What is it that Windows 10 actually does that you feel good with, need and are happy to accept?

[manfredtillmann]

I have been a Microsoft Windows user since version 3.1. It just happened to be on the first Australian computer I got, an IBM 386 dx 40.

Since that day in the early '90 I have sat through countless 'blue screens', re – boots, re – installs, crashes with data loss – that was just the way it was with 'Windows'.

I would have never accepted the same behavior from my car, my fridge, my television set.

You drive along the freeway, turn the indicator on and… the engine stops!
Pull over, turn off everything, disconnect the battery, wait 1 minute and than start from fresh???

My second last laptop, a HP, came with Win8 pre-installed. I hated it, both the HP and Win8. So when Win10 came along, I immediately upgraded.

During the initial setup I discovered a multitude of intrusive settings, factory built spyware, stuff every decent countries' police would need court orders to apply for…
I tried to switch off as much as possible but I know Microsoft still collects user data, they actually advertise what people do when they use W10.
After all, they are a large commercial operation making money from exploiting their customers.

A few weeks ago I purchased a new Toshiba C50-C, big screen, nice machine, but it had
Win 10 pre – installed. The first start up went through a multitude of updates and lots of messages telling me it would only take a short time...

...but it took hours!!!

The final nail in my relationship – coffin with Win10 came a few weeks ago:
I had spent Sunday afternoon modifying some building plans, streamlining and combining underground service placements.
It appears that Microsoft had downloaded a large update onto my computer while I was working, so when I switched my laptop on again on monday morning at the worksite, Win10 went through it's usual 'installing updates, don't switch off' routine'.
I had three plumbers, two electricians, a large excavator and a group of labourers, all on hourly rates, staring with me at these annoying rotating dot – things for 37 minutes, which cost me A$582.35! About 2/3 of the price of the new laptop! Or 16 days budget living in Thailand.

I am obviously missing something here, with some users so vehemently defending W10.
To return to the original question: What is it with W10 that makes YOU willing to put up with it's s..t?

[Rob13]

I llke Windows 7, I got 10 on my new laptop. I shut off the updates a week after I got it, and have disabled most of the spyware. It's operates almost as good as Win 7 now.

[jacky54]

Always hated windows but 7 was good, 10 just does things worse, takes too long and is over complicated with that stupid tile design

[JaseTheBass]

Just tell it when to do updates (3am for me) and it doesn't do it in my time. And yes, I do leave my PC on 24/7 and it seems to be happy.

[2fishin2]

^^ specific time or configure it for only important updates, not optional, or dont update at all.

[Seligne2]

The only thing that keeps me using Windows is that I cannot live without Paiboon's Thai-English Dictionary. No Linux version and I am not a Mac guy...

[Chicog]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

[Pib]

Win 10 works fine for me on my 2 year old Lenovo laptop. I upgraded to Win 10 29 Jul 15 which was day one of its release. Win 10 allows you to turn off those things which some folks consider privacy intrusions...just go go into your Win 10 Setting Privacy Menu and MS account and switch off the ones that bother you. And don't blame Win 10 for "factory installed software" that some folks may consider a privacy intrusion/spyware...blame the manufacturer for that. Everyone's results will vary with any OS and hardware. Upgrades can just go wrong sometimes.

[fitzcaraldo]

I upgraded From w8 to w10 on a 6x month old Dell pc

It s ok but I liked more w8

[Chicog]

I upgraded From w8 to w10 on a 6x month old Dell pc

It s ok but I liked more w8

You are the first person I have ever seen say that!

[jacky54]

Windows 8.1 he probably means, at least you could bypass the dreadful metro tiles in that

[Rob13]

If you don't like the tiles turn tablet mode off

[manfredtillmann]

I llke Windows 7, I got 10 on my new laptop. I shut off the updates a week after I got it, and have disabled most of the spyware. It's operates almost as good as Win 7 now.

as far as i am aware you can not shut off automatic updates on w10 - how did you do that, please?

[manfredtillmann]

Just tell it when to do updates (3am for me) and it doesn't do it in my time. And yes, I do leave my PC on 24/7 and it seems to be happy.

i rarely have access to mains power on my work sites and i do run a very expensive prepaid wireless internet service, so leaving things on 24/7 is not an option. and it is not required with my new, non - microsoft operating system.

