Windows 8
Fall is usually a very busy time in the tech world. Many new products and services are introduced ahead of the holiday shopping season. This year has been particularly active. Last month Microsoft released Window 8, three years after Windows 7 was released. So the question always comes up "Should I upgrade my current computer to Windows 8 if I am using an earlier version of Windows?" The answer is always a simple "No". Unlike Apple's OS X I never recommend upgrading a Windows computer to a new version of Windows. The results are always problematic. Lots of things go wrong like software programs that won't open, printers or scanners that no longer work. There is always a domino affect and other software/hardware that you use will have to be upgraded too (and might not even work at all, at least for a while until the software/hardware vendor releases an update too). In my case here is what is not working after upgrading to Windows 8:
- My Brother all-in-one will print but not scan
- My PaperPort software will not open
- My QuickBooks accounting program will not email invoices
So needless to say I'm going back to Windows 7. Now I can do that sort of thing because "I'm in the business". But if you try Windows 8 and don't like it, it would be a major expense for you to erase Windows 8 and install Windows 7 instead. It can be done but you are not going to like the bill I hand you :-). Not to mention the new learning curve with Windows 8. The main difference between Windows 8 and Windows 7 is the emphasis on the touch screen and two Desktops. Many of the new features only work well if you have a touch screen computer. Many new computers, both desktops and laptops, are coming with touch screens, but almost none of the existing computers have touch screens. This is another reason it does not make sense to upgrade an existing computer to Windows 8. If you are in the market for a new computer then either consider a new touch screen computer with Windows 8 (but you might want to let others work out the bugs) or a non-touch screen with Windows 7. We will be in the cross over period for a while now so you can still get Windows 7 with a new computer (Windows 7 has been out for 3 years and is very stable) online, if not in stores.
 | | Windows 8 Start Screen |
So what does Windows 8 do that Windows 7 does not? It is all about touch screens and two Desktops. One Desktop is called Start and is all about "consuming" content with touch. You move things around and open things with your finger. The second Desktop is the familiar Windows Desktop where you "produce" work. Windows 8 is trying to be more like tablets and smartphones where you use your fingers on the screen. Personally, I'm not looking forward to the smudges my fingers will leave on my computer screen. But tablets and smartphones are a different story. I like using my finger on my iPad. It works well. I'm just not so sure about swiping my finger around on my computer monitor, at least not yet. If You Already Have Windows 8, Helpful Websites
So if you have already taken the plunge or are curious about Windows 8 here are some useful articles that will help in your transition.
5 ways Windows 8 (on a Tablet or Smartphone) beats iOS (on an iPhone or iPad): http://goo.gl/8gNIF | 
