Windows8

[mikeschn]

Start8 is OK, but it costs and you still have to put up with the metro desktop.

Start8 takes me straight to the desktop. But you are right. It does cost! A whopping $5.

Mike...

[Glenn Butcher]

I just upgraded the Win8 laptop to 8.1 and configured it to stay away from the Metro screen as much as possible, and loving wife is finally willing to give it a try. I'm trying to avoid the third-party solutions, free or paid, but we'll see...

My laptop dual-boots either Win7 or Ubuntu. If I didn't have some Windows programs that I maintain, I'd probably just run Ubuntu all the time. With Firefox and Thunderbird, my web and email look virtually the same in either operating system. Edit: Oh, Ubuntu's Unity interface has its problems, too; I wonder what was wrong with "Start" buttons just giving you a list of programs?

Actually, for browsing and email, I'm using my phone more; the forums I participate in keep me from using it even more. Haven't tried Tapatalk yet, but thinking of it; it would work here. Got a few other forums that don't work with it, so it's not a complete solution.

[mikeschn]

Glenn,

Haven't tried Tapatalk yet, but thinking of it; it would work here. Got a few other forums that don't work with it, so it's not a complete solution.

Send an email to your other forums and ask them to install Tapatalk. It's a really simple install.

And on my Windows 8 PC I also removed all the metro apps, as described here: http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-R ... 8110.shtml

Mike...

[jstrubberg]

Great link, Mike. Thanks!