[manfredtillmann]

The only thing that keeps me using Windows is that I cannot live without Paiboon's Thai-English Dictionary. No Linux version and I am not a Mac guy...

i use google translate, but admittedly it is far from perfect. i had the biggest arguments with my girl over translation errors

[Rob13]

I llke Windows 7, I got 10 on my new laptop. I shut off the updates a week after I got it, and have disabled most of the spyware. It's operates almost as good as Win 7 now.

as far as i am aware you can not shut off automatic updates on w10 - how did you do that, please?

You gotta do it manually. You can disable it and turn it back on when you won't be needing to use the laptop.About half way down the page it shows you how:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/turn-off-windows-update-in-windows-10

[manfredtillmann]

Win 10 works fine for me on my 2 year old Lenovo laptop. I upgraded to Win 10 29 Jul 15 which was day one of its release. Win 10 allows you to turn off those things which some folks consider privacy intrusions...just go go into your Win 10 Setting Privacy Menu and MS account and switch off the ones that bother you. And don't blame Win 10 for "factory installed software" that some folks may consider a privacy intrusion/spyware...blame the manufacturer for that. Everyone's results will vary with any OS and hardware. Upgrades can just go wrong sometimes.

read this, please:

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2015/09/28/privacy-and-windows-10/

...Trust is a core pillar of our More Personal Computing vision, and we know we have to earn it....

yes, microsoft people, and the earth is flat, the sun spins around the earth and volkswagen builds clean diesel engines!

[DDbkh]

I have used W10 since the first free download and up until recently have had no problems - I am not a sophisticated user just do the basics.

Last Friday, Edge stopped. When I click the icon on the task bar it flickers and goes back to the home screen.

MSSupport shows that this is a common issue but offers no obvious solution.

Other weird things have been my Norton AV disappeared on the 'upgrade' to W10, and just recently my HP Printer software disappeared.

Otherwise it's fine !!

[manfredtillmann]

http://www.stern.de/digital/computer/microsoft--windows-10-sammelt-heimlich-daten-6383590.html

this is a german language magazine, but it will translate with google.

it outlines the extend of w10's spying capabilities and equates it with a bugging system.

try this one for english language:

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/

Edited January 25, 2016 by manfredtillmann

[Rob13]

There's downloads that'll help you shut off the spyware.

[manfredtillmann]

I have used W10 since the first free download and up until recently have had no problems - I am not a sophisticated user just do the basics.

Last Friday, Edge stopped. When I click the icon on the task bar it flickers and goes back to the home screen.

MSSupport shows that this is a common issue but offers no obvious solution.

Other weird things have been my Norton AV disappeared on the 'upgrade' to W10, and just recently my HP Printer software disappeared.

Otherwise it's fine !!

otherwise it's fine?

what's left for you? a computer without your paid for virus protection, no printer access and no internet browser?

are you really ok with that? how would you feel if after the last service to your car the windscreen was blacked out, the airbags disabled and the boot does not open anymore?

[manfredtillmann]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

i don't agree that it requires education (provided by whom, anyway?) but rather ignorance.

To accept it's intrusions into your privacy and it's short comings in regards to making your pc a useful and efficient tool.

W10 is a over - engineered giant, and it will do nothing but bad service to microsoft.

[Rob13]

Manfred, maybe you should switch to Linux or Ubuntu

[manfredtillmann]

Manfred, maybe you should switch to Linux or Ubuntu

i have. years ago. running mint as only os on my new toshiba laptop now and run dual boot ubuntu 14.01 and win xp on my office computers.

the last obstacle is 'itunes', i got stacks of purchased stuff there and there is no linux version and it won't run in 'wine'.

[Chicog]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

Actually it does and there are plenty of people here that will tell you the same.

The exceptions are usually the same - trying to run it on years old hardware that isn't even manufactured or supported any more.

I haven't seen anyone complain of a problem that doesn't have a relatively simple solution.

And I've had no problems whatsoever on six devices, five brands.

Have you even tried it?

