MOMETEK's Guide: Microsoft Windows

Showing posts with label Microsoft Windows. Show all posts

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Windows 10 - Pros

My last post onWindows was about the installation. I'm sure that everyone would like to know the pros and cons of Windows 10. This blog covers the Pros. I'll be doing the Cons in my next post.

Windows 10 - Installation

By Microsoft Corporation [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

So, I'm back, and what better way to start off again, than to do a few posts on Windows 10. There's a lot to cover, so there will be several posts, including installation.

About a month ago, I reserved my free copy of Windows 10. Since I already had Windows 8.1, I figured there was no harm, well other than a few bugs here and there.

I'm normally not an "early adopter". Somewhere between Windows 95 and XP I had decided to just get the latest when I purchase a new computer. Since I had kids, I found that I was more inclined to spend money on food for them, rather than on software to replace what already worked just fine.

Not to mention the time involved on devising work-a-rounds for the inevitable bugs that happen with new software.

It was just easier to wait a year when all of the early adopters have called attention to the bugs, where Microsoft would then finally send a service pack or update that took care of the problems.

Granted, I would get the new computer pre-slowed with the new patches, but at least it was stable.

So getting the upgrade so soon, for all intents and purposes, is something new to me. I figured that since I already have Windows 8.1 pre-installed, why not?

It was easy... Maybe a little too easy.

If you've seen me complain on Facebook, it is usually about the flaky internet, which is why I was attempting to schedule the update for a time that I can be at the Library. The library's internet was a bit slower, but much more stable. I hadn't backed up my files and I knew that if the internet flaked out, I would be in serious trouble.

So, while I was waiting on clothes to dry at the Laundry room by the clubhouse, I went through the scheduling steps. So far, so good, and self-explanatory.

As soon as I was ready to click on schedule, which was right next to the "update now" button, Michala walked in to ask me for something. I don't recall what happened but as I turned, I must have bumped the wireless mouse as I clicked on the laptop mouse to continue.

No ~~idiot~~ confirmation dialogue box.

Let's face it, we've all (at least once) installed or deleted something that we shouldn't have. We all have had our idiot moments, and I had mine when I installed Windows 10.

Things started to shut down and I realized what I did. I immediately moved my laptop closer to the window to make sure it had a better connection and prayed that it would not crash.

It didn't crash fortunately and the install was pretty straightforward. Some things did have to be reinstalled, but my files were not effected.

If you choose to install Windows 10, make sure you back up your files, just in case AND make sure you have a stable internet connection. I "lucked out".

Friday, February 21, 2014

Wunderlist

wunderlist (Photo credit: Leif (Bryne))

After reading How Can I Turn My Mess of Ideas Into Something Organized and Useful, I decided to give Wunderlist a shot.

Wunderlist is pretty much a task list manager on steroids as it allows you to make endless lists to whatever your heart desires.

If you are like me and have an unstable internet, or you can't be online all the time, it also has a stand-alone app that you can download for Windows or Mac and of course, your Android or IPhone.

This means that you can make a list quickly while you are traveling to the "boonies" where the only choices of internet connection is dial-up speeds or satellite. Believe it or not, there are some areas where your connection speed is just above dial-up, that is if you can get a connection at all and no, there is no cellphone service.

My favorite part is that there is a web clipper. When the add-on is installed on Firefox, you can click on the button in the toolbar and it will add a task to the category of your choice.

There are more features that I haven't tried yet like attaching a file or adding friends to share with as well as some pro features I have yet to look at, but so far, it had proven to be a very handy tool.