Monthly Archives: November 2012

Nov
26
2012

Windows 8 / RT Reports

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I just read David Gewirtz’ article on ZDNET about how six ZDNET users feel about Windows 8.  He asked several questions about their experiences with Windows 8 and I’d like to address similar questions here.  So here we go:

  1. How long have you sued Windows 8? Since September 2011 after attending the Microsoft Build in Anaheim CA
  2. Use “Metro” vs. Desktop? Used both
  3. Using “Metro”/”Modern” User Interface Applications? Both; tried multiple applications in the “Metro” interface including: Register, BBC News.
  4. Miss or replaced the classic START menu? Not really.  It is different, adaptable.  Probably missed it most with a conventional PC, but not with a touch (tablet including RT).
  5. Tweaked Windows 8 / RT? For RT, tweaked for larger touch in Office 2013 and desktop; For Windows 8 just normal Windows 7 tweaks…not much.
  6. Using Touch Hardware? Yes; Samsung tablet from Build and, more recently, the Surface RT.  No problems with either.
  7. Which OS to install on a new machine? and Prefer Win7 or Win8 or Windows RT? Depends on machine usage, device connectivity, etc.  General workhorse desk machines with non-touch screens I think I prefer Windows 7; it is stable, and on the large screens enables several things on the desktop.  For touch tablets, clearly Windows 8 / RT.  Recently I used tablet only (Surface) and no keyboard and the touch and START screen were just perfect.  Windows 8 also works well with desktop keyboard and mouse both on the Desktop screen and START screen.  However adaptability to Windows 8 / RT was easy, even overcoming the bugs in applications from dev, to cus preview, to beta was OK.  Some current RT apps exhibit some quirks (see future blog posts).  However, for people who adapt to windows very slowly (and cautiously) and carefully, the change to Windows 8 is too drastic and they are better off staying/using Windows 7.

So there you have some of my views on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows RT.

ED

 

Nov
24
2012

Surface Reports – Wired Ethernet on Surface RT (NOT…no longer NOT)

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UPDATE – 03 Dec 2013:  Apparently Microsoft has relented somewhat and you can now use the wired Ethernet device on Surface tablets, both Surface PRO as well as Surface 2 (RT version).  Specific instructions to follow soon. (:-))

UPDATE – 09 Jul 2013:  The Ethernet device works just fine with Windows RT on my Surface RT.  However, in the Windows 8.1/RT Beta release, which I recently installed on my Surface RT, Microsoft has disabled the ability to use the driver.  In the Beta, the driver is still present from my previous load, however, Microsoft indicates it cannot trust the driver and automatically disabled it with no mechanism for me to over-ride.  So for now, under Windows 8.1, if the Beta release carries forward to GA (scheduled for October), the ability to use wired Ethernet is now non-existent. (:-((

ORIGINAL ENTRY – 24 Nov 2012:  This is the first in a series of reports on the Microsoft SURFACE tablet running Windows RT.  It is based on my personal experiences in using a SURFACE tablet (32GB, type keyboard).

SURFACE has a single USB 2.0 port…wondering if a USB to Ethernet dongle can work under Windows RT (it most certainly can do it with Windows 7 or Windows 8, but RT is the ARM-based processor).

A little research found a lot of USB to Ethernet dongles, but only one concerning Windows RT and adapter from Plugable based on the ASIX AX88772 chipset and only for 10/100 Fast Ethernet (no luck with gigabit Ethernet yet) and available from Amazon for a nice $14.95.

Here is the link to the article and it has the links on downloading the driver and installation:

http://plugable.com/2012/11/16/usb-ethernet-microsoft-surface

The whole process takes a few minutes – you need to install as admin – and works just fine.

ED