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Posted By: Willo_ Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 10:49am
Am going to treat my self to a new laptop in the curry's sale.

Just have a few questions:

1: Will Office 2003 work on Windows 8 ?
2: Is windows 8 easy to use ?
3: Is it better to go for touch screen, with windows 8 ?
4: Am looking at getting this one Clicky unless someone can point me to a better one for around the same price, I don't have a clue what all the numbers are after cpu type.
There has been one advertised on tv over the last couple of days, but I can not find it on the website for curry's.
Any advice would be gratefully received, thanks.
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 1:25pm
Office should work.
Windows 8 is for touch screens primarily.
Desktop users and such have not liked the transition between 7 and 8. If you can stay with windows 7.

It lists an i5 processor.
There is the i3 i5 i7 so your in the middle. For normal desktop stuff i3 is more than enough. Serious gamer or multimedia production i5 or i7 the i7 is a quad processor but costs a bit too.

Its not touch screen so you may get the hump working in windows 8.

There are some great laptops in pc world with touch screen and detachable just before Christmas. Not expensive either for what they are. Decide what you want from the new laptop and the advice can be tweaked to suit.

Hope that helps smile
Posted By: brady Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 1:46pm
I hate windows 8, I was using windows 8 with the windows 7 classic shell, but got bored with it and formatted my new windows 8 laptop and installed windows 7...happy days lol
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 1:46pm
Originally Posted by Mark
Office should work.
Windows 8 is for touch screens primarily.
Desktop users and such have not liked the transition between 7 and 8. If you can stay with windows 7.

It lists an i5 processor.
There is the i3 i5 i7 so your in the middle. For normal desktop stuff i3 is more than enough. Serious gamer or multimedia production i5 or i7 the i7 is a quad processor but costs a bit too.

Its not touch screen so you may get the hump working in windows 8.

There are some great laptops in pc world with touch screen and detachable just before Christmas. Not expensive either for what they are. Decide what you want from the new laptop and the advice can be tweaked to suit.

Hope that helps smile
Thanks, I would prefer windows 7, however I can't seem to find any with windows 7 on them, it all seems to be windows 8.
Posted By: EvilCycle Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 2:53pm
Just to note: some models of the i5 are quad cores, however the one advertised is a dual core with 4 threads; it's a good performer as far as dual core CPU's go.

I wouldn't go near windows 8 without a touch screen display though.
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 3:29pm
The microsoft website says it is not compatible but this is conflicting as users report that it is, I reckon microsoft just want everyone to upgrade when they don't need to
Also they are not supporting it after april 2014 so will not get anymore security updates
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 1st Jan 2014 4:14pm
I will go to pcworld and have a play with the one i want.
To make sure i can use it before i part with my desktop
Posted By: Willo_ Quick Query - 2nd Jan 2014 12:31pm
Am just about to go get my new laptop, and my desktop is getting sold, but before I do sell it, am considering swapping it for my mums desktop, if mine is better than hers she can have mine and i will sell hers.

Here are the specs, which one is better?
Top specs pic is from my pc

I'd appreciate any feedback.
Thanks


Description: specs my pc
Attached picture specs mine.JPG

Description: Graphics mine
Attached picture graphics mine.JPG

Description: specs my mums
Attached picture specs.JPG

Description: graphics my mums
Attached picture grap.JPG
Posted By: little_pob Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:14pm
Traditional style, touch screen laptops are awkward to use as touch screen.

Before you remove 8 in favour of 7, download the free update to 8.1. It offers an improved experience for non-touch environments.
Originally Posted by mikeeb
...Also they are not supporting it after april 2014 so will not get anymore security updates
confused Win 7 is supported until Jan 2015. It's XP that won't be supported after 8th April 2014, but no one has suggested he installs XP.
Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/lifecycle
Posted By: j_demo Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:22pm
if you're going to bromborough pc world see if they have any ex demo W7 laptops for sale

i bought a W7 ex-demo about 4 years back cut down from £1200ish to £449 it was

it came with the box and charger and everything you would otherwise normally get but only a 6month warranty than a 12 month one which doesn't bother me tbh

nothing has gone wrong with it at all either so all is well.

