Windows 8.1

[K7SGJ]

Has anyone with Windows 8 done the free upgrade to 8.1? I did on three of our machines today, and so far, I don't see much difference. One thing it did do, was FU access to several of my programs. Turns out, that in the advance security settings, it defaults to "enable enhanced protection mode". That pretty well blocks a lot of stuff. Once I deselected that setting, everything returned to normal, for Windows anyway. I guess I should research what improvements 8.1 has. Some time back, I read it was supposed to be more user friendly to non-touch screen applications. I guess we shall see. Details to follow, phlegm at ten.

[W3WN]

We haven't updated our three test machines from Win 8 to Win 8.1 yet, at the boss's instructions. For one reason, Avast AV does not (yet) work properly on 8.1

Allegedly, something akin to the old Start button was included, but it's not really the same as a Start button.

Reminds me, I haven't powered up that RasPi for awhile.

[KC2UGV]

I upgraded one of mine from Win 8 to Ubuntu Linux. Noticed an extreme improvement in speed, boot time, etc etc.

[KJ3N]

I upgraded one of mine from Win 8 to Ubuntu Linux. Noticed an extreme improvement in speed, boot time, etc etc.

:snicker:

When are you supposed to get your Island moniker back? :naughty:

[NM5TF]

I upgraded one of mine from Win 8 to Ubuntu Linux. Noticed an extreme improvement in speed, boot time, etc etc.

install Mint...you'll see the same thing vs Ubu....faster & sleeker.....based on Ubu, but
uses a different shell I've been informed....

[WØTKX]

I fired up Mint here recently on an older PC. Wow.

That being said, I'm still a Winders fanboi, and I don't mind the tiles.
Looking at getting a Surface Pro 2 if I can swing the bucks.

Fast fast fast, and I like the way it works.

[N1LAF]

install Mint...you'll see the same thing vs Ubu....faster & sleeker.....based on Ubu, but
uses a different shell I've been informed....

Mint is pretty spiffy on Dell Netbooks. Windows 7 is dragging on the netbook... painful..

[n2ize]

Mint is pretty spiffy on Dell Netbooks. Windows 7 is dragging on the netbook... painful..

I've had great luck with Fedora on Dell machines, laptops, notebooks and desktops. Unlike years ago where I would have to gather up and install drivers, compile driver modules, re-compile kernels, etc. everything now seems to work right "out of the box". Sound card, wireless, etc. it's all functional, no headaches, no hassles, no spending hours of reading FAQ's. troubleshooting, etc.

[K7SGJ]

After a few minor tweaks, or twerks, I have to admit, 8.1 is a little more user friendly. It also installs IE11 which some sites don't recognize, yet. All in all, it appears to be a fairly stable platform. Since I haven't used much besides Windows of one version or another, other than Android and of course DOS, I can't compare it to any other OS. For what we do here, it does the job without any major complaints. I suppose if I had more time, and a need, I would fool around with some of the other systems, but the dance card is full, with the last dance going to the Grim Reaper.

[NQ6U]

REDMOND, WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2014/02/gates-spends-entire-first-day-back-in-office-trying-to-install-windows-81.html#entry-more))—Bill Gates’ first day at work in the newly created role of technology adviser got off to a rocky start yesterday as the Microsoft founder struggled for hours to install the Windows 8.1 upgrade.

The installation hit a snag early on, sources said, when Mr. Gates repeatedly received an error message informing him that his PC ran into a problem that it could not handle and needed to restart.

After failing to install the upgrade by lunchtime, Mr. Gates summoned the new Microsoft C.E.O. Satya Nadella, who attempted to help him with the installation, but with no success.

While the two men worked behind closed doors, one source described the situation as “tense.”

“Bill is usually a pretty calm guy, so it was weird to hear some of that language coming out of his mouth,” the source said.

A Microsoft spokesman said only that Mr. Gates’ first day in his new job had been “a learning experience” and that, for the immediate future, he would go back to running Windows 7.

[kb2vxa]

Once upon a time I knew a self proclaimed expert who refused to read the manual, "help" or anything else, a real Mister Know It All. About every five minutes from his shack I'd hear "Son of a BIIIIIIIITCH!" and knowing words of advice can never penetrate a head full of cement I just sat on the couch reading QST with my Cheshire Cat smile ear to ear. There are eight million stories in The Naked Windows 98, and this has been one of them.

Good thing he never heard of Linux where a missing space in a command line can cause hours of search and rescue frustration.