Windows 8 I know what it is about Windows 8!

MikeHawthorne

Essential Member
Microsoft Community Contributor
Joined
May 25, 2009
Location
Ada Michigan
Hi

I just got finished setting up a new laptop for the mother of a friend of ours.
She is 88, years old and hasn't used a computer since some time in the 90s.

Naturally it has Windows 8 on it.

I tried to look at it as if I was 88 years old and didn't' know anything about modern computers.

I kept it simple, and I made a tutorial for her to get her started.

Windows 8 is very confusing looked at as a novice, but it was making the tutorial that really underscored for me where the shortcomings are.

To do what I wanted, I needed to use a number of different programs at the same time.

I needed to use Poser Pro 2014 to do the animation, I needed to use Word to type the text, Photoshop to modify screenshots, TextAloud to create the voice files, Adobe Premiere to edit the video, etc.

And I needed to transfer files from her computer to mine as I went along.

Because I was making it up as I went along, I had all of the programs open on the taskbar.

I needed to Write some text, then create a voice file in TextAloud, load the voice file into Poser along with the document, create the animation with the lip sync, add the video created in Poser to Premiere Elements, and put the sound screenshots and animation all, together and then move on to the next part.

The only way to do this efficiently is to have all these programs running at the same time, some of the time I was typing in Word, while Poser was processing an animation video, (this can take a while if there are a lot of frames to do).

Without the taskbar and split screen this would have been a real pain.
With the ability to do all these things at the same time and quickly switch back and forth it was quick and easy.

Anyway, it really made clear to me how versatile windows can be, as long as you don't let the Metro screen get in the way. LOL

Trying to do this with the Metro Apps and full screen only interface would have been a mess, if not impossible.

Here's the tutorial, if anyone has any suggestions about how I could make it easier for her, post it.
She isn't going to pick up the computer until early next week.

So I still have a few days to make changes.



Mike
 
Yeah...I stay away from all apps in windows 8 Pro and window 8.1 Pro. They are just basic programs with basic functions; great for smart phones and tablets. I will continue to use the full functioning software....eg photo viewer or photo gallery versus the photo app as an example.

BTW....

Love the video....GREAT JOB!!!!!
 
Yeah...I stay away from all apps in windows 8 Pro and window 8.1 Pro. They are just basic programs with basic functions; great for smart phones and tablets. I will continue to use the full functioning software....eg photo viewer or photo gallery versus the photo app as an example.

BTW....

Love the video....GREAT JOB!!!!!
Apps are certainly simplified versions of legacy programs but that's the entire focus behind Windows 8: simplicity.
I only recently discovered the Windows 8 Photo App actually has a more extensive editing suite than Photo Gallery.

Great tutorial Mike!
 
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