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Windows 10 Now a 'Recommended Update' For Windows 7 and 8.1 Users (betanews.com)

Mark Wilson writes: Microsoft has been accused of pushing Windows 10 rather aggressively, and the company's latest move is going to do nothing to silence these accusations. For Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users, Windows 10 just became a 'recommended update' in Windows Update.

This is a change from the previous categorization of the upgrade as an 'optional update' and it means that there is renewed potential for unwanted installations. After the launch of Windows 10, there were numerous reports of not only the automatic download of OS installation files, but also unrequested upgrades. The changed status of the update means that, on some machines, the installation of Windows 10 could start automatically.

366 of 581 comments (clear)

  1. And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    to upgrade? Our MSP says never. They say we have to buy all new licenses since there is no upgrade available.

  2. MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Kunedog · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Microsoft is sick and tired of customers resisting their latest shiny upgrade, and downright pissed off when they resist successfully, as with Vista and 8. So they are going all-in on establishing the capability to push any and all code/UI they want, for any purpose they want (DRM/adware/spyware/forced account login/whatever), to your machine at any time. If the current Windows 10 updates are this evil, imagine what they'll be like when users have no alternative.

    1. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Pentium100 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      All the more reason to turn off automatic updates if you have Windows 7 or 8. The good thing of that is that when Microsoft stops releasing new updates for these versions, nobody will care.

    2. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by houstonbofh · · Score: 2

      If the current Windows 10 updates are this evil, imagine what they'll be like when users have no alternative.

      You mean like the growing user base of Mac, Linux and *BSD? And Android... They are going to push a lot of people away. And even if it is only 15% that will change the landscape in ways they can not imagine.

    3. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by houstonbofh · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And after all they work of training users to keep systems patched, Microsoft goes out and makes patches a bad thing. Nice move!

    4. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by NixieBunny · · Score: 3, Informative

      I had to turn off auto updates on my work computer, as the university doesn't yet support 10 officially. That Windows 10 recommender update is really tenacious! Fire is just about necessary to beat it down.

      --
      The determined Real Programmer can write Fortran programs in any language.
    5. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Why complain? Its THEIR OS!

    6. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because it's MY MACHINE, perhaps?

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    7. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by SirSlud · · Score: 1

      It's a sight to behold.

      --
      "Old man yells at systemd"
    8. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      It's only your machine until you install software on it. After that, somebody else has (or can have) control. Choose wisely who you give such power too, they may not be such good stewards of that trust. Me? Oh, I have my recommendations but I'd suggest that you use what works best for you, meets your needs the best, enables you to get your tasks done the best, and affords you the best enjoyment. As that's entirely subjective, that part is up to you.

      Hmm... I think I'll leave this one as a mystery as to who is AC... (I am that bored. And out of posts. Stupid limit.) WOOOOO *still making scary ghost noises*

    9. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      That Windows 10 recommender update is really tenacious! Fire is just about necessary to beat it down.

      Crossing over from the Land Rover discussion, I wonder what would happen if you put the Windows 10 dropper on a computer made by Lucas Electric?

    10. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If the current Windows 10 updates are this evil, imagine what they'll be like when users have no alternative.

      No need to imagine, just look at iOS. Updates are pushed quite forcefully on users, and within a few months more than 90% will upgrade. New "features" include more ways to give Apple money, extra DRM, closing any holes that let you take control of your device. And after a few years, the updates slow your system down so much you are either forced to run an old, unsupported and insecure version or buy new hardware.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    11. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      > Microsoft is sick and tired of customers resisting their latest shiny upgrade, and downright pissed off when they resist successfully, as with Vista and 8. So they are going all-in on establishing the capability to push any and all code/UI they want, for any purpose they want (DRM/adware/spyware/forced account login/whatever), to your machine at any time.

      It's worse, I'm actively trying to update a machine I had to reset to factory settings, but I can't. Updating always fail and it tries to revert updates... but fails at that, too. Then I reset to factory settings and the cycle begins over and over.

      I'm in doubt whether they are just incompetent or this is a plot to make go and buy a new Windows 10 computer. Either way they're a POS corporation IMHO.

      > If the current Windows 10 updates are this evil, imagine what they'll be like when users have no alternative.

      I need not to imagine: compatibility between their OSes and products (e.g. Office) is a constant source of headaches for me.

    12. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 5, Funny

      stupid loosers

      Literacy isn't your strong point, is it?

      It is if he's talking about incompetent archers.

    13. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I just turned off windows updates on my win8.1 netbook. Sure, it might get rooted by random internet script-kiddies, but that's still better than a 100% chance of immediately getting rooted by Microsoft's own script-kiddies.

      Windows Update is simply no longer trustworthy.

    14. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      The right to complain stands until a suitable alternative for all Windows software is available on other platforms. Then your complaint becomes valid.

    15. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by GNious · · Score: 2

      If you buy a computer with a given OS, and it upgrades to a later OS before the warranty expires, take it back to the store and tell them to fix it :)

    16. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      When I bought Windows 8.1, it was with the knowledge Windows 10 was coming and I didn't want it.

      Them subsequently deciding I wasn't allowed the product I paid for, and that I wasn't supposed to have a vote in the upgrade wasn't part of the option.

      I've pretty much decided I'll take security updates, but that I otherwise don't give a damn about their updates.

      It's still MY MACHINE, and the version of their software I bought didn't have an implied contract of being required to do whatever the fuck they wanted.

      They can blow me.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    17. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      "Crossing over from the Land Rover [slashdot.org] discussion, I wonder what would happen if you put the Windows 10 dropper on a computer made by Lucas Electric?"

      You would just see a black screen, of course, because the system wouldn't have power.

    18. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Informative

      FWIW, recommended updates aren't installed just because you have updates installed automatically. You still need to manually go into Windows Update to install them.

      In fact, IIRC, you may be in more danger doing manual updates, as I believe "recommended" updates are selected by default when you manually update. If you miss the fact Windows 10 is selected, you'll be one step closer to installing it.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    19. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      "I'm in doubt whether they are just incompetent or this is a plot to make go and buy a new Windows 10 computer. Either way they're a POS corporation IMHO"

      (a) Yes, and (b), no. It's a plot to sell Apples.

    20. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Pentium100 · · Score: 1

      After a while Windows 10 and the spyware backports will become a "important" updates.

    21. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      It would if it was an ECL computer, which would run in a positive-ground car.

    22. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      There are 2 laptops in my house. Mine and the wife's. Mine I intentionally upgraded to win 10 a while back. I have no issues other than the start menu having massive lag sometimes (but that's a discussion for a different day) and it's all so well and so good. My wife's, which I never touch other than when I initially got it set up is still happily running on win 8.1. I haven't a clue what settings it's on and I know for a fact she doesn't. Yeah it pops up saying hey get windows 10 but that's it. If she can keep her computer as is then I don't know how you're all having such problems. The settings on her's would probably make it one of the first to go if it was going to. Maybe that time she rested it on the cooker and melted a big hole in the bottom helped?

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    23. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      The Russian Mob loves you. Might want to read up on the power malware that comes from unpatched office 2013?

    24. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      The choices are there, plain as day

      1)Mac/OSX and deal with everything that comes with that 2)PC/windows and deal with everything that comes with that 3)PC/some kind of linux or ubuntu and deal with everything that comes with that 4) Build your own hardware/program your own OS and deal with everything that comes with that

      I don't know where it says they all have to have equal functionality before you can complain about one or the other. Granted there's not many choices and none are perfect but still, they're the choices you have.

      What software do you think is missing from the other options? As far as I know you as far as win/mac goes there isn't really something one can do that the other can't.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    25. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Pentium100 · · Score: 1

      Well, the people who are using older Windows versions might just need to install a proper browser.

    26. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by JasterBobaMereel · · Score: 2

      Which is why Apple sales are slowing ... people are finally getting the message

      --
      Puteulanus fenestra mortis
    27. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by CreatureComfort · · Score: 1

      You are overreacting.

      You're right. Users never were really successfully trained to keep up with patches.

      --
      "Unheard of means only it's undreamed of yet,
      Impossible means not yet done." ~~ Julia Ecklar
    28. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by ihtoit · · Score: 2

      when I buy a copy of said software, that copy is MINE to do with as I please. Not theirs, not the retailers, MINE.

      --
      Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    29. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by ihtoit · · Score: 1

      yes it does, go stackoverflow and download the replacement html handler dll.

      --
      Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    30. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      when I buy a copy of said software, that copy is MINE to do with as I please. Not theirs, not the retailers, MINE.

      It's really not though is it. It's yours to run as you bought it. Regardless of if you like each individual function or not. You're free to select whatever options they give you, and if you don' like that you're free to fuck off and buy some software that fits your needs more closely.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    31. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by ihtoit · · Score: 1

      somewhere around is someone complaining that MySQL is broken in Win10. Using your logic, well yes it is - the Workbench doesn't work because the HTML handler DLL is fundamentally broken - and you'd have to live with that. If you go to StackOverflow, you can get that functionality back by replacing said DLL with their patched version - but not if you don't *own* the software you're trying to patch.

      --
      Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    32. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      Sorry guys, but I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish by throwing these "shill" accusations at me. :)

    33. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      My guess is it would leak oil out of the radiator, or the wheel would spark and flicker.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    34. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Now you're just being pedantic. Fixing things is one thing, changing them is another. It's probably just as against the tos to fix it yourself as it is to modify an install. And anyway, just because something is technically illegal doesn't make it wrong. If you're able to go through the software, let's say win 10 in this case, and modify it so that you can install without the bits you don't want then more power to you. MS probably wouldn't like it but what are they going to do? All I was saying is buying some software doesn't make it yours, you are just buying the right to use the software as they sell it to you. Anything after that you're on your own.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    35. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by operagost · · Score: 1

      Well, I do know that Windows 7 can turn on automatic update installation and reboot by itself. I've seen it happen. I had to set the domain policy to download and prompt to ensure it didn't do it again... hopefully.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    36. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by ihtoit · · Score: 4, Informative

      The first-sale doctrine creates a basic exception to the copyright holder's distribution right. Once the work is lawfully sold or even transferred gratuitously, the copyright owner's interest in the material object in which the copyrighted work is embodied is exhausted. The owner of the material object can then dispose of it as he sees fit. Thus, one who buys a copy of a book is entitled to resell it, rent it, give it away, or destroy it. However, the owner of the copy of the book will not be able to make new copies of the book because the first-sale doctrine does not limit copyright owner's reproduction right. The rationale of the doctrine is to prevent the copyright owner from restraining the free alienability of goods. Without the doctrine, a possessor of a copy of a copyrighted work would have to negotiate with the copyright owner every time he wished to dispose of his copy. After the initial transfer of ownership of a legal copy of a copyrighted work, the first-sale doctrine exhausts copyright holder's right to control how ownership of that copy can be disposed of. For this reason, this doctrine is also referred to as the "exhaustion rule."

      See: 17 USC section 109, and Bobbs-Merrill -v- Strauss (1908).

      Obligatory car analogy: I buy a Ford F150 flatbed. Who are Ford to say I can't install an aftermarket roof over the deck of MY VEHICLE THAT I PAID FOR rather than pay over the odds for the stock one?

      --
      Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    37. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      It will never be their machine as long as you can nuke the hard drive.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    38. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by dywolf · · Score: 1

      I've never understood who actually leaves automatic updates enabled anyway, for any software, let alone the OS itself.
      i'll do it manually thank you very much, when I'm good and ready.

      especially since if left to its own devices it always seems to want attention when im busy and cant afford a reboot or download or whatever.
      stuff that.

      --
      The guy who said the election was rigged won the presidency with the second-most votes.
    39. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Obligatory car analogy: I buy a Ford F150 flatbed. Who are Ford to say I can't install an aftermarket roof over the deck of MY VEHICLE THAT I PAID FOR rather than pay over the odds for the stock one?

      I guess they'd be as free to say it as MS are for their product leaving you just as free to ignore it as you are with MS.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    40. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by evilRhino · · Score: 1

      Which is why Apple sales are slowing ... people are finally getting the message

      Unlikely. People are buying less Apple products because the one they already have is still doing the job.

    41. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by martas · · Score: 1

      Lol, you still believe in that? Pretty sure that ship has sailed. Now go back to your regularly scheduled programming of making fun of RMS for walking around barefoot and having weird hair.

    42. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by bfpierce · · Score: 1

      I would suspect that this is due to people not necessarily needing a new piece of hardware every 6 months. Those things do cost money dollars you know.

    43. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      Everything on internet is "shill" these days, don't you knew it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    44. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      shill! Paid by M$! :P

    45. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      And after a few years, the updates slow your system down so much you are either forced to run an old, unsupported and insecure version or buy new hardware.

      Apple is moving away from this one. They've realized that no one is going to upgrade from an iPhone 4S because of a software update. So iOS9 was supposed to be better on old hardware. Hardware upgrades are great, but they've finally got patient about that. Let people upgrade when they want. Because forcing someone too cheap to upgrade to do so instantly might push them to Android. Let them wait until their carrier will upgrade them, and they'll stick with Apple. Marketshare is more important to squander on forced,lossy upgrades.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    46. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      chill! M$-paid!

    47. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Skylinux · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You mean like the growing user base of Mac

      Have you actually tried using a Mac productively?
      Unfortunately, it is the standard company computer where I work. The user experience is horrible if you are used to a responsive system and one that does not get in your way every fucking time.
      I installed Windows 10 on the retina Mac Book Pro and things have been better but the keyboard is garbage since the Fn key is on the very outside. Great trackpad, though!

      Had a meeting with my boss recently and told him that I will start looking for a new job unless I get a computer that I can work efficiently on. An Ultrabook is on order and I'll be the first non Mac user in the company.
      Looks like I have started a small revolution since I hear more and more Mac complaints from my colleagues now :)

      Mac computers are great for people who are computer illiterate or just don't give a fuck about hardware or operating systems. They are an absolute nightmare for anyone used to the Swiss Army knife of the computer world (PC).

