Poll: Windows 10 thoughts?

[vallorn]

Considering Windows 10 has just rolled out today, what are the general thoughts on it? I personally like the upgrade program for Windows 8 to it since it runs without having to wipe everything off of your hard drive.

On the other hand, this IS a windows OS at release so there are always going to be issues, we can hope that the Beta caught most of them but still, I don't think that will be the case.

To round this out and give you all some more things to chew on, here's some news links, complete with Archive links in case you want to not give the sites in question clicks as well as to avoid the pages being deleted:
-http://www.anandtech.com/show/9472/windows-10-launch-day-gpu-support-summary ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/vEWLa

-http://reviews.gizmodo.com/settings-are-better-in-windows-10-but-thats-not-saying-1720747436 ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/wHBLR

-http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/wi-fi-sense-in-windows-10-yes-it-shares-your-passkeys-no-you-shouldnt-be-scared/ ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/LBAZV

-http://bgr.com/2015/07/29/windows-10-features-fixed-problems-windows-8/ ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/VqKX9

-http://fortune.com/2015/07/29/windows-10-reviews/ ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/JEKMa

-http://reviews.gizmodo.com/psa-windows-10-isnt-a-risk-free-upgrade-1720936691 ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/m9poT

-http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/29/9066133/windows-10-gaming-xbox-app ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/ob4pA

-http://time.com/3977862/windows-10-solitaire/ ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/0D31C

-http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/operating-systems-software/windows-8-vs-windows-10-comparison-review-3595035/ ARCHIVE: https://archive.is/dsJei

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So, with that done, what are your thoughts on Windows 10? Does it make up for the debacle of 8? Or is there something about 10 that just does not sit with you right for some reason?

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Well I use Lubuntu, the LXDE version of Ubuntu, which is Linux. So of course my option on the poll is horrifically biased.

Anyways Windows 8/8.1 wasn't an awful build, it had it's fair share of issues, but the big problems came from it using a UEFI rather than a standard bios/master boot record deal. Which when it comes to windows is in the territory of "about damn time".

Personally I won't be getting windows 10 until it's totally certified as not shit, and at least service pack one is out. If I get it at all. At current I'll hold out for a copy of Windows 7. With the shady stuff Microsoft seems to be doing with 10 like forced updates and an embedded MicroSoft store. This looks like it's going to be a disaster.

 

[BeerTent]

You can consider me null. I adapted, and found 8 to be considerably better than 7 in both usability, and ease of troubleshooting. I was one of the few that looked at the UI for three seconds and said "I can work this." instead of "eew, the entire OS has failed." like the rest of the average echo-chamber.

Honestly, none of the advertised features appealed to me. So I'm not really sure why I bothered with the upgrade. In it's current unsure state, I advise the following.

Win8 users should wait some time, see if it improves.

Win7 users should consider a format/reinstall. That's if they even want the fuckin' thing.

I've done a moment of research and checked out the Multi-Desktop feature. I use two monitors, so when work gets real, I don't really need the multi-desktop functionality. I have a 2nd monitor for play, and one monitor for work. Win+arrows are fine for my usability. That being said, they seemed to have integrated it in such a way so that it relies very heavily on one command, (Bad) but it's very visible, and easy to use. (Good)

Cortana instantly grabbed my attention. Sadly, she's an unconfigurable mess and next to worthless. Well, actually, she does have a use. She reminded me that Bing exists, and that it's really trying to integrate itself into my life. Right now, I've got enough shit in my life. Bing is the last thing I need trying to affix itself and replace my notebook. It also looks like that Microsoft is actually serious about trying to take on Google. (That was a joke, by the way.) Perhaps if we could program commands into Cortana like we can in Voice Attack, she could get some eventual use, but for now, she's a worthless search-bot barely capable of understanding what it is you're actually looking to do. God forbid we put her in charge of a space ship.

Cortana also seems to really want to be part of my other Microsoft Devices... Hon, you've got one lonely, dusty existence ahead of you, not too unlike my- AHEM... Remaining professional.

I'll pass my thoughts on the start menu. A shame, really, that people couldn't adapt to using the keyboard more. Now I have all of my needed shortcuts barely accessible via keyboard and jammed into one corner. Thanks, average user, you're just as worthless as advertised.

