Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Windows Hate



My first computer had an operating system called Windows 3.1. It was okay, if not a little confusing at first. Then Microsoft came out with Windows 95 (in 1995 coincidently) and it was an improvement. It was what you would call intuitive. Since that time Microsoft has kept coming out with tweaks and adjustments to that basic operating system, renaming it, but still keeping the familiar form. 

My big present this Christmas was a new computer from Mark. I appreciate it, it comes with a lot more power, more memory, and more storage than what I had. What I don't like, in fact what I hate about it, is the new operating system that it comes with, Windows 8. At first glance there is nothing at all familiar. The opening screen is a bunch of giant colored blocks with flashy graphics. I was lost. Where were my programs, where were my documents supposed to go. The longer I poked around the more my head felt like it would explode. In fact if it weren't for the fact that my old computer was still operating and connected to the internet, I wouldn't have been able to figure out my ass from an asterisk. I had to Google everything, from how to find and open an 'app' (previously called programs) to how do I close the damn thing after I'm done. Missing from Windows 8 is the program group called Works that included a word processor that I have used since 2007 to write so many brilliant posts. Also missing, the Windows Movie Maker program that I used for making all my hilarious Alicia videos. Worst offense of all for Windows 8, no solitaire! I clicked on the giant green square marked 'games', and no Solitaire, no Freecell, no Spider Solitaire, no Hearts game. It's a travesty, none of the classic Windows card games come with Windows 8. I mean that is some crazy shit, it pretty much makes the damn thing useless.

6 comments:

  1. I'm frantic that the video maker is gone. I live for Alicia and Alexis. Sorry about solitaire also. I know you've heard it before, but GET A MAC!

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  2. Hostess, the only reason I never went Apple, was because I was so familiar with Windows. It was my neighborhood so to speak. Now that Microsoft has performed an alien abduction and left me on an unfamiliar planet, I will probably seriously consider a Mac next time.

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  3. I use AVS4U video editor for all my video projects. It's awesome!

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  4. Andy complains constantly about Windows 8. It's rubbish (he says). He has to use it for work but we have MACs at home. And I'm pretty sure you could figure things out on a mac.

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  5. There is a small front-end program available on-line which changes your opening screen to look like Windows 7. It's so helpful and doesn't change any programs, just gives you your old familiar screen.

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  6. I have already made my computer look more like what I was used to. It doesn't open to that ridiculous smart phone screen anymore. I still am having trouble using old programs (apps?) that I had on the old computer even though I bought and paid for the software. I just loaded my video program for the camera, and it isn't quite the same. Most important, Solitaire still does not work.

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