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My problem with LibreOffice is how resource intensive it is (and OpenOffice before it). A computer tech installled it on an old notebook my employer has provided for employee use - it's running an anaemic Intel duo-core chip, Vista 32-bit, and "rocking" 2GB RAM. LibreOffice was a pig to open and significantly slowed the machine when running. I had an unused Office 2013 license and installed it and it's much more manageable - though still not a dream to use... That said, I have a license for SoftMaker Office 2012 that I'm not using - maybe I should install that and uninstall MS Office. SM Office should be even lighter on resources on that seutup and I don't care too much about the license whereas an Office 2013 license is hard to walk away from

I'm not seeing these problems with Win 8/Office 2013 - everything looks great onscreen!? Am I correct in assuming that by

can't use a product that reads worse than any other window on the desktop.

you mean that text looks pixelated and "bleeds" into the white of the screen? That's how I read what you're describing (I'm not seeing it here, though). Can you describe it/provide a screenshot?

I might as well update this as well - I'm now on Windows 8 Pro 64-bit and using Office 2013 with Adobe Acrobat X1 Professional. Heaven...

PS I bought an Academic license for Acrobat X Pro and have upgraded it to X1. Still not cheap but manageable. FWIW PDF Converter Professional 8 is VERY solid (I purchased and used it for a day before deciding to upgrade Acrobat instead. Took advantage of Nuance's 30 day return) for the price - I paid $79.99. Staples now has the boxed version for $49.95 where I am.

What mwb1100 said - I've RMA'd hardware without a receipt; just a serial number. Go on, give it a try!

The third book is very interesting but I'm finding it takes a lot

Perhaps you need a second brain to get through the third book? 

The first time I drank soju (which tasted to me a bit like Pinesol at the time), I pounded back 7 or 8 shots within about 90 seconds at the urging/order of my boss. I sat there for a while, proud of my Canadian ability to drink hard liquor and "not feel it". Then I stood up... and immediately fell down again... Like Renegade, I avoid drinking more than one or two glasses of the stuff (which, 17 years on, tastes quite good!).

I've given up on this category of software, for the reason that CWuestefeld notes above

it makes me feel like it's just the least bad one out there.

I get by now using Dopus 10 to organize my photos into folders and have a menagerie of different photo editors for which I have licenses and installers and can call up on if I need to edit anything. I have only Helicon Filter 5 installed at the moment but find that I use PaperPort 14 SET tools for just about everything. Helicon Filter will likely be uninstalled soon as I can't think of a compelling reason to keep it on my system... With that thought fixed in my head, I'm off to uninstall it now! I realize that this is highly individual, so take the foregoing with a grain of salt!

I have licenses for both VueMinder Pro and VueMinder Ultimate and I really like it. However, I no longer have it installed because it consistently hammers my CPU and hits my RAM hard. I have since switched to an SSD and keep thinking I should give the latest build another go, but I don't really miss it that much... Great program, otherwise, though. Dan is great to deal with - very responsive and offers good support. In sum, though, it's WAY more than mouser is after...

I just use IE. Can't be bothered with using different browsers and, as it's part of the OS and I can't rip it out, I just use it. Generally, I am satisfied with it and see no reason to switch to anything else.

These a$$holes (patent trolls) should be shot, pissed on, drawn and quartered, burned at the stake, and flayed alive publically. I loathe them (if anyone failed to get that from the foregoing)  Yeah! Newegg!

Thanks for the post mouser 

Boot time is overrated, I am always concerned with program opening times. The difference between my ancient XP and newer 7 (with more RAM etc.) is/was mixed. There are still programs that take their time opening up, others which are definitely better.

Which is why I mentioned that Office 2010 programs open near instantly... However, that was in the context of SSD vs a traditional platter based HD, not XP/7/8. My memory of going from Vista to 7 to 8 on the same hardware (the XP to Vista jump was one not only of a new OS but also a significant and complete upgrade in hardware) is a bit hazy, but I *think* is more or less in line with what you're saying. Regarding boot times, I used to be of the same mind about them not being so important because I rarely restarted my computer. However, now that my computer boots as fast as it used to awake from sleep, I'm appreciating the decreased boot time a lot and find that I shut it down rather than putting it to sleep at night. Not a huge deal, I suppose, but a noticeable one for me!

ADDED IN EDIT: I should install Corel Paint Shop Pro to see how quickly IT loads under Windows 8 on an SSD. It was still a pig on a regular HD - anywhere from 10 to 25 seconds to load.

Just upgraded my father's netbook (Win7 Pro 64-bit with 4GB RAM and and a low energy Intel single core processor - not an Atom, can't recall the name U something?) and the difference is night and day. Office 2010 programs open immediately and boot times are down to around 30 seconds. Impressive for a 3+ year old netbook.

Hi all - I noticed the same thing: Win8 started out considerably faster than Win7 on the same notebook hardware (T9300 Core 2 Duo at 2.5Ghz, 4Gb RAM, and a 7200 rpm 320GB HD) and then over time it slowed down, not to former Win7 levels, but close. I cloned the harddrive to a 240GB SSD and it's been blazing fast in every respect since. Now, I do expect this setup to slow down over time, but not to the levels I saw pre-SSD...