Edge exists... Haven't had a chance to look at it. I'm kind of happy that we don't have the "apps" anymore from 8. Edge seems to really want to open a lot of my downloaded documents. Edge cannot actually open any of them though. Not even the really small PDF's. We're back to the days where I need to kind a free sketchy PDF reader. Horray, time travel.

The install was quite the ride. Everything stated it was fine, and good to go. No incompatibility issues. It took me an entire day to sort out the realization it wasn't coming without user action. Two hours to realize that Windows Update wasn't going to bring the bacon, and another hour to actually install it. A single hour installation time for an upgrade is actually quite nice. What wasn't nice was the fact that when it came to drivers, just about all of them wasn't compatible, and the ones that were reset to default settings. I still have devices in the manager showing as disabled, and my Video drivers took a while to install. Not a windows thing, but fuck, Razer Synapse almost fucking with my install was a hair-raising event.

I'll admit I'm a bit of a Windows Fanboy... I'll probably like it when the first service pack comes around, but now? Not impressed. Not, at, all.

 

[Summerstorm]

I will be waiting it out for a while. (Well, still don't have a good gaming PC - still broken anyway - and i am broke)

Still wondering what the catch is though. Free upgrade? Nothing is ever free...

 

[votemarvel]

Windows 10 is okay but I don't get the massive praise it is getting. It feels like a service pack, like it is Windows 8.2.

The start menu is a cramped and cluttered mess. It brings everything bad about the start screen and puts it all into a smaller space. Thankfully Classic Shell has a Windows 10 compatible version, so I use it to put back a 98 style start menu.

The new Windows store keeps apps that I've uninstalled in the update list, which means they keep getting reinstalled.

Don't like that I have so little control now over Windows updates now. I understand that Microsoft want to improve security but this wasn't the way to do it. By all means have them enabled to download and install automatically by default, but add the option to check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.

Windows 10 is okay but I'm staying with 8.1 as my main for now. Microsoft fix the updates issues and I'll switch.

 

[Kyrian007]

I've learned the lessons of the past. If I have an OS I like (Win 7 at the moment) then wait for the masses to speak (why I never upgraded to 8) and at least 2 large service pack updates. At this point I'll upgrade then or on the last day it's available for free, whichever comes first.

 

[Hazy992]

I'm gonna hang on for a bit until it's a bit more stable, there's really no point in getting a Windows OS on launch and 8.1 is working fine for me.

 

[Cowabungaa]

It looks a bit more slick than Windows 7 did, I feel all high-tech and modern now. Performance-wise I'm noticing little difference on my PC, which is good enough for me. All my installed programs and whatnot work just as well as they did before. I did have to fiddle a bit with some odd pre-set zooming stuff that made fonts look all fuzzy.

On my laptop though it somehow made my dedicated GPU work again, which is pretty damn awesome.

So yeah, after removing all the useless shit from the new Start menu and task bar, which was easy enough, everything is a-okay. It works, I'm content, that'll do.

 

[Kiardras]

Jumped on it immediately, but at work so not had time to play. Liked 8.1 and had no problems with it, although my previous OS to that was Vista (not that I ever had any issue with that, either). Looks pretty, and I like some of the integration from what I've seen so far.

Will find out later if there are any problems running my games.

 

[MonsterCrit]

I've learned the lessons of the past. If I have an OS I like (Win 7 at the moment) then wait for the masses to speak (why I never upgraded to 8) and at least 2 large service pack updates. At this point I'll upgrade then or on the last day it's available for free, whichever comes first.

Me think's MS's strategy now is that these large service packs will be simply called new OS releases. I've heard the comparrison between windows 8/8.1 and 10 being somewhat like the difference betweewin98 and win98se. or win95 and win98se.

 

[Poetic Nova]

For various reasons I'd like to stick to 8 (and yes, I think 8 is better than 7).

From what I've gathered of Windows 10, here are the reasons why I do not consider 'upgrading' untill atleast SP1:

-Forced updates (I always disable those)
-Bloatware like Xbox store (or whatever it is called), while I don't even have a Xbone, nor planning to gett one
-DX12 has nothing to offer for me, none of my games need it
-Unclear if my favorite games will actually work
-Not sure if my current drivers will work on it either

Besides, having a start menu icon become a thorn in my eye ever since I got used to 8.

