Windows 10

[Barrow Boy]

Laptop on its last legs (9 years old!) before I buy a new one can I ask the good people of NSC a few questions about Windows 10 as I have no experience of it (still on Windows Vista!). As I've said before when it comes to computers I'm not quite the Village Idiot, but I am very good friends with him!

* Do I have to sign up to a Microsoft Account? The book I've bought (Windows 10 for Seniors) more or less says I have to.

*Is Microsoft Edge browser ok or would it be best to use another.

*Is there a program in Windows 10 that lets you create letters/docs? (if you can remember that far back Vista had Microsoft Works which let me do all that)

Any other problems I might encounter?

I only use the computer for browsing/buying on-line, internet banking, games and occassional letters/docs nothing too involved.

Please be gentle

Thankyou

 

[narly101]

Buy a Mac Best of both worlds.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Buy a Mac Best of both worlds.

Unfortunately finance dictates otherwise.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Laptop on its last legs (9 years old!) before I buy a new one can I ask the good people of NSC a few questions about Windows 10 as I have no experience of it (still on Windows Vista!). As I've said before when it comes to computers I'm not quite the Village Idiot, but I am very good friends with him!

* Do I have to sign up to a Microsoft Account? The book I've bought (Windows 10 for Seniors) more or less says I have to.

*Is Microsoft Edge browser ok or would it be best to use another.

*Is there a program in Windows 10 that lets you create letters/docs? (if you can remember that far back Vista had Microsoft Works which let me do all that)

Any other problems I might encounter?

I only use the computer for browsing/buying on-line, internet banking, games and occassional letters/docs nothing too involved.

Please be gentle

Thankyou

You will need to sign up to their email 'client' (boxxocks term) Outlook to pick up your email.

Edge is OK, but maybe just download another.

Letters/docs can be done on OpenOffice as W10 does not get owt from Microsoft for free.

I think W10 is OK, but it will be a bit of a change from Vista!

 

[Fungus]

I've not signed up for a Microsoft Account (but I installed Win 10 myself, from scratch) - pretty sure you can just skip that bit, unless you want an Outlook.com email address. But you can use the email client for other email addresses, so it shouldn't be necessary.

 

[Barrow Boy]

You will need to sign up to their email 'client' (boxxocks term) Outlook to pick up your email.

Edge is OK, but maybe just download another.

Letters/docs can be done on OpenOffice as W10 does not get owt from Microsoft for free.

I think W10 is OK, but it will be a bit of a change from Vista!

Thanks for that, I must admit I'm not looking forward to making the switch
At the moment I access my Virgin e-mail via their My Virgin Media website doe this mean I won't be able to on Windows 10?
.

 

[PeterOut]

Laptop on its last legs (9 years old!) before I buy a new one can I ask the good people of NSC a few questions about Windows 10 as I have no experience of it (still on Windows Vista!). As I've said before when it comes to computers I'm not quite the Village Idiot, but I am very good friends with him!

* Do I have to sign up to a Microsoft Account? The book I've bought (Windows 10 for Seniors) more or less says I have to. Nope, you don't have to - just Google 'Win10 without Microsoft account', or similar

*Is Microsoft Edge browser ok or would it be best to use another. Edge is generally considered to be a lousy (or not yet fully developed) browser. Feel free to download and use Chrome, Firefox and/or any of the other browser variants out there

*Is there a program in Windows 10 that lets you create letters/docs? (if you can remember that far back Vista had Microsoft Works which let me do all that) No, not really - but there are free equivalents to MS office readily available

Any other problems I might encounter? Countless problems that you 'might' encounter - but the reality for most people is that Win10 is an improvement on previous versions, and for the overwhelming majority is a painless and reasonably pleasant improvement on previous versions. Bloggers / Tech sites make money by getting people to read their pages (or at least getting the Ads read there) - guess what, they will scream all kinds of lurid problems to attract views, but for the overwhelming majority Win10 is a painless upgrade / installation

I only use the computer for browsing/buying on-line, internet banking, games and occassional letters/docs nothing too involved.

