Got a new computer with Windows 8 - it's like landing on a different planet

[harold69]

Is it just me, or are the last few posts in this thread an advert for anything but Linux.

I mean, with Windows you get XP (RIP), Vista, 7 and 8. You might get Home Edition, or Premium or whatever, but they are in effect just the same thing. Maybe a little enhanced or a little restricted. But everyone knows pretty much what they're getting.

In the last few posts we've had: Ubuntu; Xorin; and Mint. Others (not in the last couple of posts) would suggest that you try Suse or Debian or Redhat. And before long you can add Fedora or PCLinuxOS or CentOS to that list. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you could install any one of 285 different variants of Linux.

Can't the Linux community just settle on one or two versions. Maybe then, the general public might be a bit more confident in giving it a whirl.

I did not realize i was walking on hallowed ground. I requested this info you are complaining about being posted, I won't do that again, sorry. Thank you to those that posted answers to my questions. I keep forgetting this is the "Kitchen Table", and that you can post about anything you want.

[johnwash1]

Versions are available for most platforms, including Windows. It will load Windows Office files; you may save back in native format or Windows formats. All I ever use in Windows or Linux nowadays.

Cambrensis, I agree.

It does lack recent MS 'innovations' such as the ribbon bar. Most of us consider that lack a benefit though!

To be fair to MS, to keep their revenue stream they have to keep moving the deckchairs around on the Titanic. Nobody would buy an 'upgrade' if it was exactly the same as the previous version. But most domestic users (and many corporate users) already have 10 times as many features in MS Office as they're ever likely to use.

If you're a big power user of spreadsheets, using fancy macros, then you may find incompatibilities between MS Excel and LO Calc. For most of us, there's no worry.

[johnwash1]

I did not realize i was walking on hallowed ground. I requested this info you are complaining about being posted, I won't do that again, sorry. Thank you to those that posted answers to my questions. I keep forgetting this is the "Kitchen Table", and that you can post about anything you want.

Complaining? Was he? I thought he was revelling in how many different flavours there are and how he can recite most of them. Baskin Robbins only has 31 flavours.

Mmmmmm... ice cream!

[JanetB]

Interesting, this Libre suite is just like OpenOffice Suite - are they the one and same?

[johnwash1]

Interesting, this Libre suite is just like OpenOffice Suite - are they the one and same?

Ah, that's a hot potato of a question!

In the beginning was the Sun. Sun Computers, a huge company, the same one that also created Java. They put a lot of effort (i.e. development staff) into the Open Office project for years. I guess it made sense, just like IBM pays for huge amounts of development of free (open source) software, and in both cases the incentive is that it helps them sell more hardware. Sun 'got' the way that open source is developed, involving the community.

But Sun faded and was bought by Oracle, another giant firm. If you want to get an idea of how gigantic, google for a pic of Larry Ellison's 'yacht'. It may be called a yacht, but it's comparable with a large cruise ship.

Oracle, in contrast, don't 'get' open source. They took control of various ex-Sun projects and p*ssed off the community. And when relations get bad enough, since it's open source and the licences permit many freedoms, any group of people is free to 'fork' such a project. Usually they're obliged to change the name. Open Office was such a good name, it was very sad that the people behind the fork had to pick something else.

So then there were two rival products in the race, starting from the same position. LO was quickly improved, Oracle fell behind. Finally Oracle gave up and handed over OO to the Apache Foundation. But it was too late.

You can still download OO, but you're likely to find LO is not worse and may indeed do better some things you need. Try both if you have time. If you don't, just try LO.

At least Oracle were consistent. They also cheesed off the MySQL developers (MariaDB is the fork, run by the original people). And same story with a very good build server (which I use myself most days) called Hudson. The fork was renamed to Jenkins and is attracting more effort.

[tonyreddevil]

you certaily know about what you have written,
didnt know there was much involvement

[gbsbks2010]

I've joined the club and it is taking me ages to do things that used to take seconds.

I wanted to print a packing list - no print icon to be seen anywhere. Resorted to asking the internet. Answer: Control and P. Printing the packing list took about 15 minutes to accomplish, but at least I now know how to print.

I do like Windows 8.1 but it is a steep learning experience and like anything new it will probably take time to learn.

[johnwash1]

I've joined the club and it is taking me ages to do things that used to take seconds.

I wanted to print a packing list - no print icon to be seen anywhere. Resorted to asking the internet. Answer: Control and P. Printing the packing list took about 15 minutes to accomplish, but at least I now know how to print.

I do like Windows 8.1 but it is a steep learning experience and like anything new it will probably take time to learn.

... and then you'll have Windows 9 to learn, next year. Have you noticed how MS progress? Win 98 was ok, Millenium was a dog. XP has been much loved for 14 years, but was followed by Vista (which some were ok with, but many disliked). 7 was a success, followed by 8.

Assuming the long established pattern continues, 9 will be a success. But why wait? You no longer have to find a computer geek in a back bedroom to install Linux, you can buy a computer with it already installed, from a number of suppliers.

[cheaver]

... and then you'll have Windows 9 to learn, next year. Have you noticed how MS progress? Win 98 was ok, Millenium was a dog. XP has been much loved for 14 years, but was followed by Vista (which some were ok with, but many disliked). 7 was a success, followed by 8.

Assuming the long established pattern continues, 9 will be a success. But why wait? You no longer have to find a computer geek in a back bedroom to install Linux, you can buy a computer with it already installed, from a number of suppliers.

Oh YAY! for Linux!
I've been pulling my hair out updating a Win7 Desktop ready to sell..... 3 hours! YES, 3 HOURS! to update it.... unbelievable number of reboots, then the final reboot followed by the CONFIGURATION of the updates.... oh ye Gods, life's too short!
It takes more time to maintain Windows than can be spent actually using it lol!!!
And people actually PAY for it!

The logic defies me, when Linux is free!


edit: forgot to say, this Win 7 desktop flies on 4GB Ram - so pity the poor people on 1 or 2GB...............