I asked him what benefits a windows 7 user would get in upgrading. "nothing!" was the reply. He didn't like the new interface.

It's just a big start menu that fills the page if you ignore the Apps. The on off has simply moved with the search to the right (Windows C is the shortcut) . You can toggle the two with the Windows key. I don't know what the fuss is about.

On a side note - tyronet2000 - have you tried Darktable under Linux? How do you find it compares to LightRoom? I'd be interested in hearing any comments you have on this. I use Darktable / Linux exclusively so have zero experience with LR.

Sorry can't help. The only "linux" type program I run is FreeNAS based on FreeBSD a Unix derivative, which is running on an old Compaq computer as a server. It has a couple of 300gb hard drives drives and is used as a photo dump and one day I'll get around to deleting the rubbish (99%) stored on it

This is a freenas 7 box am told freenas 8 is a nightmare