      Want a Unixy OS? Install Linux or FreeBSD, fuck Mac OS X!

      --
      Everyone who buys Wild Hunt will receive 16 specially prepared DLCs absolutely for free, regardless of platform.
    48. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      I don't know where it says they all have to have equal functionality before you can complain about one or the other.

      I don't know where it says that I don't have a right to complain. I am forced to use some software in some situation that requires a certain ecosystem to run. That ecosystem was good, but the manufacturer took a dump on it and attempted to force feed it to us. I and many others continue to complain because while you seem to think the choice is there, it's not for everyone.

    49. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2

      I just turned off windows updates on my win8.1 netbook. Sure, it might get rooted by random internet script-kiddies, but that's still better than a 100% chance of immediately getting rooted by Microsoft's own script-kiddies.

      Windows Update is simply no longer trustworthy.

      Dude. GWX control panel. Go google it or just put in security updates only? That way you won't get 0wned.

      Turning off Windows Update is a terrible practice

    50. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

      Turning off Windows Update is a terrible practice

      True, but lately, so is leaving it on...

    51. Re: MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by bingoUV · · Score: 1

      I don't know where it says they all have to have equal functionality before you can complain about one or the other.

      I don't know where it says that I don't have a right to complain

      I know triple / quadruple negatives can be confusing, but I think your meaning is similar to that of the GP.

      They all don't have to have equal functionality before complain can be made. So you have the right to complain even before equal functionality is achieved.

      You complain and that is a great thing.

      --
      Bingo Dictionary - Pragmatist, n. A myopic idealist.
    52. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Have you actually tried using a Mac productively?

      Yep. For nearly 4 DECADES, clear back to 1984. And even for stuff like Embedded Development, CAD, PCB Design, etc.

      Can't say that it has always been easy to find acceptable tools, or that I never had to resort to Windows-based tools; but it is FAR from impossible, or even difficult, really.

      And it gets easier with each passing year or two...

    53. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      iOS updates don't look like they're pushed that aggressively to me. I've never had problems not updating, and if a device is nearing end of support I usually don't. No big deal.

      The reason Apple typically gets such upgrade figures is that the upgrades typically work. If a new version comes out, I wait a while and look it up on Google to see if that version and my device have reported problems. When I see that they don't, I upgrade. I have just upgraded iOS on an iPhone about two and a half years old, and it's running fine.

      It is possible for your iDevice to be technically able to upgrade to the newest iOS without that being a good idea, in which case you tell the updater that you don't want to be bothered anymore. Apple continues to support old OSes for some time, so you'll be running a supported version even after you've upgraded as much as you think wise. New versions of software may not work well on older iDevices, but that's because there's currently rapid improvement in the devices, much like it used to be frustrating to try to run the latest leading-edge game well on a PC three years old.

      I also find your list of new features quite odd. Apple can't extract money from you arbitrarily, so by "more ways to give Apple money" you must be referring to new things you can buy from Apple. I have problems thinking of this as a problem. If I don't want what they're newly selling, I just don't buy. I know of no extra DRM added, except with the addition of new media that Apple hasn't managed to talk the copyright holders out of DRMing yet, like they did with music. If you like your security holes, you can keep your security holes. Just tell the updater not to bother you again.

      So, looking at iOS, I see upgrades that you can install easily that usually are a good idea, and that you can easily tell the updater not to bother you again. Please explain why you think this resembles W10.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    54. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by minstrelmike · · Score: 1

      Have you actually tried using a Mac productively? ...They are an absolute nightmare for anyone used to the Swiss Army knife of the computer world (PC).

      I have a game developer friend who likes the Apple laptops for durability and weight and brings his to meetings for demos but he absolutely hates the keyboard and shortcuts and uses a desktop windows box at home for serious dev efforts.

    55. Re:MS Wants to Own Your Machine for Good by Druegan · · Score: 1

      Yeah.. terrible.. that's why I've been running Win 7 Pro with it disabled for the last 2.5 years and not had so much as a malware show up, even without active antivirus...

  3. Number, please? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What's the KB code number so I can hide it?

    1. Re:Number, please? by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

      Hiding does not work. The update the patch and that "un-hides" it.

    2. Re:Number, please? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 2

      For W7, I'm trying unchecking "give me recommended updates the same way I recieve important updates" in the Windows Update settings.

      If I get W10 next week we'll know that that didn't work.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    3. Re:Number, please? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Maybe he's delaying all updates for several days and reading tech news and wondering why Slashdot didn't give the KB number. Don't call someone a fool unless his post is inconsistent with *all* valid options.

    4. Re:Number, please? by omglolbah · · Score: 4, Insightful
    5. Re:Number, please? by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Not good enough. Some of the "important updates" do initial steps to prepare the machine for 10. Check EVERY update manually. And even then ..

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    6. Re:Number, please? by Oligonicella · · Score: 1

      "And even then .." True that. Since they've lied about what's in updates before, I no longer trust them at all.

    7. Re:Number, please? by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      Danger Will Robinson! MS have just re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-reissued KB2976978 again, just saw it pop up There's also a KB3135449 which may be a problem..

  4. Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Whipslash arrived and fired you immediately. Farewell and thanks for all the stories and dupes over the years.

    1. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Dice might've been dumb but at least they let the old crew stick around

    2. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 5, Funny

      And now poor Timmy is working his fingers bloody posting stories day and night! But at least we now have Unicode support...

      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    3. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 2

      But at least we now have Unicode support...

      Thanks, Frosty, that's the funniest thing I've read so far this week.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    4. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Whipslash arrived and fired you immediately. Farewell and thanks for all the stories and dupes over the years.

      It's funny how the new administration promised to be open about things, but then two long-term guys just disappear without any explanation.

    5. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by rsmith-mac · · Score: 2

      And now poor Timmy is working his fingers bloody posting stories day and night! But at least we now have Unicode support...

      Serious question, but how many full time editors does it really take to run Slashdot? You have to manage the Firehose and prepare stories, but since those are largely editing and posting works submitted by others, it doesn't seem like there's a lot of day-to-day writing as a Slashdot editor.

      The only real hardship here is that Slashdot has tended to post news over an 18 hour window or so. But what's to say that this stuff isn't prepared in advance and on a timer?

      Having multiple editors is great for getting different opinions and covering various time zones for breaking news. But otherwise? I don't see how this couldn't be done with two people.

    6. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Where do you get this information from?

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    7. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      soulskill's profile says "former editor" when before it had some info on it. The foss article was updated with this:

      All this goodwill towards the user community might be coming at a cost, however. I’ve heard reports from credible sources of layoffs at Slashdot, with many longtime employees being shown the door, with their jobs either eliminated or handed over to less costly and relatively inexperienced staff. Goodwill or no, this can’t have a positive effect on the site’s users’ experience. We can expect that the same cost cutting is probably happening at SourceForge, which is already struggling.

    8. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      " Iâ(TM)ve heard reports from credible sources of layoffs at Slashdot, with many longtime employees being shown the door, with their jobs either eliminated or handed over to less costly and relatively inexperienced staff. Goodwill or no, this canâ(TM)t have a positive effect on the siteâ(TM)s usersâ(TM) experience."

      It can hardly get any worse, can it? The longtime employees weren't doing their jobs. The editors didn't edit, we still can't copy and paste without stupid characters appearing in the copy, they would post at least one dupe a week...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Thanks for that. Sad news, but I guess it is too early to speculate.

      I was surprised because I keep forgetting how easy it is to dispose of workers in the US.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    10. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      You DO understand that you review a bunch of stories, then set their post times to individual dates in the future, don't you?

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    11. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by NotDrWho · · Score: 2

      AFAICT, the editors spent 90% of their time posting dupes of 2-week old stories and "Why Aren't There More Women in Tech?!?" articles.

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    12. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by crunchygranola · · Score: 2

      Responding to your sig: "The SJW cancer on the left is starting to worry me more than the corporate oligarchy on the right."

      Which is exactly what the corporate oligarchy on the right wants. Mission accomplished! That has been the strategy for 40 years now: distract, distract, distract. The perils of gay marriage burned out quite some time ago. Now reviving the Terrible Peril of Political Correctness yet again, with a new label. You are putty in their hands.

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    13. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Oligonicella · · Score: 1

      Pot, meet kettle.

    14. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by unixisc · · Score: 1

      And now poor Timmy is working his fingers bloody posting stories day and night! But at least we now have Unicode support...

      We do?

    15. Re:Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by unixisc · · Score: 1

      I like Whiplash. May he never get fired

    16. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      Whoooooooooooooosh!

      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    17. Re: Farewell to the soulskill and samzenpus by istartedi · · Score: 1

      This Unicode gripe is almost as bad as the anti-aliasing gripe you used to hear from Linux people. I guess Linux has anti-aliasing now, because I haven't heard that one in ages. You know what? I hope they *never* get Unicode on Slashdot. What would we do with it? OK, the occasional accent grave or umlaut is nice, but all the emoticons that come along for the ride just aren't worth it. Yeah, they could filter it, but whatever. Slashdot without unicode is just fine. Slashdot without stories is nothing.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  5. fuck you microsoft! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    take your nasty crappy spyware modern metro flat ugly boring os and shove it up ballmers ass! we dont want what your giving away for free!

    1. Re:fuck you microsoft! by epyT-R · · Score: 5, Funny

      I know, right? That's pretty sad that they can't even give it away for free. They have to force it.

    2. Re:fuck you microsoft! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yep. After 6 months of Microsoft trying their hardest to cram Windows 10 down everyone's throat, it barely has a larger marketshare than Windows XP. That tells me that most people really don't want it because they would have had to be extra diligent in avoiding it.

      There is a reason Microsoft is being this aggressive and it's not out of benevolence. They want everyone on Windows 10 because it gives them full control over users' computers so that they will eventually be free to force whatever updates, products, restrictions, advertising that they want while also being able to access all data on those machines.

    3. Re:fuck you microsoft! by anegg · · Score: 2

      I've got a laptop that we use to support a robotics team; it came with Windows 10. Its a real pain in the neck that there is no way to block updates; the last thing we need is a misfortunate update that alters some critical aspect of behavior just before a competition. I guess Microsoft is very confident that they will never hash things up since they have removed all control from we who own the computers.

      I'm *not* thinking of replacing any of my current home computers with Windows 10.

    4. Re:fuck you microsoft! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I would not be surprised if Microsoft made Windows 10 a subscription that you have to pay if you want to continue using your PC. It would explain why they impose a 30 day limit on rolling back to your previous OS. Once you're locked in, you're fucked and will eventually have to start paying your Microsoft rent.

    5. Re:fuck you microsoft! by nctritech · · Score: 2

      Run services.msc

      Find Windows Update

      Change start type to "Disabled"

      Fixed!

    6. Re:fuck you microsoft! by cjjjer · · Score: 1

      You realize that your cell phone is based on a subscription model don't you? Unless you pay someone for some kind of connectivity it is pretty useless as a phone. And yet you have no issues with that....

    7. Re:fuck you microsoft! by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

      You realize that your cell phone is based on a subscription model don't you? Unless you pay someone for some kind of connectivity it is pretty useless as a phone. And yet you have no issues with that....

      Are you on salary with Microsoft, is this is a per-post gig?

      A correct analogy would be if the maker of your phone required monthly payments to keep your phone working, not with your phone service. Funny isn't, we actually use the word "service" in the name when the service model is necessary and rational.

      We are all happy with paying an ISP monthly to provide the essential service of continuous connection to the outside world (just like phone service).

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    8. Re:fuck you microsoft! by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      You realize that your cell phone is based on a subscription model don't you? Unless you pay someone for some kind of connectivity it is pretty useless as a phone.....

      False analogy. The clue to that is in the word "connectivity". I pay, and would expect to pay, my ISP for my PC's connectivity, not the maker of the PC or its operating system.

      And yet you have no issues with that.

      Actually I would. Being a light user of my cell phone I am on a pay per call scheme, not subscription.

  6. Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Trachman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Rather than fiddling with keys and password recoveries, we have just installed Linux Mint.

    No complains or further questions. People use computer for browsing mostly.

    1. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Rather than fiddling with keys and password recoveries, we have just installed Linux Mint.

      No complains or further questions. People use computer for browsing mostly.

      I'm finding Mint with Cinnamon to be quite good! I'm re-discovering Linux only because Microsoft has chosen to be a complete asshole to me. This story is just another middle finger from them.

    2. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 2

      Guess your family member doesn't play games. Gaming is the only reason I HAVE a windows computer.

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
    3. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Windows is becoming less and less relevant for gaming. Most people game on smartphones/tablets or consoles and SteamOS is gaining more support by the day.

      Microsoft can't fuck with Valve when it comes to PC gaming. Not long ago I think Steam was up to around 1500 titles for Linux and now it's already up to 3700.

    4. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by sydbarrett74 · · Score: 2

      With Valve porting more and more games to Linux, this excuse holds less and less water as time goes by. If it's DOS games you're worried about playing, set FreeDOS up in a VM and be done with it.

      --
      'He who has to break a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.' -- Gandalf to Saruman
    5. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Harlequin80 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Unfortunately I'm still in this boat as well. Linux Mint is my primary OS but I still keep a dual boot of windows for games. As it stands about 1/3 of my steam library is linux compatible.

    6. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by jones_supa · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Rather than fiddling with keys and password recoveries, we have just installed Linux Mint.

      No complains or further questions. People use computer for browsing mostly.

      If you guide them through the narrow path to only start up a web browser, then I guess it stays in one piece for some time.

      However, generally my Linux experience consists of swimming in a sea of "Sorry, something went wrong" error messages and manually fixing various glitches. Makes me much more angry than Windows.

