Windows 10 – A Warning

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Reading this thread reminded me that I haven't update my software (Linux Mint) for over a month. So I told it to get all level 1, 2, and 3 updates. It downloaded just under 150 MB of updates and installed them all in a few minutes. During that process I was able to continue working normally. Nothing slowed down as normal running is given processing priority. Why can't MS with all their resources do that?

Russell.

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Russell,

Because MS are only concerned with their bottom line, and don't give a damn about the users who are only there to pay up and keep the MS board in the luxury to which they have become accustomed.

Sorry about this particular rant.

Peter G. Shaw

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Another happy Linux Mint user, althought not yet on this machine, on my laptop

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Peter G Shaw, you're knickers are so far twisted I think you might need an Ambulance. Linux is a great operating system for simple users who want no more than a bit of email, internet and basic stand alone work tasks.

Sorry about the adverts, I didn't even know they were there (AdBlockPlus, which is free, sorts that out, I forget its even there)

For the record it took me 5 minutes or less to reconfigure Win10 to work how I wanted it to and that's longer than you've spent ranting about it and significantly less time that it would take me to work out either how to run the software through a VM or how to learn another piece of software – or learn this, that or the other, lifes to short.

 

Edited By Russ B on 28/03/2016 21:17:12

[VicParticipant @vic]

I wonder why so many people complain about Windows but continue to use it?! There are alternatives out there. For surfing the net and email I find a tablet far more convenient, as long as it's not got Windows on it.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Since the gales my adsl has been mostly off or lucky to get 100kb/s. Now realise how irritating the login to this site is in having to open a new window, download a bunch of ads then refresh the thread to get in a reply. Even the empty box for this text took 15s to appear and threads with photos are time for tea. So 2GB in 20 mins is not happening. The real world is not on fibre to the home so it is quite hard for me to reach my limit.

Meanwhile all this bandwidth available to townies some seem to think is a 'right' is costing the ISPs a packet. The Cable back end equipment is completely changed out in less than 10 years, DOCSIS 3 is already obsolescent, and only 20 years ago the phone system was based on only 1 in 50 houses on the blower at a time so has had a massive upgrade. When Openreach trundle out here to find the damp connection it will probably cost them £100 as rural maintenance is a two man team.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Posted by Vic on 28/03/2016 21:51:11:

as long as it's not got Windows on it.

Now there's an utterly useless device if I ever I saw one. My other half got a "windows" tablet for presentations and what a worthless piece of (expensive) junk that is. There is absolutely no good reason why anyone should have windows on a tablet – and that is thoroughly reflected in the sales of the irritating little things. Now, on the other hand….

I've done more than my fair share of anti-windows protests, but the reason people continue to use it is quite simple, and no where near as sinister as their policies.

Edited By Russ B on 28/03/2016 22:02:21

[speelwerkParticipant @speelwerk]

Most people like me are very glad when they finally have there machine working and are afraid to change anything. It is frustating that it is not possible to have a basic and simple OS for those who have little knowledge or have no interest in al the extras. Niko.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by speelwerk on 28/03/2016 22:05:50:

It is frustating that it is not possible to have a basic and simple OS for those who have little knowledge or have no interest in al the extras. Niko.

There is, Android or IOS.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> I know we've been asked by Neil (on another thread) not to go into anti-Microsoft rants,

That was a vain attempt to keep the other thread focused on my original question.

Please rant away, you Linux fans need something to do cheer you up*.

Neil

*A few times in my life I have been asked to 'put my money where my mouth is'. Two examples: Once by reading a nameless political party's manifesto (which proved to me they couldn't organise a party in a brewery), and once to try out Ubuntu (which proved that a linux machine starts up really fast before you discover that it takes ages to actually figure out how to do anything – make CP/M look user friendly if you ask me!)

[Anonymous]

Posted by Steve Withnell on 28/03/2016 10:24:00:

Last summer I set my Dad up (who is surprisingly, is quite a bit older than me…) with a new laptop running Windows 10. He already had a Sky Broadband connection with a 2GB usage limit, which kept it free as part of his Sky package.

