Your opinion on Windows 8

[Nergal]

  My only complaint is that the only way to shut down / restart is in the charms menu (win+c) and it's kind of out of the way compared to where I had it on win7 (the default shut down button option replaced with restart in the start menu)

 

You can add shutdown commands to the context menu of desktop

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4992-shut-down-add-desktop-context-menu-windows-8-a.html

Also classicshell (start menu and ie are the only parts I use not explorer) is awesome, I hardly even notice i'm not using 7

[hazelnut]

@Winapp2

 

I would go for 8.1.

 

It's better to use, for example you shut down from the same place as you do on Win 7 and XP.... the start button.

 

You can boot straight to the desktop, disable hot corners etc all by right-clicking on desktop taskbar, selecting properties and ticking your choices.

 

As regards Win 8 if you are using IE11 as I am, don't forget to do Internet Options -programs tab- and say which version of it you want to open when you click on a link (I chose desktop IE not Metro)

 

I also used the default programs area to change what I wanted to open what. At first I remember I couldn't work out photos because it wasn't using Mic picture viewer by default

[Andavari]

At first I remember I couldn't work out photos because it wasn't using Mic picture viewer by default

 

Although I'm on XP here, and although people have bashed Picture Viewer ("Windows Picture And Fax Viewer" in XP) for well over a decade I went back to using it. To simply view photos it isn't bad and loads fast.

[Derek891]

Haven't upgraded to 8.1 yet, but to be honest I have no real major complaints about Win 8

 

I feel the same way. After my last crash/burn/reinstall episode, and after updating the BIOS on my HP Envy laptop, I have Windows 8 and I.E. 10 running really sweet. I'd hate to do anything to change that.

[Winapp2.ini]

Although I'm on XP here, and although people have bashed Picture Viewer ("Windows Picture And Fax Viewer" in XP) for well over a decade I went back to using it. To simply view photos it isn't bad and loads fast.

I miss the XP pic/fax viewer. It supported gifs.

[Tasgandy]

My two penneth worth is that I still enjoy my "old XP/Ubuntu" (occasional use) know and use my Win 7.0 daily BUT looking forward to learning Win 8.1 when I update following my Son's visit with his Win 8.1 powered Laptop which I enjoyed using for a week.......for me it's good being retired so I have plenty of time to learn.

 

So razz tell your Sister-in-law throw caution to the wind, go with 8.1 and have fun learning

[Andavari]

I miss the XP pic/fax viewer. It supported gifs.

 

I guess for animated gifs or something? I've never liked the gif format the quality is too low, although I really like the png format.

 

There's some non-Microsoft software (forget which one it is at the moment) I've installed everytime I've had to reinstall XP from the setup disc that includes extra image format support for the OS itself, i.e.; it allows Paint, etc., to open more formats than it normally supports.

[Winapp2.ini]

Animated gifs, yes.

 

PNG is my perferred picture format as well. Never played with apngs but i imagine win7/8 picture viewer doesn't support them

[razz]

So razz tell your Sister-in-law throw caution to the wind, go with 8.1 and have fun learning

 

Thanks Tasgandy, I'll tell her    Again, thank you all for your input.