    7. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Actually, Linux now has better support for old 16-bit games than Windows does...

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Actually, Linux now has better support for old 16-bit games than Windows does...

      Unless it's Windows XP in a vmware vm. Not a Virtual PC vm, though, because that is a festering piece of shit on which even Civ2 can't run because the graphics driver is so inadequate

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by vyvepe · · Score: 1

      Windows is becoming less and less relevant for gaming. Most people game on smartphones/tablets or consoles and SteamOS is gaining more support by the day.

      As for as the number of players you are probably right. But most gaming revenue is still on PC: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/...

      But the trend indicates the mobile platforms will eventually prevail.

    10. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by LVSlushdat · · Score: 1

      Guess your family member doesn't play games. Gaming is the only reason I HAVE a windows computer.

      I swear I'm soooo fucking tired of people claiming "you gotta run Windows if you wanna play games"... Ummm Hellooo, Steam has had a Linux client and an ever-growing number of games in their catalog are Linux versions for quite some time now.... I finally gave up Windows for good in 2010, switching to Linux 100%, and prior to Steam having a Linux native client, I ran the Windows Steam client under Wine, which gave me all of the games that *I* play. Once Steam released the Linux native client, I quit the Wine workaround, and things *just work*... And after seeing what a nightmare Windows 10 is, I couldn't be happier with my decision...

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    11. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Holi · · Score: 1

      Ditto to this. I put Mint on my main laptop and find it is the only computer I use anymore.

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    12. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Holi · · Score: 1

      Except video card drivers still have a way to go to catch up

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    13. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by sjwest · · Score: 1

      Somebody took one of our vista pc (old) microsoft keys via a keygen (i guess), its not had updates since and nobody at HP wanted to help as there not american despite selling the license .

      The machine still works despite wga not working so genuine widows is an advantage to microsoft not to the user. The only windows program they use is for tom tom gps updater used about once a year..

      It will get a linux distro one day too, new hardware wont be bought from hp either.

    14. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Just look around you. Or just listen - you can hear them at 2am!

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    15. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by NotDrWho · · Score: 2

      IGN's games of the year, 2015:

      The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
      Bloodborne
      Fallout 4
      Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
      Ori and the Blind Forest
      Pillars of Eternity
      Rise of the Tomb Raider
      Super Mario Maker
      Tales From the Borderlands

      Number of them available on Linux: 1 (Pillars of Eternity)

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    16. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Windows is becoming less and less relevant for gaming. Most people game on smartphones/tablets or consoles and SteamOS is gaining more support by the day.

      Microsoft can't fuck with Valve when it comes to PC gaming. Not long ago I think Steam was up to around 1500 titles for Linux and now it's already up to 3700.

      Hey, competition is great. Wake me up when SteamOS can actually perform as well as Windows graphically, because like it or not, Windows wins hands down.

    17. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by tepples · · Score: 2

      Among your list, Bloodborne and Super Mario Maker are not available for Windows either. To play all games on the list requires a PlayStation 4 console, a Wii U console, and a Windows PC.

    18. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by tepples · · Score: 1

      Sure, there's a few of those 2/3 Windows-only games that I'd like to play, but I have enough on the Linux side to keep me busy for the rest of 2016.

      People who play online with friends need the same game that their friends have. And if your friends have chosen Windows-only games, you need to either A. get Windows, B. get new friends who have Linux-compatible games, or C. get new friends who are fine with not gaming online.

    19. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by luther349 · · Score: 1

      i found manjaro to be better then any ubuntu based distro. just as easy to use if not easier and fast as hell.

    20. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by luther349 · · Score: 1

      being my games are older i would say 90% run in linux. be it steam or wine.

    21. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by tepples · · Score: 1

      Why would you need to change your OS or have your friends change theirs just to play online together? You just need the same game

      You wouldn't need to have your friends change their operating system. You'd need to have your friends change their games to games also available for your operating system. And if changing their games is too much for your current friends, you might need to change friends.

    22. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by malditaenvidia · · Score: 1

      With Valve porting more and more games to Linux

      Are they, really? I'm all for ditching Windows altogether but it seems the linux steam library is stagnant and has been for years. Steambox is a wet fart struggling to gain traction, the steam controller is an awful joke. On the linux side, video drivers are still terrible on both ends if not completely missing, audio support is an arcane paradox. I just don't think GNU/Linux is quite ready for games yet.

    23. Re:Family member's WIN computer got locked out by tepples · · Score: 1

      If the games your friends have are Windows-only, there are no "games that you have in common".

  7. Why WOULDN'T It Be Recommended? by zenlessyank · · Score: 5, Funny

    MSoft only has our best interest. Sheez. So sensitive.

    1. Re:Why WOULDN'T It Be Recommended? by vandamme · · Score: 1

      Thank you, Mr. Gates. May I have another?

  8. As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by Snotnose · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let me just say, "don't".

    Never mind the spyware. I had Win8.1 for 18 months before I "upgraded" to Win10. Since the upgrade I've had:
    1) ctl + left mouse to move a window. Release the wrong button first and the window goes full screen instead.
    2) Random mouse locations when clicking left button. Ex: in a web browser hit the back button, it goes full screen. In a web browser click a bookmark group, it minimizes. etc etc etc
    3) Close laptop, go to bed. Get up in the morning, laptop has installed updates and rebooted, wants your permission to continue.
    4) Default app behaviours change suddenly. Just this morning I opened a pdf on my hard drive and Edge opened it,, not the pdf file viewer I've used for the last few years.
    5) Uptime seems to be a week. If it's not updating then when you open your laptop it just doesn't respond.

    I bought this laptop November 2013, it came with Win 8.0 and I immediately upgraded to 8.1. Had no issues. Mistakenly "upgraded" to Win10 last summer, all the above issues have plagued me since. If I had to do it all over again I would, in order, stay 8.1 (I'm a gamer, need Windows), go Linux, go Mac, go Win10.

    1. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This post makes no sense.

      1) Why would you use ctrl-leftmouse to move a window? When I had Win10, I dragged the windows around as usual, using the titlebar.
      2) Are you sure your mouse or trackpad are not dirty or defective? Sounds like random movements caused by lint in the optical sensor, or a wet trackpad
      3) Is your laptop set to suspend when the lid is closed, or keep running? Sounds like the latter
      4) Ok, this one might be true. Once, after rebooting, trying to change the wallpaper gave an error message about some kind of URL handler, but started working again after five minutes
      5) I didn't run Win10 long enough to check, ditching it for Win7 after a couple of days

      Let's try to keep our Win10 complaints realistic, like the shit UI redesign and the privacy nightmares. Hardware problems are not the fault of the OS.

    2. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by PPNSteve · · Score: 2

      isn't this that OSI layer 8 I've heard about?

      --
      PPN
    3. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Some tips that might help you:

      1. Set your local network up as a "metered connection". This will prevent Windows automatically downloading updates over it. Instead it will notify you that they are available and you can manually click the download button. This improves other apps too.

      Unfortunately this is a per-connection setting, so you have to watch out if you connect your laptop to other wifi networks etc.

      2. Go to the Windows Update advanced settings and select "Notify to schedule restart". That will prevent automatic restarts.

      3. If you have Pro or Enterprise, open gpedit.msc and go to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update. You can now configure updates more like they were in previous versions of Windows.

      The home edition of Windows 10 is a disaster. You need at least Pro, preferably Enterprise for it to be usable for any serious work, because those are the only editions that give you enough control to work safely.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by Ken+D · · Score: 1

      1. Set your local network up as a "metered connection". This will prevent Windows automatically downloading updates over it. Instead it will notify you that they are available and you can manually click the download button. This improves other apps too.

      Only works on wifi and only on wifi connections that are specifically set as metered. The instant you connect to a new wifi network, all updates come through. If you're connected via ethernet, then it just plain doesn't work at all.

      I had to go look this up. Didn't seem possible. Just another sign that the people at Microsoft don't understand networks or the Internet... still.

    5. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by omnichad · · Score: 1

      1. Set your local network up as a "metered connection". This will prevent Windows automatically downloading updates over it. Instead it will notify you that they are available and you can manually click the download button. This improves other apps too.

      Too bad they didn't have this option on Windows 7 when it downloaded Windows 10 without asking. I know people with cellular Internet as their only source and they hit their caps.

    6. Re:As someone who "upgraded" to Win10 by Espectr0 · · Score: 1

      1) Dragging a window and moving the mouse cursor up causes it and happens on older versions as well. Perhaps you are experiencing 2) ?
      2) I had the same behavior on 8.1 with old video card drivers, especially when using radmin to connect remotely. Try and update all drivers
      3) That happens on 8.x as well, disable wake on lan and also your usb keyboard and mouse ability to resume from power in device manager. Get out of a home group if you are in one. This is painful
      4) Happens on 8.x as well. On 10 you need to use the custom installer instead of the express one to at least get a shot of keeping your app settings (not all of them)
      5) You can defer updates for a few months. Also change its behavior to notify before reboot. Then at least you can defer the reboot for up to a week.

      I am on win10, use it only for gaming (desktop) and browsing (laptop), and have only experienced 3) but was able to solve it

  9. Critical by NicoNet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Next it will be a critical update.

  10. I recommend ... by CanadianRealist · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's my recommendation to Microsoft, go fuck yourself.

    You want to fuck up my Windows 7 machine? You want to fuck me with your ads and spying on me? See my recommendation above.

  11. Microsoft Recommendations by rcase5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've made it my business to never do what Microsoft recommends. That has served me well over the years.

    1. Re:Microsoft Recommendations by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Are you serious? This is a lot of work for "maybe" wanting to "upgrade" at some point. It's not worth it for most people, especially since most people will be stuck with whatever they get when they buy their next computer anyway, unless they're prepared to switch to another os at a future date, in which case, why bother?

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  12. Windows 10 doesn't work for everyone MS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This is annoying considering I've had to downgrade several laptops to Windows 7 recently because the Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 drivers simply don't work properly with each laptop for one reason or another. These laptops are between 6 - 24months old, but even with the manufacturers recommended drivers there have been severe driver issues, resulting in USB 2 and 3 controllers stopping randomly, display switching faults, and chipset driver conflicts. I've spent countless hours trying to resolve these issues but in the end, going back to Windows 7 has been the best thing I could've done. I am now going to need to disable automatic updates and remember to do so any time I need to reinstall Windows :( dammit Microsoft, not everyone wants Windows 10 Spyware Edition, nor does it work for every machine yet (or maybe ever considering the same driver issues have existed for 8, 8.1, and 10).

  13. Hands up everyone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    who misread the title saying Windows 7 and 8.1 were recommended updates for Windows 10.

    1. Re:Hands up everyone by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Informative

      What do you mean by "misread"? That's basically the recommendation of every security researcher.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  14. This is what happens when monopoly revenue falls.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Windows Revenue is down 50% because of the mobile revolution. Then there are technologies like Citrix that are challenging Microsoft's dominance in corporate America.

    The new business model is obvious; monetize non-business customers by trapping them in a windows through a walled garden while selling their personal information to the highest bidder while protecting the corporate deployment base.

    Microsoft thinks all their customers are mom and dad surfing e-mail on their home pc's when in reality they just killed tens of thousands of small businesses, small pc shops, SOHO offices and so forth running windows PC's with legacy code. This is the knucklehead moment where they behead themselves and the market realizes just how dangerous Microsoft really is. They are going to tick off a lot of people and impress nobody if they pull this off successfully; given the state of the market and computers in general I doubt they are going to get out of this unscathed.

  15. "Close laptop..." OMG!!! by careysb · · Score: 2

    This freaks me out
    "Close laptop, go to bed. Get up in the morning, laptop has installed updates and rebooted, wants your permission to continue"

  16. Re:microsoft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Insightful. Can you tell us more about your flower delivery business?

  17. Another FU for M$ by n0w0rries · · Score: 5, Informative

    They don't consider how this crap works in a slow internet environment. I'm on boat in Mexico. Internet is slow when you can get it at all. I don't have the bandwidth for your ads and your spyware. I need weather data! Ever try and use outlook on slow internet? it spends most of it's time [not responding]!

    I had a situation where my long range wifi usb port pulled out. So I figured I'd just change my mac address on my notebook to the one that died so I can keep using the internet service I paid for... but NOOOOO they block me from doing that.

    What happened to when a computer used to be a tool? Now it's a spyware machine I'm supposed to pay for?!

    1. Re:Another FU for M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Ever try and use outlook on slow internet? it spends most of it's time [not responding]!

      I'm also in a land of little internet and Outlook is a constant thorn in my side. That particular issue stems from using IMAP instead of POP - every time you do something which requires a connection to the server (e.g. changing folders), Outlook will lock up until it's made the connection. Try deleting the account and trying with POP instead - works much better! Alternatively if you're using Google Apps with Outlook, their Sync plugin performs significantly better than IMAP too: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync

    2. Re:Another FU for M$ by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      Thy get it. You're not a big enough demographic to worry about. FWIW, I've lived on a boat off of LaPaz, BC :)

    3. Re:Another FU for M$ by camperdave · · Score: 5, Informative

      What happened to when a computer used to be a tool? Now it's a spyware machine I'm supposed to pay for?!

      It's still a tool, just one for the other team.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    4. Re:Another FU for M$ by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 1

      They don't consider how this crap works in a slow internet environment. I'm on boat in Mexico.

      I'd say it doesn't matter what Microsoft does to Windows at this point. You've already won the game :)

    5. Re:Another FU for M$ by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

      The next time my co-workers give me a hard time because I insist on using POP3 on my laptop, I'm going to point them at this post. Thanks!

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    6. Re:Another FU for M$ by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 3, Funny

      They don't consider how this crap works in a slow internet environment. I'm on boat in Mexico.

      El Chapo Guzman?

