Features which are removed in Windows 8

Windows 8 is a version of Windows NT and the successor of Windows 7. Several features which are present on Windows Vista and Windows 7 are no longer present on Windows 8.

Windows shell

• Start button was removed from the taskbar (although it was re-added in Windows 8.1). Replacement methods for invoking Start screen include a hotspot in the lower left corner of the screen, where the Start screen tile pops up, and a Start button among "the charms".
• "Recent documents" menu is removed from Start screen.
• Windows 8.1 no longer automatically adds newly installed programs to Start screen.
• Unified search is removed. A category-specific search replaces the former. It can search "Apps", "Settings", "Files" or within an app-specific index (such as, for example, e-mails from the Mail app) but not all at once. The default category is Apps, but can be changed before or after performing a search. Windows 8.1 restores this feature.
• Windows Desktop Gadgets, first introduced in Windows Vista, are removed.

Appearance and personalization

• The Aero Glass theme is replaced by a new theme with a flatter visual appearance in line with Metro design language. This is intended to prevent skeuomorphism. Aside from the taskbar, the new theme uses fewer transparency effects than the previous Glass theme.
• Flip 3D is removed. ⌘ Win+Tab ↹ now toggles between Windows Store apps and the desktop.
• The Windows Classic theme is removed. High-contrast themes (which previously used the Classic appearance) are modified to use visual styles.
• "Advanced appearance settings...", once found in Personalization\Window Color and Appearance part of Control Panel is removed.
• Sample pictures, sample music clips, sample video clip and preset user account pictures (a form of avatar) are no longer available.
• The sound schemes that were first included with Windows 7: Afternoon, Calligraphy, Characters, Cityscape, Delta, Festival, Garden, Heritage, Landscape, Quirky, Raga, Savanna and Sonata are all no longer available; only the folders remain in C:\Windows\Media, and they are empty.

File Explorer

• The Briefcase option under New context menu is removed by default, but can be reinstated by editing the registry.
• Windows 8.1 no longer shows Libraries by default.

Games

• Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans, Purble Place, Minesweeper, FreeCell and Solitaire were removed. Updated versions of Mahjong, Minesweeper and Solitaire are available in Windows Store.
• Shortcuts to the Games Explorer were removed. The feature itself and its command line shortcut (shell:games) remain.

Networking

• For dial-up networking (DUN), some of the options under "Redialing options", such as "Redial attempts" and "Redial if line is dropped", are no longer available. Although dial-up networking using PSTN telephone line is becoming increasingly rare, this could affect users that still use it to connect to 2G, 3G and/or 3.5G mobile networks and also DSL subscribers that use the system's PPPoE dialer.
• The "Manage wireless networks" option on the task pane of the Network and Sharing Center control panel is no longer available, although a similar function is still available through the netsh command 
• netsh wlan. Some of this functionality is reintroduced with the Windows 8.1 Update via the PC Settings app. Similarly, creating an ad hoc wireless connection via the "Set up a wireless ad hoc" option under "Set up a new connection or network" is no longer available through the GUI; users need to use the same netsh command or a third-party utility such as Connectify.
• One can no longer save a wifi connection to a flash drive from the Wireless Network Properties box under the Connection tab.
• Shortcuts for the Bluetooth File Transfer wizard, which are added by Windows 7 on a device with Bluetooth communication, are no longer provided. The utility itself (fsquirt.exe) remains available.
• Network Map is removed from Network and Sharing Center

User accounts and security

• Windows CardSpace was removed.
• Windows Defender: 
• Can no longer schedule automatic system scans; it is now part of Windows Action Center's maintenance schedule
• No longer shows the currently processed item

Media features

• Windows DVD Maker was removed.
• Windows Media Center is no longer included with any of Windows 8 editions. It is available as an add-on through the Add features to Windows 8 service for Windows 8 Pro (via the Media Center Pack) and Windows 8 core edition (via the Pro Pack).
• Windows Media Center cannot run on startup or on top of other windows because of “new Windows OS requirements and behaviors”.
• Windows Media Player no longer has the Media Guide feature.
• DVD-Video and MPEG-2 Video codecs are no longer included. Video DVDs can be played in Windows Media Center.
• Windows 8.1 removes Facebook and Flickr support from the Photos app.

File system

• Backup and Restore is deprecated and renamed Windows 7 File Recovery in favor of File History.In Windows 8.1, only System Image Backup remains.
• Persistent shadow copies are no longer available. Therefore the ability to browse, search and/or recover older versions of files via the Previous Versions tab of the Properties dialog of files was removed for local volumes. Configuring and scheduling of previous versions of files was also removed from the System Protection tab of the Advanced System Properties (systempropertiesadvanced.exe) dialog box.
• CHKDSK utility only shows the progress percentage when running at startup.

