Windows 10

[T_J 11]

Microsoft “You'll have a free, full version of Windows 10 – not a trail or a lite version – if you complete your upgrade before July 29, 2016”

 

I upgraded my 3-year old Dell Windows 7 desktop to Windows 10 for free couple months ago to get 5+ more years of extended support. I like Windows 10 and most programs continued to work after the upgrade – MS Office Starter, Windows Live Mail, Garmin Topo & Inland Lakes, and Adobe premiere elements. I did custom install and disabled the W10 spying features.

 

I paid for Windows 2000 and XP software for upgrading. FREE W10 is better.

 

Also have a Linux Mint 17.3 PC connected to my TV to stream things like Bassmaster Live - Bull Shoals Arkansas this Fri, Sat, and Sun. Stream tvnweather live tornado chaser video on my TV occasionally, since i live near Joplin, and like to keep informed. Use a Logitech wireless keyboard. 

Edited April 20, 2016 by T_J

[rmaynard 15,436]

Haven't been following the Windows trail of tears because my Windows 7 works fine. I feel no need to upgrade. So what makes Windows 10 better than Windows 7. Keep in mind that my desktop and laptop are standard screen and mouse, and the only touch screens that I have are on my phone and my Kindle.

[DougC 2,641]

I was hounded by Windows to upgrade from 7 to 10 for so long I just  and went ahead and did it.  

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,297]

I upgraded one laptop to Windows 10, its ok , but I don't know much about all this new stuff ( hardware & software ) that everybody uses. My wife has Windows 7 on her laptop and refuses to upgrade.

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

Windows 10 is actually pretty good. It will run on older, slower computers faster than Windows 7. 

 

My my biggest issue is, given how they are doing everything they can to get people to switch, to the point of automatically upgrading some people is that once everyone is running Windows 10 they plan to go to a subscription model where you pay monthly to use Windows.

 

Nothing else makes sense. Why else would they be hell bent on getting everyone possible to switch?

[rmaynard 15,436]

That will be the time to switch to Linux.

[T_J 11]

I watch 'Windows Weekly' on TWIT most weeks, and they never mentioned any subscription for Windows 10. Now if you need office that could be a subscription, however I'm still using 'Office Starter 2010' that came free on my Dell Windows 7 PC (now windows 10 ).  

 

Pcmag website article states that Windows 10 “includes a host of new capabilities like Cortana voice-responsive assistant, faster startup speed, virtual desktops, touch capability, lightweight Office apps, a notification center, and even a new Web browser that's speedier and more standards-compatible than anything we've yet seen from Microsoft.”

 

I upgraded to get 5+ more years of extended support for free (3-year old Dell desktop). I like W10 or W7. I've noticed in the past that some websites where you login to an account such as MetLife didn't like older web browsers. So I'm just trying to keep things working.

 

Linux Mint 17.3 is a great OS. 

 

Edited April 20, 2016 by T_J

[Ed Kennell 38,143]

Just had my antique HP Pavilion G  (Windows 7)  in for a  $50 cleaning .  He removed all virus and google chrome. Installed Malware, C Cleaner, Mozilla/ Foxfire.

He recommended I stay with Windows 7 as he had just received a notice from MS stating they will support W 7   through  year 2020.   His comment was ..stay with W7 because W 10 will be obsolete by 2020 anyway.     

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

Just had my antique HP Pavilion G  (Windows 7)  in for a  $50 cleaning .  He removed all virus and google chrome. Installed Malware, C Cleaner, Mozilla/ Foxfire.

He recommended I stay with Windows 7 as he had just received a notice from MS stating they will support W 7   through  year 2020.   His comment was ..stay with W7 because W 10 will be obsolete by 2020 anyway.     

 

 

Yes, I still have 98% of my customers on Windows 7. 

By malware, do you mean malwarebytes? If so, just be aware it is NOT an antivirus software. The free version is good for cleaning malware, but will not prevent anything. The paid version is a little better, but it still isn't anti-virus software. I recommend the free version of Bitdefender. It works great, and doesn't slow down your PC. It will work alongside malwarebytes. 

Windows 10 will not be obsolete, according to MS, it is the last OS they will produce, they will just keep upgrading it. That may change, but even if it does, the life cycle should be longer than Windows 7. 

And while I have seen nothing about a subscription model, a lot of what they have been doing lately centers around subscription models. They are pushing Office 365 and cloud services heavily.

 

[953 nut 55,192]

The subscription deal makes perfect scene, just like Windows; came installed on my first couple of computers, now I have to pay each year. 