(it's a HP DV7 series btw)

in relation to W8 my gf has a samsung ultrabook thing with W8 and she hates it, as do i. if you're using it touchscreen then i suppose that'll be ok as that's what it's designed for but without touchscreen it's an absolute ballache.

re swapping PC's: your mums PC is better than yours both in processor and graphics. the rest is not that much better, but it's better.

and also what little_pob said about XP, if you have vista now, downgrade to XP or upgrade to 7. vista is probably by far the worst version of windows ever. i would personally downgrate do XP (even though it's really an upgrade)
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:25pm
Thanks, the one i am really interested in is clicky
Posted By: j_demo Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:35pm
looks pretty good for the price to be honest

however if you're using it for media things then i'm not sure about the speakers.

them thin laptops like that tend to have a very 'tinny' and poor quality to the speakers and the sound card doesn't seem to be up to the job of an external set of speakers either. going from experience of knowing people with laptops in that 'style'

other than that, the processor is pretty good as is the RAM and storage and i see it has touchscreen which you would need.

one thing to note, battery life it says is "up to 5 hours" so expect to get no more than 3... that's the only thing really, if you only are going to use it at home, take the battery out and keep it plugged in otherwise you'll burn the battery out by keeping it plugged in and the battery in also.
Posted By: mikeeb Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:38pm
Originally Posted by little_pob
Win 7 is supported until Jan 2015. It's XP that won't be supported after 8th April 2014, but no one has suggested he installs XP.
Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/lifecycle


Hi little_pob
My post is referring to office 2003
I should have mentioned it in my post wink
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 1:40pm
Originally Posted by j_demo
looks pretty good for the price to be honest

however if you're using it for media things then i'm not sure about the speakers.

them thin laptops like that tend to have a very 'tinny' and poor quality to the speakers and the sound card doesn't seem to be up to the job of an external set of speakers either. going from experience of knowing people with laptops in that 'style'

other than that, the processor is pretty good as is the RAM and storage and i see it has touchscreen which you would need.

one thing to note, battery life it says is "up to 5 hours" so expect to get no more than 3... that's the only thing really, if you only are going to use it at home, take the battery out and keep it plugged in otherwise you'll burn the battery out by keeping it plugged in and the battery in also.
Thanks happy
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 2:17pm
it looks pretty good.
You should have no problems doing what ever you need to do with that one.

* No Web Cam Built in.
* 5hrs Battery ! (Seems poor for a spec like that).
* illuminated keyboard = eat battery.
It would make an ideal desk top replacement.

Bare in mind a lot of that cost will be the i7 processor. You Can have similar results with the i5.

i7 processor = £250
i5 processor = £150
i3 processor = £80

So you can see where the bulk of your cost is. The processor is the fancy part of your laptop, not the laptop. Its half the price of the total cost.

Hope that helps.
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 2:23pm
Originally Posted by Mark
it looks pretty good.
You should have no problems doing what ever you need to do with that one.

* No Web Cam Built in.
* 5hrs Battery ! (Seems poor for a spec like that).
* illuminated keyboard = eat battery.
It would make an ideal desk top replacement.

Bare in mind a lot of that cost will be the i7 processor. You Can have similar results with the i5.

i7 processor = £250
i5 processor = £150
i3 processor = £80

So you can see where the bulk of your cost is. The processor is the fancy part of your laptop, not the laptop. Its half the price of the total cost.

Hope that helps.
Under features it says it has web cam.
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 2:27pm
yeh sorry missed that wink
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 5:16pm
Well I've just come back from pc world in Bromborough and the sales man talked me out of windows 8.

He told me my office 2003 will work on win 8, how ever it will keep throwing error messages up, and also microsoft will lock computer down as it is breaking the terms and conditions using pirate software.

If i want office, I have to pay £80 per year or £389 for office 2013 pro, which can be used on 3 pc's at a time.

He said the app store in win 8 scans the pc for illegal product keys.

He says he would not be surprised if windows 9 forces you to pay a subscription to Microsoft to use your pc.

He advised me to keep using Vista or 7, but I would be forced into 8 soon.
Posted By: ChrisJ Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 7:13pm
For anyone interested in Windows 8...