    7. Re:Another FU for M$ by luther349 · · Score: 1

      for you usage run linux.

    8. Re:Another FU for M$ by mattventura · · Score: 1

      Or just use an IMAP client that actually works decently.

  18. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's very confusing how Mucrosoft says they want everyone to upgrade, but they block Vista and all Enterprise versions.

    Well, that does make Enterprise worth the money...

  19. Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to do.. by mykepredko · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Just in case you're looking for another reason not to switch.

    I put this conversation up as a discussion topic here on /. - http://answers.microsoft.com/e...

    Com port management has never been great in Windows and in Win 10, if you are doing device development work or working with different devices which allocate com ports, you may find yourself running out of them and/or applications no longer working because the allocated port number is higher than the range the application handles.

    Very disappointing non-response by Microsoft and their employees.

  20. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yep. They just made all those alternatives (Android tablets, chrombooks, Mac, Linux...) a lot more attractive.

  21. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 2

    Indeed, I'm glad I used my MSDN to install 7E on all my machines. No stealth OS upgrades...

  22. Re:Does Powershell run on linux? by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

    I need Azure powershell for work. Too bad ps will not run in linux...

    Really? http://superuser.com/questions...

  23. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

    I just LOVE the advise that there is some issue with your hard drive, or by booting into Safe Mode that too will somehow fix it.

  24. I am wondering what would happen after 1 year by mark-t · · Score: 3, Interesting

    During the leadup to the release of Windows 10 at the end of July of last year, I remember that they were repeatedly stating that it would only be free to current Windows users for the first year after its initial public release (July 29, 2015).

    Given MS's actions since with regards to Windows 10 and how they are pushing the upgrade that people have to explicitly opt out of, I believe it is quite apparent that they were only saying that to try and encourage people to adopt it early, and never had any intent to charge for it at all.

    1. Re:I am wondering what would happen after 1 year by Scorch_Mechanic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      At this point I expect that the supposed cutoff date will roll around, and then one of two things will happen:

      1) They start charging whatever they're charging for it. But it won't stop being a "Recommended" update for 7 and 8.1. Meaning of course that some loser will turn updates back on or boot up a laptop that spent seven months without a battery, get updated, and suddenly find their copy of Windows 10 isn't licensed and they have a thirty day countdown. Pay up, sucker.

      2) Nothing happens. It remains free. Eventually Microsoft will get around to yanking the updates, but probably not before something like option one happens. Credits to carrots the nagware will stick around though, just different. And no way are the telemetry updates getting removed.

      Look deep into your heart. Which one do you think is gonna happen?

      --
      You should turn signatures off.
    2. Re:I am wondering what would happen after 1 year by mark-t · · Score: 1
      Option 2. I had at one point considered the possibility of Option 1.... where users who did not pay up after a trial period would no longer be able to use their computer until they did pay, which would effectively turn Windows 10 into ransomware, but the legal consequences to Microsoft on that avenue would be too severe for even Microsoft to withstand.

      Still... it could be a very interest summer. Don't forget to make popcorn.

    3. Re:I am wondering what would happen after 1 year by vandamme · · Score: 1

      After July 29, they will start paying you to install it.

  25. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    saving is good practice, but your machine should not be rebooting or waking up unless you've set it to do so.

  26. Re:If you're still mucking about with com ports... by Pentium100 · · Score: 1

    A lot of USB devices internally use USB-to-RS232 converters (see the recent FTDI problem) and are detected as a COM port by Windows.

  27. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by mykepredko · · Score: 3, Insightful

    At least I wasn't told to reimage the PC...

  28. Re:microsoft by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    but wut all user update their window and maximum use 4 window 10?

  29. Re:If you're still mucking about with com ports... by AmazingRuss · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's .... ugly. I had no idea.

  30. Re:If you're still mucking about with com ports... by mykepredko · · Score: 1

    Actually, I'm not mucking around with com ports.

    BT SPP has com ports allocated as a matter of course. For my product, I communicate with the product directly using RFCOMM so no muss, no fuss.

    The issue is that when the device is no longer paired with the Windows PC, it does not de-allocate the com ports (this is not a problem with Macs or Linux) and with previous versions of Windows, they can be de-allocated (it's a bit of a cumbersome procedure, but it does the trick) but the process doesn't work with Windows 10.

  31. But why? by ErstO · · Score: 2

    Why does MS feel its so important for us to upgrade?
    I’m happy with Win 7, and the accounting program we use in the office is not Win 10 ready, and many of the games I play are not Win 10 ready.
    I don't understand why MS feels they have to force Win 10 on us when many are perfectly happy with the Win we have.

    1. Re:But why? by SeaFox · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Why does MS feel its so important for us to upgrade?
      I don't understand why MS feels they have to force Win 10 on us when many are perfectly happy with the Win we have.

      Because Microsoft wants to spy on you for financial gain.
      People running 7 and 8.1 can avoid the updates that add the spying to them, but since it's baked into Win10 you can't avoid it so easily then, so the obvious course for Microsoft is to trick people into upgrading to 10.

      Given the overwhelming majority of people are on Windows -- I kinda wonder if Microsoft is really the only one doing the collection of data off of it.

    2. Re:But why? by Z00L00K · · Score: 2

      Aside from Spyware they want to sell Apps to you.

      Apps that may do the same thing as you have for free in Win 7.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    3. Re:But why? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      People running 7 and 8.1 can avoid the updates that add the spying to them, but since it's baked into Win10

      Part of the operating system now, like IE?

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    4. Re:But why? by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      Pretty much, yes.

      When I first saw the Windows 10 update in my tray and went "wait, WTF is this shit", while I was identifying it and tracking it down, some of the updates were literally updating the Windows Update and other system components to add "telemetry" and other shit.

      They were updating the OS to help them track how successful they are at updating the OS, the adoption rates, and track how badly they fucked up the process. They were also adding ad frameworks and other crap.

      They really did start pushing updates which bakes all of this shit into the existing OS's, so they could update you to an OS with even more of this shit.

      To hell with Windows 10, I'm simply only taking security updates for my 8.1 desktop ... I'm not running that shit.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    5. Re:But why? by penguinoid · · Score: 1

      Because Microsoft wants to spy on you for financial gain.

      Oh, it's worse than that. Microsoft wants to own your machine. They want to be able to run whatever code they want on your machine, whenever they want. Which, if you think about it, is exactly what automatic updates means. Guess what OS forces you to automatically update?

      PS: Windows 10, for now, allows you to block automatic updates. But it's hidden as "Network & Internet" > "Set as metered connection".

      --
      Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
    6. Re:But why? by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      PS: Windows 10, for now, allows you to block automatic updates. But it's hidden as "Network & Internet" > "Set as metered connection".

      I don't know what the point of that would be. Once you're on Windows 10 the cat's out of the bag as far as telemetry and control, and turning automatic updates off means you don't get any of the updates that fix the myriad of issues people experience with the new operating system. Once you have Windows 10, you want updates to come.

  32. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    in reality they just killed tens of thousands of small businesses, small pc shops, SOHO offices and so forth running windows PC's with legacy code.

    So what? The value of a Windows 7/8/8.1 user is $0 to Microsoft. The value of a Windows 10 user is $x per year. The only thing that matters is converting as many people as possible to Windows 10. If in the process they break a PC that cannot possibly run Window 10, then it's not a loss.

  33. ReactOS by sydbarrett74 · · Score: 1

    Maybe one of these years ReactOS will become a viable for the non-neckbeard set.

    --
    'He who has to break a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.' -- Gandalf to Saruman
    1. Re:ReactOS by sydbarrett74 · · Score: 1

      EDIT: 'viable option'

      --
      'He who has to break a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.' -- Gandalf to Saruman
    2. Re:ReactOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Not if the Fine Brothers have anything to say about it.

    3. Re:ReactOS by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Probably the same year HURD becomes a viable alternative to Linux.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  34. It still doesn't feel finished by NotSoHeavyD3 · · Score: 1

    I mean I'm dual booting it with Win 8.1 (with classic shell) but Win10 has issue for me. Most notably how often it ignores when I click on the windows icon and the UI kind of locks up. (Mouse still works but I have to wait a minute before whatever it's doing finishes then the UI starts updating.) Actually the latest was I was logged into one account, switched to a Microsoft account and then it wouldn't let me log out to go back to the first one. (Those spinning balls kept going for 10 minutes, I just reset the whole system.) Anyway I guess maybe in another 6 months it'll be ready for prime time.

    --
    Did you know 80 to 90% of the moderators on slashdot wouldn't recognize a troll even if one dragged them under a bridge.
    1. Re:It still doesn't feel finished by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      IME, Win10 is the least stable Windows since the DOS based versions. On my desktop, it borked my internet, though that was actually a good thing, since it gave me an excuse to switch to Ubuntu. On my laptop, the video driver keeps hiccuping, and if I close the lip without manually putting it into sleep, I get a f**dup screen and have to reboot.

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  35. Reading between the lines by scdeimos · · Score: 4, Insightful
    From TFA:

    ...we are committed to making it easy for our Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to upgrade to Windows 10.

    In other words they're making it as difficult as possible to avoid upgrading.

    1. Re:Reading between the lines by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 1

      From TFA:

      ...we are committed to making it easy for our Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to upgrade to Windows 10.

      In other words they're making it as difficult as possible to avoid upgrading.

      Yeah, at this point I think lots of until-recently customers would like to make it easy for Microsoft's executives to walk into a moving baseball bat.

  36. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by camperdave · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why don't you test to HTML standards instead? That way your website will work no matter who browses it.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  37. YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by ArylAkamov · · Score: 2

    Although I have a number of legitimate copies of Win7, I much prefer my pirated copy that disables all updates.

    Yeah, yeah, security/viruses. IDGAF when it's been a decade since I've gotten one and I back everything up. Don't download or browse sketchy shit.

    1. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      What? You can easily disable updates in legitimate version of Windows 7.

    2. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      2. Don't open hawtsexyclinton.mov.exe when it arrives in your inbox.

      Ffft. It didn't work anyway.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by sociocapitalist · · Score: 1

      Although I have a number of legitimate copies of Win7, I much prefer my pirated copy that disables all updates.

      Yeah, yeah, security/viruses. IDGAF when it's been a decade since I've gotten one and I back everything up. Don't download or browse sketchy shit.

      Like dodgy copies of the OS maybe?

      --
      blindly antisocialist = antisocial
    4. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by nine-times · · Score: 1

      Although I have a number of legitimate copies of Win7, I much prefer my pirated copy that disables all updates.

      But... but.... then you miss out on all of the advantages of Windows being "genuine". I can't believe you would want to miss out on those advantages!

    5. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      You have no idea what you are talking about, right?

    6. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by WallyL · · Score: 1

      2. Don't open hawtsexyclinton.mov.exe when it arrives in your inbox.

      Ffft. It didn't work anyway.

      It worked for me, but all it did was install an email server.

    7. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Ohhhh, so it's yet another propaganda spiel from the GOP, can't they finally let this "Hillary and her mail server" bit rest?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:YAR HAR, FIDDLE DE DE by WallyL · · Score: 1

      Ohhhh, so it's yet another propaganda spiel from the GOP, can't they finally let this "Hillary and her mail server" bit rest?

      When Hilary's political career gets to rest, that's when this topic may rest.

  38. Just follow these simple instructions by safetyinnumbers · · Score: 4, Informative

    "How to manage Windows 10 notification and upgrade options:" https://support.microsoft.com/...

    1. Re:Just follow these simple instructions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Forget that nonsense, I found this to be much easier:

      http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

      Was having lot's of problems on a Windows 7 laptop; amazing how much faster it runs once the Windows 10 crap was removed! Not to mention freed up a lot of disk space, apparently the reason our internet has been sucking so much was Windows downloading the Win 10 installer or some nonsense. That tool worked perfectly for me, resolved all the issues I was having.

    2. Re:Just follow these simple instructions by Waccoon · · Score: 1

      Gee, and it only requires me to have all the latest updates installed as prerequisites.

      Why install the spyware/telemetry/nagware updates first, then struggle to disable them? As has been demonstrated with Windows10, I can't trust that MS won't alter my preferences at any time they choose.

  39. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by ITRambo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Windows 10 is terribly unpredictable. It'll sleep with your wife if you leave the room.

  40. Re:gwx_control_panel by Z00L00K · · Score: 2

    And don't you think that Microsoft will find a way to disable the GWX control panel and push Win 10 anyway?

    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  41. Re:If you're still mucking about with com ports... by Pentium100 · · Score: 2

    It is like this because not all MCUs support USB device mode netively and also because it is easier to program the MCU to communicate in RS232 and then stick the converter chip between it and USB and then use the driver provided by the manufacturer of the chip instead of writing your own. This is suitable if the device does not need high speeds, the FTDI chips can do about 1mbps IIRC.

    This is great for things like device programmers, 3d printers, diagnostic and/or control of industrial machines and other low bandwidth applications.

    Of course, real serial ports are still used, for example for console access of a managed switch (mainly for initial configuration or recovery) or other similar devices. Hell, I even use serial console (on linux) on a couple of servers to hopefully get some diagnostic information if the server crashes.

  42. July 29th 2016 can't come soon enough by WaffleMonster · · Score: 1

    What do you think happens after the 1 year anniversary of Windows 10 launch?

    Will Microsoft finally stop harassing everyone to get its way?

    Will an indefinite extension be announced at the last minute?

    Will windows 10 become a critical security update? Will it be installed as an update to windows update? Will the nag screens ever go away?

    1. Re:July 29th 2016 can't come soon enough by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      What happens at the 1 year anniversary?

      It becomes a critical update. Duh. But as a bonus, as soon as it's done the nag screens will disappear. At least the ones you get now.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:July 29th 2016 can't come soon enough by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      What do you think happens after the 1 year anniversary of Windows 10 launch?

