[OPLINLIST] Windows 8 Results

Mon Jun 17 17:33:13 EDT 2013

Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question regarding Windows 8
adoption. Again, my original question was:

                Hi Everyone. 

How many of you are being proactive and learning Windows 8 right away? I had
a senior patron come in with a laptop that has a Windows 8 operating system
who was so kind as to leave a disc tutorial for that operating system so
that I could learn it so that I could teach her how to use her computer. I
really could use a tutorial that helps to quickly and readily translate
previous experience with Windows 7 and earlier to Windows 8 - this intro
disc is very *YAWN*.  

Still, are you all preparing now to train others on Windows 8 just as it is
coming out, or are you planning to wait until wider adoption has been
demonstrated? This is more of a question for rural communities with slower
rates of tech adoption. 

I appreciate your feedback.

Shelley B.

I think that MS is trying to create an "all in one" device that can be a
laptop and a tablet all in one. This may eventually be great for me in my
off-clock life as a musician when I could possibly use Finale/Sibelius/Open
sourced alternative to create a score, and then pull off the keyboard and
swipe the pages for quick page turns. I do not expect to be able to afford
such a thing for another 5 years and this is the only thing that would make
this Windows format of any use to  me personally. I'm happy enough with
Windows at work and Android on my tablet at home. 

Professionally, the only two uses I can predict for it are in larger
libraries and to help "the touch screen generation" acclimate to desktop
like work (see
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/04/the-touch-screen-generat
ion/309250/). Toddlers/preschoolers now are probably going to need a Windows
8 type set up in about 7 years as their school work is going to need more
"desk top" capabilities, but their native computer usage is in the touch
screen world. As it applies to direct library work, I could see it of use in
a very large collection when a tablet that can be worn in a purse and pulled
out for searches/inventories on the fly which could then placed on a laptop
with a keyboard. 

That aside, my direct question was in regards to staff and patron training
on Windows 8. 

Only 2 of the libraries represented in my responses were actively or
actively planning to start training patrons on Windows 8, the majority
preferring to offer minimalist help on the fly to help navigate between
"metro" and "desktop" interfaces, assist with connecting to printers and
wifi, and directing to online tutorials such as the goodwill community
foundation. 

A number of other libraries had reflected my sentiment that seniors had been
more heavily represented amongst those needing help on Windows 8, that they
may have been granted a laptop with this cutting edge operating system that
few know how to operate right now as a Christmas gift. Do I understand
completely that they could take it back to the store of purchase and ask
that Windows 7 be added as a "downgrade"? I think that this is what I may
recommend to the lady who lent me her Windows 8 tutorial DVD. Keep the
Windows 8 discs, but take it back to the store and ask that they download
the 7 operating system so that she could better access help in learning how
to use computers in the first place? I have learned enough using the
tutorials that I could probably help her, but not as much as I could if she
were running Windows 7 (as that is the OS I am using to write this e-mail). 

The best tidbit was from the gentleman in Galion who recommended keeping
track of user checkouts on manual titles  to determine need for computer
training. 

Thanks,

Shelley Bylica

Shelley Bylica

Public Services Librarian

Marvin Memorial Library

29 W. Whitney Ave.

Shelby, OH 44875

419-347-5576 ext. 1

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplinlist/attachments/20130617/eb6dfb94/attachment-0001.html>