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Post by captainbasil on Apr 20, 2014 8:05:47 GMT -5
Wishing you all a Joyous Easter. Sorry I have not been on the board a lot lately. I've been busy moving to a new apartment and my wife was in the hospital for a few days .
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Post by Mel on Apr 24, 2014 14:44:18 GMT -5
A belated Happy Easter weekend to you all as well.
My computer died, and I'm using an old pentium dud, so I'm not online as often.
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Post by StarFuryG7 on Apr 28, 2014 6:45:30 GMT -5
A belated Happy Easter weekend to you all as well.
My computer died, and I'm using an old pentium dud, so I'm not online as often. Mel, How much are you looking to spend on a new computer? Do you have Wi-Fi? You might also consider buying yourself an inexpensive Tablet as a back-up, if for nothing else. I still have my old Pentium machines. Never use them though -- never even power them up. |
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Post by Mel on Apr 29, 2014 21:12:33 GMT -5
I have Wi-Fi. I haven't decided to buy a new laptop, although, just today, the battery on this old Pentium died, so the cord can't be far behind.
The laptop that died was wonderful. I never expected to replace it. I thought it would be the last one I ever owned.
Dunno about a tablet. I already have the Kindle. I use my computer for online work (forms I have to file, etc.) For that I need a keyboard. Also, I dearly miss my 10-key.
I haven't decided what to do. It's likely I'll bite the bullet and buy another laptop, despite how much I don't want to do it because of the expense.
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Post by TrekBeatTK on Apr 30, 2014 15:36:26 GMT -5
I have Wi-Fi. I haven't decided to buy a new laptop, although, just today, the battery on this old Pentium died, so the cord can't be far behind.
The laptop that died was wonderful. I never expected to replace it. I thought it would be the last one I ever owned.
Dunno about a tablet. I already have the Kindle. I use my computer for online work (forms I have to file, etc.) For that I need a keyboard. Also, I dearly miss my 10-key.
I haven't decided what to do. It's likely I'll bite the bullet and buy another laptop, despite how much I don't want to do it because of the expense. Yeah, every new gadget these days has a shelf life of probably half what its predecessor did. Most tablets have a "keyboard" function, but it is kind of weird typing on a touch screen. You can also get a separate keyboard to use with most of them these days. (anyone remember the early days of texting when you could get a separate full QWERTY keyboard to plug your phone into?) -TK |
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 1, 2014 16:20:27 GMT -5
Mel, let me know if you want me to help you with online suggestions for good laptop deals. Just keep in mind to also get a machine with a decent enough amount of RAM so you won't have to deal with the machine getting all bogged down on you. I made that mistake some years back with a Toshiba laptop that I bought and still have, but the thing never had enough RAM on it to begin with, and it slows down like a dog, so I don't use it much.
Also, you can get Tablets very cheap now. I bought a low definition Tablet back in March for just...get this ...twenty bucks. Microcenter sent me a mailer advertising the thing for just $19.97 if I would go in and check out their store, which I did, and gladly purchased the thing. Yes, writing on them can be an annoyance, but if you're going to post mainly short messages when using it, it's no big deal. I use my Android phone for posting here and on Reddit more than I do my computer nowadays in fact. I write a lot using my phone.
But at least you would be able to check in to forums and peruse the Internet with a tablet at your leisure, especially if your computer craps out. |
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Post by Mel on May 1, 2014 20:12:51 GMT -5
Gary, thanks for the info.
My family members are handicapped. They have a paperwork, a lot of it, and I do all of it. I'm thrilled when I can do it online. Given that, I want a real keyboard.
In fact, I've been reading about keyboards because my niece's mini laptop keys are too small, and the SIL's new Win 8 touch laptop keys are too big. I'm hoping to get ones that just the right size.
And yes, I've decided to buy a new laptop. This Pentium is running hot, so I may as well bite the bullet. I've never had a problem with not enough RAM. I always buy more than suggested. Back when personal computer were brand new, I demanded 2 RAM. They sellers were adament that it wasn't needed, and that I was wasting my money, because no programs existed that would use that much. One year later ...
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Post by captainbasil on May 9, 2014 5:34:17 GMT -5
I have WiFi now and I've considered buying a tablet as a back-up myself. I'm thinking about a Kindle Fire but nothing is etched in stone yet.
