Another question. I want a desktop but wonder if it is necessary to have a tower? Are the All-in-Ones the same as the desktops with towers?

Sorry for all the questions,
Jane

Some of my readings conflict. From some I came to the conclusion,

Don't hang your hopes of a return to W7 and before presentation with the release of W9 "Threshold". MS is also working on v8.2 for a late 2014 release. There's even rumor that V8.2 may be skipped, and an extended wait for a W9 release sometime in 2015. However, in either case the Metro presentation is reportedly here to stay.

Of course, W9 will have changes and improvements. However, one of the main MS reported plans is a complete code rewrite. For me that reads elimination of obsolete code which may increase faster processing, but also renders old applications and peripherals incompatable.

W8 is different. Without question. However, it is not the demon some people are making it out to be. Once you figure out how to run it, and learn some new terminology things are pretty good. Yes my new W8 system was a little frustrating in the beginning, but now with the help of v8.1 there is no concern.

Being a free thinker I purchased a Vista system when it was being condemned. It was outstanding until its death 7(?) years later. And I am not dead or in therapy.

DA

a simple google provides the answer

Here is a link that might be useful: Win 7 end of life

Da, Vista was nasty in the beginning. It is fine now, still works and I would prefer it to Win 8.

Azinoh, thanks for the helpful link. I guess you are better at Google searches than I am. Spent hours on the MS Website and got no where. Guess I'm just too old for this anymore.

Jane

Jane,

Using your word, Vista wasn't "nasty" rather it was the gateway to the future. It was designed for security and the coding was 70% plus that of the following W7. At the time the industry was pushed by the gaming industry and they were the ones who condemned a lack of performance. Not the basic users. Add to that the complaints when archaic code of XP and prior was jettisoned from Vista which rendered some software and peripherals useless.

Today much of Vista's breakthroughs are still in use. Even in v8.0 you still have the "dreaded" Vista UAC.

As time goes by and personal computing moves into the future many users identify Vista as not being too bad at all. Just different. Kind of like W8/8.1.

DA

jane, azinoh, and damcoy: I obtained Vista when it was first released. Never had problems with it and would probably still be using it except my computer contracted a terrible piece of either malware or a virus and destroyed the computer.

My new computer was purchased when all new computers came with Windows 7.

Thaks for the link to the life of Microsoft systems. Windows 7 support doesn't go away until 2020. I will stick with my Windows 7 system until then, because I believe within the next 6 years there will be vast improvements.

Except for the shutdown & access to the 'Start Menu Programs' from C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu, which is easy to make a shortcut to,, And control panel type access location. Win8.1 when set to boot to desktop is darn near the same as Win7 to me - With maybe less problems than win7.

Would think most people once used to those minor differences would think it is the same darn thing and never see the modern interface. I certainly do.

I have to think a moment on some computers when I see a start button... is it win8 or 7 and need to go look in control panel System to know.

Mikie,

YUP. Too many users unfortunately believe all they hear and read. If one fairly tries W8 and doesn't like it then there is an informed opinion.

DA

No Mikie, I've had a Win 8 for about a year now. After being told I needed a Hotmail account to log on, I stuck it in the closet where it still resides.

I gave Win 8 a try and found I didn't have the time nor energy to deal with it when my other computers worked.

Da, Win Vista might have been the 'gateway to the future' but my software didn't work, it kept crashing and was generally a 'pita.'

My computers were used for work. Time is money. I didn't deal with Vista again until they 'fixed it.' Now its fine. BTW, I like Win 7 and have been using one a while.

I still do all my work on XP because I don't want to spend the time to change everything over and hope it works.

Jane

I don't have a hotmail account, and log in to my Win 8 system just fine. I think you were misinformed.

No Jane was not misinformed, I too believed it was necessary to have an MS email account. As I had one I followed along but detested that it seemed that I had to report to MS each time I started up.

I very soon figured out that one can opt out of that scenario by hovering in the bottom right corner, click Settings in the flyout, click Change PC settings.

Here one can look through and stop or start any number of items, I no longer need to apply my password to get into my computer. I believe I lose the ability to use Skydrive but that was never an option for me anyway - and it is always possible to change the settings back if one thought to do so.

I log in using my gmail account name. I don't have any MS email. I've never tried SkyDrive so don't know about that.