Windows 8, WTH?

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*** EDITORS NOTE- I have had my Windows 8 for almost a year and I love, love, love it. So much in fact I am thinking about getting another touch screen computer. Yeah, call me crazy. But Windows 8 is really cool and I couldn’t go back to 7 if someone paid me too.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a new computer. A beautiful Dell, with 1tb of space, an all in one, it is just fabulous. Now, let me just explain for the last 3 years I have had two touch screen computers. I hated them both, seriously. First of all you have to keep them clean. I am not talking about letting the grubby little fingerprints sit for a week and then clean it. No, I am talking you need to keep it clean, like every day, or better yet, every time someone uses it. Secondly, after about 6 months to a year it stops working. Or it starts working all funky. You touch here and something totally wrong opens up and if you are a graphic designer it can be your worst nightmare. Plus, don’t let it get hot, that little touch screen won’t work at all. I had a friend e-mail me the other day and she was happy she had just bought a touch screen computer. I wrote her back 4 little words “Good Luck with that!” My Dell though, no touch screen. YES! In fact before it was ordered I asked 3 times whether or not it was a touch screen. I think the lady thought I had issues or severe memory loss. Either way I was ecstatic to get rid of my touch screen.

So I happily got my computer out of the box and got it all set up. I was so happy not to have a touch screen but was kind of enamored with the cool little touch mouse. After I got it all set up Windows 8 popped up and my first reaction was “What the hell is this?” I have been on computers since 84 and I can operate most systems, including a MAC. So for me to be confused, let’s just say I didn’t love it. I could not figure out how to get to the desktop until I saw a little icon at the bottom and was like “YAY” and clicked on it. I thought I was good to go and I found my internet explorer and immediately installed Google Chrome. Then I had the stupid look on my face again. Ummm, where is my Chrome? Why is it not on my desktop? Oh no, it was nowhere to be found. So I thought, let me restart it because it is a new download. So I restarted the computer. It came up, I hit desktop and still not Google Chrome. WTH! Then I realized when I hit the little windows button that my Chrome was on the other screen. The start screen, the screen I ran away from. Oh, this is so not going to work. First of all I have severe OCD on my displays. Everything is in a folder and in it’s place. I can’t take it if I have a bunch of icons. This was not cool:

It is like a smartphone nightmare. So not only are my programs not in a folder like I like to have them but I have to scroll to find what I want. I have a lot of programs because of my designing. AGHHHH! It was very frustrating to say the least. Windows 8 was a WTH moment for two days. Then after some research I finally discovered what it had to offer and I wasn’t upset anymore. I figured out how to get my programs to my desktop and I also learned the apps on the start screen were actually charms. Then I discovered this awesome site that had all kinds of short cuts, woo! http://blogs.msdn.com/b/hyperyash/archive/2012/08/28/windows-8-shortcuts.aspx . But my moment? It came when I found out I could buy apps. I LOVE apps and have a gazillion of them on my phone. So I happily found a bunch of apps to download and yeah, my start screen is cluttered up but I am learning to not freak out over it.

Do I love Windows 8? I can’t say that I do. I think of it more as a love/hate relationship. First of all I miss my start button. Secondly, I really hate that I can’t find my control panel without having to search for it. Thirdly, I hate having to bring my start screen up to shut down my computer. I am used to just doing it in the start menu, which by the way is gone. I know, I know I already mentioned that but I desperately miss it. Also, it really is for touch screen users that love to swipe and clean. No, I will not go there again! I do love the look and it’s cool to have something new. But when it comes down to it, I hate it as much as most people do. I really don’t see the point in having such a complicated interface. Most computer users use the computer to e-mail, Facebook, play games, and watch movies. They don’t need this kind of fanciness nor are they going to want it. I don’t love Windows 8 and I don’t hate it. I am one of those people that just learns to adapt. It is kind of like using Paint Shop Pro for years and then suddenly using Photoshop, you are going to be pulling out your hair. I think though once my Windows 8 for dummies comes I will love it a whole lot more!

[question]Do you have Windows 8? If so, do you like it? If not, do you want to get it?[/question]

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