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Windows 10 growth rate slows in October 2015 [110 Million Installations]
Network World ^ | 10/19/2015 | Andy Patrizio

Posted on 10/19/2015 9:58:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

As the months pass and Windows 10 spends more time on the market, patterns are starting to emerge, and the initial huge growth has suddenly leveled off.

At the end of August, Microsoft claimed that Windows 10 was on 75 million devices. At this week's Surface event, Microsoft Windows chief Terry Myerson said that the Windows 10 is now on over 110 million devices.

Windows 10 was ready for download on July 29, so in its first month out of the gate, it claimed 75 million devices. Five weeks later, it was up by 35 million. That would indicate quite a slowdown, and new metrics back this up.

New usage figures released by the firm NetApplications showed a slowdown in September. In its first month of availability, Windows 10 went from 0.39% (beta testers, likely) to 5.21% share. But for September, the second full month of availability, Windows 10 only grew to 6.63% total.

NetMarketShare takes a global view and covers both consumer and corporate use. It measures global use by identifying the OS used by people visiting websites around the globe. So its measurements are OSes in use, and not necessarily deployed.

Once again, I point to the consumer-oriented Steam analytics, which measures gamer PCs, for a contrasting point of view. Steam is the iTunes-like gaming sales marketplace run by Valve Software and has pretty much become the de facto PC game sales platform. There, you see a huge growth for Windows 10. Its September survey puts Windows 10 at 24% of total users, second only to Windows 7 64-bit at 37.5%.

So, what's going on? Possibly a few things:

1. Corporate and international isn't jumping – The Steam numbers show home users and gamers in the U.S. are jumping onto the Windows 10 bandwagon fast. NetApplications, with its global reach of home and business users, show a tiny percentage, which likely means that businesses and countries outside the U.S. aren't so quick to upgrade.

2. Poor PC sales – In the U.S., PC sales are up a tiny bit, just 1.3% year-over-year. Lenovo led the way with a whopping 22% y-o-y rise. Worldwide, PC sales just plain stink. They were down 7.7%, with Acer leading the way, down 20% y-o-y. With Windows 10 for sale on July 29, that's two months of sales, August and September, for the new OS, and it doesn't look like it spurred buying.

3. Spyware controversy – As people dug into Windows they found it did a disturbing amount of spying on its users, and the anger grew fairly loud over time. Myerson tried to address this, but it was a middling response that didn't address the bulk of the issues.

4. Stability problems – Over time people began to complain about stability issues. The installation alone proved a challenge. Device drivers were missing or broken. I personally had constant problems with my sound card, although that's Creative Labs' fault, not Microsoft.

5. No perceived value – This began drifting out into the blogosphere as well. With many of its installation and setup problems, people began to ask what they get for upgrading, and some may have decided their Windows 7 system isn't broke and they aren't going to fix it.

It's likely a mix of everything. Stability issues will be fixed and hopefully the intrusiveness will be addressed in full. The 24% for Steam users tells me a lot of people here in the U.S. aren't worried about it. I can't recall any version of Windows reaching 24% share in three months.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows; windows10; windowspinglist
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1 posted on 10/19/2015 9:58:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
people began to ask what they get for upgrading,

They began asking since Vista replaced XP and the only answer has been childish naming calling by Microsoft salesmen

2 posted on 10/19/2015 10:13:38 AM PDT by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
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To: dayglored; SeekAndFind

Ping for Windows 10


3 posted on 10/19/2015 10:15:40 AM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: SeekAndFind
For me, Windows 10 has been extremely stable; far more than Windows 7. Since I use it for up to 12 hours a day, this is probably the most important consideration. Windows 7, I'd reboot about once a day. Windows 8, maybe once every couple days. With 10, the only reboots happen with updates that require it.

Caveats: I've only briefly used Edge browser; it took all of three minutes to find the ‘open this page in Internet Explorer’ and then right click pin this to the bottom bar to keep Explorer around. My main browser continues to be Google Chrome. I found Edge to be hopelessly useless for any task I set it to; if it has improved in usability, I've not gone back to check it out. But if that was the face I used Windows 10 through, I'd report it to be a buggy OS that is useless.