      If adoption rates are still unimpressive, I imagine Nadella gives a mea culpa speech as he decides to spend more time with his family, and the new CEO starts making highly publicised changes in strategic direction as soon as possible to reassure the big corporate customers and to some extent home users that Microsoft is still looking out for them.

      What that direction would be is interesting, as Microsoft is one of the few IT giants that probably still has the resources and credibility to shift the entire industry. Apple is another. Both seem to have lost their focus in recent years, but one or two big new ideas could change that.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
  43. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Harlequin80 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I had one worse than that. Playing Fallout 4, not triggered an autosave in a while, hit esc so its paused while I have dinner, come back to my linux log in screen. Windows had decided to reboot my machine for updates WHILE a full screen program was running. Brilliant.

  44. Most people don't defend against creeping abuse. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 2

    I agree. Microsoft seems to be moving toward a subscription model. That means that all computers using Windows will have to connect to the internet frequently, otherwise Windows won't work. Adobe Systems does that with Adobe CS6.

    Most people don't defend themselves against slowly increasing abuse.

  45. "Free from Microsoft" is an oxymoron by shanen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been posing (and pondering) this question ever since I was convinced that Microsoft was not charging money for the upgrade to Windows 10:

    Why?

    One of the major business model innovations underlying Microsoft's "success" is ignoring the end user. Microsoft has increasingly focused on selling to the makers and the end users are basically forced to go along. Yeah, Apple survived (after a near death experience), but I'm still doubtful that the most creative accountants can show profits from the OS side of their business model. Linux remains a niche player for lack of any good business models, but MS got fat from the manufacturers.

    Now Microsoft suddenly bites the hands that have been feeding it? Actually, more like gnawing off the arms at the elbows. The makers are in a commodity business of the nastiest, lowest-profits sort, and many of them can't afford to skip the new-box sales for a year or so, just because so many older machines suddenly become like-new again.

    MS has plenty of cash in the bank. "Honey badger don't care" which makers survive. There will be at least a couple of makers around to sell new computers, and Microsoft will just pick up where it left off. However, it has also become pretty clear they are trying to muscle in on part of Apple's business model, and maybe the google's, as well.

    Evidently all the makers can say is "That hurts."

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  46. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by shanen · · Score: 1

    If I had a mod point to my name, I'd give you an extra insightful, even though you didn't mention the key word I was searching for, privacy. Also, I'd refer you to my comment about the business models in relation to gnawing the arms off the makers...

    "Free from Microsoft" is an oxymoron.

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  47. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

    Yep. They just made all those alternatives (Android tablets, chrombooks, Mac, Linux...) a lot more attractive.

    Like hell they did. First off, the reason the many small shops haven't upgraded Windows (let alone migrated to another OS) is because they're running legacy applications - not available on later versions of Windows *or* on alternative OS's. And when those places do go to upgrade - long odds are any replacement application is only available for Windows. (Not to mention, the average Joe goes for what he knows, not the neckbeards wet dream.)

  48. Re:Most people don't defend against creeping abuse by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When a business no longer provides a worthwhile product or service which it can sell, it switches to lock-in/rent-seeking mode.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  49. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by jones_supa · · Score: 1

    "Close laptop, go to bed. Get up in the morning, laptop has installed updates and rebooted, wants your permission to continue"

    Windows 10 will always ask when you want to restart.

    You can also go to Advanced Power Settings and disable scheduled timers if you don't want to wake up your laptop to install updates.

  50. Media Center by Hamsterdan · · Score: 1

    I know about Myth TV, but Media Center does everything I need it to do, even drives my VFD display using Media Center Magic, Been using it since MCE 2005. Yes I blocked every updates, but for Joe Six Pack it's gonna be a downgrade. GWX control panel can help, but not everyone knows about it.

    Unless Microsoft gives me a way to use my tuners in win 10, I'm not upgrading.

    --
    I've got better things to do tonight than die.
  51. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    if you are doing device development work or working with different devices which allocate com ports, you may find yourself running out of them and/or applications no longer working because the allocated port number is higher than the range the application handles.

    Weird because you would think with more powerful systems, the OS would be updated to handle more ports. No reason to keep the limit artificially low.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  52. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by Blaskowicz · · Score: 2

    It makes it worthwhile to install a pirate Enterprise version over a legit Home or Pro one.
    Heck, in the bad old days it was a good idea to do that to get rid of Norton etc. crapware and claim back gigabytes lost in a recovery partition.

  53. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    If I only could still upgrate to get this worse treatment.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  54. Way around it by 24-bit+Voxel · · Score: 1

    I did a search off the link in the article for the exact KB number for the update.

    It's KB 3035583

    This is actually old news, this has been in recommended updates for a little while now. It only shows up if you have your network type set to "home" instead of "work" or whatever the 3rd one is.

    So, change your network type to 'work' and you're good.

    1. Re:Way around it by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Fascinating. So the behavior of "Work network" is the same as "Domain network"? If so, yeah, that will do the trick. Thanks!

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    2. Re:Way around it by Banana+Slamma · · Score: 1

      At least from my own experience it is still in the optional section. Have not looked at any computers today to see if it has moved over yet.

    3. Re:Way around it by Maximalist · · Score: 1

      Here's the list of WU KB#s that I've been removing recently to counter this stuff:

      from CMD you can run the remove operation using this format:

      wusa /uninstall /kb:2505438 /quiet /norestart

      I do it to all of the following:

      kb:2902907, kb:2952664, kb:2977759, kb:2990214, kb:3021917, kb:3022345, kb:3035583, kb:3044374, kb:3050265, kb:3065987, kb:3068708, kb:3075249, kb:3075851, kb:3075853, kb:3080149

  55. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Microsoft provides full instructions to disable the Windows 10 update offering.

  56. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

    Not an Apple fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I bought my wife a MacBook Pro last year, just to get her off Windows and thus purge our home of its last vestige of Windows.

    Oh, BTW... Right-click worked just fine on the MCP from the moment we plugged in a two-button USB mouse. Just so you know.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  57. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Well, I think being free from any MS product doesn't sound that bad.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  58. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by jones_supa · · Score: 1

    That window itself is the prompt. Windows 10 informs in a notification about new updates being available and then that particular window shows up. It does not allow to completely skip updates, but it always asks what to do, so updates don't happen behind your back.

  59. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by inasity_rules · · Score: 1

    Thanks for the heads up on that one. This is a show-stopper bug for me. I was considering the path forward from Windows 7. It appears there isn't one.

    --
    I have determined that my sig is indeterminate.
  60. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Which amounts to "disable Windows 10 update by installing spyware we've backported into Windows 7 and 8". No thanks.

  61. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Luckyo · · Score: 1

    Do you realise that "stabbing in the back" does in fact "happen behind the back"?

    Just because sharp pain alerts you to being stabbed, doesn't make it any less of a "suddenly coming from behind" situation.

  62. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by cyber-vandal · · Score: 3, Informative

    Spoken like someone who's never written a public facing website

  63. Shouldn't Push the Update by skam240 · · Score: 2

    I was just dealing with the fallout from Microsoft's upgrade push today. My mother upgraded from 7 to 10 and 10 would no longer support the 1600 x 900 her shitty HP monitor wanted to do. If I hadnt come along she would have been stuck on an extremely low rez setting (which is all Wondows 10 would support on her monitor) for god only knows how long because there was no driver update for her crappy on board video card to solve the problem.

    Was that specifically Miscrosofts fault? No.

    Should they have been pushing an OS upgrade like they were on people with old crappy hardware? the answer is also no.

    I put her back on system 7 and everything works fine now.

    --
    I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
  64. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by jones_supa · · Score: 1

    I have no idea what you are talking about.

  65. Microsoft tells you how to block the upgrade by jwdonal · · Score: 1

    What's the problem? Microsoft tells you how to block the automatic upgrade right on their own site. https://support.microsoft.com/...

  66. You are overreacting by maelkum · · Score: 1

    Watch out for Fine Brothers...

  67. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

    Or possibly just ignorant. Ignorance != "whiny, retarded, shit-for-brains".

    *Wilful* ignorance is a different story. But I see no indication that this is the case here, so I'll go with the benefit of the doubt thing until I see evidence to the contrary.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  68. Windows server 2016 on desktop by Zarhan · · Score: 2

    I'm going to get a new gaming PC sometime next year, and probably I'd "have to" run Windows 10 on it.

    Luckily, I can still get Windows Server 2016 from Dreamspark.

    Looks like it will have all the features of Windows 10 with bits that allow you to turn OFF all the nastinesses.You can just install Audio and DirectX support and play. I know of friends who have done this with Windows Server 2012, so it should be ok.

    As a bonus, I can have a domain controller in my home, so that if wife ever needs to have Windows 10 in her computer, we can just have it join the domain and remain in our control, not Microsoft's.

    1. Re:Windows server 2016 on desktop by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      Server is not a good client platform. The reason is the threading and quantums are optimized for background services and loads. Not lower latency and applications.

      Also you will be prompted why you are shutting down each time and sleep won't be enabled by default etc. Server 2016 has per core (not cpu licensing!). So if you want to pay $2400 for your quad core be my guess :-)

      Oh and if you try to crack the bootloader it will be much harder as MS records a copy of your fingerprinted hardware serial IDs to generate a public key. I know you mentioned dreamspark but still.

      I would stick with Windows 10. You gain apps too which are coming more useful. The spyware scare is just cortana entering keyword searches. Totally overblown and rediculous. Of course MS needs to let hte user knows when he or she types in an internet search it will go to the internet duh.

    2. Re:Windows server 2016 on desktop by vandamme · · Score: 1

      Get a Steam Box.

  69. Question by sociocapitalist · · Score: 1

    Why does DirectX have such a hold on gamers?

    Is there nothing out there strong enough to compete and let people get off of windows?

    --
    blindly antisocialist = antisocial
    1. Re:Question by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Why does DirectX have such a hold on gamers?

      Because 3dfx made their own API (GLIDE) instead of implementing MiniGL from the outset. That opened the door for Microsoft to do the same thing, even though they already had a software OpenGL implementation in-house. (An old, crap one, to be fair, but at least it was something.) You can thank 3dfx for their non-standards-based driver for Direct3D even being a thing.

      Is there nothing out there strong enough to compete and let people get off of windows?

      That's not what this is about. People didn't use Direct3D because it was the best thing. They used it because they were windows developers and it was the primary windows way to do 3D graphics. Now we are stuck with it due to inertia. Most of the time, OpenGL has actually been superior to D3D. Hell, in the early days of D3D you literally couldn't plot a pixel over a 3D display without using GDI! Criminal. But people used it anyway because Microsoft said so.

      The other thing that helped D3D proliferate was Microsoft's game consoles, for which it was the only 3D API. Those games regularly get "ported" to the PC, which basically means the input code gets rejiggered. Obviously, those are all D3D titles.

      With that said, any indie developer who uses Direct3D is a dildo.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Question by sociocapitalist · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the explanation -

      --
      blindly antisocialist = antisocial
  70. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

    Ha! I don't have a wife!

    Foiled again, Microsoft!

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  71. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 2

    You say that like it (not being made to downgrade to 10) is a bad thing.

    Man am I glad I scraped every vestige of the Win10 malware droppers out of both my system and the machines of assorted family and neighbours I support some months ago, and switched Windows Update to manual. Now I can control what does (security fixes) and doesn't (the Win10 droppers) get installed.

  72. Re: "Close laptop..." OMG!!! by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

    That should be off by default.

  73. Drivers are a massive issue for older computers by Centurix · · Score: 2

    I've had a couple of family members bring me their laptops with Windows 10 issues. While I'm for people learning about their own computers and taking decisive actions, but the current Windows 10 upgrade push is irresponsible. From Microsoft's perspective things are looking great if this works. More people will be on the later versions of Windows. Great for them.

    But this push is advertised to EVERYONE, regardless of hardware age. So that older Toshiba laptop gets an upgrade courtesy of grandma pushing yes to the Windows 10 prompt. Everything installs correctly until a week down the track when there's obviously something wrong with the NVidia drivers, or the bluetooth stack. Head off to the Toshiba support site to grab drivers and only 8.1 is supported with NO intention of providing anything later. And they aggressively version check in the setup, so a very manual installation is required. Same goes for HP.

    While I think it's great getting everyone on a level playing field. I think they really should make sure that the hardware is supported by the vendors before recommending the upgrade.

    --
    Task Mangler
    1. Re:Drivers are a massive issue for older computers by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      But this push is advertised to EVERYONE, regardless of hardware age.

      Yes. That means that this upcoming garage sale season there will be assloads of PCs which have been auto-upgraded to Win10 and which no longer work correctly available for sale, cheap! Because most Windows users just buy a new PC when theirs goes tits up. It's so expensive to have them maintained that a new box is cheaper, if you buy budget.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  74. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fa by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

    Yes it does. You just need to turn it on in the settings.

  75. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by complete+loony · · Score: 3, Informative

    Games usually close without prompting when you press ALT+F4. They can handle the WM_CLOSE & WM_QUERYENDSESSION events; open a "Do you really want to quit" dialog and prevent a logoff. But I haven't seen many games that do this properly.

    --
    09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
  76. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by MrL0G1C · · Score: 1

    No-where there does it say 'don't reboot without me clocking to confirm it'.

    It's all options to reboot without your say so.

    --
    Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
  77. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 5, Funny

    Windows 10 is terribly unpredictable. It'll sleep with your wife if you leave the room.

    That happened to me the other day. My wife said the laptop went to sleep on her after ten minutes, just like me.

  78. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by jones_supa · · Score: 1

    Yeah, whatever man.

  79. I just checked my STEAM profile by waspleg · · Score: 1

    at steamdb.info

    27% of my games (117/432) will run under Linux and almost none of them are the big AAA titles. GabeN is on the right track but they need to move faster.