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 10, 2014 15:25:20 GMT -5
I have WiFi now and I've considered buying a tablet as a back-up myself. I'm thinking about a Kindle Fire but nothing is etched in stone yet. |
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Post by Mel on May 18, 2014 7:58:02 GMT -5
That's the Kindle Fire model I have. It's a wonderful little gadget. To my surprise, the seven inch screen isn't too small for watching TV episodes and movies. The screen clarity and color are great, and so is the sound, with earphones (my hearing sucks).
I bought a touch laptop with Windows 8 but I hated it, and so I sent it back. I'm not sure what I'll do now, maybe just wait until this Pentium dies a natural death.
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 18, 2014 14:42:41 GMT -5
Wait a second, Mel. You're not doing something right. When the machine first booted up did you see the newer Tile interface, or the usual desktop? Because it sounds to me as though you saw Windows 8, hated it, figured you wouldn't be able to deal with using it, and sent the laptop back. HUGE mistake. You should have ran Windows Update, which would have updated the Operating System to the latest version of Windows 8.1. That update was just released last month, and would have taken you straight to the usual Windows desktop, and you would have been able to use the machine as you had pretty much any prior PC you worked with that had Windows as its OS.
You should have said something here, and I would have advised you about what to do if that was indeed what turned you off about that new laptop.
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Post by Mel on May 20, 2014 16:24:12 GMT -5
Gary, I'm sorry I wasn't clear. The laptop I bought had Win 8.1 installed. There was no update to do.
When I booted it up, first it showed me a pretty but useless picture. I had to swipe to get to the log on screen. After that I saw the Tile interface, not the usual Windows desktop, even though it was Win 8.1. Going past the huge app tiles to small icons, there was a desktop icon. I could also right click the start button, to see similar pre-8 stuff. In other words, there were lots of extra steps to get to where I would have been after just booting up a Win 7 computer.
When I started the laptop, I gave it the name and password I wanted it to have. Once I got inside and started looking around, I knew a lot of the Win 8.1 stuff wasn't going to appeal to me. I already knew that from using a friend's Win 8, which I had upgraded to Win 8.1 for her.
All the previous Windows versions had games I like, but not the latest one. I was supposed to download game apps, but I didn't want to set up a MS account. I tried to buy the Free Cell game I had loved for years, but couldn't find one enough like it. I gave up, created a MS account, and downloaded the free game. That idiotic game was free but also full-screen. There was no way to make it smaller, so I couldn't play while doing something else. Also, whenever the computer was online, the "free" game had pop-up ads that annoyed me to no end.
I only like to have my computer online when I'm actually doing something online. I don't need a million updates about the weather, news, mail, and friends who come online. I admit that the Win 8.1 interface is beautiful to look at, but it's also utterly useless to me. After doing what I went online to do, I took my computer offline and logged out.
When I went to log back on, there was that decorative but useless page. When online before, I had tried to disable it, but couldn't. I had at least changed the picture to one I liked. Then a note told me that my computer wasn't online. It sounded like I had done something wrong. It also bugged me to be told it wasn't online when (1) I took it offline because I wanted it offline, and (2) I hadn't even logged on yet!
One swipe took me past the picture and the notice to the log on page. That's when I really lost it. The computer no longer accepted the password or name I had given it. I had to use the 8-digit password that I created for the MS account. It's my damn computer, but it felt like a rental from MS. Btw, as far as I could tell, there was no way to delete a MS account. I was stuck with it.
Lastly, I did try "Shell" programs and such before I totally game up on the laptop. There's just nothing about Win 8.1 that is useful to me, and there is plenty about it that I find outright obnoxious.
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 20, 2014 19:12:40 GMT -5
Gary, I'm sorry I wasn't clear. The laptop I bought had Win 8.1 installed. There was no update to do.
