Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade? • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#11

Post by peeters » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:29 PM UTC

> While switching to a new OS, especially Windows 10 is definitely a good move

Who is claiming this? Maybe for hardware known to have good Windows 10 support it's a good move. For me, I've had more blue screens in the last month than I had in the 10 years before that. Lots of poor driver support (fingerprint reader doesn't work, touchpad reverts settings after every boot, crashes).

The user experience is an upgrade from my perspective, but the upgrade has been anything but painless.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#12

Post by sigmar » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:32 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #6

On the one hand, Microsoft gets criticized for abandoning millions of machines by dropping support for XP. Then, Microsoft gets criticized for not letting that happen with Windows 7 and 8 by keeping them up to date. Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

There is middle ground that you aren't considering: give people an option to update.

They didn't give that option to people with xp, and they aren't giving that option to people with windows 7.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#13

Post by userbinator » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:34 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #6

On the one hand, Microsoft gets criticized for abandoning millions of machines by dropping support for XP. Then, Microsoft gets criticized for not letting that happen with Windows 7 and 8 by keeping them up to date. Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

I'd bet most of those are minor bugfixes which don't change behaviour drastically, but fix things like exploits. Most people won't even notice any changes and they can keep using the software like they used to.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#14

Post by ferongr » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:36 PM UTC

Personally after KB3035583 that I had hidden before, was re-enabled and installed automatically, I started feeling bothered by that fact. That was the final push that led me to nuking my Windows 7 partition and jumping to Xubuntu GNU/Linux.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#15

Post by probably_wrong » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:38 PM UTC

userbinator wrote: post #10

While switching to a new OS, especially Windows 10 is definitely a good move Microsoft would certainly promote that view, but is it really? Am I one of the minority of users who prefers a stable environment customised exactly as I want it, instead of "latest and greatest"?

I was lucky enough to be around when my parents had to upgrade their computer, because it took a long time to customize everything in such a way they could find what they need without drowning in a sea of useless icons.

I don't even want to think what would happen if they called me out of the blue because that upgrade happened without their knowledge, and they can't find anything anymore.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#16

Post by nsgi » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:38 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #6

On the one hand, Microsoft gets criticized for abandoning millions of machines by dropping support for XP. Then, Microsoft gets criticized for not letting that happen with Windows 7 and 8 by keeping them up to date. Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

Chrome's updates have always been like this, whereas people bought Windows 7/8/8.1 machines with the expectation that they would be able to keep using those versions unless they chose to upgrade.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#17

Post by maratd » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:38 PM UTC

userbinator wrote: post #10

While switching to a new OS, especially Windows 10 is definitely a good move Microsoft would certainly promote that view, but is it really? Am I one of the minority of users who prefers a stable environment customised exactly as I want it, instead of "latest and greatest"?

Disable the Windows Update service. Microsoft will never bother you again and you can have your exact, perfected experience for all eternity.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#18

Post by pcunite » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:38 PM UTC

My concern with Windows 10, and I expect it to get addressed, is having a platform underneath me keep changing. I don't want to get in my car one day and find out that the gas pedal has changed positions with the brake. I expect my OS to be just as consistent in this regard.

So, for me, I need a way to say, "I don't ever want to upgrade automatically. I'll upgrade when I'm ready".

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#19

Post by TazeTSchnitzel » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:39 PM UTC

userbinator wrote: post #13

jrockway wrote: post #6

On the one hand, Microsoft gets criticized for abandoning millions of machines by dropping support for XP. Then, Microsoft gets criticized for not letting that happen with Windows 7 and 8 by keeping them up to date. Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates? I'd bet most of those are minor bugfixes which don't change behaviour drastically, but fix things like exploits. Most people won't even notice any changes and they can keep using the software like they used to.

And when Chrome and such do add stuff, any changes are gradual and unobtrusive. In a sense there is only one "major version" of Chrome and it is continually subtly changing.

On the other hand, operating systems and most software have distinct major versions and automatic updates only happen within those versions.

Re: Microsoft Removes the Option to Opt Out of Windows 10 Free Upgrade?

#20

Post by adricnet » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 2:43 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #6

On the one hand, Microsoft gets criticized for abandoning millions of machines by dropping support for XP. Then, Microsoft gets criticized for not letting that happen with Windows 7 and 8 by keeping them up to date. Do people tend to complain about Chrome's auto updates?

Yes, especially when they seem to affect their applications.

Automatic updates are easy (mostly). Healthy software and vulnerability management that doesn't damage productivity needlessly can be a lot of work. What do you test?

The classic simplified use case for this is Java runtimes: Your organization needs: a) A specific Java version to run a critical application b) Not to have workstations compromised though weak Java versions.

As a technology and security professional in this space your objective is to meet both of these goals. As the application developer you may have totally different goals (release date, market share, sales, renewals) and may not have these on your map at all...