[T_J 11]

I hope MS doesn't get any subscription money from me.

Plan to use Office Starter 2010 until 2025.

Turned off any file saving in clouds (backup to USB hard drive).

Have no Microsoft Store thing setup. No candy crush saga for me!

Never login to my Microsoft account to run PC. 

[JC 1965 1,530]

I'm happy with my windows 7.  I get at least 4 or 5 emails a week wanting me to switch but I just delete them. I say, If it ain't broke don't fix it.    

[rmaynard 15,436]

Well, I am resurrecting's this old thread due to the fact that I have been forced to "upgrade or die" by several pieces of software that I use. For several years now I have gotten the warning that TurboTax will no longer be supported on computers running Windows 7. Well, I said I don't care if you don't support me just let me do my taxes. Last year I went to load TurboTax 2021 and it would not load. So I ran it on my wife's laptop running Win10. This year when it was time to load TT 2022, I again was scolded by Intuit because I was still running Win7 on my laptop. So rather than be hunted down by one of the new 87,000 IRS agents trying to get my taxes on $601 taxes on eBay sales, I decided that life is too short to quibble.

 

Last night I upgraded to Windows 10, and now almost 24 hours later, it's still trying to figure out how to screw up my meticulously running Windows 7 laptop. So far, I'm running slower than before, start-up is ridiculously tedious, and each time I try to do something new it asks me if I really want to do that. Yes I do, thanks for asking. 

 

Anyway, TurboTax is up and running (thanks god for small favors).  Lord knows we don't want the IRS snooping around the horses.

[squonk 41,071]

Computer software becomes obsolete. Nothing new. Back around 2000 My employer put up a new surgery center 6 miles one way from the hospital thru school zone traffic. Trane Tracer Summit was utilized for building automation. Touch screen control units were used at the site and at the hospital we could monitor conditions at a PC from an antenna but make no changes without traveling to the site. So if a doctor wanted OR1 at 62 ° someone (usually me) would have to travel to the site and beat on a control screen to get to the room and adjust it.

Around 2013 a small upgrade was introduced, The beginnings of Tracer Ensemble. After spending a week writing programs I was now able to make adjustments without having to leave the hospital. After leaving the hospital in 2017 Ensemble was fully integrated into the controls. When I came back I found out I was no longer able to control anything at the center again. The new software and main controllers would not "talk " with the center's touch screens. Then I find out the guy who does the weekly generator test at the center on Sunday can no longer clear the generator alarm at the center. He has to drive to the hospital, go thru all the BS to get in just to push a button to clear an alarm. 

 

The cost of "progress" Now we are looking into tablets so we can take control with us as long as we have wifi. So it'd not a conspiracy. Cut loose with the cash and  upgrade you systems and your horses won't have to worry.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,535]

Sad really...

 

I like the fact that there are no computers on my 's...

 

 

[stevasaurus 22,717]

@rmaynard there is no reason to go political about IRS agents coming to your house...that is not why they are hiring agents.  Actually, they are hiring them to take your guns.    Do you realize how stupid that thought is??  You are basically running Windows 3.1 with DOS 6.  Does your "Where in the World is Carmine Santiago" 3.1 discs still work??  Windows is just not supporting Vista or "7" and they have been telling you that.  Here is the deal...your tax programs are not supporting that platform either.  If you still have a descent computer, you can go to Window's 10...you have to change the bios to make it work.  Call tech support, since you have become a Dinosaur.    They will walk you through it...I will tell you it takes a day plus at this point. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by stevasaurus

[stevasaurus 22,717]

I really doubt the IRS is worried about your horses or your break shoe business.    And I doubt the IRS is worried about what Windows does as far as upgrading their platform.  All of us that have Windows, and I had Vista, have had to figure out to change up to Window's 10.  Do you remember when Window's became it's own operating system???  Come on Bob...you knew this was coming.  

Edited January 16, 2023 by stevasaurus

[lynnmor 7,305]

4 hours ago, rmaynard said:

 

Last night I upgraded to Windows 10, and now almost 24 hours later, it's still trying to figure out how to screw up my meticulously running Windows 7 laptop. So far, I'm running slower than before, start-up is ridiculously tedious, and each time I try to do something new it asks me if I really want to do that. Yes I do, thanks for asking. 