    1. Re:I just checked my STEAM profile by Harlequin80 · · Score: 1

      I agree that most of the AAA ones aren't there but that is mainly because they are the same engine that has been used for the last 5 versions of said AAA game. When those engines are replaced I suspect they will be written with linux support and then AAA games will come out for linux because there is limited extra costs.

      An upcoming example is Xcom 2. Other major ones are the borderland series, Civ Series, ARC, Bioshock. But true you won't find Fallout or BF or Call of Duty. Those will have to wait for a new engine.

    2. Re:I just checked my STEAM profile by waspleg · · Score: 2

      Witcher 3 is the best game I've played in recent memory and probably the best RPG I've *ever* played (as a gamer of 30+ years) and it's not on the support list ;/ Waiting for Blood and Wine with my season pass.

      I'll stay on Windows 7 as long as I can as a gamer but I will under no circumstances "upgrade" to 10 and I actively steer people away from it. The sad thing is there are really no commercial alternatives that they can just go buy something. No one wants to learn how to install Linux - even something "easy".

      Apple is just as bad or worse than Microsoft, Google is the lesser of the major evils but getting progressively worse as time goes by. I think there are probably some family members I could put on Mint or something but the second they try to go like install a little kids game for Windows and it doesn't work they'll raise hell and doing free support sucks, while they periodically fuck up their Windows machines they at least have some (very) modest ability to use it.

      I can't say "just get an X that runs Y" because for my g/f's parents or whoever it doesn't exist that supports their existing program and no one likes changes - especially "senior citizens".

    3. Re:I just checked my STEAM profile by Harlequin80 · · Score: 1

      I agree with everything you said. The only difference is Mint is my primary OS and I only boot into windows to play games. So I actually don't care about the windows 10 spying. It has been so long since I have used windows of any kind for anything other than games that it has moved into the same territory in my mind as consoles. If I want to play a game I turn the console on via dual boot.

  80. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    WOOSH!
    Looks like someone can't see a blatant joke.

  81. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by TheDarkMaster · · Score: 1

    Hum, no. Is more like the original developers have retired and been replaced by incompetent script kiddies who made the last versions of Windows Live Messenger. The new kids knows nothing about serious work.

    --
    Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
  82. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by BlacKSacrificE · · Score: 2

    Give it time man, the threads now 4 pages deep. Ramesh has to be getting close to the end of his script by now!

    --
    [Sorry, this signature is unavailable in your country/region]
  83. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I had one worse than that. Playing Fallout 4, not triggered an autosave in a while, hit esc so its paused while I have dinner, come back to my linux log in screen. Windows had decided to reboot my machine for updates WHILE a full screen program was running. Brilliant.

    This technology was pioneered by Microsoft waaayyyyyy
    back in Windows 95. LAN game, midnight hits, all the Windows PCs drop to the desktop and show a dialog saying that Windows is about to be rebooted for daylight savings time. All the windows users scream, all the DOS users laugh and laugh, and those of us familiar with Unix as well point and laugh, because a system that needs to reboot because the clock needs to change is beyond hilarious.

    Microsoft is the retard in the room. They are completely beyond incompetence, technically. If it weren't for their illegal anticompetitive behavior under Bill Gates, Career Criminal, today it would be "Microsoft who?"

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  84. If they only considered the customer by n2hightech · · Score: 1

    At one time an upgrade was an upgrade. Things worked better, faster, simpler and you got some nifty new features. It was more stable and secure. Now every new upgrade seems to come with many undesirable side effects. Interfaces change. Settings move or are eliminated. Productivity drops. Stuff that used to work does not. After a couple of times having updates/upgrades break your system you turn the updates off. If Microsoft had done a better job of crafting updates to not break or change settings so the system remained stable as far as the user was concerned then people would welcome the changes. I have still not forgiven Microsoft for the switch to the damned Ribbon interface in their office products.

  85. This is all wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Microsoft fails to recognize that people paid for their previous Windows and that gives them a right to use it as long as it is supported. The other issue that comes with being so aggressive with upgrading is that some user have devices that do not have enough internal storage to even install the upgrade. Yet, somehow the Windows install too never recognizes this until its gone through the first stages of installing? Why is it, that it cannot check to see if there is room when checking for compatibility? On top of that I have experienced a few USB storage devices that Windows install does not even recognize when it asks for an external device to expand storage. Bottom line this is a mess for end users and will seriously upset some users who feel Microsoft is overstepping their bounds.

  86. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Alumoi · · Score: 1

    Close laptop means close the lid, not power off, mind you.

  87. Re:Most people don't defend against creeping abuse by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Adobe Systems does that with Adobe CS6.

    Or indeed anything from CS3 on, which is why I'm still using CS2. Remember when Adobe published the download links and the registration keys to the public internet? Those were good times.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  88. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by carnivore302 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I predict new pc sales will go through the roof. My dad asked me to upgrade his laptop to windows 10. Three hours later, he had a new OS, but without wifi and lan. That's the time I realized his laptop is too old. Tried a quick search for drivers, put them on a usb stick etc, but couldn't get it to work within half an hour. To put an end to the frustration I bought him a new laptop. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have given up so soon, but it's better for everyone this way.

    --
    Please login to access my lawn
  89. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    Funny that, maybe because triggering a full computer shutdown is something that is not normally done while a full screen program is blocking the screen. People multitask a lot and often leave programs open with unsaved features, but rarely do people multi-task with games to the point that they need to be reminded to save their work because the user decided to erroneously shutdown without closing a program first.

    The other problem of course is that the OS forces the issue if the programs don't eventually respond, so if someone is out getting some food they won't have time to get back and save.

  90. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Short-sighted manager-think. The value of a satisfied Windows 7 user is that the next PC they buy will be a Windows PC. There are people who call me to set up their Wifi repeater and while I'm there they ask me about Linux. That's the level of dissatisfaction that MS produces at the moment. Can you imagine a Microsoft which derives most of its revenue from peddling the office suite to MacOS users? No? Me neither.

  91. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    My wife said the laptop went to sleep on her after ten minutes, just like me.

    Ten minutes? What do you do for the other eight?

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  92. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by StormReaver · · Score: 1

    ...given the state of the market and computers in general I doubt they are going to get out of this unscathed.

    I disagree. Having watched Microsoft do this to people year after year (do you seriously believe this is a first for Microsoft?), it's obvious that the sheep will be sheep. Very few in the general Microsoft-using public will listen to the shephard who tells them that the predator eats sheep.

    Microsoft will be hurt by mobile and, to a lesser extent, LibreOffice. But the general public is so accustomed to being abuse by Microsoft that they don't even notice for what it is (and never have).

  93. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by nctritech · · Score: 1

    My printer is an HP LaserJet 4000. It's ancient. It still works 100% perfectly and it takes super-huge super-cheap toner cartridges. By telling Windows 7 that it's a LJ 4100 PCL6, it still works wonderfully. I didn't even try it on Windows 8.x but if you try to use it on Windows 10 with ANY HP LaserJet driver, guess what? All text comes out as black boxes. All of it. Thus Windows 10 is a no-go because it discards support for my ancient but fully functional network printer. I understand "removing legacy cruft" but tossing support for the LJ 4000 is just stupid. Tons of those printers still exist and it's not like the internal workings are even remotely complicated.

    This whole "no support for older hardware" thing has been a massive pain; if an OS upgrade renders your perfectly workable peripheral unusable, I see that as a downgrade, and depending upon the particular piece of equipment it could be a very expensive one to replace. It made more sense when Vista was the first 64-bit Windows NT kernel to receive widespread "first-class" support and the 32-bit drivers didn't work, but at this point there is no excuse whatsoever for something that works on Vista 64-bit not having a driver that works on Win10 64-bit. Sometimes I wonder if Microsoft has an agreement with HP to force people to buy new printers and scanners through planned obsolescence.

  94. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Ken+D · · Score: 1

    Now's not good.
    Tomorrow? too soon to tell.
    Next Thursday? you're kidding right, how do I know what stuff I'll be in the middle of a whole week from now.

    How about never, is never good for you?
    Don't call me, I'll call you.

  95. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by Bert64 · · Score: 1

    Two buttons on trackpad and press = right click.
    If you have the recent apple mouse, although it hasnt got an obvious right button, pressing on the right side of it is a right click.
    OSX fully supports USB and bluetooth - connect any mouse you want.

    --
    http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
  96. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by Bert64 · · Score: 1

    The mom and dad surfing email users are already better served by an ipad or a chromebook, and stick with windows just because they don't know that the alternatives would suit them better.
    Microsoft wants to get people even more locked in before the chance to do so slips away, without a locked in user base they are entirely unable to compete, just look at their attempts in mobile.

    --
    http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
  97. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by sabbede · · Score: 1

    For free? Never. Like every other enterprise edition, getting the new version requires new licenses.

  98. we are committed to making it easy for our Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    and equally committed to making it hard to keep what is working

    Isn't it amazing how the marketing spin makes something that is pure pro MS to sound like is is pure pro customer.
    What's really sad here is having to choose between good for MS and good for the customer.
    A smart company would setup a win win situation.
    In trying to own both the computer and customer, MS is going to end up owning neither.

    What's really sad is that is a great niche for them as the entity building a reasonable os and browser to help protect us from all the other hucksters out here on the Internet.

  99. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

    I dunno, he still has "defrag hard drive" and "run a virus scan" on the list.

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
  100. Re: gwx_control_panel by ArchieBunker · · Score: 2

    Are there Linux replacements for SolidWorks, Altium Designer, or Adobe Premiere?

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
  101. Hmmm by koan · · Score: 1

    If a person using windows 7, say for their work happens to find that the computer upgraded overnight (automatically of course) and ruined the apps he or she needs, could there be successful litigation?

    Can M$ get proper fucked for doing this?

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  102. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by Holi · · Score: 1

    "Pity the Mac still doesn't have right-click."

    I was with you until the obvious troll.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  103. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fa by Holi · · Score: 1

    You haven't had to turn on anything in the settings for a long time.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  104. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 2

    LibreCAD, Altium runs through WiNE (I use it), OpenShot or KDEnLive. You're welcome.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  105. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    At least you _have_ a wife....all I have is the laptop.

  106. Re: gwx_control_panel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You seriously think those are replacements for Premiere? Obviously you've never done any teal work with Premiere. It's like the people who say that the GIMP can fully replace Photoshop.

  107. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by NotDrWho · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Jeebus, look at how complicated those instructions are just to disable it. If they had wanted to they could have made it a simple checkbox in the install pop-up.

    I don't know why MS is pushing this update so crazy hard. But it's made me NOT want to install it...not ever. I actually was interested in upgrading to Win10 at first. But seeing how aggressively they're pushing it has made me suspicious that something skeevy is going on here behind the scenes. No way am I going to install it now.

    --
    SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
  108. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    I'll let the real world speak for me: I used to use Photoshop, then I discovered The GIMP. I don't even HAVE a Photoshop CD anymore. The GIMP does everything *I* need an image editor to do.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  109. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

    The thing is, when they have to upgrade, now a different direction could very well make sense. Virtualizing and Remote Desktop solutions come in high on that list.

  110. It's malware. Sue them. by Chas · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seriously, the Win10 upgrade crap has reached the point where it's effectively malware.

    AV/Anti-Malware providers need to start killing it on an automated basis.

    And a lawsuit needs to be brought against Microsoft for infecting their users computers with it.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  111. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by ultranova · · Score: 1

    Spoken like someone who's never written a public facing website

    Just out of curiosity, what specific features of a public facing website can't be implemented in standard HTML and CSS?

    --

    Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.

  112. Re: gwx_control_panel by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

    LibreCAD, Altium runs through WiNE (I use it), OpenShot or KDEnLive. You're welcome.

    If you have to change your tools to accommodate the OS and not the other way around then it is not ready nor appropriate. I still run WIndows 8.1 just fine and it will stay 8.1. Everyone is totally overeacting.

    Both Apple and Linux update all the time. Why is it bad when Microsoft does this? Every try to support 5 different versions of the same OS and have users use 13 year old operating systems>?

  113. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

    Windows Revenue is down 50% because of the mobile revolution. Then there are technologies like Citrix that are challenging Microsoft's dominance in corporate America.

    The new business model is obvious; monetize non-business customers by trapping them in a windows through a walled garden while selling their personal information to the highest bidder while protecting the corporate deployment base.

    Microsoft thinks all their customers are mom and dad surfing e-mail on their home pc's when in reality they just killed tens of thousands of small businesses, small pc shops, SOHO offices and so forth running windows PC's with legacy code. This is the knucklehead moment where they behead themselves and the market realizes just how dangerous Microsoft really is. They are going to tick off a lot of people and impress nobody if they pull this off successfully; given the state of the market and computers in general I doubt they are going to get out of this unscathed.

    Not to join in on the anti MS parade here but do you have any evidence of this?

    The spying folks is for Cortana and bing web searches. RELAX and put the tin foil hats away? Yes MS needs input to do a search. Outside of Cortana is there any evidence MS is going through your documents and selling your information to 3rd parties?

    That is some serious liability and legal issues.

    I am not a MS fanboy at all. But I find it ironic that Chrome is cool here which do EXACTLY THAT TO 3rd parties. THe incentive to upgrade to Windows 10 is because MS does not want to support XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 and have developers target and do QA for EACH ONE. QA folks LOVE Windows 10 being the only OS. It cuts costs and enables them to use the latest features.

    Ubuntu 9.10 (age of Windows 7) does not run modern Linux apps, skylake cpus, nor Kraby lake, but everyone here nails MS as the anti christ for doing the same. Also try installing 2009 era MacOSX Snow Leopard on a 2016 iMac and see how far that gets you?

