Windows 10?

OutdoorFrontiers · August 25, 2015, 09:22:58 AM

I keep getting this popup telling me that I can get Windows 10 for free. My computer right now has Windows 7 on it and I'm quite happy with it. Last Christmas, my wife gave me a new computer with Windows 8 on it and I absolutely hated everything about it to the point that I gave the computer to her and got my old one back out of storage....

Is there any appreciable advantage to Windows 10 over 7 or should I just stay with what I've got?

Steve

Pferox · August 25, 2015, 09:41:58 AM

That is a tough call, some hate it, some love it. I moved all of mine from 7 to 10, and they are working fine. My laptop needed a couple of drivers to be manually reloaded, but other than that all went well, I lost nothing.

My wife has a Lenovo that has Windows 8 on it, but has a program on it from Lenovo that makes it look and act a like 7 and she was very happy with it, but we are going to change that one over soon also.

To me the learning curve from 7 to 10 wasn't that bad, some things that I used to use are still in 10, just hard to find. I understand a couple of programs are not with 10, but I haven't noticed which ones. Internet explorer is still there too, just have to go hunting for it. The new App, Edge is OK, but limited, probably a better phone app than for a computer.

It took my wife two days to realize that I upgraded her desktop, so I guess it is pretty close to windows 7 for many users.

bjcamp · August 25, 2015, 10:23:50 AM

I did the upgrade to 10 and did NOT like it -- it took out my AVG anti virus protection and installed something called "Defender" .
I went back to my windows 8.1 but have been having problems ever since and will most likely have to take it to my local computer tech shop and get it fixed .

Smallie_Stalker · August 25, 2015, 05:40:33 PM

First, understand that there is no rush to upgrade if you even decide to do so. You have up to one year from the official launch date of July 29, 2015 to upgrade for free. So don't rush into anything. Most businesses are not upgrading right now, so that may be an indicator.

As Pferox said, some like it and some don't. IMO some also has to do with what version of Windows 7 you have now, as that will determine what version of Windows 10 you get.

In the short time since Windows 10 released on July 29 there have bee a lot of reports on the Tech sites about just how much of your private information is being sent to Microsoft under this new OS and what they plan to do with it. If you have Windows 7 Pro you will get the Windows 10 Pro version, and that has many more security and privacy options than the Home version. The home version also forces you to adopt "automatic upgrades from Microsoft ( actually there is a work-around for this but it is a bit tricky and has been reported to slow many older systems down) whereas with the Pro version you get to defer updates and upgrades until they are proven not to cause problems.

I have upgraded my two main machines, one an old Windows 7 laptop to Windows 10 Pro and one a new Windows 8.1 Desktop to Windows 10 Home with no problems, at least that I am aware of so far. I still have my 3 Linux machines to fall back on if the SHTF with Windows 10. But it is only just under a month since launch of the new OS. And MS has left a lot of terms undefined in there wording of this "Free" upgrade and what can affect your ability to continue to use it.

My advice would be to wait, and see if you can find someone you know who has already upgraded and try out their system. Then even if you like it wit a few more months and see if anything major comes down the road. The bottom line is technology is moving in a direction that has a lot of people uncomfortable, and Windows 10 seems to be very happy with being at or near the front of the line.

That's my $.02

jprism · August 26, 2015, 07:21:57 AM

Stay with 7 until 1st service release plus free until June 2016

bassindude · August 26, 2015, 05:48:53 PM

My work laptop has 7 on it and I cant imagine any program being any worse, so I'll probably try it. Right now it takes about 8 steps to print a document, how can they have made something so simple so complicated. Its just like using a card at the store anymore, they ask you way too many questions, for what should be a simple process.

Jim

OutdoorFrontiers · August 26, 2015, 05:55:03 PM

Quote from: jprism on August 26, 2015, 07:21:57 AM
Stay with 7 until 1st service release plus free until June 2016

I like that idea! Now I just have to remember this until June 2016!

Steve

Pferox · August 26, 2015, 06:21:44 PM

Quote from: bassindude on August 26, 2015, 05:48:53 PM
My work laptop has 7 on it and I cant imagine any program being any worse, so I'll probably try it. Right now it takes about 8 steps to print a document, how can they have made something so simple so complicated. Its just like using a card at the store anymore, they ask you way too many questions, for what should be a simple process.

Jim

Hey, anybody remember the "Paperless Office"

Or how about "Streamlined and Simple"?

A couple of the buzzwords of the computer era ..... Gyeah, right..

Smallie_Stalker · August 27, 2015, 04:51:51 PM

Quote from: Pferox on August 26, 2015, 06:21:44 PM
Hey, anybody remember the "Paperless Office" Or how about "Streamlined and Simple"?

A couple of the buzzwords of the computer era ..... Gyeah, right..

The paperless office was one of the supposed reasons why printer ink became so expensive. They could sell you the machines for next to nothing, but the fear was you would be printing less and less so they had to make their money somewhere. So since you won't need their ink as much they will charge you 2 to 3 times as much or more than they need to in an effort to make up the cost.