I dunno …. 2GB is awfully small – 67 MB / day. It would take a lot of discipline to stay within that. It would pretty much involve never opening most websites. A lot of the sites these days – trying to get 10 sales-pitches in your face at once – are highly data intensive and could knock out a few days in one go just about.

Also, how does the isp count data? Certainly they count the data sent as well as the data received but (self servingly) they probably also count the data overhead (handshaking etc) which can be quite high relative to the actual data. If you're adding up the bytes in a few emails I certainly wouldn't reckon on getting much more than 1 GB /month of that free allowance.

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by Russ B on 28/03/2016 21:59:19:

I've done more than my fair share of anti-windows protests, but the reason people continue to use it is quite simple, and no where near as sinister as their policies.

The ability of Microsoft to remotely turn on a web-cam or microphone by default is a bit worrying. Why is this built in? Is it a 'Feature' just to satisfy the paranoid security agencies?

It took a 15 year old work experience person to tell me this when I asked why her tablet cam and mic were taped over.

Are the kids paranoid or do they have a point? Smart kids anyway, that's why I hire the geeks.

* Danny M *

Edited By Danny M2Z on 29/03/2016 10:14:14

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Well if a 15 year old said, it, and you read it on the internet, it must be true!

I guess there is 2 sides to every coin Danny M, consider that since your webcam doesn't have a physical hard wired switch it MUST be controlled by the operating system, further more, you wouldn't want it running all the time as it would burn out the CCD after a few years. So the operating system MUST respond to software and turn the camera on and off when requested to do so.

My laptop (a Clevo) has control built in to the motherboard and bios and has extra buttons so I can turn anything on or off using keys regardless of what the OS wants.

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

Oh Dear, Russ B has got a problem. He makes a lot of adverse comments about Windows, then tells people it is the best, and insists:

(Quote Russ B) I'm green with envy at Linux users, because the software and CAD packages I use require me to have Windows. I'm not green when it comes to working out Linux system problems, it is an alien language to me, once it stops working, I'm lost and unable to help myself (Unquote)

So – you know nothing about Linux, but feel free to criticize? At least the Linux users on this thread appear to have used Windows, and rejected it because of its short-comings.

(Quote Russ B.) Also, there are other options in win10 that make your machine a host for updates to other machines, Microsoft have reduced their data hosting by making its users share updates with oneanother, so they just plant the seed and the update availability grows exponentially.

Again, you can disable all these options. (Unquote)

(Quote Russ B) So start here with regards to the major download offences: etc, etc (Unquote).

The Linux Users on this thread have pointed out that the steps necessary to make Windows work as required are simply not necessary with Linux, reducing the necessity for an inexperienced user having to mess about with the OS, and possibly cause more problems.

(Quote Russ B) My other half got a "windows" tablet for presentations and what a worthless piece of (expensive) junk that is. (Unquote)

So Windows is marvellous, eh? I guess you are welcome to your opinion, confused as it seems to be – try and remember that other people, possibly with more experience and knowledge than you, have expressed their opinions without abusing yours.

 

 

Edited By An Other on 29/03/2016 10:33:45

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Posted by An Other on 29/03/2016 10:32:59:

Oh Dear, Russ B has got a problem. He makes a lot of adverse comments about Windows, then tells people it is the best, and insists:

 

I make clear the fact that I make adverse comments but still think its the best OS becuase of what it delivers.

But you need to go though and list it all for others?

There's 15 minutes of your remaining lifespan your not getting back – for what little its worth.

Plenty of people have expressed their opinion without abusing mine, some did abuse mine.

While you're making these observations that I feel are angled at me, you neglected to mention that I didn't abuse anyone's opinions either, nor did I abuse Linux.

