Re: Worth it to upgrade to Windows 8 with no touchscreen?
Windows keys started appearing on keyboards shortly after Win95. My keyboard doesn't have one because it's a Model M, which predates Win95 by quite a bit. What keyboard do you have?
Here is my advice for what it is worth. First download the upgrade assistant »windows.microsoft.com/en ··· indows-8 to see where your problems will lie.
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If you find no major problems with the Upgrade Assistant or are willing to pay for the upgrades that might be required, only then consider upgrading.
I think this is the best advice that I have read. Even if you are looking to do a "clean install" instead of an upgrade (and of course install all your current applications into Windows 8), the upgrade assistant will alert you ahead of time of any problems you may have with the applications you have installed.
If you do have applications that are not compatible, you could then do the needed research to figure out what your plan of attack will be. Is there a newer version that is compatible? Is there a cost to upgrade, or do I have to purchase new? If no upgrade is available, what other applications are out there that would be a good replacement?
It would then be at that point you could decide if the time, effort, and cost to do all that is worth it to you. Only you can answer that question, as everyone is different. Not to mention everyone runs different sets of software dependent on how they use their computers.
My personal experience: I have upgraded systems from XP Pro, Vista Home/Media, Win 7 Home, Win 7 64-bit Ultimate. I have upgraded a mix of clean installs vs. in-place upgrades, including one in-place install via Wi-Fi. I have encountered one modest issue with Java, which took several installs to finally favorably resolve. None were touch screens. The absence of a "start" menu orb took about 20 seconds to overcome. Performance seems to be modestly favored with a clean install but that is my impression and not measured. I do not like IE 10 being different under Metro than Desktop. IMHO you can "save" a system if it has Vista on it because of performance improvements in Win 8. I think the point made in other posts regarding drivers for "legacy" hardware is a real consideration but was not a factor to me. In all other respects, it is a coin toss based on my limited experiences.
Absolutely, yes. I'm in the process of upgrading 7 machines at home. My 10, 13 and 15 year olds like it and have no problems and neither does my non-techie wife.
The wife actually likes the tiles to read through News items and to look at the weather. She actually keeps the weather page up when she's at home so it acts like a weather station.
It's a great OS. Stay away though if you are the type that can't deal with change.
It seems like Windows 8 is a really great OS, but is it useful for someone who doesn't have a touchscreen computer at all?
As someone with a touchscreen computer I would say it's not so useful, not at all what I was expecting / hoping for many years back. It's probably good on a tablet though. I'd keep what you have.
My 10, 13 and 15 year olds like it and have no problems and neither does my non-techie wife.
Of course they do, no doubt about it. Windows 8 was designed for 13 year old and perhaps for McDonalds employee (same level of expertise), taking an order with their terminal (similar appearance).
Windows 8 is a very CRUDE version of Windows... Nothing the least bit sophisticated about it....especially insulting users intelligence with childish names like "charms bar" and making a gigantic black clock that is monstrously hideous pop up constantly as though I can't look at the clock in the systray for the time!
Windows 8 is highly insulting of anyone with any intelligence.
. So, LoneGreyWolf make your decision, based on the age group, you feel you better fit in
I'm still curious to see how many GPOs and hacks will be necessary to make this steaming loaf workable in a professional/enterprise/deployed environment.
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