I just upgraded to an Intel 520 series 240GB SSD in my 4.5 year old notebook (trying to squeeze another 9 or 10 months out of it) and I have to agree with skwire: SSD's for everyone 

^+1  I'm in the same boat, April!

Sorry to hear of your loss, CleverCat. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your time with her and that she didn't suffer.

I went this route with my Asus Transformer TF-101 (ie first generation Transformer) about a year ago and it's been an overall good experience. Like Renegade, I was pleased by the improved responsiveness and smoothness of the tablet. Having said that, it's a good thing that I'm "geeky" because I had to do a lot of tinkering to solve a range of issues (early FW releases of ICS from Asus reduced video output volume to almost nil and there were early random restart issues that have subsequently been only partially resolved by newer FW, etc.) in the first few months. It's fairly stable now, but Honeycomb was rock solid. ICS is not... Note, though, that vendor ROMs vary wildly in terms of stability, depending on vendor, the hardware components, yada yada yada..

Thanks for the review, Iain. I used MSE exclusively, and without any problems, for about 3 years (2009 to 2012). I now have a Norton AV subscription (base AV, no firewall or anything else), because in April 2012, on my Windows 7 install, MSE stopped working entirely. After fussing and farting around for a couple of days trying to fix it (including loading an image file predating it ceasing to function), I started researching alternatives and settled on Norton. I am REALLY pleased/impressed - this is not the Norton that I recall from 2003 or so - as the hit on my computer resources is nil and the AV functions well.

Now, in July I started running Windows 8 preview, then the RTM version, and could probably be running MSE. However, havning paid for three years of Norton protection (got a deal when I purchased), and I can't bring myself to dump Norton, yet... I did dump Bitdefender, VIPRE and Spyware Doctor with AV with years left on their respective subscriptions when they started to hog resources, so we'll see how this goes in the future.

Sorry to hear your news, CleverCat  A real sweetheart and I think that you have made the right decision. Enjoy your time with her.

Hi Jim, S CleverCat notes, Syncovery functions and looks like SFFS, though the GUI has been cleaned up. There are improvements under the hood, but nothing that the majority of users would be too concerned about or interested in. I don't quite recall how I heard about Syncovery - I *believe* it was while digging around on the SFFS website, at which time I saw mention of it and dug around for more information, so got in on beta testing.

Sorry, hadn't anticipated my post winding up at the top of a new page, out of context. I was just noting that Avanquest is now pushing PowerDesk 9 (and I suspected, as Carol confirms, that it is simply 8.5 rebadged). An update to the previous discussion about Avanquest's track record of buying products, not really developing them, and charging for upgrades that can barely be considered point release updates.

Update: PowerDesk Pro 9 is out!

OK, disclaimer: I know that this is a thread about Expert PDF 8 Pro...  

Hi Chris, thank you for the heads up about Macrium Reflect - taking a look at it now. What I used to use Acronis for, for the most part, was to create several images:
1. base windows install
2. Windows with updates and essential software installed
3. Windows with updates, essential software, and everything else installed - stable

That way, I could always go back to a working configuration. Macrium might be good for #3 on my list; if I have to reinstall Windows in the future I'll be in a position to create #1 and #2 at that time.

Cheers  

PS also checking out Clonezilla AND hadn't noticed that edbro and Clevercat both posted essentially the same "usage" for Acronis/Cloning products as I did, so this post should have been a +1!

[per PC]

Darwin!! Long time, no see dude!

BTW, you will want to purchase another new license for Norton AV when your current one expires, rather than renewing. Norton is still in the "kill 'em with the renewal pricing" mode. If you purchase Norton AV anew - packaged or downloaded - you just have to enter the new license/serial code and it will show the new expiration date. Or if it is a whole new version just install it over the current and the license is updated.

Jim

E.g. - I have a license for Norton Antivirus 2012, 1 user, 3 PCs. Symantec would like me to renew the license and upgrade to NAV 2013 at $44.99 per PC for 1 year each! That would be $134.97. I just purchased a new license from Amazon for NAV 2013, 1 user, 3 PCs for $17.99 total! Downloadable too! I am told on their forum that if I contact Symantec Support they will offer a discount, but how the hell much could they discount it? Surely not enough to match $17.99!

Jim

Hi Jim - nice to be back around here! I have been monitoring DC from the shadows for the past 18 months or so, but haven't been posting much. Anyway, thank you for the tip about Norton. Like you (and I didn't fully read your first post before posting myself), I purchased the AV only version and have really been impressed with the performance. What a contrast to circa 2003 or so! Unless they mess up Norton AV in the next couple of years, I'll be taking your advice in 2015!

Well, say what you like, but this is being handled in a courteous and professional manner. Holders of previously purchased lifetime licenses are being grandfathered and there's at least a 30 day heads up to everyone visiting the website, giving potential purchasers the option to buy lifetime licenses and be grandfathered. Contrast this with other developers who have changed licensing models with no announcement and no warning when "lifetime" licensees upgrade their software (Collectorz anyone? There are other examples but I no longer recall company names).