When I was looking for a new PC last year they all came with Windows 8, so I took the plunge, I'm not a fan of it I keep to the desktop and create icons on the desktop just like old Windows. The things I miss are Start Up Menu (sort of fixed in 8.1) but I really miss recent document it's there in a fashion but not how I like it.

Anyway there's a free Windows 8 for Dummies PDF book below, it open as a PDF just File Save AS...

Here's a Free Windows 8 For Dummies PDF book
Posted By: Helles Re: Windows 8 - 2nd Jan 2014 11:38pm
I'm no computer expert but quite capable in most things. I bought a new PC in October with 8 installed. I knew of Windows 8.1 and downloaded it. Had nothing but trouble and phoned, emailed Dell to say things had gone wrong. First off they updated the BIOS. Didn't work. Then they said it was a virus. (never had one ever before) and in the end I did a complete factory restore back to 8 and things were okay. Dell said 8.1 was more or less a quick fix which was proving problematic and I should stay with 8 until things were sorted out.

My advice is to stay with 7 if you have it until things are sorted but even then it is a strange system to try and get used to and most annoying at times. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

P.S. Lost a lot of photographs etc when I did the factory reinstall. My own fault I know but annoying.
Posted By: granny Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 2:34am
My family clubbed together and gave me a lovely new computer for Christmas. Much needed and very pleased with it until....
It's windows 8.1 ,can't make top nor tail of it. Completely different set up to my battered old thing. No word document on it, no place for a cd or dvd, which may mean that I will not be able to transfer my photos, from camera to computer. Had a cd thing supplied to load the programme for my camera and can't do it now. No instruction booklet with computer and pissed off. very pissed off but you are the only people I can moan too, so sorry for the outburst.
Will probably be back here more often than not.
.....and then they expect all us oldies to pay our bills online. No chance...they can stick that idea up their backsides. We need simple stuff and not a degree to turn the darn thing on.
Posted By: Emeeh Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 3:18am
Agree that W8 is awful! Can see that it might be better with a touch screen as the new tiled start menu thing would work better.

To me it just worked before it seems counter intuitive now and I hate the built in mail etc. looks like I'll need to shell out £220 if I want office with Outlook back like on my old W7 laptop.

Also all this Bing crap... No thanks. Get Chrome browser installed asap!!
Posted By: Headcoat_TheMrs Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 8:55am
We have just had upgraded comps at work and all have 8 on them, everyone hates it and the first thing we all did was put the classic shell on.

Now it pretty much look and fells like my old Windows Vista.

Have you looked into getting Open Office or Kingsoft Office and ditching MS Office, they are both free and pretty much compatible with MS.
Posted By: Gibbo Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 11:04am
Originally Posted by Willo_
He told me my office 2003 will work on win 8, how ever it will keep throwing error messages up, and also microsoft will lock computer down as it is breaking the terms and conditions using pirate software.


And that's why you should NEVER go to PC World, there's so many untruths and inaccurate advice there its astounding.

Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 11:37am
I was allset to buy the laptop, until he told me that, so he saved me some money
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 12:17pm
I have installed office 2003 on win 8 machines. Ok never used the app store but it didnt throw out any errors either.
All windows 8 updates were done. No issues.

Im sure I seen office 365 in staples for £75 for 3 machines. Dont hold me to that as I was only quickly looking.

If your looking for a laptop thats not windows 8 you will have to dig around online not pc world and such.
Posted By: j_demo Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 12:31pm
Originally Posted by granny
no place for a cd or dvd

that's not W8, that's just your laptop hasn't got a disc drive... my girlfriends ultrabook hasn't got one either, but you can buy external USB ones online for £30 or so
Posted By: Willo_ Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 2:46pm
I gave up on windows 8, I got myself a desktop

Acer Aspire X3995

Win 7 64bit
i3 processor
1TB hdd
12 usb ports LOL 6 of them usb 3.0 (haven't got a clue)
6gb DDR3 memory
Built in wireless card
HD graphics card

All for a very very tiny price.

The hdd drive is split in 2 see pic, I don't know why.