When I booted it up, first it showed me a pretty but useless picture. I had to swipe to get to the log on screen. After that I saw the Tile interface, not the usual Windows desktop, even though it was Win 8.1. Exactly. You didn't download the latest update that was released last month, as I said. Windows 8.1 should have already been loaded on the laptop you bought. The update was a Windows 8.1 Update. You wouldn't have been upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1 There are some program incompatibilities like the one you mentioned about the App you installed, but for the most part, major applications, such as Word Processing Apps and so forth should not pose a problem. When I first bought this computer last year I made it a point to install Classic Shell on it almost immediately. The Start Button has since returned with the first Windows 8.1 Update though, but it works differently. I don't have a problem with it, however, so no more Classic Shell for me, even though it was a great shell program when I needed it. I personally have not had any problems using this machine. I use a new Windows 7 PC at work. For all intents and purposes, where my needs are concerned, they're practically the same. No, the bells and whistles you're used to that were preloaded on Windows 7 most probably aren't on Windows 8, but that's because of the whole App platform they gravitated towards with the new OS. Any previous programs that you liked with Windows 7 I would try installing on Windows 8 though. Most --the vast majority I'm inclined to think-- wouldn't be a problem. As for the whole Microsoft account thing. Yeah, it's important when you first power up the machine, but becomes far less important afterward. For my Win 8.1 PC it's practically irrelevant. If I need that information again I'm going to have to request that my password be sent to me --that's how relatively unimportant it is once you get a new machine with Win 8 going and start using it regularly. Use your best judgment though. I don't hate Windows 8.1, but as with anything in life, you're the one who has to be happy with what you buy. And you might as well get used to it, because this new Operating System is not going away in favor of the last one, although another important update will be released in September. That was just announced the other day. |
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Post by Mel on May 20, 2014 23:10:38 GMT -5
Perhaps I explained it badly. The Win 8.1 upgrade was on the laptop. I had done one for a friend with Win 8.0 (or whatever) so I knew about it. Btw, being online with that laptop, if it had needed another upgrade, it would have nagged me into doing it! It came already set up for auto-updates.
Your post mentioned word processing. I've been doing WP since WordStar. I know Word and WordPerfect, but I don't use those at home. I love Works. It's everything I need and nothing more. The version I own will not work with Win 8. I'd have to buy a newer expensive version, or buy MS Office Suite, which I do not want. (Yeah, there are things like OpenOffice, but I don't want to use those either.)
For me, EVERYTHING about Win 8.1 requires more steps to do what I can more easily and cheaply accomplish with Win 7. I'm hoping enough users will rebel and MS will have to continue to offer and upgrade Win 7. ::fingers crossed::
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 21, 2014 6:40:06 GMT -5
Perhaps I explained it badly. The Win 8.1 upgrade was on the laptop. I had done one for a friend with Win 8.0 (or whatever) so I knew about it. Btw, being online with that laptop, if it had needed another upgrade, it would have nagged me into doing it! It came already set up for auto-updates.
Here's the thing ...when/if you installed the latest 8.1 update, when you rebooted, it should have taken you right to the desktop --not the Tile interface. Perhaps it configured differently because you're using a laptop instead of a desktop machine, which is what I mostly use at home, but I doubt it. Microsoft has finally admitted that the dual nature of Windows 8 was a mistake on their part. Desktop PC users don't like it because it's meant for Tablet users. www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/05/microsoft-just-admitted-to-a-huge-windows-mistake.aspx |
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 22, 2014 14:50:15 GMT -5
Going back to this for a moment . . . How much did you pay for the laptop you returned, Mel? Because apparently you can still get your hands on laptops that use Windows 7: www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemplatemapper.jsp?_dyncharset=UTF-8&_dynSessConf=-4722391153452373450&id=pcat17071&type=page&ks=960&st=categoryid%24abcat0502000&sc=Global&cp=1&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuidsaas&qp=operatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+8%5Eoperatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+7%5Eoperatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+XP%5Eoperatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+8%7EDELETE&list=y&usc=All+Categories&nrp=15&fs=saas&iht=n&seeAll=&browsedCategory=abcat0502000Most of them are new, but this one is refurbished, and it has a small hard drive: I don't know what you're looking to spend for a new laptop, but these are the listings for $250 to $500 range: www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemplatemapper.jsp?_dyncharset=UTF-8&_dynSessConf=-4722391153452373450&id=pcat17071&type=page&ks=960&st=categoryid%24abcat0502000&sc=Global&cp=1&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuidsaas&qp=operatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+7%5Eoperatingsystem_facet%3DOperating+System%7EWindows+XP%5Ecurrentprice_facet%3DSAAS%7EPrice%7E%24250+-+%24499.99&list=y&usc=All+Categories&nrp=15&fs=saas&iht=n&seeAll=&browsedCategory=abcat0502000 None of them have more than 4GB of Memory, but that may be more than enough to suit your usual needs for all I know. I wouldn't go below four though. And I'd shy away from Celeron machines too if I were you. Make sure it's at least a Pentium or an Intel Core Series chip, such as this one: Again, Refurbished, and with a small hard drive, but it may suit your needs, and there are a decent number of new models using Windows 7 for you to choose from, such as this one: I know I told you to try and avoid one with a Celeron chip, but it has eleven reviews and a four and a half out of five star satisfaction rating with those customers, so maybe the Celeron chips have significantly improved from the first releases that I'm remembering. I hope this helps. |
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Post by Mel on May 22, 2014 23:03:28 GMT -5
Gary, thanks for the info.
