Its very traumatic

[wbvs58]

I've been coerced into buying a new laptop, Microsoft is finishing up supporting windows 10 and I get the feeling whenever it does an update now it makes things more difficult for my computer, plus whenever I shut it down I have a hell of a job getting it going again so I have jumped and bought a new hp. It is a very painfull process wrangling with passwords that I have no idea what they are and then there are so many things they want me to log into before I even get started and of course they are all concerned about my welfare and my privacy yet they want permission to track everything I do all for my own benefit so they can improve things for me. Microsoft are kind hearted and want to give me a free month to Microsoft Office 365 but they want my credit card details so they can fleece me for the following months, of course I can cancel the repeat payment straight away but it is a maze trying to get to where you can do it. I like to use Chrome as a browser but Microsoft is hellbent on steering me away from this and make it as difficult as possible to use it
One of the main reasons I get a new computer is that the old one is so crammed up with **** in downloads, desktop, documents and photos Iike to start with a clean slate but no, somehow they have transferred all my old **** to the new one. It is a bit like when my shed gets a bit too crammed up with my **** I just build a new one to start over, why can't computers be the same.

Ken

 

[Travlr]

I've been coerced into buying a new laptop, Microsoft is finishing up supporting windows 10 and I get the feeling whenever it does an update now it makes things more difficult for my computer, plus whenever I shut it down I have a hell of a job getting it going again so I have jumped and bought a new hp. It is a very painfull process wrangling with passwords that I have no idea what they are and then there are so many things they want me to log into before I even get started and of course they are all concerned about my welfare and my privacy yet they want permission to track everything I do all for my own benefit so they can improve things for me. Microsoft are kind hearted and want to give me a free month to Microsoft Office 365 but they want my credit card details so they can fleece me for the following months, of course I can cancel the repeat payment straight away but it is a maze trying to get to where you can do it. I like to use Chrome as a browser but Microsoft is hellbent on steering me away from this and make it as difficult as possible to use it
One of the main reasons I get a new computer is that the old one is so crammed up with **** in downloads, desktop, documents and photos Iike to start with a clean slate but no, somehow they have transferred all my old **** to the new one. It is a bit like when my shed gets a bit too crammed up with my **** I just build a new one to start over, why can't computers be the same.

Ken

Open Office is a free download and it works similarly enough to the Microsoft app that the differences are not worth mentioning.

Download Apache OpenOffice

Join the OpenOffice revolution, the free office productivity suite with over 375 million trusted downloads.

www.openoffice.org

I've written five books on it and plenty of other things...

 

[TCRanch]

Preaching to the choir!!! I totally feel your pain, as I just went through the same thing. Well, not exactly the same because I bought my new laptop locally and their customer support is awesome. BUT! I also had to get a new Hot Spot from Verizon, which only worked half the time, then another, upgraded one. What happened to all my Excel spreadsheets? The new Microsoft won't support them. Quality time trying to copy/paste/redo/create new. And I have literally everything on Excel. I've been using Microsoft Edge and Firefox as browsers. The learning curve is painful but fortunately, not too long. Good luck, Ken!

 

[simme]

Microsoft wants you to signup for a microsoft account and stay logged in. It appears that you must have a Microsoft account in order to get a new pc up and running. But it is possible to avoid that. But the seemingly innocent questions that the pc asks when you first power it up set the trap for you. When you first power it up and it asks for your country, don't answer the question. Instead, there are some keys you press and some letters you type and you can avoid the trap. And end up with a pc that does not expect a microsoft account login. Google "How to Install Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account".

 

[CowboyRam]

I've been coerced into buying a new laptop, Microsoft is finishing up supporting windows 10 and I get the feeling whenever it does an update now it makes things more difficult for my computer, plus whenever I shut it down I have a hell of a job getting it going again so I have jumped and bought a new hp. It is a very painfull process wrangling with passwords that I have no idea what they are and then there are so many things they want me to log into before I even get started and of course they are all concerned about my welfare and my privacy yet they want permission to track everything I do all for my own benefit so they can improve things for me. Microsoft are kind hearted and want to give me a free month to Microsoft Office 365 but they want my credit card details so they can fleece me for the following months, of course I can cancel the repeat payment straight away but it is a maze trying to get to where you can do it. I like to use Chrome as a browser but Microsoft is hellbent on steering me away from this and make it as difficult as possible to use it
One of the main reasons I get a new computer is that the old one is so crammed up with **** in downloads, desktop, documents and photos Iike to start with a clean slate but no, somehow they have transferred all my old **** to the new one. It is a bit like when my shed gets a bit too crammed up with my **** I just build a new one to start over, why can't computers be the same.

Ken

In Chrome click on the three dots in the upper right corner and then select Passwords and autofill then Google Password Manager to get your passwords for all the sites stored on you computer.

 

[greybeard]

In Chrome click on the three dots in the upper right corner and then select Passwords and autofill then Google Password Manager to get your passwords for all the sites stored on you computer.

In W11, I'm pretty sure that will only work if you are signed in to Microsoft. Chrome IS saving your passwords and usernames in it's password manager (Assuming you clicked save each time) but without being logged on to windows, you won't be able to view or edit your passwords.


In W10, you didn't have to be logged in to MS in order to access Chrome's Password Manager.

I've set up 2 W11 laptops in the last year. It's different for sure but really not all that different except as Simme said, MS wants to own you.


"Three OS's from corporate-kings in their towers of glass,
Seven from valley-lords where orchards used to grow,
Nine from dotcoms doomed to die,
One from the Dark Lord Gates on his dark throne
In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie.
One OS to rule them all, One OS to find them,
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them,
In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie."'


But, the penguin don't care.

 

[Travlr]

@CowboyRam In Chrome click on the three dots in the upper right corner and then select Passwords and autofill then Google Password Manager to get your passwords for all the sites stored on you computer.