Please be gentle

Thankyou

Of course, as with any discussion about computers, people will jump in with 'Macs are better', 'Windows is rubbish', 'Get a Linux variant' etc - but as you stated that you are not willing / able to pay for the Mac option, and are not especially tech literate, Win10 will most likely be a simple and painless route for you. Please don't shout at me later if you turn out to be one of the small minority who has a problem

 

[PeterOut]

Thanks for that, I must admit I'm not looking forward to making the switch
At the moment I access my Virgin e-mail via their My Virgin Media website doe this mean I won't be able to on Windows 10?
.

It's no more difficult to access Virgin Media mail via their website using Vista or Win10 - it's the browser that does the work. I use Virgin Webmail via Win 7, Win 8 and Win10, depending on where I am and which machine I am using - I have noticed no difference.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Of course, as with any discussion about computers, people will jump in with 'Macs are better', 'Windows is rubbish', 'Get a Linux variant' etc - but as you stated that you are not willing / able to pay for the Mac option, and are not especially tech literate, Win10 will most likely be a simple and painless route for you. Please don't shout at me later if you turn out to be one of the small minority who has a problem

Ha Ha, thankyou for that PeterOut, no I won't shout at you when it all goes t*ts up. Just try and be patient when I start posting all the HELP threads!

 

[wellquickwoody]

Thanks for that, I must admit I'm not looking forward to making the switch
At the moment I access my Virgin e-mail via their My Virgin Media website doe this mean I won't be able to on Windows 10?
.

I think you can via a browser but it is easier that email just arrives on the laptop rather than having to go hunting for it.

 

[Barrow Boy]

I think you can via a browser but it is easier that email just arrives on the laptop rather than having to go hunting for it.

Thanks for that

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Windows 10 is ok, don't think you need an m/s account. You can use Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides for ant doc type work ... all free.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Windows 10 is a ****ing shithouse.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Windows 10 is ok, don't think you need an m/s account. You can use Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides for ant doc type work ... all free.

Great, thanks for the info. I realise this stuff is obvious to all you tech savy guys but to dummies like me it's invaluable.

 

[happypig]

Give Linux Mint a try. Download from https://linuxmint.com/. You can run it from the CD/DVD to try it out and install it if you like it.

You'd be surprised how well it runs on older hardware (although 9/10 year old computers are still very capable)

 

[Barrow Boy]

On the other side of the coin what are the problems, if any, of actually signing up to a Microsoft Account. Does it enslave me to the mighty Microsoft Corperation to the exclusion of all others or does it really not matter?

 

[Barrow Boy]

Give Linux Mint a try. Download from https://linuxmint.com/. You can run it from the CD/DVD to try it out and install it if you like it.

You'd be surprised how well it runs on older hardware (although 9/10 year old computers are still very capable)

Thanks but I think my poor old Dell Laptop is about to give up the ghost, today is the first time this week I've managed to get online and most of the basic Windows programs keep freezing or won't load at all. The problems have been getting worse for some time, I've just been putting off the time to replace it.

 

[Fungus]

Thanks but I think my poor old Dell Laptop is about to give up the ghost, today is the first time this week I've managed to get online and most of the basic Windows programs keep freezing or won't load at all. The problems have been getting worse for some time, I've just been putting off the time to replace it.

That's the point, though. Linux will run on an old laptop that Windows will just die on.

If you have a friend other than the village idiot, you should be able to work it out, and save a bundle on software and a new laptop.

 

[PeterOut]

On the other side of the coin what are the problems, if any, of actually signing up to a Microsoft Account. Does it enslave me to the mighty Microsoft Corperation to the exclusion of all others or does it really not matter?

"With a Microsoft account, you can easily sync various Windows settings and your account settings across your computers. For instance, a Microsoft account allows you sync your passwords saved on the Edge browser and other personalization settings across your PCs running Windows 10 with the same Microsoft account. Additionally, you will be able to download and install apps from the official Windows Store." - http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-use-windows-10-without-microsoft-account/

Unlikely to be of any benefit to you, from what you have said so far. Whether you sign up for an MS or 'local' account (i.e. no ability to sync settinngs across multiple PCs etc) you can switch from one to the other, in either direction, later if you wish

 

[happypig]

Thanks but I think my poor old Dell Laptop is about to give up the ghost, today is the first time this week I've managed to get online and most of the basic Windows programs keep freezing or won't load at all. The problems have been getting worse for some time, I've just been putting off the time to replace it.

It's not much of a gamble though, if it doesn't work out you're down the cost of a blank CD/DVD.