Problems with recently purchased 10.8.2

We recently paid to update from 10.7 to 10.8. We have this problem. In the programs we frequently use (Safari, Word, Excell, Quicken) the screen shows a border on the left under which one can see a slice of screensaver or desktop image. Suddently, the program being used shifts slightly horizontally and then freezes. I can unfreeze by going into forced quit (CommandOptionESC) and then closing the forced quit screen, but this shouldn't be happening. Nor does it happen on my newer lap top which uses the same operating system. 10.8 seems to have been a downgrade, not an upgrade. Any way to fix this?