It seems that every few years Microsoft brings out a new version of its Windows operating system just as people are getting used to their current one. First there was Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition. In the 2000s there was XP, Vista, and then Windows 7. Now when you buy a new computer it comes equipped with Windows 8.
Constantly changing and upgrading operating systems can be very confusing for most users, and especially for most businesses, which traditionally are reluctant to welcome technological change.
David Shinkfield, an instructor with the non-profit Computer Learning Center in Ewing, says that it doesn’t have to be that way, Instead of giving up an OS that’s familiar and comfortable, he suggests that you can have them all.
Shinkfield will present “Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8. Don’t Choose! Have Then All” on Tuesday, March 5, at 2 p.m. at the Ewing Senior and Community Center at 999 Lower Ferry Road. The free program will be preceded at 1:30 p.m. by a question and answer session on computer issues with Computer Learning Center staff.
“While some versions of Windows work well — XP and 7, others are less satisfactory — Windows ME and Vista. Which to use?,” says Shinkfield. “There is a solution. You can have more than one version of Windows on your computer, keep using the one you are familiar with, and try out the newer version. If you decide you like the newer version, switching permanently is simple.”
Shinkfield will talk about installation of Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8 — just released last year — on computers. He will also outline the system requirements for the installation of various versions of Windows, as well as how much adding new versions will cost. “Microsoft does not give much away for free!” he adds.
Shinkfield, who teaches several courses at the Computer Learning Center, has shared his familiarity with computers as a volunteer instructor with the center for the past five years.
Prior to his retirement, he was a managing partner with PA Consulting Group based in London and the United States. During his career with the firm he undertook assignments in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and finally in the United States, where he has spent the last 20 years.
The Computer Learning Center offers a full curriculum of computer-related courses, taught by and designed for adults. For further information about the program, courses, or directions, call 609-882-5086, 609-883-1776, ext. 6205 or visit www.clcewing.org.