First things first. I have a Dell credit card, so in the last 10 years, most of my computers have been Dells. They used to be really reliable, but I'm not so sure anymore (touch pad info further down).
Second, I already have a Win 7 laptop, so I won't be replacing that. As much as I hate Win 8.1, your posts have made me realize I'm (probably) going to have to knuckle under. I've also done more research and found that there is a way to log out of the MS account, so the original password works. The link shows how.
askleo.com/how-do-i-go-back-to-a-regular-account-after-updating-to-windows-8-1/
The Win 8.1 laptop I bought and returned had an i5 processor, lots of memory and such, and a base price of about $400. I added three years of additional service and accidental insurance, bringing the total to about $750. I know that amount of insurance almost doubles the price and maybe seems goofy, but if I get a computer I like, I want it to last.
The laptop I no longer have, the one that died, gave up the ghost about one week after the three year service/accident policy expired. (My fault; one hard drop too many, broke the case, which weakened and loosened the frame around the screen, which pulled out the keyboard! I checked with a repairman, it couldn't be fixed.) It had an i3 processor, which was fast and I loved it, so I want that or better in my new one.
The Win 8.1 laptop that I returned was an i5. The funny thing is, it was often slower than this old Pentium, which made no sense. (I wondered if it was all those programs running that I didn't even want.) Also, the touch pad buttons were loud. Some of the reviews mentioned that, but I thought I wouldn't mind because I'm losing my hearing, but they were noisy. Even if I had loved Win 8.1, I would have returned the laptop.
Since a seemingly simple thing like the touch pad was noisy, I'm kind of scared of Dell computers. I've had Toshibas and Gateways before. I've looked at Lenovos, and even non-Windows products.
Btw, I've had refurbished computers before, and they worked fine. Also, if I go with Dell, I'm considering increasing what I spend to get a Latitude because they're made more sturdy, and I seem to need that. 
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 23, 2014 6:49:17 GMT -5
Gary, thanks for the info.
First things first. I have a Dell credit card, so in the last 10 years, most of my computers have been Dells. They used to be really reliable, but I'm not so sure anymore (touch pad info further down).
Second, I already have a Win 7 laptop, so I won't be replacing that. As much as I hate Win 8.1, your posts have made me realize I'm (probably) going to have to knuckle under. I've also done more research and found that there is a way to log out of the MS account, so the original password works. The link shows how.
askleo.com/how-do-i-go-back-to-a-regular-account-after-updating-to-windows-8-1/ I already know about that, Mel --that's why I told you the MS account is far less important after you've set a new machine using that OS up for the first time. It's really not as big a deal as people who never used Win 8 think once they're booting up and are using it for the first time. Secondly, you already have a Windows 7 laptop? Well, I don't get it. I thought you were using 'that old Pentium' because you had no other choice? And you went into this whole litany about how you preferred Win7 because it had software that you liked pre-loaded on it and so forth, and that was one more reason to not like Win 8, and now you're leaning toward another Windows 8.1 machine anyway? Don't get me wrong --if I helped change your mind about that then fine, but either way, at this point I still give up. But I wouldn't care if I had a Dell credit card if money was tight. I'd go with where I could get the best deal. |
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Post by Mel on May 23, 2014 23:55:08 GMT -5
I used the Win 8.1 laptop for about three days. I tried to find info on using my old password instead of the MS account, or getting rid of the MS account, but I didn't find anything that was helpful. I asked a friend whose two sons work for Microsoft, but I didn't get an answer I could use.
I put the link there for anyone else reading (if anyone else is reading!) who might want it, because it not only explains it, it has a video. I didn't put it there for you. You've made it clear that you're happy with your Win 8.1 and know how to use it.
Btw, it didn't occur to ask YOU *while* I had the laptop. I didn't even mention here about owning the laptop until after I had returned it.
"This old Pentium" has Windows 7 Home Premium. But the processor is s-l-o-w compared with the i3, and it doesn't have a 10-key, which I use all the time online, and dearly miss.
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Post by StarFuryG7 on May 25, 2014 16:54:53 GMT -5
Btw, it didn't occur to ask YOU *while* I had the laptop. I didn't even mention here about owning the laptop until after I had returned it. Uh, yeah, I'm well aware of that, but I'm not sure why you're getting all pissy with me. |
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