[Computer Corner]

We just published a Great article for all of you Windows 8 people out their who are struggling to figure out how to work Microsoft's newest creation.

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Let's face it... Love it or hate it, Windows 8 is here to stay! Unfortunately, for Microsoft, this newest and bravest release has gone bust more than it has gone boom. Reports from all over the nation have revealed that Microsoft is in serious trouble, unless it does something.. quick. Many stores are struggling to be able to have enough staff to man return stations at local box stores, as dissatisfied customers murmur and complain.. What are they murmuring and complaining about? CHANGE! Not just any change.. BAD Change. I honestly believe people don't mind change for the most part, as long as the change is an improvement. And for many, the changes in Windows 8 are not easier. One of the major issues people have with Windows 8, is the loss of the now famous Start menu. In Windows 8, Microsoft went with a whole new direction, under the leadership of the now dearly departed Steven Sinofsky(whom I believe was a secret Apple agent sent in covertly to ruin Microsoft),. The new direction was meant to ease the use of the daily user, but instead have left many people dazed and confused.

If you are like us, and millions of other users out there left feeling abandoned by Microsoft, we hope to ease your worries with a solution. Bring the Start Menu back! In this issue we will show you the steps involved in making your Windows 8 machine actually useful, other than a paper weight...........

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE ON OUR WEBSITE, where we include screenshots to help you step by step.

[Virtual Geezer]

Let's face it folks, Windows 8 is here to stay and it is just a matter of time before you will have to give it a try. The time frame may be today or a few years from now but regardless you will have to face reality and make the switch. All new computers (unless a custom build) come with Windows 8 installed. Frustrations start right off the bat when you first boot the Windows 8 computer and you get a screen that is totally new to you. Don't fret, explore.

Yes Windows 8 is very different from what we have all have become accustom to and no one likes change. But there are many nice features within Windows 8 and once you get use to one platform the same things will apply to tablets and smart phones.

Another alternative to getting the Start button back on your Windows 8 PC Desktop tile is to install a app called Classic Start. Just go to this web site, Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once and scroll down to the Utilities section. Here you will find a program called Classic Start. Click on it and go through the install process. You will now have the Start button in the bottom left hand corner of your screen. If you right click on the Start button and go to settings you have a ton of options that you can change to your liking. The one that most new users will go to will be the Start Menu Style and it will allow you to chose a number of different styles of the start menu. If you are a Window 7 user and want that style just chose that option and the start menu will look just like the one in Windows 7. The same thing goes for XP.

Now there are a couple of good things about this app that the user will enjoy. First of all it is FREE. Second you can turn it off and use the Desktop in the true Windows 8 environment. To turn it back on again just hit the Windows key (the key with the Windows icon to the left of the space bar and Alt key) and get back to the Metro screen and click on the Classic Start tile.

I have the Classic Start program installed and have used it for a few days now and I am turning it off more and more as I get use to Windows 8. At some point I will remove it totally.

The Windows key plays a much bigger role in Windows 8 that in previous version. There are a couple of free cheat sheet apps from the App Store that will show you the key combinations and what they do.

One of the truly frustrating things people are saying about Windows 8 is that you can't do something that you could in other versions. I have yet to find anything in Windows 8 that I could not do in Windows 7. The frustration is that it may not be the way you did it before or on the same screen as before.

The two Villages computer clubs, The Villages Computer Club and The Villages Computer Plus clubs are both devoting a lot of time covering Windows 8. This is a great place to get questions answered about using your Windows computer regardless of what version of Windows you are using. They have a number of guys that have been deeply involved with Window 8 and will get even the novice user of Windows 8 up and running.

VG

[Becky]

Thank you both for the great information! I bought a new computer and it has Windows 8 on it. I was afraid to take it out of the box after reading all the problems with it. Think I might just try it now! Thanks!

Becky

[saratogaman]

If you have a touch-screen computer and you switch to classic, I think you lose touch-screen use within classic.
I have Windows 8 on my touch-screen smart phone and I find it easy to use.
Since my computers are not touch-screen, I see no advantage to installing it on them.

[Computer Corner]

Originally Posted by Becky

Thank you both for the great information! I bought a new computer and it has Windows 8 on it. I was afraid to take it out of the box after reading all the problems with it. Think I might just try it now! Thanks!

Becky

Let us know how you did when you do.