New and Improved means IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK...

Deb - I never use the libraries feature. I created a folder called "Fred Stuff" under Computer > OS (C:). All my old folders are there that I transferred from my old computer, with the same folder tree that I had before. (Used USB thumb drives, then dragged and dropped into the "Fred Stuff" folder. Windows keeps wasting space by putting crap in the libraries folders, so every now and then I go there and delete stuff - just for fun. My computer has 290 or so gigabytes of space, and I only use about 25% of that. So wasted space is not a problem.

I keep a few start-up icons on the Desktop, but only the things that I use often. So, for me, I'm basically running Windows 7 like it was Windows XP.

And there are a couple of neat things in 7. I bought a 3rd party Windows 7 book that listed all the options and I only use the new things that I like.

I read your initial message again, and offer the following comments --

-- The brand of computer is irrelevant. The operating system will be the same on any computer.

-- Libraries, as you noted, only contain shortcuts. The actual files remain located wherever they have been saved. If you put files on an external drive into a library, and then unplug the drive, the library tells you that the files are no longer available because the shortcuts in the library are pointing to a drive that is not present.

-- Windows Explorer in Windows 7 is basically the same as in previous versions, with some small changes. Libraries are a new feature, but you can just ignore them. You need to copy your files from your external drive into normal folders -- not into libraries -- on your new computer. Just create new folders and copy the files into them. I did this all at once by copying the entire folder structure from my old computer onto an external drive, then copying it from the external drive into the new computer.

-- New versions of Microsoft Office have been undergone a major change with the introduction of the "ribbon." This is supposed to have reorganized all the commands into a more consistent and sensible structure, and maybe it has, but a substantial learning curve has been forced on everyone upgrading from previous versions. Two years into it and I still can't find things I only use occasionally.

-- In Word one of the templates is "blank document," which is probably what you want. It is the only one I ever use except for a couple I have made myself.

Hi Deb

The libraries is actually a great feature if you use them correctly. Windows 7 or 8 will come with an existing default folder for each default library which is just a folder on the hard disk and you treat it like one. If you want to copy something to a library or move something to it you just drag it there with the right mouse button and let go, it’ll then ask if you want to copy or move it. The file will move or copy exactly as if you were moving or copying to a folder on your old computer. The beauty of libraries is that the system knows what should be in each type so if you drop something on Music it knows that it should be an audio file so it lists them as audio files and lets you play them directly and look up artist, album etc on the screen. If you drop something into photo’s same deal it treats them as photo’s and likewise documents. You can also create your own Libraries for other types of files you might have and you can set the default player for them so that, for instance, Windows knows that all the files in “Plans” are design’s that you need to open with your cad program. Libraries can also span multiple devices so you can have a folder for music on your c: and another one on an external drive and windows will look in both places when you say you want to find the music item called “Candle in the wind” or similar. Yes you can fall back on the old way of doing things and ignore the libraries feature but you’ll get more out of it if you work with it and it is easy once you get the hang of it. They really work just like folders just with extra features.

Russell