Given that most users really aren't tech-savvy and can't be arsed with computers at all (but I know about computers because I can type a letter), a big problem it seems to me are the auto-updates. Who of the scores of millions of users are going to be selective about installing updates? Right. And when an update causes issues - as it has in the past - scores of millions of users will have a problem. Sometimes major. A computer is a tool to do a job of work. The user ought to be able to control that tool. Too many vested interests out there capitalising on consumer ignorance. I'll wait and see how it all pans out over the coming months with the continuous reviews. Any doubts next June, back to Linux.
I think a bigger problem than issues caused by auto-updates is the average user not installing updates when they're optional, and therefore running their OS with known security vulnerabilities that aren't patched. If, as you say, the users can't be bothered about being selective about updates, those are precisely the users who need auto updates.
Yeah, Linux is awesome. But if you want to use iTunes or Netflix or some thing that all the kids are into, you have to get your hands dirty. I don't mind much. I think it's fun doing Google-Fu and entering tricky text into the terminal prompt. But most people would rather not have to do any of that. It's a shame because Linux probably is a superior OS, especially since everything is run by good hearted people that want to cut through the evilness of the profit over utility model.
I like using the command line as well, though I'm by no means an expert on it. I use guake, so I can drop the terminal down any time I like. I've been able to get Netflix running on Linux in the past, but now I watch Netflix on my tablet and not on my desktop or laptop, so I haven't tried to get it running on recent Linux installations. In the past, I don't think I was able to get Amazon Prime videos running, even with installation of the open source attempt to clone Silverlight. There are enough great, fast, stable Linux distros out there that anyone can find what they're looking for. I'm running Elementary OS "Freya" right now. It's great. The only thing I don't care for it the devs try to limit desktop customization, so you have to download a small program to tweak, and occasionally change a line or two in a config file if you want to stray too far from the default DE.
Thanks for that, I've installed it, and it seems to offer a fair bit, although it seems to have a steep learning curve. Still, much appreciated.
I'm currently running Windows 10. I signed up for the free upgrade and waited patiently. Notification came, I downloaded and upgraded within two hours. Everything moved over perfectly except my antivirus (I run Vipre and have done for the last eight or nine years). I had to uninstall and reinstall after the upgrade. All went swimmingly for 24 hours and then Vipre threw a conniption. After a frantic thirty minutes with Vipre's tech guys, they gave me a new key and added 6 month free onto my current subscription and everything went back to normal. I shouted at Microsoft who informed me that outside software companies have known about the upgrade - and have been invited to discuss and iron out any creases with them - for the last ten months prior to Windows 10 going live. Fast forward a number of days and everything with my windows 10 is running smoothly. Even Cortana understands me when I ask her to open a prog for me. In the past, I'd always had my desktop set to the classic look so losing the tiles option was no big deal - even though the tiles are still there in the start menu. The only bad thing I've come across so far (and I am so not tech minded and have definitely not used all the features) is the narrator. As an author, I use narrator a hell of a lot but it's now very tetchy, slow to respond and a bugger to find - unless you ask Cortana to open it for you Just my two pennies worth. xx
Staying on Windows 7 doesn't look like the answer for this any longer. I noticed my 'Shutdown' button had the ole update yield icon attached to it this morning and went looking for the Task Manager icon in the Notification Area and it's gone, so I couldn't check the list of updates that were ready to install. I even tried resetting the icons to default behaviour, telling them to show up even if they've got nothing to tell me... all that stuff. Still isn't there. I think I've been Microsofted... That's a verb now, right?
Wasn't that a difference between win7 and win8.1? Hubs was running win7 and his updates were always lurking somewhere for him to find whereas I was running win8.1 and was constantly getting a message in the bottom corner telling me "updates will be installed in 1 day" or I could restart and update now. Whenever I got the messages, I would update there and then as I use the lappy every day and very rarely turn it off. (I know, I know, my bad)
I'm an Apple person, so I'm kind of doing at the moment. But some of this discussion is of interest to Apple users, too. Automatic updates. I have the choice of doing them or not doing them on my Mac. So far, I get notification of updates and reject the ones I don't need. (Like the client-sharing ones, which have nothing to do with the way I use my computer.) These updates always list what OS system they are designed for, and compatible with. I don't download the ones designed for Yosemite, because I'm still running Mountain Lion, for example. My biggest worry about automatic updates comes from what happened to our next-door neighbour some time ago. He had installed automatic updating on his Dell computer (he uses Windows.) One day his whole system suddenly went wonky. He couldn't get anything to work properly, got shut out of stuff he needed to use, etc. He consulted a repair guy who charged him around 50 pounds to tell him that his problem was simple: the upgrades he'd installed were for a more modern system than the one he was using. He had the choice of completely wiping his system and reinstalling the old one from scratch, or buying a newer computer that would run the newer system. I would like to think that an automatic upgrade would take into account what make and model of computer you're running, as well as the operating system you're using. Does anybody know if the Windows 10 automatic upgrade does this ...or not? Or does it just fling the upgrades at you, whether your system can take them or not?