    I do not like WIndows 10 ATM and am not drinking the koolaid. I jsut honestly want to know if MS is selling information or is this a knee jerk reaction for those fearing change? The last users when we left XP was ridiculous as they tried to find any reason why 7 was the anti-christ.

  114. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by Algan · · Score: 1

    Hmm, that's funny, I've been using right clicks on my macs for the past 10 years or so... what am I going to do now that I know this feature does not exist???

    --
    If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
  115. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by mykepredko · · Score: 1

    With code development and debugging, it's not unusual for me to use up 30 com ports (don't forget that each pairing allocates two ports at a time) in a day with it sometimes going as high as 50.

    I *think* 255 is the limit in terms of com ports - at least that's where Windows 7 & 8 upchucked when I was doing the code development.

    I've got some tricks to delete the allocated ports that I can share with people on Windows 7 & 8 if there's interest.

  116. Re: gwx_control_panel by ichthus · · Score: 1

    Why is it bad when Microsoft does this?

    It is bad when Linux does it -- sometimes. Remember the backlash against Gnome 3 and Unity? This is why we have mate and Cinnamon desktops.
    But, that being said, it's worse in this case with Windows for a variety of reasons:

    * It's almost compulsory.
    * Windows 10 comes with a lot of privacy concerns
    * Windows 10 does not work on all systems it wants to install itself on (google "Something happened" for more info)

    Additionally, I HATE Microsoft and this is easy bash fodder. So, there's that.

    --
    sig: sauer
  117. Windows 7 slowing down by zwarte+piet · · Score: 1

    I'm not using windows much, I do almost all on Linux Mint kde, but I need it windows from time to time to compile and test the windows version of our product, but the last few times I booted windows 7 it slowed down to a crawl. Would the new updates have something to do with that?

  118. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Jeebus, look at how complicated those instructions are just to disable it. If they had wanted to they could have made it a simple checkbox in the install pop-up.

    Yes, but then people would have used it.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  119. "Aggressively"? Lol, no shit by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

    "Microsoft has been accused of pushing Windows 10 rather aggressively"

    In the same way that atom bombs are accused of being "rather loud".

    Yeah, fuck off, Microsoft. I DO NOT WANT Windows 10.

    If and when I do want it, I'm sure I'll manage to find a way to install it, but for now I don't want it, so stop trying to buttfuck my PC.

    I've been looking at Linux Mint, and this may be the thing that pushes me over the line to install it and leave MS behind.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  120. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by omnichad · · Score: 1

    Windows 10 will run Windows 7 drivers. Just install the Windows 7 driver manually. Why are you using Windows' built-in driver support?

  121. Re: gwx_control_panel by fibrewire · · Score: 1

    Apple didn't break compatibility with their old systems, in fact developed special tools to ease the transition between two completely different architectures!

  122. Re: This is what happens when monopoly revenue fal by omnichad · · Score: 1

    To be fair, their current mice don't even have a left-click button. Just guess where you think the button should be and press.

  123. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    interesting conclusion. As it happens, I do document archiving on a professional basis. Would you like to go double-or-nothing?

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  124. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

    But the general public is so accustomed to being abuse by Microsoft that they enjoy complaining as an excuse not to get their work done - and their bosses, teachers, and parents buy it.
    FTFY

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  125. Re:Most people don't defend against creeping abuse by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

    Mod Zontar up somebody! He has it in a nutshell.

    --
    Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
  126. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by omnichad · · Score: 1

    This is hilarious. Love the chkdsk recommendation, but not as much as safe mode where Bluetooth would be disabled anyway.

  127. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why not to use this situation to make him use Ubuntu or something of the linux world

  128. Re:If you're still mucking about with com ports... by chihowa · · Score: 1

    USB devices appearing to the OS as a serial port isn't terribly ugly and is a great way to keep from having to release drivers for each new OS. On the other hand...

    The way that Windows handles serial devices by assigning them COM numbers is ugly as fuck. If they would at the very least, call the port "COM+serialnumber", the situation would be much better.

    --
    If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
  129. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by unixisc · · Score: 1

    Yeah, they should be most aggressive about upgrading XP and Vista guys first, rather than 7. 8.1 I understand and agree w/ them

  130. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by tepples · · Score: 1

    It's copyright infringement to run OS X in any of those VM products unless you're running the VM product on a Mac. As far as I'm aware, it's impossible to run an OS X-exclusive proprietary app in anything but OS X, as GNUstep is only source compatible with Cocoa, not binary compatible.

  131. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by fbobraga · · Score: 1

    2016 is The Year of the Linux Desktop!

  132. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by tepples · · Score: 2

    what specific features of a public facing website can't be implemented in standard HTML and CSS?

    Those features whose implementation in standard HTML and CSS requires parts of the standard that widely deployed browsers implement either A. incompletely, B. incorrectly, or C. (for parts marked as implementation-defined) in a manner whose behavior matches neither of the major free browsers (Firefox and Chromium).

  133. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by tepples · · Score: 1

    Just for clarification, I was referring to the common requirement of making a website work in both Edge, which is exclusive to Windows 10, and recent Safari, which is exclusive to OS X.

  134. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by unixisc · · Score: 1

    I had the Close laptop problem. What was worse - sometimes, I had an open app w/ data that couldn't be saved but only transmitted, and when I woke up in the morning, the laptop had rebooted.

  135. An app should replay the Redo log by tepples · · Score: 1

    If shutdown or power loss results in loss of work, the application that you are using is broken. It ought to be saving uncommitted changes to your document to a log file, the same log file it uses for Undo and Redo. Then after the computer restarts, it can replay the Redo log and get you back to where you were.

  136. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by cytg.net · · Score: 1

    Yes yes, no need to grind it in .. You win, he knows !!

  137. nForce vs. Windows 10 by tepples · · Score: 1

    Windows 10 will run Windows 7 drivers.

    Then why does the Get Windows 10 app blame NVIDIA for keeping my Acer Aspire X1 PC with an nForce chipset incompatible with Windows 10?

    1. Re:nForce vs. Windows 10 by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Because Windows 7 will run Windows Vista graphics drivers. I don't think 10 will run Vista drivers. I don't know what specific chipset you had on that exact model, but maybe the driver isn't digitally signed. Windows 8+ won't install those automatically but you can boot with signature enforcement turned off to install manually.

  138. Re:Make sure Windows 10 does what you need it to d by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    The one that really annoys me is that the Windows version of select(), WaitForMultipleObjects(), has a limit of 64. It's bad enough that the linux version of select() only goes up to 1024 (but at least there are simple ways around that).

    The Linux Android drivers used to crash a lot on Windows because they kept hitting that limit. Eventually they fixed it, but with a very ugly hack.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  139. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by ZipK · · Score: 1

    Supporting old versions in the consumer market costs them money. They don't want to spend that money.

    Then Microsoft should have thought that through before they published a support policy that provides for extended support into 2020 (Win 7) and 2023 (Win 8). I don't care if Microsoft wants to lower their costs after the fact; I bought and installed Win 7 based on its published lifecycle, and thus my lowered cost of upgrading. Microsoft's desire to push users to Windows 10 does not trump paid customers' right to utilize their Windows 7 and 8 systems until the published end of support dates. Microsoft should neither be nagging customers or trying to force upgrades.

  140. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by LunaticTippy · · Score: 1

    I spent an hour trying to get my printer working on win 10, no luck. Rolled back to 7. I tried manually installing the driver that worked in 7. I searched forums for ideas and tried numerous suggestions. I'm not eager to waste any more time on it, but if you can point me to some helpful sites I will give it a shot.

    --
    Man, you really need that seminar!
  141. Re: gwx_control_panel by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

    Apple didn't break compatibility with their old systems, in fact developed special tools to ease the transition between two completely different architectures!

    Wow go google MacOSX Lion issues? :-) Adobe suite earlier than 4 no longer functions. Windows 10 is alot more compatible with older software than Apple by a longshot.

  142. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    This one is not MS's fault. They're pretty clear on events you can respond to to prevent restarts, programs being closed (except for the "Force Quit" option in taskmgr... which is why it warns it's dangerous).

    No need to invent issues that aren't their fault, when there's so many that are.

    (See also, the 'require admin rights for all software released in XP, even though MS had for years been telling you how to prevent it by using a simple environmental variable, then bitch when Vista enforces it.')

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  143. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by maroberts · · Score: 1

    Microsoft could argue that the "extended support" is given by offering you a brand new version of Windows 10....

    --

    Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
    Karma: Chameleon

  144. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by lgw · · Score: 1

    neither of the major free browsers (Firefox and Chromium).

    Firefox hasn't been "a major browser" for a while now. Different stats give different answers, but Chrome, IE, and Safari all tend to lead Firefox.

    Making a major web page that only works for "free" browsers is absurd. You make it for what your customers use.
     

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  145. Re:gwx_control_panel by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

    done.

    Or, just install Linux.

    done.

    FYI - GWX Control Panel was bypassed by MS. So that's not going to stop it...

    --
    Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  146. We paid Adobe $954.95 to upgrade from CS3 to CS6. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 1

    CS6 is not subscription-based. However, it stops working if it is not allowed to connect to the internet.

    We paid Adobe $954.95 to upgrade from CS3 to CS6. That was just an upgrade. We didn't get the latest version of the programs in CS6, and a support representative at Adobe felt that was justified!

  147. Not for some.... by ai4px · · Score: 1

    I tried running a virtual machine under hyper-v and found it could not access the serial port. So much for my VMs running under Win10. I miss Win7 already.

  148. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    I would like to see a full sized LEGO house. It would be an interesting project: interlocking bricks that don't need mortar, that lock under their own weight, that trap a substantial layer of air in pockets which adds yet another layer of insulation, all for just one brick pattern. Given the right material, it could potentially last practically "forever" (EFGV).

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  149. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    new versions of Windows don't run on a lot of my hardware (UEFI vs. BIOS (APM vs. ACPI)). I'm not about to bin it just because hte lastest greatest shiny piece of shitware doesn't run on it. Same as I don't throw my toolbox just because my Sidchrome kit doesn't all fit in it. I use the toolbox for something else (like my bitdriver and heads) and use the wallhanger for the wrenches.

    There's keeping up then there's being too fucking broke to waste gear like that. I'll use my computers like I use my tools: until they break. Which could be far into the future. I have a rip saw that's older than my children, it still cuts through fifty year old apple trees then breezes through MDF like it was just waking up.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  150. Re: gwx_control_panel by Howitzer86 · · Score: 1

    Blender falls short in the encoding department. Unless you use a different tool with it, you're stuck with its ffmpeg library, which makes malformed videos that sort-of work but sometimes won't with stricter players like Quicktime. Premier uses Adobe Media Encoder. I'm stuck with CS4 at work but even it does a better job than even the latest copy of Blender.

  151. Re: gwx_control_panel by DMJC · · Score: 1

    Gimp is shit use krita it's much closer to photoshop and works a lot better krita.org

  152. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Harlequin80 · · Score: 1

    Yes it is their fault. No machine should reboot without user intervention. Fine grab focus and say "I really really really need to reboot" but don't just do it.

  153. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    I don't see why that is. When a person isn't using the machine is the best time to reboot it.

    It's not like it reboots without first telling every other program to close. And the programs can reply to the close command with "no" and the computer won't reboot.

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  154. What happens to a dual boot machine by spitzak · · Score: 1

    Could somebody tell me if the update will house a dual boot machine. I have avoided booting into Windows because of fear it will wipe my Linux partition or at least require fixing the boot manager. I am fine otherwise with updating to Microsoft's latest.

  155. Re: gwx_control_panel by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

    Windows 10 doesn't require UEFI.

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
  156. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Harlequin80 · · Score: 1

    I had software running that I did not want interrupted. I had left software open full screen. How is it deciding I wasn't using the machine? I could have been sat back with my feet up watching the credits roll for all it knew. It's not like it was in screensaver mode.

    How about a different example, I run a video compressing software or compile software and walk away. I come back in 4 hours expecting it to be finished but nope its restarted the machine. You can't argue that the software has to be compliant to microsoft specs because the software could easily predate those specs.

  157. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    please tell that to ASUS who have a "workaround" as long as the King James Bible to get 10 to even boot from upgrade on an EeePC in ACPI mode.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  158. Re: gwx_control_panel by jordan_robot · · Score: 1

    LibreCAD replace solidworks? Next you'll recommend a battleship captain exchange his ship for a motorboat.

  159. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    why would I do that? Doesn't a battleship have a motor?

      LibreCAD is well capable of rendering 2D, 3D, parametric and photorealistic models. Which, shocker, is the same output list as Solidworks.

    BTW, one thing LibreCAD does that Solidworks doesn't is .pdf output.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  160. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    How is it deciding I wasn't using the machine?

    It queries the program you left running, and asked it to close down. The program replied to the event by blindly shutting down, instead of returning false.

    , I run a video compressing software or compile software and walk away. I come back in 4 hours expecting it to be finished but nope its restarted the machine.

    If it's done compressing or compiling, that sounds fine!

    ou can't argue that the software has to be compliant to microsoft specs because the software could easily predate those specs.

    (1) It's been the spec for MS since... 95? Certainly since XP. Your software could have easily been updated since then.

    (2) It's ridiculous to say that we can never upgrade an OS because legacy software will cease to work.

    (3) Most importantly, The software is actively responding to the event Windows is sending. So it definitely post-dates the events creation. Old software actually doesn't respond to the windows event and causes the computer not to reboot. Because backwards compatibility.

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  161. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by camperdave · · Score: 1

    It wasn't a joke in the slightest.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  162. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

    My Win7 laptop (about 5 years old now) ran 10 without a single warning or issue. How old was his laptop?

    I had a 10 year old desktop that failed the upgrade, but it was on the "upgrade or discard" list already.

  163. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

    I think you are confusing OEM and home/pro.

