Laptop for parents - Windows 7 or 8?

Mr_Toad

I didn't find Windows 8 much of a problem to get used to when friends started to get new machines or upgrade their OS.

Yes it's different but you soon get used to it.

In fact for people like the OPs parents it might be a good idea, you could set the home screen to show only the programs that they use they should then be able to safely ignore everything else.

teajug

Mr_Toad wrote: »

I didn't find Windows 8 much of a problem to get used to when friends started to get new machines or upgrade their OS.

Yes it's different but you soon get used to it.

In fact for people like the OPs parents it might be a good idea, you could set the home screen to show only the programs that they use they should then be able to safely ignore everything else.

That is why I found it easy to ues also the desk top is there also if you want to use as well.

grumpycrab

teajug wrote: »

That is why I found it easy to ues also the desk top is there also if you want to use as well.

Would touchscreen help or hinder with modern UI? (serious question)

Mr_Toad

grumpycrab wrote: »

Would touchscreen help or hinder with modern UI? (serious question)

I've no idea as I've never used one but having suffered for years with a grubby monitor because people can't point at something without touching the screen makes me reluctant to try it.

With a phone you can give the screen a quick rub on your shirt to clean the screen. Not something you can do with a monitor.

googler

wonderwallet wrote: »

I'm looking for a laptop for my parents to replace their old desktop, just to be used for browsing internet, photo storage and editing, watching iplayer, dvds etc.

Why not point them at a tablet, like an iPad? This will do everything you describe apart from photo storage and watching DVDs.

The whole idea of a laptop is portability - once your parents have experience carrying their web browser/iPlayer device in one hand from one room to another, they won't want to go back to a laptop.

Then point them at a proper DVD/BluRay player to connect up to the TV? More and more of these include iPlayer functionality, so they can watch on a proper TV.

TBagpuss

IPad's and tablets are great but screen size may be an issue - especially if key uses they will make of the machine is for viewing/storing photos/watching DVDs.

Are they likely to want much portability? Unless they are likely to regualarly want to use the computer outside the home then I would think a laptop will be absolutely fine - portable enough to move form one room to another if they want to, and to take to relatives if they want to show all the christmas pictures, but otherwise do they they want or need something they can take everywhere?

What OS are they using at present?
Are you familiar with Windows 8 and able to show them the basics? If they are changing from an older version than the change to 8 may be no harder than the change to 7 would be.

Lum

Windows 8, update to 8.1 for free then install Classic Shell or StartIsBack.

This is assuming the parents are used to a previous version of Windows. If not then they'll get on with Windows 8 just fine.

No point chasing around spending more money on an older laptop just to get Windows 7.

Zeus_10

I prefer windows 8 but my parents struggle to use my laptop. It all depends on how good their IT skills are..

wonderwallet

Thanks everyone for your replies, lots of food for thought there. They are using XP at the moment so Windows 7 would be unfamiliar too. In the past I purchased a laptop with Vista and wished at the time that I had purchased one with XP, and that is probably what is worrying me about Windows 8, but maybe I am worrying unnecessarily

littlepinky84

i have the first one you posted from argos, its good laptop and windows 8 isnt hard to learn to use, set the homescreen to show what you/parents need and violia they will be fine