So just because I'm not 100% a windows fan boy,  or not 100% die hard linux, I'm somehow wrong, confused or inexperienced?  I think that's actually because I have the ability to look at the situation with experience and intelligence, rather than cutting off my nose to spite my face, making false or sugar coated statements or ignoring the many benefits of a product just because I don't agree with a few things they do – I have praised Linux, and Windows. I have criticised Windows, and Linux. I offer productive advice and a balanced opinion on the strength and weaknesses of both.

Edited By Russ B on 29/03/2016 11:01:44

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

There are a lot of urban myths out there but at the end of the day every computer is hackable because every computer is a finite product relying on pseudo randomness for its security

I notice that uncrackable Iphone has been cracked and it didn't take them long

Nowadays we have 80 core chips and gigabytes of direct memory to brute force hack anything we want to

If you want to be safe and not get run over, then stay in your house and never leave

If you want to be safe and not get hacked, then switch your computer off

Windows has a handy feature if your computer starts to behave differently called "system restore"

(start/ all programs/ accessories/ system tools)

You can "go back" to a previous configuration and it's great for when any weirdness suddenly appears

As far as operating system arguments are concerned it's very much a case of each person has their own needs and opinions, a bit like politics and religion

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Be it as it might, or considered rude of me to "wade in" on this Anti MS party but i am a happy user of Windows 10 and think the statistics speak for themselves.

unfortunate as it may be, one must use knowledge to overcome problems and solve them as they are.

Berating the equipment will not make it work better, flawed as it may be.

Michael W

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

Ady1:

Windows has a handy feature if your computer starts to behave differently called "system restore"

(start/ all programs/ accessories/ system tools)

You can "go back" to a previous configuration and it's great for when any weirdness suddenly appears

Just like Linux!

This discussion about OSs all seems a little…unnecessary?. I like to use my computer(s) to do productive work, so far more important to me that I can run various applications on it – I don't really want to spend the short time I have free messing about trying to get the stupid tool working – after all, if a spanner won't fit the nut, I don't modify it, I go and get the right spanner – and the same with whatever OS I am using. That was why I dumped Windows. I do not deny the right of anyone to continue struggling with it if they wish.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I found this interesting.

**LINK**

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

Interesting, Vic – cost is probably a deterrent.

Some info about W10:

**LINK**

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by Ady1 on 29/03/2016 10:58:48:

I notice that uncrackable Iphone has been cracked and it didn't take them long

Bit of a silly statement really as there's a huge difference between hacking a device remotely and having possession of a device and physically taking it apart to get to the data.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Posted by An Other on 29/03/2016 11:21:45:

I don't really want to spend the short time I have free messing about trying to get the stupid tool working – after all, if a spanner won't fit the nut, I don't modify it, I go and get the right spanner – and the same with whatever OS I am using. That was why I dumped Windows. I do not deny the right of anyone to continue struggling with it if they wish.

After 10-15 years of struggling with Linux, trying various virtual machines and softwares to emulate Windows, let me tell you,

The first step to solving your issue, is admitting you have an issue. I think you've been smoking to much of those linux mint leaves to see the real truth.

Try another does of the real McCoy sometime and stop pitching such an unbalanced and unrealistic argument.

Edited By Russ B on 29/03/2016 11:44:40

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by An Other on 29/03/2016 11:40:45:

Interesting, Vic – cost is probably a deterrent.

Some info about W10:

**LINK**

 

Thanks for that, interesting read. I liked the bit about running Vista on a Mac Tower!

And yes, cost is a big factor I think but also folks like to stick together so if mum, dad, workmates etc use Windows then people follow suit. I've used most of the MS and Apple OS's over the past 25 years and know which I prefer.

Edited By Vic on 29/03/2016 11:55:21

[An OtherParticipant @another21905]

Ok, Russ – better things to do than talk to brick walls. Enjoy yourself.

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

I don't have Sky, so I'm probably way off beam, but I thought that it had a built-in catchup facility that needed a broadband connection. WRT the original post, 2GB is a ridiculously small amount nowadays, so does the basic Sky package really have that limit, or is it an old limit that could be raised on request? How does it cope with catchup?

[Author]

Posts