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Microsoft Auto-Scheduling Windows 10 Updates (tomshardware.com)
Pikoro quotes this report from Tom's Hardware: Windows 10 has been with us for a little over eight months now, which means there are only about four months remaining to get a free upgrade from an older Windows operating system. As the clock counts down, Microsoft has begun to auto-schedule PCs to upgrade to Windows 10 with or without consent from end users.
Now, as we near the end of the free upgrade period, Microsoft's malware-like upgrade system is becoming even more intrusive by autoscheduling upgrades to Windows 10. I noticed that the Windows 10 upgrade reminder pop-up on a Windows 7 PC was no longer asking me to upgrade; instead, it's now informing me that it has already scheduled an update for May 17.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps has discovered half their computers unexpectedly can't remotely upgrade to Windows 10, slowing their transition to what they expect to be a much more secure operating system.
Now, as we near the end of the free upgrade period, Microsoft's malware-like upgrade system is becoming even more intrusive by autoscheduling upgrades to Windows 10. I noticed that the Windows 10 upgrade reminder pop-up on a Windows 7 PC was no longer asking me to upgrade; instead, it's now informing me that it has already scheduled an update for May 17.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps has discovered half their computers unexpectedly can't remotely upgrade to Windows 10, slowing their transition to what they expect to be a much more secure operating system.
Someone didn't read their license agreement. You're only renting the hardware while Windows is on it. Oh you wanted to use linux? Too bad we've forced hardware vendors to lock the boot loader chump.
My local game store's Point Of Sale laptop started updating to Windows 10 on it's own in the middle of the work day. It was during an MTG release/tournament day, so he had tons of sales that he was frantically trying to keep track of in a makeshift ledger book. And then, of course, his POS software wasn't working once Windows 10 finished installing - it was an older software package, I'm not sure exactly which. He ended up buying a newer edition, and transferring is sales database to that, but only after staying up late trying to troubleshoot his old software.
What did this Windows users gain from this experience? A lot of stress, missed sales, flat icons for his UI. Thanks, Microsoft.
Honestly, all this bitching and moaning about Windows is becoming tiresome. You know what Microsoft is. You could have seen them for what they are ten years ago if you had payed attention, but now they aren't even pretending to hide it anymore. If you run Windows, your computer belongs to Microsoft, not you. It's all there in the terms you agree to when you start it up. This isn't news. So put up or shut up.
Either live with the telescreen that Microsoft so graciously deigns to allow you to have and accept their glorious dictatorship over your electronic life--understanding that all things you view as "inconveniences" are merely instances of Microsoft's benevolent care from the wise gurus in Redmond who know better than you, or ditch Microsoft altogether, install an operating system that respects what you want, and find, write, or pay for whatever software alternatives you need.
People have had years to drop Microsoft. They could start investigating alternatives today. If no alternatives exist for the software they need, they can find ways to code what they need or pay someone else to do so. For those who haven't done so, I can only assume it means they are satisfied with whatever their Dear Leaders in Redmond give them, so stop complaining.
(From someone who uses exclusively Linux at home and makes six figures using exclusively Linux at work)