Want a new laptop but do I want Windows 8?

[Midniteoyl]

The sever slowdown in desktop sales has already woke them up..

 

[pacerron]

Unfortunately you can't even upgrade to 8.1 until you do the updates, it wouldn't show up in the store to get it.
MS needs to realize there is still a market for desktops, not everyone is going to a tablet, or wants a touchscreen. Maybe the lack of win8 sales will wake them up? Looks like 7 will be around awhile. My workplace just upgraded from xp to win7.
Got most of my apps loaded on 8.1 now. still have to look at the mpeg codec thing. I have a way of playing them with other apps, just not WMP.

The desktop I purchased for my wife had W-8 on it and I updated it to 8.1.
She uses a standard monitor from the previous XP machine, and new keyboard and mouse came with the new desktop.
She uses it as a desktop with no problems. You do have to set it to open some of the programs you normally use in desktop mode as they
are set to open in the Metro mode out of the box.
One of the features that I really like in the Metro mode is the reading set up for internet pages. It automatically removes all advertisements and preloads the following pages, so it reads like a book, full screen.
One thing to check is the top left corner with your mouse in the Metro mode. You may have closed pages but if you go up there you may find thumbnails still open. You can reopen the pages from there or right click and close them completely.
The IE 11 update for Windows 7 does not work that way but is still worth installing as it is considerably faster, uses less resources, and is more secure
if you use the default security settings.
The VLC media player is a universal player/downloader. It is "Open Source" so a lot of updates though.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Just gave VLC a test, works good on the mpg's.

 

[pwright]

Just gave VLC a test, works good on the mpg's.

Or you could have just added the Media Center Feature Pack through the MS Windows store to get the MPEG codecs you needed. MS has to pay the MPEG-LA group to include to include them in Windows and they have chosen not to.

Your Windows 7 machine probably came with DVD playback/authoring software which would have included licensed codecs.

In any case VLC works quite well.

 

[Midniteoyl]

The Shark007 pack I linked to will let WMP play anything like VLC does..

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I downloaded the WMP codecs, they work ok, so I'm using it now.
I have the laptop running pretty good now on 8.1, boots to a "normal" desktop, none of the tile crap.
i can't view my security cams with IE11, crashes when I log in.

 

[pacerron]

I downloaded the WMP codecs, they work ok, so I'm using it now.
I have the laptop running pretty good now on 8.1, boots to a "normal" desktop, none of the tile crap.
i can't view my security cams with IE11, crashes when I log in.

Windows 8.1 using IE11

 

[pwright]

i can't view my security cams with IE11, crashes when I log in.

Install the FireFox or Chrome browsers instead.

 

[Soundguy]

speaking of win 8.1 etc. anyone using 8.1 rt what did you find different than 8 rt? other than outlook?

 

[crazyal]

I got a Surface pro a week ago that came loaded with 8.1. I didn't want RT since that seams to be a crippled OS. I wasn't sure if I would like it but now that I'm getting a feel for it I like it more. I understand why M$ went to 8. The idea is that the Windows phone, tablet,s laptops, and desktops will all use the same software. Learn one and you know them all.