Windows 8 Exploring Simpler Computing Solutions for Seniors: Is a Chromebook the Answer?

P

Peterr

Fantastic Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
1,164
Hello
I have been fighting the good fight with Windows for years and due to age, health, Windows issues and complexities, would like to know if there is an easier way to compute?
We do some banking, surfing, emailing and need to print and scan.
Can a book like the Chrome book work for us. I was told by a friend he does not have to do anything except turn it on and everything is in the Cloud. Nothing has to be updated, doesn't break, no need to perform compacted backups, and has no security issues (within reason) etc.
I know some of the Cloud book is debatable but is there a way for the elderly to escape the increasing need for more skill with Windows. I feel Windows is for those who are either skilled or have been trained and it is getting more complicated. I think the engineers are out of touch with the average person or the company is smart and is making money having people call for tech support.
Thank you for your opinion.
Peter
 
Solution
P
If your printer doesn't work, go to the manufacturer's site and enter your specs. When your pc printer is identified, you can install any updated drivers. I could not say it all in one post and neglected the printer driver. If you stayed with Win 8 for a while I will bet you would like it. I am as non techy as they come and it is easy for me because I gave it time.
If you want really easy, get a Chromebook and encrypt whatever goes to the Google drive. That is my next step for my wife who is pc illiterate.
Peter
Sort by date Sort by votes
All that I can offer is an opinion, and probably not the one that you would care to hear, but while I can totally relate to your desires, because I'm getting along in years myself, I wouldn't care to own or use a computer that relied totally on Cloud services. I'm not saying that it wouldn't do the job, and I'm sure that they take whatever security precaution that they deem fit, but I do not trust the idea of keeping my personal data anywhere except locally on my own computer.

Yes, it does at times seem like a struggle to keep on top of things, but then it is also a way to keep occupied, which isn't a bad way to exercise the brain. I got into computers quite late in life, so I have a lot of learning to do yet, and I doubt that I will ever fully master all things cyberwise, but it doesn't keep me from trying.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hello
You said that very well. I omitted to say that nothing of a security nature would go into the cloud like passwords, and such.
I am also thinking of my wife who is not pc literate. I think the Chromebook would be good for her to email, surf and even Cloud print. I think she would revert to writing checks instead of paying on line via the bank's account.
For now, I am on the same page as you and am not making any immediate changes. I advised her, however, to consider the Chromebook if I were not here to help her..
Do you plan on installing Win 8.1?
Peter
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Do you plan on installing Win 8.1?
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. I've not read anything about that version that is good, except when used on small mobile devices, which I don't use. I'll save my money for W9, and I would probably only upgrade then, because by that time MS probably would be dropping support for W7. W7 does everything that I want, better than any of it's predecessors, and I dislike unnecessary changes to get accustomed to.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I thought you had Win 8.
I imaged Win 7 which my pcs came with. It was stable and easy but I was curious about Win 8.
So I downloaded and burned the $40 iso file and have been using Win 8; I have now learned it.
I tried Win 7 again some time agao and immediately came back to 8 for a lot of reasons.
I guess I can't have it both ways.
I am complaining about complexities yet cannot do without the speed and new ways Win 8 has allowed me to compute.
If I had stayed with Win 7 I would have had no issues but then again not advanced nor learned.
I realize I am contradicting myself - ease vs. advancement.
For now I have images of Win 7 and 8 and soon 8.1.
if I get too burned out, I will take a closer look at the Cloudbook and keep secure data in a paper notebook. My wife is not pc literate so the Cloudbook would be good for her.
Many of my friends were reluctant to jump to 8 but I am glad I did.
You would have to test drive two different cars and get the feel of each, then decide.
I was told by the 7 to 8 "advisor" that I would lose Bluetooth which did happen but other than it is a big step up for me.
The dvd you create for 8 has all the drivers you need unlike 7 which makes you install them separately.
Win 8 is not just for tablets and phones .
For $40 is still available you might give it a try -I did hear you say "absolutely not" so I don't think you will be doing that.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The only reason that I would possibly try W8 is to placate my curiosity, and I'm too tight to do it for that reason alone. However it is good to hear another's perspective on the subject.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Seekmeister, have you ever tried Win 8? If not you can try it for free until Jan 2014. Microsoft has a preview version that comes with product key and activation key. It's a full working OS. But I would like to suggest to install it on a separate drive.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using WindowsForum mobile app
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm not certain that I'm interested or not, because it would take a lot for me to pay for an upgrade. However I might rouse enough interest to install it on a trial basis. No problem with giving it it's own drive, that is the way that I do with all OS installations, either temporary or permanent. Do you happen to have a link to the download site?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Obviously, you have a much faster connection than I do, because it will take about 2.5 hours all total. My cable company sent a notice a few days ago, that they are on the verge of increasing everyone's speed, which will be nice since I don't have to pay for it.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
>>I thought the iso file to burn to dvd was only $40. I did not know it was for free. That is even a better reason to give it a try.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yes, that's the bait that they used on W7 also. It worked pretty well, so they have cast their line out again to see who's biting. I'm just a nibbler.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Peterr said:
>>I thought the iso file to burn to dvd was only $40. I did not know it was for free. That is even a better reason to give it a try.
Click to expand...

Does the $40 ISO installer you got have an expiration? The free Win 81. Enterprise Preview from technet site will expire in Jan 2014.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I vaguely remember seeing a site where you ran your pc through an advisor who told you what you would lose if anything. Then there was the iso file to download and burn to dvd. Prior to this I found the Windows media center to get with the Win 8 Pro download. I think it was $40 for the OS and a free media center but you needed the media center key first if you wanted it.
I will look around again. So, find the media center's key, if you want it for free(+ it is still available), find the Win 8 Pro iso file for 32 or 64 bit, download it and then burn the dvd, install and image.
If I can help I will be back. I could almost swear it was available until Jan '14'.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Who was that advisor? Since the trial is free, you shouldn't have paid anything for it. I imagine that $40 was for the advise, not the trial itself.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Featured
  • Article Article
Upgrade to Windows 11 Home for Faster, Smarter, Simpler Computing
Replies
0
Views
174
ChatGPT
P
  • Solved
Exploring Cloudbooks: A Simple Tech Solution for Seniors
Replies
1
Views
3K
ChatGPT