I don't let google store any of my passwords... and I only have a few. Sites like this without any access to stored information get the same password. I don't do on line banking or any kind of money transactions that require a password online. None of that has a digital footprint.
My wife was in banking and refuses to have anything banking that can be done over the phone or computer. She's seen it, and it's not that hard to stay offline.

 

[wbvs58]

Open Office is a free download and it works similarly enough to the Microsoft app that the differences are not worth mentioning.

Download Apache OpenOffice

Join the OpenOffice revolution, the free office productivity suite with over 375 million trusted downloads.

www.openoffice.org

I've written five books on it and plenty of other things...

Thanks Travlr, my only concern is weather these will work on Excell spreadsheets I download from Angus Australia and use to record performance data and then send it back to them. I know the old version of it on my old computer wasn't working too well.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Microsoft wants you to signup for a microsoft account and stay logged in. It appears that you must have a Microsoft account in order to get a new pc up and running. But it is possible to avoid that. But the seemingly innocent questions that the pc asks when you first power it up set the trap for you. When you first power it up and it asks for your country, don't answer the question. Instead, there are some keys you press and some letters you type and you can avoid the trap. And end up with a pc that does not expect a microsoft account login. Google "How to Install Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account".

Trap, exactly, I felt there were a couple of questions they asked where they were looking to get me but then there was no way to go back and change that answer.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Preaching to the choir!!! I totally feel your pain, as I just went through the same thing. Well, not exactly the same because I bought my new laptop locally and their customer support is awesome. BUT! I also had to get a new Hot Spot from Verizon, which only worked half the time, then another, upgraded one. What happened to all my Excel spreadsheets? The new Microsoft won't support them. Quality time trying to copy/paste/redo/create new. And I have literally everything on Excel. I've been using Microsoft Edge and Firefox as browsers. The learning curve is painful but fortunately, not too long. Good luck, Ken!

Thanks TC.

Ken

 

[cowman82]

use open office . org for a very nice free office suite.

 

[ctadmin]

I mostly use Google Documents -

For passwords use a tool like 1Password(paid) or bitwarden(Free options).

I do like Microsoft Excel, its quite powerful for the price I paid, I think I paid $20.

 

[Rafter S]

I was forced to update wo Windows 11 at work a few months ago. As you might expect, I was skeptical, but so far it's worked fine. In fact, it has one feature that I really like. I often have multiple File Explorer pages open. Previously it was multiple pages that I'd have to switch back and forth between, but with Windows 11 I can just add tabs in the same page, similar to the way Chrome works. They should have done that a long time ago.

 

[greybeard]

I don't let google store any of my passwords... and I only have a few. Sites like this without any access to stored information get the same password

I, have a LOT and you may as well when you get old(er). It's difficult nowadays to get in touch with your doctor's office unless you do so on THEIR platform/portal, which of course requires a sign-in. I have over 10 medical facilities that I and my insurance company help support. I go to about 10-12 different discussion boards every week, 2 different email clients,. (I do not do FB/instagram/whatsapp etc. I keep up with my friends via discussion boards and the old fashioned way of just picking up my ph and calling them, but at my age, I have fewer friends each year. )
I have lots of interests still, thus the large number of boards I visit. 2 car forums, 3 cooking boards, a sewing machine forum, 3 military boards, 2 ag related boards, 2 woodworking boards etc. Chrome requires a log on, MS does too, Home, medical, auto insurance...Each requires a password . I keep them all on paper and use Google/Chrome's password manager but like you, do nothing 'too' important on line but that's getting harder and harder to do.


I have had several messages from different entities, over the last 12 months goading me to strengthen my old passwords, because they are the same as on another medical facilities' portal. I've also had the same message at the bottom of Cattle Today. It won't be long before everything internet related is going to require at least 2FA (2 step verification) I already have to on my w11 laptop and my Moto phone, but not on this w10 device.

I do not sync all my devices together. left hand-right hand....

(caution..MAKE SURE you have typed in the correct username/password before choosing "Do you want _________to save username and password?"
Allowing it to save an incorrect log on credential can cause big problems in some cases..IF, you haven't also written the correct data down on paper somewhere.)

 

[TCRanch]

I mostly use Google Documents -

For passwords use a tool like 1Password(paid) or bitwarden(Free options).

I do like Microsoft Excel, its quite powerful for the price I paid, I think I paid $20.

Wait, what?! I ended up having to buy Microsoft 365 for $106, just to get the Excel. If I knew then what I know now.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I think windows 11 is nothing but a giant plot to force everyone to buy new computers.

 

[Travlr]

I think windows 11 is nothing but a giant plot to force everyone to buy new computers.

Anybody use MacIntosh computers?

The days of government enforcement of Anti-Trust Laws is done. Microsoft will end up figuring out how to force everything computer to use their system eventually.

 

[greybeard]

Anybody use MacIntosh computers?

The days of government enforcement of Anti-Trust Laws is done. Microsoft will end up figuring out how to force everything computer to use their system eventually.

Not likely. They've never figured out how to rope and hogtie the penguin kernel.

I think LibreOffice has taken the place of OpenOffice. LibreOfficeCalc is their spreadsheet program.

 

[simme]

Original spreadsheets were VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3. 123 was top of the line. For word processing, the standard was Wordperfect. Database standard was dBase. What happened to all of those? Blown away by the superior performance and ease of use of the microsoft products. GUI's (graphical user interface) and such. Anyone remember IBM? Kodak? Got to get out front with new technology or risk becoming a dinosaur or even a fossil.

 

[greybeard]

the standard was Wordperfect

The Word Perfect Claw..... I remember it well. Had to use a template and better have limber and long fingers to reach all the shortcuts.