  164. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Harlequin80 · · Score: 1

    I guess you and I are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I can see your logic, and I'm not arguing that software should follow the standards. I just don't agree with a computer shutting down without user action. It makes a couple of big assumptions about data being saved and also that the machine will boot back into windows without user interaction (mine doesn't).

  165. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    I can see why in the real-world, the assumptions fail. But I'd rather focus on fixing the assumptions than give up on teh feature of not having to think about the restarting for updates.

    Although, if we're dreaming, I'd rather have updates that don't require updates at all.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
  166. Re:And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise.. by carnivore302 · · Score: 1

    it was an asus extensa 7630, we figured it to be about 7 years old. On the plus side, yesterday my mom brought me a nice bottle of wine as a thank-you.

    --
    Please login to access my lawn
  167. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Microsoft is and has been one of the dominating players in the industry for decades.

    Yes, due to their illegal activities, like I said. If you have a point, then make it.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  168. Re:It's malware. Sue them. by Waccoon · · Score: 1

    Good luck with that as long as binding arbitration is legal in the USA.

    Against my recommendation, my dad wanted me to install Windows10 on his HTPC. I liked reading the part of the Windows10 EULA (near the bottom) where MS effectively declares that my own IP rights are invalid while theirs stand. My dad still doesn't know why I go through so much trouble to keep Win10 off my workstation.

  169. You told it to by setting a time by tepples · · Score: 1

    And if your computer reboots without you explicitly telling it to

    You told it to by setting a time. That's the new way it works in Windows 10: it tells you it needs to reboot to finish installing upgraded components, and you tell the computer when to reboot.

  170. Re: gwx_control_panel by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    why, how much are Krita paying you to spam here?

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  171. ACRA v. Lexmark by tepples · · Score: 1

    A license that is non-binding (in common law jurisdictions) because the contract was already sealed by the exchange of money for the software package.

    Unless the condition was printed on the package. Arizona Cartridge Remanufacturers Ass'n Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l Inc., 421 F.3d 981 (9th Cir. 2005)

    1. Re:ACRA v. Lexmark by tepples · · Score: 1

      Similarly, if I get a copy of Mac OS X from Apple and install it on my own computer, there is nothing illegal about that.

      You are correct that it technically isn't copyright infringement. To avoid accusation of moving the goalposts, I will take my revised legal theory to another reply.

  172. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by tepples · · Score: 1

    Then let me rephrase: Those features whose implementation in standard HTML and CSS requires parts of the standard that widely deployed browsers implement either A. incompletely, B. incorrectly, or C. (for parts marked as implementation-defined) in a manner that is not identical among Chrome for desktop, Chrome for Android, IE 11, Edge, Safari for OS X, and Safari for iOS.

  173. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by macs4all · · Score: 1

    I don't know why MS is pushing this update so crazy hard.

    Because this is what the Feds did to Satya Nadella.

  174. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by macs4all · · Score: 1

    It's copyright infringement to run OS X in any of those VM products unless you're running the VM product on a Mac

    Actually, that isn't exactly true. There is ONE version (and, AFAIK, ONLY one version) of OS X that you can legally run under a VM. Snow Leopard Server 10.6.8, which, if you know what to ask for, is actually STILL available as a DVD from Apple for US$20.

    Apple is now selling Snow Leopard Server for $19.99 + sales tax & shipping costs at 1.800.MYAPPLE (1.800.692.7753) - Apple Part Number: MC588Z/A (telephone orders only).

    You will probably have to do a little "convincing" to the Order Drone that this is still available; but as of a few months ago, at least, it still was.

  175. Re: gwx_control_panel by macs4all · · Score: 1

    Well the people with an iPhone 4 would beg to differ ;-) Most Apple users buy a replacement every year or two. It's another way of keeping everything backwards compatible :-D

    But the people with a 4s are rockin' iOS 9. and that is a phone that is over 4 years old; so...

  176. Re: gwx_control_panel by macs4all · · Score: 1

    Apple didn't break compatibility with their old systems, in fact developed special tools to ease the transition between two completely different architectures!

    Wow go google MacOSX Lion issues? :-) Adobe suite earlier than 4 no longer functions. Windows 10 is alot more compatible with older software than Apple by a longshot.

    Lion was DEFINITELY a "transitional" version of OS X. Not making excuses; but everyone has more, and less, "backward-compatible" versions of the OSes. Lion had a Lion's share of compatibility issues, for sure; but they eventually got most, if not all, worked-out.

    At least Apple has the cajones to actually try to move their OS forward, rather than simply making the spaghetti more and more entangled, like Microsoft does.

    And it is interesting that you hold out Windows as being a shining example of Backwards Compatibility. When I used to have "Mac vs Windows" discussions with my (then very pro-Windows) boss, one of the things that he actually complained about with Windows was the fact that he had to re-purchase/upgrade several expensive software packages every time (or nearly every time) there was a new version of Windows. How does that square with your claim of "superior backward compatibility"?

  177. Edge? OK. Safari? Contract breach or DMCA vio. by tepples · · Score: 1

    A VM helps for testing on Edge and Internet Explorer 11, for which Microsoft provides virtual machine images.

    But it doesn't help as much for testing on Safari, whose Software License Agreement forbids use in a VM on anything but a Mac. To avoid contract-after-sale particularities, let's for the sake of argument assume that the box of OS X has a conspicuous warning: "By purchasing this product, you agree to the Software License Agreement at http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/OSX1011.pdf. This agreement forbids copying this program into the RAM of any non-Apple computer." Use in a VM on your Windows or Linux PC would then be a breach of contract, making you liable for damages as specified in the agreement. And because some kext files in OS X are encrypted, decrypting the installer without Apple's permission might expose you to criminal penalties pursuant to 17 USC 1201 and foreign counterparts.

  178. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by vandamme · · Score: 1

    Try it on Linux. I collect old hardware from Windows users and put it back to work.

    I had to throw out a scanner, though, because I don't have a parallel port on my newer (6 years) PC.

  179. Re: gwx_control_panel by vandamme · · Score: 1

    AviDemux, PiTiVi, and a few more, too. Lightworks, but it's not FOSS.

  180. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

    There is something nasty happening behind the scenes, and I'm just waiting patiently to see the other boot drop as they push an update to 10 that turns it into the next un-versioned Windows which requires a subscription. I'm sure they will give you a month to buy that subscription, but there will be no downgrading back to 10.

  181. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by lgw · · Score: 1

    Makes sense to me - I just get quite annoyed with sites that have clearly only been tested with FF and Chrome, because that's what was easy for the dev to test himself.

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  182. Set your home Wi-Fi as metered by tepples · · Score: 1

    prompt before checking for updates, prompt before downloading updates

    In Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options > Choose how updates are installed, the explanation states: "Updates won't download over a metered connection (where charges may apply)." "Metered" is the clue for delaying update downloads, as explained in articles on Lifehacker and How-To Geek. In Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > (your SSID) > Advanced options, you should be able to set a particular SSID as metered.

    The Lifehacker article does acknowledge a defect in Windows 10: it never lets the user set a wired Ethernet connection as metered, even if wired Ethernet's upstream is a satellite or cellular connection with a 5-10 GB/mo cap or a cable connection with a 300 GB/mo cap.

    and prompt before rebooting

    In Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options > Choose how updates are installed, change the value to "Notify to schedule restart".

  183. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by tepples · · Score: 1

    Perhaps the dev does not derive enough revenue from a particular site to buy a Mac mini with enough RAM to run a Windows VM. One needs the Windows VM for Edge and IE 11 and the Mac for Safari. So where should the dev of a site similar to the ones with which you have got annoyed find an adequate QA budget?

  184. Re:"Close laptop..." OMG!!! by mattventura · · Score: 1

    What I absolutely despise about the way Windows handles updates is that there should be no need to ever prompt me to restart for updates when I already shut my system down every day anyway. You'd think with all the telemtry they do, they could at least figure out that you reboot every day and therefore shouldn't be nagged for updates.

  185. Re:This is what happens when monopoly revenue fall by mattventura · · Score: 1

    The next PC they buy is always going to be a Windows PC because every PC comes with a Windows license. The only alternatives are Macs and DIY, both of which are niche options.

  186. Re:Most people don't defend against creeping abuse by macs4all · · Score: 1

    Explain. I am not an Apple user, so I didn't know that iPods stopped working unless you pay a subscription.

    That has never been true.

    Perhaps now is the time for Apple to offer Mac OS for sale to people using non-Mac PCs. They could make a killing with all of the users wanting to move away from Windows.

    Except for the fact that their entire business model for OS X and Macintosh is based on HARDWARE sales. They tried licensing clones, and it damn-near bankrupted them.So, in order to make that work, they would have to charge a coupla-hundred dollars for OS X, AND resort to the draconian licensing schemes like Microsoft does with WIndows.

  187. Windows Pro? by GeneralChat · · Score: 1

    I have Win 8.1 Pro and so far it still shows as an optional update. Maybe paying for Pro was worth it. Whenever I update I get a nag screen a few hours later to get Windows 10 but I can just dismiss it.

    --
    General Chat
  188. XNA by tepples · · Score: 1

    Hell, in the early days of D3D you literally couldn't plot a pixel over a 3D display without using GDI!

    That or by uploading a texture containing the pixels you want to plot and drawing it as a quad, right?

    The other thing that helped D3D proliferate was Microsoft's game consoles [...] With that said, any indie developer who uses Direct3D is a dildo.

    Was this true even during the seventh generation, when the only major game console open to indie developers was Xbox 360 with XNA? The PC could run OpenGL, but connecting a PC to a TV wasn't common yet, and crowding two to four players holding USB gamepads around a desktop or laptop monitor is a pain.

  189. Windows 10 is defective by tepples · · Score: 1

    There should be options to prompt the user (yes, no, remind later) or to completely disable all automatic updates, all automatic reboots, all update nags and all reboot nags, leaving the user to do it manually.

    My best guess for Microsoft's rationale for forcing updates on Internet-connected computers is that if an unpatched computer is left connected to the Internet, it can be compromised to spread malware to other computers on the Internet. So to prevent automatic correction of security vulnerabilities, disconnect the computer from the Internet.

    defect in Windows 10

    You cannot defend any of this shit

    Agreed. As I said, Windows 10 is defective, and the defects show incompetence at best. The inability to treat Ethernet as metered shows that Microsoft, a company headquartered in a city next to Seattle, is somehow unaware of the horrid state of Internet access in Seattle due to its backward utility right-of-way law. I was trying to assume good faith to the best of my ability. But that's a defect that I can't defend, and defects like this are part of why I wiped Windows 10 from a used ThinkPad that I bought.

  190. Wireless is a fail too then by tepples · · Score: 1

    The real reason is that they want control and access.

    There exist alternatives to Windows 10 that are not as demanding of control by the publisher. But when one evaluates the viability of deploying said alternatives, the following issue is likely to come up:

    For an OS to outright deny control to the user is a huge fail.

    Federal law requires such "a huge fail." The vast majority of laptop and tablet computers sold nowadays include IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) technology, commonly branded as "Wi-Fi", as well as a short-range peripheral network technology called Bluetooth. A WLAN or Bluetooth transceiver includes a radio transmitter, and under FCC regulations, the transmitter's firmware must be secured against end-user modifications that might cause the transmitter to violate Part 15. So any operating system supporting WLAN or Bluetooth has to deny at least some control to the user.

    Or would you prefer to use an operating system that does not support WLAN or Bluetooth?

    1. Re:Wireless is a fail too then by tepples · · Score: 1

      Correction: *YOUR* federal law requires it.

      Then what should residents of the country where SlashdotMedia is headquartered do to change it?

      Considering I only use physical ethernet connections

      Very few public places nowadays provide "physical ethernet connections" to guests. It's all Wi-Fi nowadays. In a hotel, for example, do you prefer to just do without Internet access for the duration?

  191. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by movdqa · · Score: 1

    +1

  192. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by movdqa · · Score: 1

    I've migrated about 90% of my stuff to Mac OS X but I still have two powerful Windows 7 and 8.1 machines which I use for some small tasks. I will likely upgrade one of them to Windows 10 as I should know what Windows 10 is like but I may just leave Windows 7 on the other one as it only runs one thing and the likelyhood of malware is very low. I'm also considering Linux of course.

  193. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by movdqa · · Score: 1

    I'd be happy to update my Windows XP systems to Windows 10 if they offered it.

  194. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

    FWIW, I just installed Linux Mint on my laptop, and I gotta say, I like it.

    It's clean, smooth, and super easy to install. Easy to setup (at least so far).

    It looks nice and seems to work just fine for all the typical things I need to do- email, browsing, videos, imagery, etc. I imported my Firefox bookmarks from my Windows install of Firefox to the Mint instance in about 10 seconds, no problem at all.

    Best of all, the one-click install of Wine allows me to use one of my favorite little Windows apps, a notekeeper called AZZ Cardfile. It seems to run just fine under Wine without any issues. Yeah!

    So far so good....yes, I'm liking Linux Mint.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  195. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise. by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

    If all my games would run well on Linux I would drop Windows as fast as I could reformat the drive to EXT4, maybe Btrfs, I haven't played with that filesystem yet.

  196. It's almost as bad as systemd. by choke · · Score: 1

    Not quite, but almost.

    --
    "No good deed goes unpunished"
  197. windows 10 by gpixpixel · · Score: 1

    i have windows10 at home no problem for me

  198. Re: And when are they going to allow 7 Enterprise by Redmancometh · · Score: 1

    Uhhhh Win7 is widely regarded as the one they DIDNY screw up

  199. Keeping 7 in a VM by niw3 · · Score: 1

    If I upgrade to Windows 10, may I legally install Windows 7 on a VM running on the same machine? What would be the situation for a. Systems that were originally sold with 7 b. I purchased my own an OEM license c. I purchased a non-OEM (boxed) Windows 7? Any ideas?