Other

• Stop errors are simplified; specifically, several paragraphs of generic advice and auxiliary error codes are removed. Windows 8.1 added a Registry setting to revert the changes, which is also available to Windows 8 users after installing a hotfix.
• The sounds played upon login, logout and system shutdown were removed. The startup sound remains but is disabled by default.[citation needed]
• .NET Framework 3.5 is no longer installed. Windows requires an Internet connection to install it, although Microsoft has published a workaround that enables users to install it from Windows installation disc.
• .NET Framework 1.1 is not supported.
• In Windows 8.1, the Windows Experience Index score is removed.

How to Add or Remove Start Screen Items

Adding or Removing Start Screen Items

Removing something from the Start Screen is easy, so you can begin there. To Remove an unwanted or unused tile from the Start Screen, right-click it and choose Unpin from Start from the pop-up menu along the screen's bottom. The unloved title slides away without fuss.

But you will probably want to spend more time adding items to the Start screen, and here's why. It is easy to escape the Start screen by clicking the Desktop app. But once you are safely on the desktop, how do you start a program without heading back to the Start screen? To escape this recursive conundrum, stock your start screen with Icons for your favorite desktop destinations, such as programs, folders and settings. Then, instead of loading the desktop and looking lost, you can head to your final destination straight from the Start screen.

To add programs or apps to the Start screen, follow these steps:

1. Press the Start screen's All Apps button.
    Right click a blank portion of the Start screen and then choose the All Apps     button along the screen's bottom. On a touchscreen, slide your finger             upward from the screen's bottom edge and then tap the All Apps icon. No       matter which route you take, the Start screen alphabetically lists all your         installed apps and programs.

2. Right click the item you want to appear on the Start screen and choose        Pin to Start.
3. Repeat Step 2 for every item you want to add.
     Unfortunately, you can not select and add several items simultaneously.

4. Choose the Desktop app.
     The desktop appears.

5. Right click desired items and Choose Pin to Start.
    Right Click a library, folder, file or other item you want added to the Start       screen, when the pop up menu appears, Choose Pin to Start. When you are     through, your Start screen will have grown considerably with all your               newly added destinations.

How to Secure your account by Password in Windows 8

Keeping your account private with a Password

Because Windows 8 lets many people use the same computer, how do you stop Rob from reading Diane's love letters to Jason Bieber? How can Josh keep Grace from deleting his Star Wars movie trailers? Using a password solves some of those problems.

In fact, a password is more important than ever in Windows 8 because some accounts can be tied to a credit card. By typing a secret password when signing in, you enable your computer to recognize you and nobody else. If you protect your username with a password, nobody can access your files. And nobody can rack up charges for computer games while you are away from home.

To Set up or change your password, follow these steps:

1. Summon the Charms bar and click the Settings icon
    You fetch the Charms bar differently depending on whether you are using a      mouse, keyboard, or touchscreen:

• Mouse: Move the mouse pointer to the top-right or bottom-right corner of your screen.
• Keyboard: Hold down the Windows key press the letter C.
• Touchscreens:- Slide your finger from the screen's right edge Inward.

    When the Charms bar appears, click the settings icon. The Settings screen appears.

2. Click the words Change PC Settings at the very bottom of the Settings        screen.

     The PC Settings screen appears.

3. Click the Users category on the left and then click the Change Your              Password button. Or, to create a password, click the Create a                      Password button.

    You may need to type your existing password to gain entrance.

4. Type a Password that will be easy to remember.

     Choose something like the name of your favorite vegetable, for example, or      your dental floss brand. To beef up its security level, capitalize                      some letters and embed a number in the password, like Glide2 or                     Ask4More.

5. If asked, type that same password into the Retype Password box, So         Windows knows you are spelling it correctly.

6. In the Password Hint box, type a hint that reminds you- and only you-        of your password.

     Windows won't let you type in your exact password as a hint. You have to        be a bit more creative.

7. Click the Next button, and click Finish.

     Suspect you have botched something during this process? Click Cancel to        return to Step 3 and either start over or exit.

After you have created the password, Windows 8 begins asking for your password whenever you sign in.

• Passwords are Case-Sensitive. The words Caviar and Caviar are considered two different passwords.
• Windows also offers to Create a Picture Password in Step 3, where you drag a finger or mouse over a photo in a certain sequence. Then, instead of entering a password, you redraw the sequence on the sign-in picture.
• Another new option in step 3 is Create a PIN. A PIN is a four-digit code like the ones punched into a Automated Teller Machines. The disadvantage of a PIN? There is no password hint to a four-digit password.

How many of you like to use Lubuntu OS? Why Lubuntu is a Good option to use in place of Windows XP

Windows XP has become an orphan. No, It is parent is not dead. But Microsoft has essentially disowned its progeny as of April 8,2014. From that date, no Windows XP security updates from Microsoft will ever again be available.