[giddyup]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

Actually it does and there are plenty of people here that will tell you the same.

The exceptions are usually the same - trying to run it on years old hardware that isn't even manufactured or supported any more.

I haven't seen anyone complain of a problem that doesn't have a relatively simple solution.

And I've had no problems whatsoever on six devices, five brands.

Have you even tried it?

It seems that there are more people complaining about it than satisfied with it, so it obviously has some gremlins to be ironed out.

[Chicog]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

Actually it does and there are plenty of people here that will tell you the same.

The exceptions are usually the same - trying to run it on years old hardware that isn't even manufactured or supported any more.

I haven't seen anyone complain of a problem that doesn't have a relatively simple solution.

And I've had no problems whatsoever on six devices, five brands.

Have you even tried it?

It seems that there are more people complaining about it than satisfied with it, so it obviously has some gremlins to be ironed out.

I disagree.

A large majority of the people complaining about either haven't used it or are complaining about the privacy issues (which are easily fixed). Most of the rest complain about hardware and software support issues. (The software support ones could have been avoided by using the readiness tool as suggested).

I have about 20 people in my office who have it installed on PCs or laptops (or tablets).

Not one of them had a single problem upgrading or installing.

The only phone calls I got were people asking me about things like the update sharing and so on, new features about which they were not clear. Granted they're mostly computer literate, but the installation is pretty well hands off so I don't see that being an issue.

[manfredtillmann]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

Actually it does and there are plenty of people here that will tell you the same.

The exceptions are usually the same - trying to run it on years old hardware that isn't even manufactured or supported any more.

I haven't seen anyone complain of a problem that doesn't have a relatively simple solution.

And I've had no problems whatsoever on six devices, five brands.

Have you even tried it?

considering you claim you have 20 people working in 'your office' you seem to be pretty unobservant asking: 'Have you even tried it?

this post is as much about communication as it is about dis- and agreement. so far you have not offered any argument other than the 'i know better' bs.

[giddyup]

It works fine. Like everything else, there is a certain amount of education required.

If it's too complicated for you, buy an Ipad.

it does not work 'fine' and it is just a more patronising extension of previous windows releases.

Actually it does and there are plenty of people here that will tell you the same.

The exceptions are usually the same - trying to run it on years old hardware that isn't even manufactured or supported any more.

I haven't seen anyone complain of a problem that doesn't have a relatively simple solution.

And I've had no problems whatsoever on six devices, five brands.

Have you even tried it?

considering you claim you have 20 people working in 'your office' you seem to be pretty unobservant asking: 'Have you even tried it?

this post is as much about communication as it is about dis- and agreement. so far you have not offered any argument other than the 'i know better' bs.

And anyone who has had problems either doesn't know what they are doing or they are trying to install it on ancient equipment.

[slipperylobster]

Microsoft Windows just builds on previous versions...true. Like a fat lady on a small bicycle, loading ever more bags of junk food in the basket, until the wheels pop. Evidently trying to satisfy software, hardware developers while tricking the average user into believing each upgrade provides a unique, new experience. The only thing we really see is a new logon screen, a quirky startup tune, and a different wallpaper. The services running in the background are so numerous that the average layman has no idea whether to leave them running ...or not.

However...most people are attached to their software, and like Pavlov's dog, are addicted to Windows...and the bells and whistles it comes with. I can use linux distros..but most people don't want to learn. Instead they spend hours of time reformatting hard drives and reloading the operating system "when" it fails....and looking up fixes, updates, dll files (not to mention cleaning out viruses and malware. Majority of people don't want to admit how much time they spend servicing their bloated windows operating system (like the fools we be).

90 percent of my time is just browsing online, watching videos, playing music and doing my budget spreadsheet. Nothing beats linux ...for that simplicity. (using tahr puppy now). I save windows for the wife and kids...games and stuff. There are only two pieces of software I own that I use windows for....Home Architect/Landscaping and Band in the Box. My tahr puppy goes on usb and loads in a fraction of the time. Does everything I need to do. Slight learning curve required. Windows is sucking hind titty on my laptop, used only for a few tasks.

Edited January 25, 2016 by slipperylobster