Every time an electronic gadget is improved upon, it seems everybody rushes to buy the new version and get stuck with all the bugs that come along with them. Apple fans camp out for a new gizmo every month, it seems. Windows users like me, on the other hand, enjoy long periods of peace before something new comes along. Unfortunately the problems persist.
Windows 8 is a good example. Sure, it has lots of bells and whistles, like interactive touch screen apps, but the first thing people complained about was the lack of a discernible home base from which to start exploring, because somebody removed the “Start” button. Finally the release of Windows 8.1 (which probably means that they neglected to fix nine-tenths of what will eventually become Windows 9) should have solved the problem. I haven’t been able to deal with it.
First, it took nearly twelve hours to install. You might do well to load it while you’re sleeping late into the weekend, and don’t intend to approach your computer with a hangover, because adjusting to some of the changes to Windows 8.1 might make your head explode.
The first thing that happened to me was that I received a message that not all the changes were compatible with Internet Explorer. Then, when I logged in the next day, Windows had replaced my PC login with my Microsoft login. Also, I have never been able to access Office programs such as Word and Excel without being on the Internet, so working offline seems to have disappeared from the galaxy as well.
One of my favorite Windows 8 games, Tap Tiles (R), was compromised by the new install, as I now have a “please wait” swirl of dots ghosting the middle of my screen.
I know that it’s probably a problem with trying to put so much computer language into a program which takes billions of bits of mathematical lingo just to turn on the darned machine, but if one releases a fix for a problem which isn’t itself one hundred percent ready, are you fixing something that is broken, or just putting a bandage on a severed limb?
Oh, and I haven’t yet touched a “Start” button.
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