re: can you tell me if this desktop is decent

You are ignoring facts for consumer opinion. Yes, Windows 8 has a far lower rate of penetration, akin to Vista. And the reason for that is perception. The initial rollout and preview of Windows 8 was a disaster. The interface was completely different. It made desktop and non-touch laptop users nauseated. The various media outlets covered the outrage more than the actual features of the OS. The negativity settled down when 8.1 was released, but by that time, most consumers and businesses had already decided to cling to Windows 7 as long as possible. Couple that with businesses who aren't in an upgrade cycle and consumers who already weren't planning to upgrade, and it's a clear picture of a lower-than-normal market share. That's the effect of consumer opinion and first impressions, a force so strong that even I, until a day ago, was wary of Windows 8. Much of the public knows by now that Windows 8.1 can be configured to be identical to 8.1, but having that knowledge, they have even less of a reason to go out and buy a new OS, so adoption remains low.

The fact of the matter, despite the perception, is that Windows 8.1 is not only easy to configure to look and feel identical to 7, but also a technically superior operating system in terms of security and resource efficiency.

Here's my Windows 8.1 desktop





Oh, does that still look so strange and scaaary? Give me a minute...







etc.
etc.

The OP can do this for his dad in under 5 minutes.

quote:

---

Computer specs are not the most important matter when working with seniors.

---

Of course not, but when you consider the Windows 8 PC I linked has a CPU that's over 60% faster in multithreading, better GPU, double the RAM, double the hard drive capacity, etc... Pretty sure that's important enough, especially given that I've already proven the Windows 8.1 interface can easily be setup to function as 7's. That low-powered Acer is not even a consideration. The value of that Acer is so comparatively poor, that any argument over how much hardware power he needs is completely irrelevant. I've been doing for longer than you've been teaching.

quote:

---

I only ask one thing. I ask that you accept full responsibility for your advice and give the old man your home phone number so he can call you when he has a question about his Win8 machine.

---

Nice try. You probably are unfamiliar with my post history. I've walked people through the entire process of building a computer, step by step, via Skype. I've configured, built, and set up a PC for a complete stranger who asked for help on the Gaming Board. I've spent considerable time helping people troubleshoot/fix problems via skype, steam chat, and e-mail. And tech board/gaming board posts as long as this one are pretty standard for me. That's just what I've done. I've offered to do more. This was a side business years ago, and now I just do it for fun.

If the OP lived in Baton Rouge, I'd do the entire process of imaging the HDD to the SSD, formatting the hard drive, installing the necessary programs and applets his dad would use, install Start-is-Back, and turn Windows back to a nice comfortable blue for good measure. I'm obviously not giving out my number just because you're shifting the burden of proof and think that makes your argument remotely valid, but I'm always on this forum and willing to help and answer any questions -- assuming the OP couldn't answer it himself.