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Next year's Windows 10 auto-upgrade is MSFT's worst idea since Vista (Win7/8 -> Win10 surprise!)
The Register ^ | Oct 31, 2015 | Iain Thomson

Posted on 10/30/2015 9:06:36 PM PDT by dayglored

Microsoft's decision to push out Windows 10 upgrades as automatic Windows Update downloads is one of those ideas that sounded great in a Redmond meeting room, but will cause more problems than it solves.

Right from the get-go Microsoft has made it clear that it is looking for a very fast rollout of Windows 10. The new operating system was offered as a free upgrade for some users – a first for Microsoft – and ever since the launch, Microsoft has been hustling people to upgrade, by fair means or foul.

Earlier this month El Reg's tips inbox hit overload with readers complaining that Windows 10 was downloading itself automatically whether or not the end user had opted in or wanted to install it. For people with suddenly crammed hard drives, this was a huge pain in the backside and it caused a lot of anger.

Nowadays, if you boot up a Windows 7 or 8 system you'll see a variety of popups encouraging you to upgrade – roughly every few days, based on Vulture West's experience. These are annoying but perfectly legitimate advertising.

But deciding to make the upgrade part of the patching cycle is a grave mistake. True, it's only going to be an optional upgrade at the moment, but by early next year the pressure is going to be raised, and anyone who automatically installs recommended security patches will find themselves with a new operating system waiting to start.

And just about everyone installs recommended updates automatically because Microsoft insists on it...

(Excerpt) Read more at theregister.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows; windows10; windowspinglist; windowsupdate
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Basically, starting next year, if Automatic Updates are enabled (that's the default), and you normally install the updates recommended by Microsoft (seems like a good idea, right?), you will suddenly find that your computer has been converted from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, without your approval or knowledge.

Hoo boy, who thought this was a good idea?

1 posted on 10/30/2015 9:06:36 PM PDT by dayglored
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To: dayglored; Abby4116; afraidfortherepublic; aft_lizard; AF_Blue; Alas Babylon!; amigatec; ...
Here's your Windows 10 auto-install -- whether you want it or not ... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: just search on keyword "windowspinglist".

Those who are computer savvy, and enterprise customers, will know how to avoid this. But the vast majority of Windows users who had wanted to stay with Windows 7 or 8.1 will find out whether they like Windows 10 the hard way.

2 posted on 10/30/2015 9:09:04 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

Delete, delete!


3 posted on 10/30/2015 9:09:13 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono
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To: dayglored
Now before all the Windows 10 fans jump down my throat...

This isn't about whether Windows 10 is a good operating system. I'm running Windows 10 at work. It's a fine operating system.

It's about whether Microsoft should be automatically converting users' systems -- which had been left alone on purpose -- without the users' permission or knowledge.

4 posted on 10/30/2015 9:11:33 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

Whether I want it or not eh? We’ll see about that, won’t we?


5 posted on 10/30/2015 9:12:40 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: lee martell

Off to Linux I go, hi ho, hi ho.


6 posted on 10/30/2015 9:13:09 PM PDT by doc1019 (Out of my mind ... back in 5)
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To: dayglored

They sure are desperate to get everyone on Win10.

What’s in it for Microsoft, hmmmmm?


7 posted on 10/30/2015 9:13:42 PM PDT by null and void (We are AmeriCANs. We CAN learn, and learn from history, if we choose.)
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To: dayglored
There's also the issue of data / bandwidth usage for the multi-GB download you didn't ask for or expect.

Surprise!! You just topped your monthly data cap and are hit with a bill for the overage.

8 posted on 10/30/2015 9:13:53 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

Its how you claim an o/s is a huge success. Why look how many people are using it.


9 posted on 10/30/2015 9:14:49 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: lee martell
> Whether I want it or not eh? We’ll see about that, won’t we?

Turn off Automatic Updates, and each month, do them manually, checking for and declining anything related to Windows 10.

10 posted on 10/30/2015 9:15:12 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored
I do NOT want Windows 10; not even if they paid me to take it!

I'm not a techie, my 7 does everything and more than I need it to do as it is. What's so "great" about 10 anyway ?

11 posted on 10/30/2015 9:16:27 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: dayglored

There will always be someone out to complain. Microsoft Windows 10 is an excellent version and free upgrades is a great long-range marketing strategy. My 6+ desktops and laptops made the transition without a hitch.


12 posted on 10/30/2015 9:17:19 PM PDT by Reno89519 (American Lives Matter! US Citizen, Veteran, Conservative, Republican. I vote. Trump 2016.)
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To: Secret Agent Man
> Its how you claim an o/s is a huge success. Why look how many people are using it.

Somebody in Redmond must have looked at the uptake rates, and the falloff percentages over time, and done a calculation, and realized that they aren't going to make their "numbers" (One Billion Installs by some time in the next few years) unless they start forcing it down people's throats.

13 posted on 10/30/2015 9:17:45 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

If you are a neophyte or old school, you’ll have a real thrill getting up to speed on 10.


14 posted on 10/30/2015 9:18:44 PM PDT by umgud (v)
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To: Reno89519
"Free upgrade" is not the same as "You don't get to avoid the upgrade".

And like I commented earlier, it's not about whether Windows 10 is a good OS -- it's a fine OS.

This is about Microsoft taking away the option to not upgrade, and forcing it.

15 posted on 10/30/2015 9:19:41 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: Reno89519

Fine, they can pay the huge fees to get my CAD software upgraded to run on win10. I’m quite happy with the versions that run on XP and win7


16 posted on 10/30/2015 9:20:12 PM PDT by null and void (We are AmeriCANs. We CAN learn, and learn from history, if we choose.)
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To: dayglored

Its not like they didnt have this anyway with corporations.

They are contractually in an upgrade path, for corporate licenses. So this is really aiming at the individuals and smaller shops that are not locked into forced upgrades due to licensing contracts.


17 posted on 10/30/2015 9:21:13 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: umgud
> If you are a neophyte or old school, you’ll have a real thrill getting up to speed on 10.

I'm way old school, and I didn't have much problem getting used to Windows 10.

Granted, I hate the remnants of the Metro GUI with a passion, but other than that it works just fine once you discover where they hid all the stuff this time around.

18 posted on 10/30/2015 9:21:43 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: null and void
> Fine, they can pay the huge fees to get my CAD software upgraded to run on win10. I’m quite happy with the versions that run on XP and win7

Turn off Automatic Updates, and each month, do them manually, checking for and declining anything related to Windows 10.

19 posted on 10/30/2015 9:22:55 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

When I bought my most recent Win 7 PC 4 or 5 years ago, first thing I did after booting up was turn off all updates. Haven’t DL one single update or patch. Works just fine.


20 posted on 10/30/2015 9:27:56 PM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s, you weren't really there....)
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