 

SWMBO and I both have Windows laptops.  We frequently get badgered to install Windows 11, but I can see no reason to change looking at their wonderful list of "improvements."  My concern is that some of my older software might get knackered, and I will not pay for upgrades to those because of extremely high prices and the casual usage.  With the Windows updates and whatever nonsense is going on in the background, the computers slow to a crawl frequently.  We find it best to just quit fighting and set the laptops aside till Bill Gates is done giving them a complete snooping.

[rmaynard 15,436]

14 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

@rmaynard there is no reason to go political about IRS agents coming to your house...that is not why they are hiring agents.  Actually, they are hiring them to take your guns.    Do you realize how stupid that thought is??  You are basically running Windows 3.1 with DOS 6.  Does your "Where in the World is Carmine Santiago" 3.1 discs still work??  Windows is just not supporting Vista or "7" and they have been telling you that.  Here is the deal...your tax programs are not supporting that platform either.  If you still have a descent computer, you can go to Window's 10...you have to change the bios to make it work.  Call tech support, since you have become a Dinosaur.    They will walk you through it...I will tell you it takes a day plus at this point. 

 

I'm sorry that you can't see the humor in my statement. It was in no way political. 

[rmaynard 15,436]

13 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

I really doubt the IRS is worried about your horses or your break shoe business.    And I doubt the IRS is worried about what Windows does as far as upgrading their platform.  All of us that have Windows, and I had Vista, have had to figure out to change up to Window's 10.  Do you remember when Window's became it's own operating system???  Come on Bob...you knew this was coming.  

Yes, I knew it was coming and I tried to make a funny story about it. Lighten up Mate. Life is too short.

[davem1111 2,030]

I think I'll add a few thoughts here. First, I'm typing this from a 2015 Macbook Pro that I "resurrected" from the trash bin at work about 6 years ago. It has a cracked screen so I can't really use it as a laptop, but I have a nice Apple monitor, keyboard and mouse that were all also from the trash bin so I use it as a desktop computer. My previous employer's IT department had a "don't try to fix it, just toss it" approach, which netted me some nice equipment for free. But this Macbook is running Catalina, and keeps bugging me to upgrade to Monterey, but I can't because the SSD "disk" isn't big enough. At least the Apple OS upgrades are always free. Apple hardware is so expensive though, I never would have bought this setup unless there was some urgent need for it.

 

That said, I am also a heavy Windows user. For my current job I have a Windows 10 HP laptop, which is all managed by the company. My personal Windows desktop PC has been running Windows 11 for almost a year now, but only because I got Windows 11 free through work.  If it's better than Windows 10, it's in ways you can't really "see", so if you're doing stuff that still works on Windows 10, I see no need to upgrade for a while. But eventually, something has to give. I also have a Windows 10 laptop that's been great for at least 6-7 years, that I mostly use in the garage to look up tractor info, etc.   

 

Honestly, for people who do basically everything through a web browser, I think Linux is the way to go.  Or maybe a Chromebook. I think Microsoft, Dell, HP and software vendors are in collusion to make it so you have to upgrade your hardware and OS periodically for the software to work. If you buy a new computer, you need to upgrade software you have or it won't work on the new computer.  It all generates sales for the whole lot of them, and empties the pockets of poor saps like us. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if those rich companies actually paid their share of taxes.... that's on us too.  Sigh. 

[rmaynard 15,436]

17 hours ago, squonk said:

Cut loose with the cash and  upgrade you systems and your horses won't have to worry.

 

My philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,315]

2 hours ago, rmaynard said:

 

My philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". 

I agree with that…unfortunately out dated and unsupported is a type of “broke” now. 

[squonk 41,071]

Upgrade now or upgrade later. Don't complain when it costs more to wait!

 

I look at it like Wheel Horse and MTD. Wheel Horse built a quality product that didn't break. Well you can only sell tractors top so many people that need one. Using the "if it aint broke don't fix it mantra, Why trade in my 72 Charger for a 418A if the Charger aint broke? Wheel horse is no longer due to this and of course other factors.

 

MTD built cheap tractors and bought up a lot of other cheap tractor companies. Now they have little competition in the market and a lot of their products are throw away.

 

Planned obsolescence. If the software companies didn't build that in, once everybody had a computer, their sales and profits are gone. 

Edited January 17, 2023 by squonk

[rmaynard 15,436]

41 minutes ago, squonk said:

Upgrade now or upgrade later. Don't complain when it costs more to wait!

 

It cost me zero dollars to upgrade. I just downloaded the Media Creation Tool free from Microsoft onto a thumb drive. Didn't even require a license. 

If I'd have done it years ago when they first started bugging me, it would have cost. I guess waiting had it's perks.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by rmaynard