Remarks on Windows 8

So I ran the Windows 8 upgrade assistant on my Windows 7 PC. I’m not quite ready for Windows 8. My monitor’s resolution tops out at 1280 x 1024 pixels. The new minimum for Windows 8 is 1366 x 768 pixels.

I then went to the Frys.com Web site. The cheapest monitor, an $85 Viewsonic, just happens to have that 1366 x 768 resolution. I presume my old monitor, which I paid a lot of money for, is now passé. Well, it runs Windows 7.

For a few dollars more, you can get a monitor running 1600 x 900.

My machine also doesn’t support Secure Boot. Windows 8 now supports EFI, which OS X has for a long time. Nice of them to finally catch up.

Check your security software. I’m running Microsoft Security Essentials. Fortunately, Windows 8 comes with Windows Defender performing the same tasks as Microsoft Security Essentials.

Here’s something interesting. Before upgrading to Windows 8, remove your PC from the list of authorized machines in iTunes. I’d back up your iTunes libraries, too.

Windows 8 doesn’t support the sidebar gadgets from Windows 7. I used one for the time, another for weather.

PCWorld.com has an upgrade diary by Patrick Miller, who installed Windows 8 at 3:31 this morning.

That’s it for Windows 8 right now. I’m thinking “How long can I use Windows 7 & Office 2010?” I’ll probably buy a laptop when I finally upgrade from Windows 7. But not this weekend.

Tom Briant

Editor and Media Manager, MacValley UG