Hi, Bizi,

'Sorry that I did not spell it right.

It is a docking station so that I can easily power up my lap top -- it is handy. I like it because I understand it and it works.

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Notebook-...d_sim_sbs_pc_2

Then the docking station connects to the bigger monitor a little like this -- the lap top and monitor and my lap top show the same screen (although one could set them to show different screens I believe.)
http://www.gizmag.com/warpia-easydoc...ailable/15857/ -- My set up is not wireless but you get the idea that I have two screens.

Mari

I hear you!. I have PC trouble too, both with windows 8 and Microsoft word. My son is coming over after work to get me straightened out. Sometimes I really dislike the technical world we created. More trouble than it is worth sometimes. Today I found out about banking on line, paying bills that way. Too expensive to do...back to the PO stamps....ginnie

Our bank doesn't charge any fees to do banking on line.
Yours should not. bizi

Many utilities - phone, garbage, electric, gas .. you can set up on their website for the bill to be paid automatically from your bank account and it is free to pay that way... you can sign up for email notices of the bill payments..

I tried to find a listing of banks with free bill pay.. but so far no luck.. this is what I did find..
For all Bank of America personal accounts, there is no fee to use Bill Pay.

and this- you can click each bank name for info..
http://www.findabetterbank.com/natio...05449594A4E140

Certainly beats huddling over a laptop!!! Nice big screen, too... much easier on the eyes. And I'm thinking the docking station probably makes your machine run a bit better/faster, no? Not sure of the power considerations there.

Are you still fighting off Seattle?

I got my new system today, so I have a laptop running Windows 8 now. I might be able to help you ditch Seattle, depending when/where that pic comes up... if you want to tell me. I could not tell from what you said what you meant by "opening picture". Does it comes up before the Start screen and then go away?

I have got my machine basically workable. Ghhhh! Went nuts with my (rather old) ADSL modem refusing to be used by Win 8. I finally had to hook it up a different way than with the other machine... but at least I don't have to replace it!

It's been a long day. The antenna tech came as well as the laptop delivery... when it rains it pours.

waves

Here's the link to how to personalize win 8 - might help you set it up more to your liking.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...ze-pc-tutorial

just a little <rant>

Grrr I am incredibly SICK of arbitrary touches "waking up" the start screen and why did stupid setup have to force a UK keyboard layout for English anyway. Half my special characters are in funky places and I have absolutely NO use for a £ sign!

</rant>

I think you can change that..keyboard set up/settings??
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...guage-keyboard

\/~!@#$%^&*()_+

there. fixed. thank goodness.

It's still unbelievable it gave me a limited list in setup.

yes. But earlier versions at least up to XP did NOT restrict keyboard layouts during setup.