 

[Mr.Savage]

I can safely say Windows 7 will be my last Microsoft purchase, especially after discovering the new Astonishingly invasive privacy policy for Windows 10, it's genuinely 1984 levels we're talking here.


Here's a couple highlights from the new policy:

"To enable Cortana to provide personalized experiences and relevant suggestions, Microsoft collects and uses various types of data, such as your device location, data from your calendar, the apps you use, data from your emails and text messages, who you call, your contacts and how often you interact with them on your device. Cortana also learns about you by collecting data about how you use your device and other Microsoft services, such as your music, alarm settings, whether the lock screen is on, what you view and purchase, your browse and Bing search history, and more."

And the real kicker...

"We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith\belief that doing so is necessary to, for example, "protect their customers" or "enforce the terms governing
the use of the services"


This is INSANE, Microsoft will now have the power to look through your folders, e-mails, contacts...Remotely, whenever they feel like it. They can either sell the information to advertisers, or forward it to the NSA.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, they're not only forcing Windows updates unless you buy Pro Version, there's now also ads in the pre-installed games (I.E. Solitare) that you can pay a monthly fee of $1.49 to remove. This is presumably to target older users who still wish to play such games, not realizing they can get free alternatives. Just another scummy cash grab...

Lastly, as the cherry on top, anyone that does the upgrade to 10 but decides they want to go back? Your activation key is no longer valid for 7 or 8, it'll only work for 10 now.

Now some people are reporting getting decent FPS boosts in certain games by upgrading to 10 (Possibly from the new drivers), and if any future game is DirectX 12 exclusive you'll need 10 to run it. But for me? Fuck that. None of that is worth the Orwellian bullshit Microsoft just pulled.

You really have to start wondering where this train is headed, and whether or not it might be prudent to stop off at the next Linux terminal. I'm sticking with Windows 7 for games that absolutely require it, and dual-booting with Linux Mint for everything else. And I recommend anyone else do the same.


For those interested, here's where I discovered such transgressions: https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/

Also: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/3f059t/with_all_the_w10_hype_a_privacy_policy_change/

 

[IceForce]

For those interested, here's where I discovered such transgressions: https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/

Also: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/3f059t/with_all_the_w10_hype_a_privacy_policy_change/

Cheers for the links. Very interesting indeed.

Yes, I was immediately suspicious when Microsoft announced the OS for free. Glad to see my suspicions weren't unfounded.

 

[Poetic Nova]

For those interested, here's where I discovered such transgressions: https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/

Also: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/3f059t/with_all_the_w10_hype_a_privacy_policy_change/

Well, do allow me to thank you that you've posted this, atleast now I atleast don't have to ponder anymore if I ever should upgrade in the future.

 

[harrisongrimms]

Dont forget how it shares your wifi access information to your friends on facebook.

 

[Asclepion]

Dont forget how it shares your wifi access information to your friends on facebook.

And has your computer uploading updates over the internet on a peer to peer network to save on server costs. You can disable it, but it's on by default and buried under four menus.

 

[Recusant]

I don't want a computer / electronics company to have that same level of power. I can totally see this getting abused, hacked, or worse .... i'ma wait it out on the Windows 10 update. I really hope Microsoft gets called out for their horrible business tactics in trying to sneak this crap in, like as if consumers are okay with all of their e-mails, browsing links, everything being looked at.

/ sarcasm

Sneak in? It's hardly that. This is what Facebook and Google have been pushing towards for years now, only bigger and more centralized. Years and years of shrugs and unspoken annoyances have made it quite clear that people will accept this.

If fit's any consolation, being able to say "I told you so" is really unsatisfying.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

I was going to say "I'll just wait for a service pack or two to see if it sucks or not, like I always do," but reading those privacy policy articles...

Yeah, the hell with this.

Sticking with Windows 7 indefinitely it is.

 

[Callate]

Still waiting on more reviews. I'm advising my wife (who has the only Windows 8 machine in the house in the form of her laptop) to go for the free upgrade, as what I've seen so far suggests it's definitely an improvement over 8, assuming the upgrade can be accomplished without too much kibboshing of existing, important software on her computer. As for me, I think the systems that are sub-Windows 8 can stay where they are for the moment.

 

[Dimitriov]

Your poll kind of fails. Where is the 'not getting it, and fucking hate it option'?

I am not the least bit unsure.