[OPLINLIST] Windows 8 Results

[Ed Liddle]

Downgrades rights for windows 8 are only for windows 8 professional version. Regular windows 8 does not have any downgrade rights as noted here http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#windows


-Ed Liddle

Marysville Public Library
http://marysvillelib.org
________________________________
From: oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org [oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org] on behalf of Shelley Bylica [bylicash at oplin.org]
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 5:33 PM
To: oplinlist at lists.oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINLIST] Windows 8 Results

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-generation/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

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