Use of Windows XP is now a big Risk

Computer Security experts are agreed that the loss of ongoing Microsoft support makes Win XP far more vulnerable to attacks by hackers than it was when its parent was plugging security gaps on a weekly basis. They are almost unanimous in their recommendation that the millions of current users of Windows XP move as soon as possible to an alternative operating system.

But Where can beleaguered Windows XP users go? Many have neither the desire nor the means to buy the new hardware and software that would be required  to follow Microsoft 's approved migration path and upgrade to Windows 7 or 8.1.

My Church is in that category. We have developed a plan that involves continuing to use Win XP in the short term, while gradually changing over to a new OS for long term stability.

The Operating system we plan to migrate to is Lubuntu Linux. Lubuntu is a member of the UNIX family of operating systems, and is a direct derivative of Ubuntu.

What are Ubuntu and Lubuntu?

The Philosophy behind  Ubuntu is to provide a freely available, open source operating system that includes the most used capabilities of windows without the expense and disruption involved in having to keep up with the Microsoft product cycle.

Like Windows, Ubuntu and Lubuntu have a graphical user interface that makes it easy for non-technical users to navigate. Anyone familiar with windows in its various incarnations already understands the concept of how the Ubuntu GUI functions, though, as we will see, the details can be quite different.

Advantages of the Ubuntu Family

The entire Ubuntu family has some unique features that make it a great alternative for those looking to migrate from Windows XP.

• Linux is inherently a more secure environment than Windows. It has built-in protections against hacker instructions that make it far less vulnerable than Windows XP.
• Ubuntu and its derivatives are open source and entirely free, though, paid commercial support is also available.
• Ubuntu comes with a wide selection of free software preinstalled, including such apps as the Firefox or Chromium browser, the LibreOffice Suite, and many more.
• In addition, there is a Software Center where any of hundreds of free apps can be quickly and easily downloaded and installed without having to individually hunt for them. In my opinion, this is one area where Ubuntu and its derivatives far outshine Windows XP.
• The Ubuntu family is stable and well supported, with more than 20 million users world wide.

Advantages of Lubuntu over Ubuntu

Lubuntu is simply a lighter, less resource intensive descendant of Ubuntu. Ubuntu already requires far fewer resources than Windows. Lubuntu takes that philosophy to the next level. It is specially designed to run on outmoded hardware with limited memory and CPU reqources.

Lubuntu runs great on older Computers 

For my Church, the ability of Lubuntu to run on vintage computers that would otherwise be obsolete is crucial.

We have Dell Laptops and Desktops that are more than a decade old. They are Entirely adequate for the applications we run. Yet we could not upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 or 8.1 if we wanted to our old hardware can not run the new Windows versions.

Lubuntu will seem more familiar to Windows XP users than Ubuntu

I installed Lubuntu on a Laptop and Ubuntu on a Desktop PC. After working with each implementation for a while, i much prefer the LUbuntu incarnation. That is basically because the GUI is closed to what i am used to on WIndows XP.

The Lubuntu desktop looks pretty much like the Windows XP desktop. Programs can be launched by double-clicking icons on the desktop, or from Lubuntu's equivalent of the Start button. you can also install Shortcuts in folders and launch programs from there.

In contrast, the Ubuntu desktop is not intended to function as a program launcher. There is no equivalent to the Start button, although the most frequently used apps are lined up along the left edge of the desktop. Other programs must be accessed by opening an application launcher window and searching for them.

It is not easy to place shortcuts on the Ubuntu desktop so programs can be launched from there. in fact, I have yet to figure out how to do it. and for me, that is the point. I have to invest far less " figuring out" time with Lubuntu than with Ubuntu.

One of the great things about all members of the Ubuntu family is that you can usually find a way to configure their look and feel pretty much way you want. SO i am sure I could get the Ubuntu GUI to look more XP like if I made the effort. But Lubuntu presents a more familiar interface from the beginning.

How to sign in directly to the Windows 8.1 desktop

One of the biggest issues many people have had with Windows 8 is that it automatically logs you into the Windows 8 Start screen rather than the traditional Windows desktop. For those people who do not want to use the Start screen and instead work off the desktop this change has been very frustrating. If this has been an issue for you, Windows 8.1 allows you to skip the Start screen and boot directly into the desktop. To do this, type Navigation when you are at the Windows Start screen to open a search for that word.

When the search results appear, click on the Navigation Properties result as shown in the image above, This will open the Taskbar and Navigation properties tab.

At this screen, put a check mark in the Go to the desktop instead of Start when I sign in check-box as indicated by the red arrow above. Once that check-box is checked, click on the Apply  button and then press the OK button. With this setting enabled, when you start your Windows 8 computer it will now automatically go to the desktop rather than the Windows 8 Start screen.