We use windows 7 cause it came with our computers. Before we used ME cause it came with our old computers. Since we have a year I'll check this thread in a few months after the first of the year or so and see what yall think after using it for a while. We certainly aint geeky, so we will wait for yall to shake the bugs out of it and see what happens.
When I was first given the option to register for the upgrade, my system was checked to see if it was compatible with win10. I can't remember exactly what it did (I'm not that into tech) but I got the green light. (or the green tick) Hubs was running win7 and his flagged up a problem which said he was compatible except for one thing, and that was that he may have to reinstall a language pack (whatever they are) but it would be available from the microsoft website. So far, he's not had any major problems.
Just gone back to Linux (Mint this time). Only came away because of Microsoft and the UEFI/secure boot issue. But Mint installed without hassle and runs like a dream. Happy bunny.
UEFI/Secure Boot is actually a good thing, but it is a pain in the ass to install certain Linux distros because of it. I believe you can install Mint with UEFI enabled, however.
I've been running Win10 Professional for a little while now and I have no complaints. The only problem I've encountered (bearing in mind I don't use half the features because I simply don't need them) is that my motherboard driver doesn't like Win10 and it will cause a spontaneous restart every time I turn it on. Just one, and always within the first five minutes of me using my computer, which means I just need to make sure I don't do anything important until it's restarted. I could probably fix it by downloading an updated driver. My motherboard is less than a year old so should still be supported by the company that made it. I love how 10 looks. It's clean and sharp, and very modern. You can customise it a heck of a lot, which is fantastic (I've set my main operating colour to red, which looks amazing). It takes a while to boot but I suspect that has more to do with the hardware I'm running it on than the OS itself, because 7 was the same.
Installing Win10 now. I've only used Win8.1 for about 4 days on my new HP Stream. Got it after using an old desktop with WinXP and I'm hoping it goes well.
I'm still on Win7 and sort of gun shy about upgrading my old laptop. Anyone with the older system upgraded? How did it go?
The Gigabyte Z97x-SOC, which is (or was, when I bought it a year ago) the second best on the market for socket 1150 CPUs, which are the best for cost-to-performance ratio. It's either the drivers or Win10 wanting specific BIOS which the mobo doesn't like. It's not a big problem and if it bothered me I would google the solution. EDIT; Edamame, I was running Win7 Pro before I upgraded. The upgrade went fluidly and I transitioned to the new OS with ease. It's very user-friendly. In fact in many ways I prefer it to Mac, and I'm a bit of a photoshop nut so I have a tendency to be a Mac fangirl.
My Desktop is right around 7 years old. Now I have made some upgrades (video cards, power supply, and my motherboard has been upgraded) I still use the same HDs, 4gb RAM etc. My upgrade from Windows 7 went very smooth. Outside of having to opt out from the info sharing stuff that Windows 10 has auto set up, it's been a very good transition. So far (and I do still have a bit to learn about 10) it doesn't seem overly different from 7 at all. At least not in the sense that 8 was different than 7.
Yeah, I've heard some of the manufacturers are a bit slow catching up (God knows why; it's not like this Win10 release sneaked up on us all ). Good to know you're savvy enough to deal with it.
I'd be a bit concerned if I wasn't - I built this brute of a rig. Am building. It's not finished and probably never will be "finished" to my satisfaction. The joys of being a technophile!
I think for a lot of manufacturers, it isn't a priority. They'd rather sell you new hardware than worry too much about updating drivers for older hardware.
I tried upgrading, then learned my laptop didn't have enough memory to do it. I guess I'll have to get a Micro SD Card to upgrade. Hopefully soon, because it seems I don't have a ton of time.
