Person is familiar with XP, looking for either Windows 7 or if there's a way to make Windows 8 more XP like. Anyone have a particular desktop model they have which provides good performance and a decent price? Just looking for the basics when it comes to computing, email, surfing, etc.

dam

For a basic desktop, I would look at the Dell Outlet store. You can usually find good deals there, and to top it off, look for additional coupons at sites like slickdeals.net.

You can set Windows 8.1 to boot to desktop. From there, I think it looks a lot like XP. Is that what you're thinking?

You can also download a start button for Windows 8, which pretty much clears up the "I am so confused" reaction people tend to have.

In addition to the above - I suggest you consider an all-in-one unit. All of the electronics in the monitor. Smallest amount of clutter, and a big display. A lot of them are touchscreen, which is handy if the user ever wants to play around a bit with Win8. If they are a smartphone user they are already used to swiping and pinching.

I would say get them a chromebox unless they have some specific need for windows. It doesn't sound like there is anything they would be doing outside of a browser. I got my grandmother a chromebook when her windows machine died and has been great. No calls to come fix whatever is messed up, and it was cheap too.

Tell old person to ****ing learn new stuff.

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Tell old person to ****ing learn new stuff.

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Maybe you should try teaching older people new stuff. It isn't so easy.

But based on your user name, that might not work so well.

He just takes his user name seriously, give him a break.

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He just takes his user name seriously, give him a break.

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I'll try. But it's difficult.

I too like the idea of an All-In-One and have suggested it to my own parents for their next computer purchase. Unfortunately they are not the cheapest option if that is one of the biggest concerns.

I saw some good systems for good prices on the Woot outlet site a while back...mostly refurbed HP's, etc. all with good specs and for very good prices.

And yes, pay the $5 for a program called "Start8" and Windows 8 shouldn't be too difficult.

If all they need is email and some web surfing, just get them a $200 chromebook. Seriously.

Chromebook. No need for windows to be an email machine

Yep, if it's for some older people to browse the internet, Chromebook is absolutely your best option. And you can get them sub $200 now.

Just want to point out that many older folks do not like the small size of a notebook/laptop/chromebook. It is both the display size and the cramped keyboard.

Go with a chromebox then...

Chromebox + monitor works fine if they want a bigger screen, but the HP Chromebook 14 is a pretty decent size screen with good reviews.

Windows 10 is coming out this summer which will bring back the start menu and should be a more familiar experience to Windows 7. So if they can wait until then you might buy a desktop loaded with it, but you can also buy a windows 8.1 desktop now and windows 10 will be free to upgrade when it comes out for the first year.

HP has a couple options for desktops that are pretty cheap, if this person doesn't need a lot of processing power power or space and just wants to do time office stuff and internet exploring the HP stream is 180 dollars and fairly stripped down (32 gb internal storage expandable through sd card, 1.47 ghz processor, 2 gig ram) and will be upgradable to windows 10 when its released

HP also has a Pavillion Desktop that is really small like the stream but better guts (500 gb HD, 4 gb ram, 1.7 ghz processor) for 380

I think chromebook would be a bad idea, its easy but its way different than a windows computer and if windows 8 is frustrating for them chrome os will be a nightmere

Define older?

My 80yo mom uses a 14" dell refurb with a mouse and keyboard.

How would using Chrome OS be a nightmare? If the person has already figured out how to open a web browser on a windows machine then they can handle Chrome OS.