Consuming Our Way to Prosperity is Macro Folly

This is an interesting article that pretty much sums up a reality that you cannot consume without producing. A consumer driven economy cannot survive.

PBS News Hour

Windows 8

Having just purchased a Windows 8 laptop, I thought I might share some of my experiences.

First of all, do not feel compelled to go out and buy a Windows 8 machine. There is nothing fundamental you are missing in Windows 7. What Windows 8 provides in addition to Windows 7 functionality are things you didn’t realize you needed.

What you will/ may miss:

Windows Media Center

 – Unless you opt for what is about a $99 upgrade to Windows 8 Pro.

Windows Games

– Like FreeCell, games can only be used if you: 1) Log into a Microsoft account, like get an XBox account. 2) Display all the games like Freecell you can play. 3) Select the game.

This entire process consumes a much greater length of time than simply clicking on the FreeCell icon and begin play. It also requires that you move into the “tiled” world of Windows 8, which is an entirely new way of operating a PC.

The START Button

– Simply getting around in Windows 8 is no longer what we all spent years learning to do in Windows. Without a START button, you may find that using hot keys is a better way to get around.

What you will gain:

A new user interface not unlike many tablets currently in existence like an ASUS/ Android Nexus or Apple iPad.

An improved performance Operating System

Along the line, I found that a simple program for $4.99 called START8 will let you gain back some of the user experience you had in Windows 7 that was lost in Windows 8. Specifically the START button!

I am glad I upgraded (and installed START8) so that I could get a 1st hand understanding of Windows 8. I also find the “tiled” Windows 8 (Windows RT)  world interesting, but not that important of a feature to upgrade. Especially if you already own a tablet of any kind.

I will not rush out to upgrade any other PCs I own.

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