heywood on 30/5/2016 at 20:59
We're in the process of rolling out Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB at work. It has advanced security features, particularly virtualization based security, which make it a more secure OS than anything we have previously worked with, and locking down the OS doesn't require the third party products and performance hits that previous versions of Windows did. It's also stable and free from the Microsoft cloud push and associated telemetry. And we control updates. So far, it's a good story.
Sadly, the most important security features are only available in the Enterprise edition, which you can only obtain legally if you have a Microsoft Enterprise License agreement. Home users don't get that. Home users don't get the stability of LTSB either, can't control updating, and have to work to disable telemetry and features they don't want. And I still like the Win 7 interface a little bit better. So no upgrading for me.
One thing I find interesting/suspicious is that over the last few months, several of my coworkers have started experiencing issues with the Windows Update service in their Win 7 Home and Pro installs, like burning 100% CPU for hours a day, timing out while searching for updates, and failing to install updates. I used to see occasional reports of this on the internet, but it seems to be getting increasingly common now and none of the published fixes work anymore. I'm beginning to wonder whether Microsoft is intentionally letting Windows 7 rot (or maybe even causing it) to speed adoption of Windows 10.
bjack on 31/5/2016 at 00:59
Heywood, I would not be surprised about Win7. I noticed about 6 months or so before XP went to the graveyard, updates got really wonky and my CPU would peg at 100% for hours at a time. Lots of failed updates too.
I'm on a newer Xeon box now with 10 Pro 64 bit. It has been pretty good so far. I did a little digging and turned off some of the auto updates. I've also tried to get back that old XP look, but left some of the new stuff on. It is much faster than 7 was. And, it still allows me to play Thief FMs without issues, so that is a plus.
I do not know if the problem with Microsquish is due to farming everything out to the lowest paid contractors, or if it is malfeasance, or just that they don't care. Whatever the reason, they are shitting upon 10s of millions of customers. I think they are into scat... ;)
Ryan Smith on 31/5/2016 at 02:34
After reading about every single page on this discussion, this is the attitude I've decided to take towards Windows 10:
Whatever they monitor and discover about me probably won't be interesting enough to warrant closer examination. I like Windows 7 as it is for the time being because I've used it since 2010 and there's still life in it. I'll be getting a new computer which probably will be built with Windows 10 in it. If I don't like Windows 10, I have a Windows 7 key that a friend generously donated to me (cost him $85).
I don't know which stance to take on the politics of Microsoft debates because I don't think anyone who posted in this thread actually works for Microsoft on a close enough level to learn the true nature of their business practices. When this new PC arrives, whatever private information I must keep private will be stored on my old computer, away from Microsoft's monitoring.
I choose to keep an open mind on the Windows 10 experience, even though there is probably data collection going on. I never harmed a soul, nor have anything to hide about myself, so it's unlikely this data they collect will be used in ways I should be concerned about. I'm more scared of bees than I am of Windows 10. But I'm also going to keep my Windows 7 as a backup in case something does go wrong. I'll have my most important data stored there, so I don't lose anything I can't replace on the new computer.
I don't know enough about Windows 10 to say much else, but I do plan to make the most out of it and take precautions when necessary and get the most out of it.
Renzatic on 31/5/2016 at 03:31
Quote Posted by Ryan Smith
I choose to keep an open mind on the Windows 10 experience, even though there is probably data collection going on. I never harmed a soul, nor have anything to hide about myself, so it's unlikely this data they collect will be used in ways I should be concerned about.
It's not really much worth fretting over. The EULA hinkeyness is bog standard stuff everyone includes, and the vast majority of data collecting is anonymous stuff centered mostly around Cortana. You don't even have to use a Microsoft account to log into it anymore.
The only thing I'd suggest going out of your way to turn off would be WiFi Sense. Not because it's some evil illuminati privacy invading scheme, but because them offering up a feature by default that allows you to share all the wifi passwords to every router you've been in with everyone on your friend's list for the sake of convenience is just SO GAWDAMN DUMB IT MAKES MY FACE HURT! Fortunately for everyone, they're removing it entirely in the next big update.
But if everything else still worries you, just use (
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10) Shutup10.
faetal on 31/5/2016 at 08:00
Of course Microsoft are going to implement ways to get people onto their new OS. The biggest competitor for the latest MS OS is a previous MS OS.
Matthew on 31/5/2016 at 10:12
Renz, aren't they about to nerf WifiSense anyway?
WingedKagouti on 31/5/2016 at 13:14
Quote Posted by Matthew
Renz, aren't they about to nerf WifiSense anyway?
Correct, they either have pushed or are soon going to push an update that toggles it off by default.
Meaning you will have to enable it yourself and thus have to make a decision to decrease your security.
SD on 1/6/2016 at 19:53
Finally installed it last night. I'm sure I'll find a few things not working at some point, but it all seems pretty good so far, maybe even a little faster than Windows 8.1.
I particularly like its small footprint. I've cleared 8 GB from my boot drive, and that's before I've freed up another 9 or so by deleting the previous Windows installation. When your boot drive is a 60 gig SSD, that space matters.
voodoo47 on 1/6/2016 at 21:01
and here I sit, finally updated to win7. I think I'll be able to manage for a decade or so.
WingedKagouti on 2/6/2016 at 14:08
Quote Posted by voodoo47
and here I sit, finally updated to win7. I think I'll be able to manage for a decade or so.
As long as you don't expect security updates to your OS in 5 years time, you should be fine.
Also, hope that there aren't any DX12 (or higher) only games you want to play in that time period.