I'd love a tiny little tweak in Windows 10; I'd love to specify programs I don't care if they are shut down with unsaved data for updates. Tiny issue which is easily solved by my closing the applications that might trip up an overnight restart.

All in all, I'm well satisfied with the upgrade.

4 posted on 10/19/2015 10:20:33 AM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: SeekAndFind

For me, it’s the multitude of spying vectors that they keep reintroducing, whether those are well-intentioned or not. I also dislike the forced updates unrelated to security, like drivers. I upgraded one ancient laptop to test, but I will probably not upgrade my other three PC’s.

10 is fast, and has a few nice improvements, but not worth the hassle. I’m fine with 7, and even 8.1 with Classic Shell. Unfortunately it appears that MS is sending many of those days collection updates downstream to the older OS versions as well. I have started researching the Linux world again. It’s been five years since I’ve last explored the wild west of linux. :)


5 posted on 10/19/2015 10:22:37 AM PDT by catbertz
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To: SeekAndFind

Windows tried to install windows 10 as an update on my machine. I finally got it working so I will not install 10. Something changed all my cookie settings an I was getting 750 cookies per session. No think you peeping toms at windows.


6 posted on 10/19/2015 10:24:14 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: SeekAndFind

1. Corporate and international isn’t jumping

They dont upgrade anything the minute it comes out.

2. Poor PC sales

Dont need a new PC to run it. I’m using laptops that are over 4 years old.

3. Spyware controversy

There is no “spyware” just low-level tech ignoramus that have no idea what they are talking about, but read the Tech section of USA today, and think they even know what they are talking about, so they never fail to repeat nonsense on other forums.

Every little thing MS clearly spells out they collect when installing can be turned off at any time. Less time than screaming about mythological spyware.

4. Stability problems

Cant say I’ve had any on my end. If you are having stability issues, realize that it is YOUR MACHINE and that you might have to download the latest drivers from the OEMs website. I had this issue, and downloaded one driver and haven’t had it since.

5. No perceived value

But will then bitch and moan that MS stops supporting (insert over decade-old version of Windows here) When most people have long found the value and have started using it a normally as they used all of the other versions that people back then screamed had no value.

Microsoft has stated in the past that the roll-out of Win10 was going to be in waves. There are people that have never got the link to do so. I got tired of waiting and just got the ISO. Why tech blogs never can realize this is anyone’s guess.


7 posted on 10/19/2015 10:38:23 AM PDT by VanDeKoik
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m in the computer repair/sales business. I have upgraded my home computer to 10 and I think it is good, works as advertised. However, my work machine will remain windows 7. It works great with no surprises.


8 posted on 10/19/2015 10:49:08 AM PDT by woodenickel
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To: SeekAndFind

Perhaps the removal of forced upgrades is the culprit...


9 posted on 10/19/2015 10:50:05 AM PDT by MortMan (The rule of law is now the law of rulings - Judicial, IRS, EPA...)
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To: kingu

I’m glad you find 10 so usable. Inputs like yours will be a major part of my evaluation as to whether to upgrade or not.

(BTW - I have not had any stability issues on 7, and I am a 10-14 hrs per day user, as well.)

I am waiting to understand the privacy issues presented by 10. If I cannot find out enough, or if the answers are unsatisfactory, I will end up migrating to Linux.

I cannot afford to trust Microsoft on privacy.


10 posted on 10/19/2015 10:52:16 AM PDT by MortMan (The rule of law is now the law of rulings - Judicial, IRS, EPA...)
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To: SeekAndFind

I think it’s simpler than that. With the free upgrade pretty much everybody who wanted it got it. Everybody else, we non-early adopters, don’t it. At least not yet. I’m sure I’ll got to 10 someday, unless the next one comes out first.


11 posted on 10/19/2015 10:54:13 AM PDT by discostu (Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right B, A, Start)
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To: SeekAndFind

I tried Windows 10 for a couple of weeks and now I’m back to Windows 7.
My HP scanner isn’t compatible, there are no drivers for my RAID1 adapter and the security camera in my driveway stopped working (it may also be a driver issue).

