Month: May 2013

Re the upcoming Windows 8 Start button.. “The experience doesn’t replicate the Windows 7 Start button and menu, but it’s an improvement over Windows 8, Silver said.” Any improvement is welcome………….  I think.. "The Start button will not bring you a vertical list of applications and commands" like the one in Windows 7, he said. "But if you’re on the desktop, it won’t bounce you out of that environment. It will bring the Start screen on top of the desktop. It’s really kind of nuanced. All the elements of Start won’t be back, but it won’t feel as jarring." Why … Continue reading Don’t throw out your Windows 7 disk just yet..

I am sitting outside on my balcony in the South West Ontario sun, shaded by a large sun shade over a smoked glass table, my machine is a three year old Toshiba Netbook running Windows 7 Home Premium in 2gb of RAM. It doesn’t have the rather annoying multi-lingual keyboard that comes as standard. I swapped it out for a US only keyboard when I first got it, and it also has a larger hard drive than standard hard drive because it is part of the backup system I use. The mouse is a two year old Microsoft Mobile 3500, … Continue reading Windows 8.1..

I was in my local Apple Store yesterday. My five year old grand-daughter likes to play on the iPads, having learned from one of her friends who has one, and the staff there don’t seem to mind. So, I decided to look to see what an iPad/iPad mini could do, and headed for the business app section. Hmmmmm. There was a fair bit re communications, calendars etc but where are the apps which enable a website to be worked on, or the MS Office/Outlook equivalent. I couldn’t find any of this, only separate apps, none of which appeared to integrate … Continue reading Where is the evidence?

The Hotmail interface has changed, and this is what you see when you first open it. Yes, it has the new Windows 8 look, but all of the tools are still there. Note the almost complete lack of tools across the top. Oh my, how could Microsoft do this to us. There are no tools and I can’t reply or forward or delete or do anything. What were they thinking about? Whoa up and quit with getting overwrought. Try clicking on the email to which you want to reply, forward, delete etc..                 … Continue reading How to forward mail (or do anything) in Outlook.com..

Windows Blue, leaked version build 9364, still has no proper desktop start menu, but other features have appeared. There is more in the Control Panel app which is bringing claims of ‘the end of the desktop for sure’ forward again If these ‘leaks’ are official, Microsoft may be testing the water to see how far they have to go to appease the desktop users and public in general. I have no doubt that it would be better for Microsoft if they didn’t have to go ‘all of the way’ even though they should just bite the bullet. Ed Bott says … Continue reading Windows Blue.. more FUD?

Dear Sir or Madam, This is an open letter to everyone and anyone involved with Windows 8. Don’t let the critics get you down. You’ve done good work and it should be rewarded. Immediately ask for a salary raise of 10 to 20 percent. You deserve it! Windows 8 is the future, let there be no doubt. The ham-fisted delicacy of the touch screen is indeed beautiful. It’s inviting and nothing welcomes you more warmly than a touch screen that lets you feel at one with the computer as you poke it with your greasy finger and make sexy smear … Continue reading An Open Letter to Microsoft.. By John C. Dvorak

Windows Blue.. The story so far… http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/06/windows-8-at-6-months-q-amp-a-with-tami-reller.aspx PC sales.. No, it is not the fault of Windows 8. It is because there is a shift to tablet forms which would explain why Microsoft Surface and Surface RTs are not doing so well either. Let’s make a deal. ‘High price + confusing interface = poor sales’ Linux . I can’t find anything to substantiate rumours than Linux will take over from where Windows 8 failed. Linux had its chance in 2007. Five years later, we are still using Windows, even Windows 8.. The Cloud.. There is still persistence in the rumour … Continue reading Rumours or Real?

The new Coolermaster CM690 II Advanced case has now been in service for thirty five days. In that time, it has not displayed any of the annoying characteristics of it’s predecessor. Windows has not shutdown once and everything is working. I still dare not set up any Windows 8 apps because I have no desire to tempt providence. Start8 is keeping the unstable bits at bay, and Windows Defender is quietly keeping the junk out. From my perspective, Windows 8 desktop does a good job, and I do not feel that I am selling out by staying with the desktop. … Continue reading On the case..

I have found out where. The manufacturers took the keyboards off and called them tablets, everybody except for Acer, that is. A quick look at a Netbook gone by.. This is a Toshiba NB250, one of the better netbooks of the day. It is powered by the Intel Atom N455, runs Windows 7 Starter (32-bit) installed on a 160gb hard drive. Display size is 10.1”, and resolution is 1024 x 600. No, it will NOT run the Windows 8 Modern UI, but it can be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium if you want to beat the ‘three programs running’ … Continue reading Where did all of the Netbooks go?