Yeah, I've read a lot about problems with Windows 8 and the 8.1 version that's supposed to fix them. Each time I get a new version/edition/or whatever, I hope it'll be the last one.
Bird,
You never want to hope "it'll be the last one"
That means your boot tips will be pointing skyward.
They have to keep coming up with newer stuff constantly to stay in business, since the basic market is saturated.
That really doesn't mean it is better, often just more bells and whistles that you will never use.
Microsoft has a tendency to make a lousy system every other version and spends the time between correcting the lousy one by loading your hard drive with patches. XP was bad at first but became good, Vista was lousy. W-7 which is now very good is compatible with more older software than you think. W-8 is not good yet and unless you like smearing your finger oil all over the screen, why bother.
Unless you want a laptop for portability, you can't beat a desktop.
I have both but much prefer the desktop for the large, always at the same angle monitor.
I end up using the laptop with a little deskette padded thing setting on my knees to hold the laptop, a cooler fan for the laptop on that, and then the laptop. That also gives room for a mouse next to the laptop on the deskette thing. I hate the chasing your finger around a pad system that is standard with laptops and am much faster with a mouse.
If your vision is failing or you wear rather strong bi-focals you may find you need a modified prescription to see both the monitor and keyboard clearly with it on your lap.
If you do any photography editing a laptop is not good because if you don't have the screen tilted the same angle everytime it will change the looks and brightness of the picture.
External hard drives are dirt cheap these days, so if you ever need more than 500 GB of storage just buy one.
You should have one especially for back up presently, anyway.
I liked XP when they finally got it working well, and still have an old homebuilt pc with it on that is very old but still works fine. Many businesses really don't want to change.
My latest desktop and laptop, both 2-3 years old have W-7 and it was very easy to adapt to from XP. You can make it look very similar to XP by turning off the AERO semitransparent borders, which I did not like, and were causing problems with the W-7 version at first.
That's my nickle's worth.
I'm sure you have opened a hive of hornets with your questions and will get many conflicting answers.
If you really want a laptop go to a store or a friends and use it for an hour. That will help you the most in your decision.
Ron
. On a nicer note I picked up my round bales this morning and stacked them on high ground,, while I was doing this it rained on me.. not a lot but equal to the dancing I did last night.. If it had matched my drinking then my bales would be floating right now.:laughing:. Lou