Attached picture hdd.PNG
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 3:33pm
The Drive is Split for no reason, it just makes finding things easier sometimes. Still with it being a single point of failure. Hopefully you will add an external drive for backing up your Operating system. Never had a problem with windows 7 backups and restore.

* USB 3
I have an external usb 3 Hard Drive. They say the transfer rates are x10 faster (Dont quote me). If your buying usb 3 devices they normally are usb 2 compatible which is what your used too. Usb 3 in my experience has a blue inner bit of plastic. And the end that goes into the device is split into two.

That looks like a decent system and should really do almost everything you want it to do. The more i read about windows 8 the more i have to stay away.

Windows for what ever the reason imo always seem to cock up a operating system then get it right.

XP good
Vista Bad
Win 7 good
Win 8 Bad
Win 9 ?? Who knows fingers crossed.
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 3:38pm
Originally Posted by granny
My family clubbed together and gave me a lovely new computer for Christmas. Much needed and very pleased with it until....
It's windows 8.1 ,can't make top nor tail of it. Completely different set up to my battered old thing. No word document on it, no place for a cd or dvd, which may mean that I will not be able to transfer my photos, from camera to computer. Had a cd thing supplied to load the programme for my camera and can't do it now. No instruction booklet with computer and pissed off. very pissed off but you are the only people I can moan too, so sorry for the outburst.
Will probably be back here more often than not.
.....and then they expect all us oldies to pay our bills online. No chance...they can stick that idea up their backsides. We need simple stuff and not a degree to turn the darn thing on.

A good tip is to visit youtube for windows 8 guides.
hope that helps.
Posted By: granny Re: Windows 8 - 3rd Jan 2014 9:37pm
Originally Posted by j_demo
Originally Posted by granny
no place for a cd or dvd

that's not W8, that's just your laptop hasn't got a disc drive... my girlfriends ultrabook hasn't got one either, but you can buy external USB ones online for £30 or so


Thank you for this advice, and also thanks to Mark for yours.
It is helpful.
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8 - 4th Jan 2014 12:19am
Laptops = CD / DVD built in.
Net Books = No CD / DVD.

Dont beat yourself up granny even us that know windows, windows 8 made us look stupid at times when it first come out.

Try pressing the windows key on the keyboard. It should take you to a desktop you may recognise.

I dont use win 8 so its from memory.

If you have any more questions about windows 8 just ask wink

P.s your camera software I know you have it on a disc but its the norm to download the file from the manufacturer of your camera nower days. Look for download or support links on its website.

Mark
Posted By: granny Re: Windows 8 - 4th Jan 2014 12:51am
Wonderful, and thank you again.
You see, nobody seems to have the time to stop and explain. So I find it easier not to keep on asking until it becomes a nag.
Still trying to work out how to use a video with controls! Every time I asked, they said 'like this' and did it. Didn't show how. That was thirty years ago and the eldest was 5yrs. raftl
Posted By: Softy_Southerner Re: Windows 8 - 4th Jan 2014 3:57pm
You still after Microsoft Pro 2003?
Posted By: granny Re: Windows 8 - 4th Jan 2014 8:36pm
Originally Posted by Softy_Southerner
You still after Microsoft Pro 2003?


Could say yes to that, if you are asking myself.
Don't like change... you know how it is! laugh
Posted By: Softy_Southerner Re: Windows 8 - 4th Jan 2014 9:25pm
Sorry Granny it was for Willo smile
Posted By: Emeeh Re: Windows 8 - 5th Jan 2014 12:52am
Originally Posted by Mark
Laptops = CD / DVD built in.
Net Books = No CD / DVD.


Not strictly true but near enough.
Posted By: BandyCoot Re: Windows 8 - 6th Jan 2014 2:19pm
I've been all the way from DOS3 to W8. In between I did Unix Shell programming and loads of other crap and I just hate the way the computer takes over and doesn't let you do your own thing now. it controls me. I've also realised that my mental faculties have gone for a burton, can't retain info anymore so each time they change the operating system it gets harder because I have to learn a new routine. Windows 8 gives me the screaming abdabs because it's taken control, all the old stuff is there amongst it, somewhere, but you don't half have to hunt it down. somad
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