I think microsoft has made a bigger error than usual with this one.

Windows based computers suck! Yeah, Apple costs more but it fucking works!

I want the OS to allow me to tell it where to put stuff - I don't want it sticking somewhere without my permission. Even when you are trying to tell Win8 exactly where to save something, it does something different.

Dad had all the data and some programs transferred off his old computer. If I used the old programs to open or save documents or images, the file structure was there. But with the Win8 programs, I could not find the file structure to find his old documents. This is no good when you are trying to help a 90 year old man just do the basic things he's been doing on his computer for thirty years.

Windows 8 is a plague.

I either build my own or buy my computers from a local shop that builds custom - for cheaper than I can buy an off the shelf computer at a chain store. He'll put whichever OS I want on one. I like going through him since he will build to whatever specs I need - I don't need gaming graphics or speed; I do need Photoshop graphics and processing power as well as tons of storage space. He'll transfer whatever components are still adequate from my old computer or build it in my old case.

Win 7 can still be bought ($135) - heck, Win XP can still be bought ($120) - at places like BuyCheapSoftware.com. I also buy a lot of my software there - WordPerfect Office X4 for $24 is a deal!

The big advantage of this route is I get none of the garbage manufacturers load on their off the shelf computers.

this being my first and last non mac .Explaining to people how wacked out "8" behaves is futile - I just hand them this little HP windows 8 600$
can of crazy worms and listen to them melt down .

Microsoft are a bunch of idiots for not including such a thing. Maybe one of these days, they'll include a START button in one of thier upgrades.

There was no manual or tutorial provided, which is really stupid. Now that I have down the basics, and added Classic Shell, it"s actually pretty nice, for the most part. And, FAST.

... as a developer in their systems division, and I thought Windows 7 was the best version to date.

But Windows 8? I hear it's even better than 7 under the covers, but that interface... My biggest "what the fuck were they thinking?" moment when it comes to software. I hate it so much I don't want it near me.

And now you're telling me that it's deciding things for you? That's what always repelled me about Macs! That condescending contempt for the user by deciding it knows best is really aggravating to those of us who know what we're doing.

Maybe I'll finally be ready to completely switch over to Linux soon, though Ubuntu's unity is another WTF moment.

I like it a lot. It's really only Developer Studio and my time investment into learning the inner workings of Windows that's keeping me there.

I'm actually pretty competent in the *NIX world, just not the expert I am in Windows.

It's how I have things setup at work. That way I can snapshot the VM before I do something which could kill it. And I can apply updates to my Linux box without having to restart it constantly.

Best of both worlds.

... as soon as I have the time to do it. Any tips as to what VM software I should use? I'm familiar with what a VM is and does, but I've never actually run one, so I'm a beginner in that respect.

Converter for the existing windows box to a VM. You can point to an external drive to host the VM. https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info/slug/infrastructure_operations_management/vmware_vcenter_converter_standalone/5_0

Manual for Converter: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/convsa_50_guide.pdf

And player to run the VM. https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_player/5_0

You'll need to be running Pro or Ultimate to be able to meet the EULA for running Windows as a VM as I recall.

I'll go check that out.

Win 8 isn't even suited for pre-school use - too infantile.

So I went to Amazon and read reviews for a book by Katherine Murray called "My Windows 8". It has gotten great reviews and Murry knows what she's talking about. She's been writing about Microsoft products for more than 25 years. Amazon also has a handy 4-page laminated "cheat sheet" for Windows 8 that you might find helpful.

Don't give up. Windows 8 is getting such good technical reviews that it's likely to be around for awhile. Best learn to use it.

I'm still getting used to it but I damn near bashed the PC to death with a rock.

Can I have it??

I hear Win8 gave you an 'unlike' on Facebook.

Ugh. What a pain in the ass that system is. She brings her laptop to me every week so I can show her how to do something.

Trying to learn how to navigate it though on a notebook. The whole tiles interface makes it look like it's only meant for smart phones, not regular usage on a computer.

figured what could go wrong and we don't have another 800 bucks for the mac ---so yeah gimmee that shiny HP with the light up key board that says it has SUPER SOUND ---- duh !

They told us "if the user doesn't want what we are selling then the user is just stupid."

We told them that we could not make that into an ad. Then they mocked the way we used Excel because we didn't have our column headings laid in at a 45 degree angle like they did internally. Some smart people with surprisingly fragile egos.

complain...