I am gradually learning a bit about Win 8.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I can't remember what has changed between 8 and 8.1. With 8.1 if you right-click IE on the Metro start menu you get a menu bar at the bottom left that allows you to pin it to the taskbar. For me that pins the desktop version there, but I don't think it did on 8. I had to do something slightly different.

It was/is the same with Win 8 and I see no other way to do it, but if I remember rightly it was already pinned to taskbar upon initialisation.

All applications currently pinned to taskbar will show 'Unpin from taskbar' when you do that R-click on their Start Screen tile (or title in 'All Apps' mode) and all applications capable of being pinned to taskbar will show 'Pin to taskbar' when you do that R-click on their Start Screen tile.

'CLI button'? You mean a Command Prompt? That's also done by 'Pin to taskbar' on it while in 'All Apps' mode, isn't it?

I find the task bar a bit confusing. There is no separation between the pinned programs that you may not be even using and the currently running ones that were initiated from the Desktop including any File Explorers that were left running from last time.

The task bar so far as I'm concerned is as it has been for the last several versions of Windows. On initial Windows setup,as far as I remember it was empty, both on this and my HP.

By "Desktop" you do mean the legacy type screen? Don't forget the behaviour of the taskbar has always been configurable - I've never left it at defaults.

I'm not sure what you are getting at here.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

On initial Windows setup,as far as I remember it was empty, both on this and my HP.

I presume you are talking here about Win 8 setup? On my HP it has started with IE, Cyberlink YouCam 5, Cyberlink Media Suite & HP Utility Center w/out me doing anything and knowing how HP package their PCs at any point of time all HP PCs sold about the same time will be much the same.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

By "Desktop" you do mean the legacy type screen?

Dunno what legacy you have inherited, but I simply mean the normal Win Desktop that has been around since at least W95 and is the desktop that Win 8 calls the Desktop and is got by clicking the Desktop tile on the Start Screen or pointing bottom L.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Don't forget the behaviour of the taskbar has always been configurable

Configurable in what way? I only remember how much each section takes up and which toolbars to show . Proir to Win 8 it contained at least 3 sections:

• On L: Quick Start buttons - I haven't found this yet on Win 8 but could well believe that's what the pinned apps stand for.
• Most of Centre: Currently running foregrond programs - as they are for Win 8
• On R: System Tray/Notification Area - just as Win 8

Thought you needed an account to access the Windows Store - after all, if you dont have one, how can you re-download purchased items ?

Give them your credit card details at the time of the purchase just like any other online retailer. After all, an MS a/c contains no payment info.

Post deleted by MrTAToad2

In reply to a post by MrTAToad2:

Thought you needed an account to access the Windows Store - after all, if you dont have one, how can you re-download purchased items ?

Nope, you need an account to download and install new apps from the store, the existing apps installed that comes with Windows as well as the Windows 8.1 upgrade is accessible without an account.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

8.1 will allow you to boot to desktop

Just to clarify what the HP pamphlet was getting at, the 8.1 Taskbar Properties do contain a Navigation tab which allows you to configure this?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

With 8.1 if you right-click IE on the Metro start menu you get a menu bar at the bottom left that allows you to pin it to the taskbar. For me that pins the desktop version there, but I don't think it did on 8. I had to do something slightly different.

There may have been some confusion about this on Win 8. I found that initially with raw Win 8 as issued, IE was already pinned to taskbar. However, after the 1st large set of Windows Updates were performed, they unpinned IE from the taskbar and suggested that you could pin it yourself, because 1 of the updates was the EEC-mandated 'Browser Choice' .

LOL.

But you managed to pin the desktop version of IE, not the Metro version?