My wife’s laptop had Windows 8.1 and she hated it. It now has Windows 10 and it no longer fights us on every menu item.


12 posted on 10/19/2015 11:00:00 AM PDT by BuffaloJack (Political Correctness is Suppression of Free Speech. Thank the Commies for Political Correctness.)
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To: kingu

Thank you for your input.
I upgraded my mom to Windows 10. She misses her Windows 7 games though. Do you know of a way I could copy those from someone else’s Windows 7 and install them on my mom’s machine? Thanks.


13 posted on 10/19/2015 11:02:10 AM PDT by winner3000
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To: discostu

RE: . I’m sure I’ll got to 10 someday, unless the next one comes out first.

When the Toyota Prius hybrid car came out in 2004, a lot of my friends ( well off liberals ) were ga ga over it and wanted to be the first to buy it.

I held off until 2013 to buy a second hand Prius with low mileage. Works pretty well with low gas usage, plus in NY, I get to use the HOV lane while driving solo.

But notice HOW LONG it took me to take the plunge.

What goes for cars goes for operating systems.

let others be the guinea pig first, let all known bugs be ironed out before buying. That’s my philosophy.


14 posted on 10/19/2015 11:02:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: winner3000

Just click on the Windows Store icon, type in the name of the game.. Microsoft Minesweeper and Solitaire are there, plus variations of every other game are freely available.


15 posted on 10/19/2015 11:36:42 AM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: MortMan
(BTW - I have not had any stability issues on 7, and I am a 10-14 hrs per day user, as well.)

My stability issues have to do with how ActiveX interacts with memory, and how Internet Explorer doesn't release the memory like it should when it should. The issue is less significant in Windows 10 vs Windows 7. 10 is similar to 8 in how it handles the memory, but 10 tends to release it more often.

I am waiting to understand the privacy issues presented by 10. If I cannot find out enough, or if the answers are unsatisfactory, I will end up migrating to Linux.

Linux works; I don't see much in the way of privacy issues - there's quite a bit of low level data gathering in Windows 10 that is aggregate data related to stability - does Edge crash, when does it crash, are people using IE more often, how much memory does x program tend to take. Vs using the Bing site where your searches are immediately attached to your Microsoft account and ads change almost instantly based upon your search queries.

Microsoft makes very clear (and you can disable all of the data mining) what they're gathering and why for Windows 10 OS, the same really can't be said for the Bing search engine. If you're particularly concerned, change your search engine page and don't use Cortana.

16 posted on 10/19/2015 11:44:39 AM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: Swordmaker; Abby4116; afraidfortherepublic; aft_lizard; AF_Blue; Alas Babylon!; amigatec; ...
Windows 10 uptake rate analysis, sort of ... PING!

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

Thanks to Swordmaker for the ping!!

17 posted on 10/19/2015 11:48:11 AM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: SeekAndFind

A few times a week a screen pops up prompting me to start installing Win 10. I just click the little “X” box.


18 posted on 10/19/2015 12:14:43 PM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: kingu

Thank you for the input.

I don’t use IE for much of anything, so perhaps that is the reason why I don’t see much stability issue with 7.


19 posted on 10/19/2015 12:15:40 PM PDT by MortMan (The rule of law is now the law of rulings - Judicial, IRS, EPA...)
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To: SeekAndFind
I have resisted installing Windows 10 on my Windows 7 Dell Inspiron (All-In-One).

I'm concerned that laying a Windows 10 OS on top of 4 years worth of Windows 7 hard drive action is not going to work out well for me.

Also, as much as I love the simplicity and the design of my All-In-One, it has become increasingly unstable when running Internet Explorer, which is something that has been reported by many long term All-In-One users, so I don't want to compound problems I already have.

I had planned to purchase a new All-In-One with Windows 10, but, today, Dell only offers a free upgrade to Windows 10 from their current Windows 8 All-In-One.

Perhaps I'm overly cautious, but I want my Windows 10 to be factory installed on my brand new machine, not downloaded, so I have postponed a new purchase until that option is available.

20 posted on 10/19/2015 12:27:18 PM PDT by zeestephen
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