[HCARC] Win 8

Gary and Arlene Johnson qltfnish at omniglobal.net
Sat Mar 9 22:42:18 EST 2013 

Hank Folk has put me onto a link to someone who seems to know the ins and 
outs of Windows 8 and his stuff seems to be worth reading.  The authors name 
is David Pogue and he writes for the New York Times in their Computer 
section.

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/how-to-use-windows-8-search-for-it/?ref=davidpogue

Have fun reading about what Microsoft is doing to us - vs for us.  The 
learning curve will be interesting.

Gary J
N5BAA
HCARC Secretary 2013

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary and Arlene Johnson" <qltfnish at omniglobal.net>
To: "Kerry Sandstrom" <kerryk5ks at hughes.net>
Cc: "Hcarc reflector" <hcarc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: [HCARC] Win 8


> As I tried to say in my posting there is no BAD WIndows 8 or Bad Windows 7 
> or XP or Vista or whatever - just different uses for the software.  I NEED 
> a machine running XP for my XYL as that is the only software that her 
> Bernina software will recognize.  Hence, I need to preserve this computer 
> and her laptop as computers that can interface with Bernina and possibly 
> with her Janome Embroidery Machine - otherwise it's about $12K worth of 
> new Embroidery Machine (I don't want to go there any time soon, short of 
> running an Embroidery Business - no thanks).
>
> So, for doing the normal internet stuff I guess I need 2 new machines or a 
> machine and a tablet, one for each of us to use for Web stuff and I need 
> to figure out what programs (logging, etc)to use with the radios that are 
> compatible with my ELECRAFT K3 and Yaesu 450AT and the new Windows 8. 
> Doubly important with the K3 as it is very much software defined.
>
> Thanks for the help,
>
> Gary J
> N5BAA
> HCARC Secretary 2013
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kerry Sandstrom" <kerryk5ks at hughes.net>
> To: "Gary and Arlene Johnson" <qltfnish at omniglobal.net>
> Cc: "Hcarc reflector" <hcarc at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 7:30 PM
> Subject: Re: [HCARC] Win 8
>
>
>> Gary,
>>
>> There are a number of issues.  First of all, at some point Microsoft 
>> stops supporting the older versions and what that really means is no more 
>> updates including ones for security.  Right now, I think XP's days of 
>> support are numbered.  Second,  there are always new 
>> features/capabilities added to the new software that are difficult to 
>> impossible to use with the older software.  Third, some of the older 
>> software will not run on the newer operating systems.  XP was the last 
>> that would run the old 16-bit software. I have heard that Win 7 Pro will 
>> still run old software but the other versions of Win 7 won't.  I haven't 
>> heard anything about Win 8 in that regard, but at best it will be the 
>> same as Win 7.  That is important because a lot of the older ham radio 
>> software was written to run on the older operating systems.  You may have 
>> to get a new version of some software to run on Win 7 or 8.
>>
>> So where does that leave us.  I have kept my XP computer and that is the 
>> one I use for ham radio applications.  I have some old FORTRAN programs, 
>> a BASIC interpreter and a FORTRAN compiler that run just fine but won't 
>> run on VISTA or anything newer..  I have a terminal rogram that runs fine 
>> but isn't available for VISTA, 7 or 8.  I don't use that computer on the 
>> internet very much so I'm not as concerned about lack of security updates 
>> for it.  I will keep that running as long as I can.  If you have some ham 
>> radio programs that you like, you need to determine if they will run on 
>> the new operating systems or if there is an updated version for the new 
>> operating system. Then you can make part of the decision.
>>
>> The computer I'm using now is running VISTA as does my laptop.   I can 
>> run programs like VOACAP and NEC on those computers so I'm fairly happy 
>> with them.  I expect VISTA will be supported for a few more years so no 
>> decision required.  These two computers are the ones I am most likely to 
>> have on the internet and I get the security updates so that part is fine. 
>> There are probably some new features that I can't use, for example, 
>> neither one has a Blu-ray drive.  I don't miss that.  If I want to watch 
>> a Blu-ray movie, I've got a Video Disc player for that.  I don't download 
>> videos so thats not an issue although i believe i could on the VISTA 
>> computers.
>>
>> My wife's laptop is running Win 7 and is doing well.  She is on the 
>> internet a lot and she is fairly safe with that computer.
>>
>> When she or I get a new computer, it will have whatever the current 
>> operating system is.  At that time I will evaluate what if any software I 
>> lose if I get rid of one of the other computers and will act accordingly.
>>
>> By the way, software isn't all you stand to lose.  Perhaps you've noticed 
>> that new computers don't come with floppy disc drives or ZIP drives.  I 
>> think that some of the new ones don't even come with CD, DVD or Blu-ray 
>> drives.   If you have any data saved on these media or any software on 
>> these media, be sure you keep a capability to read the data.  I still 
>> have a functional 486 computer running DOS so I can still get data off my 
>> 5 1/4" floppies, 3 1/2 " floppies and I have an external ZIP drive that 
>> plugs into USB ports.  There are numerous magnetic memory cards around 
>> now that are used by various cameras and other things as well as numerous 
>> USB drives.  Be sure that you don't lose the capability to access those 
>> media if you change computers.  I expect that at some points normal 
>> omputers will have almost no memory and few resident programs and no 
>> drives.  Your data will be stored "in the cloud" as well as your 
>> software.  When you want to do anything, your computer will connect to 
>> the "cloud' and your programs and data will be there and that's where it 
>> will run.  Your computer will be just be a smart terminal.  That will be 
>> fine as long as nothing happens to the "cloud".  But perhaps you should 
>> ask where they are going to find all the bandwidth for that kind of an 
>> operation!  That is why tablets and smart phones are worthwhile.
>>
>> The Touch-screen question is partly one of individual preference.  Where 
>> are Touch-screens used now?  To make choices on terminals at places like 
>> banks and stores where you must select from a few options and you don't 
>> enter any data via the Touch-screen.  To enter data using automated test 
>> equipment where you must select from a limited number of options and you 
>> aren't entering any data, the data is collected automatically.  On mobile 
>> devices like tablets and smart phones where you have a limited number of 
>> choices and you aren't entering data.  I just don't see the utility of a 
>> touch screen for a desktop or a laptop.  If you still have a keyboard and 
>> mouse, the touch-screen is redundant - but thats just personal opinion.
>>
>> In order for an individual to make a decision on a computer operating 
>> system, I think he/she has to consider whether or not current software 
>> will run on the new OS or not, how much the computer will be used on the 
>> internet and the associated security issues, what new features a new 
>> computer and OS will add and how much those mean to you, and finally what 
>> existing media you use and the ability of the new computer and OS to 
>> access that media.
>>
>> From a philosophical view, you need to be sure you understand what "cloud 
>> computing" really means.  In particular you won't really own your 
>> software (not that you do now!), it will be "in the cloud" and you will 
>> be paying to access it on a use or time basis and your data will be 
>> stored "in the cloud" and you will be paying to store it there and won't 
>> really have access to it except through the "cloud".   Your access will 
>> be through a broadband/high speed comm link that you will also be paying 
>> for on a time or data basis.  I strongly believe that when you elect to 
>> use mobile devices, you are committing to "the cloud".   I expect new 
>> operating systems will be optimized for the smart mobile terminals like 
>> smart phones and tablets at the expense of traditional laptops and 
>> desktops.  I think its a very bleak outlook.  Of course our government 
>> will not be trying to pry into the data that freedom loving citizens have 
>> placed there!
>>
>> Have fun,
>>
>> Kerry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6156 - Release Date: 03/08/13
>>
>
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> -----
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