Windows 8.1U3A

Computer Improvers

14 March 2014Mike Hender

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Topics• What’s all the fuss about?• Getting used to Windows 8.1• Accessing the programs you’ll use• Escaping the ‘Modern’ interface• The charm of ‘Charms’• Finding the Control Panel• Linking to WiFi

What’s all the fuss about?• PC sales on a downward trend• Win 8 PC sales very slow• Win 8 Phone/Tablet very slow• Very mixed reception by users• Steven Sinofsky, Windows Division

Head leaves• MS purchases Nokia• Steve Ballmer ‘steps down’• Satya Nadella takes over

But . . .• Microsoft still a successful company with large cash balance• Win 8 Desktop

• Improved security• Faster operation• Faster boot

• Win 8 ‘Modern’ (Tablet/Touch)• Good UI• Not enough Apps• Not appropriate for

large screens/mouse

• Combination spoilt by • Bolting the two together• Lack of help for the user

Help is on the way• Win 8.1 an improvement• Win 8.1 Update 1 due out

in April• Win 9 sometime in 2015• Third party Apps like

Start8, Modern Mix

What’s in Update 1?• Win 7 not coming back!• Boots to desktop by default• Uses less memory• Power and Search buttons• Unified task bar• Metro apps have close button

To cover• Logging on• Defaulting to the desktop• The Start Button• Switching between modes• Starting and Stopping ‘Modern’ Apps• Charms• One Drive• Program defaults• Using Mail

This is the Windows 8.1 ‘Desktop View’. It’s very similar to Windows 7

Internet Explorer

and Chrome

File Explorer

Office 2013 Programs

Adobe Photoshop Elements 12

FastStoneImageViewer Picasa

VLC DVD Player

The Start Button has

some differences

Right clicking the Start Button

reveals some familiar terms

But the normal left click of the Start Button takes you to an expanded list of programs that occupy the whole screen (see

next slide . . . )

Most frequently used programs

All other programs

The familiar Windows 7 Start Button has changed!

Replaced by 2 new screens . . .

Windows 7

(This slide is just to remind you how Windows 7 works)

The Windows 8.1 first level Start Screen

Get back to the familiar desktop by clicking here

Or by touching the ‘Windows’ key

Note there isn’t a ‘Taskbar’ when you’re in the ‘Modern’ half of the OS

More detailed level Start Screens

The Windows 8.1 first level Start Screen

1. First move the mouse curser to the very top of the screen until it turns into a hand.

2. Then click, and holding the left button down, drag the cursor all the way to the bottom of the screen and then release the button

If you find yourself in a full screen, modern app – like the ‘Photo’ app shown below – here’s how to close and return to the desktop

This will take you back to the standard desktop

Right click the Start Button and

then click on Shut Down

To shut down, go to the traditional desktop

Yes, the Control Panel is Alive and Well!

Move the mouse pointer to either corner to reveal the ‘Charms’ - Search- Share- Start- Devices- Settings

The Start Button has

some differences

Put the mouse cursor in the bottom or top right hand screen corner to reveal the ‘Charms’

‘Charms’

If you’re in the Pottery Room this will say: u3a-networkPR

WiFi Network Charm

You can look at the WiFi networks both through the Charms on the right or with this Network and Sharing Centre window in the Control Panel

Win 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

End