Slashdot Asks: Free Upgrade To Windows 10 Ends Today: What's Your Thought On This?

Exactly one year ago, Microsoft released Windows 10 to the general public. The latest version of company's desktop operating system brought with it Cortana, and Windows Hello among other features. While users have lauded Windows 10 for performance improvements, the Redmond-based company's aggressive upgrade tactics have spoiled the experience for many. Whether it was installing Windows 10 on computers without users' consent, or eating up tons of bandwidth for users who couldn't afford it, or whether it was deceptive dialog boxes, Microsoft definitely deserves a lot of blame -- and rightfully, a bunch of lawsuits. But many of these things, hopefully, will end today -- July 29, 2016 (or to be exact, Saturday morning 5:59am EDT / 2:59am PDT) Today is officially the last day when eligible Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers could be upgraded to Windows 10 for free of charge. After this, an upgrade to Windows 10 will set you back by at least $119.
We asked you a couple of weeks ago whether or not would you recommend someone to update their computer to Windows 10, and the vast majority of you insisted against it. What's your thought on this now? Those who opt out of updating to Windows 10 will also miss the Anniversary Update -- and its features -- which Microsoft plans to release on August 2 for free of charge.

Comments

Same As Before

[sexconker]

My thoughts are the same as I've expressed before on these Windows 10 stories.
I'll describe them in detail again.

Fuck MS.

Re:Same As Before

[prograsm]

My thoughts are similar: The OS is nice, it's as usable an OS as Microsoft has made. But there's a reason Microsoft made it propagate like a zombie outbreak. People don't want it. MS has to know there are serious issues with the direction decision makers are taking the company when one of their more tolerable new friendly operating system releases is given away for free and older versions of their product are still preferable. Trying to monetize your customers is not working, M$. Learn from that.

Re:Same As Before

[Killall -9 Bash]

19% market share for an OS that has been free for a year is fucking pathetic.

Re: Same As Before

[Miamicanes]

Linux WAS actually well on its way to becoming a meaningful alternative, until Ubuntu (who was responsible for most of that popularity) succumbed to Tablet Fever and, like Microsoft, proceeded to slaughter its golden egg-laying goose.

Remember 2008? Just slightly over 8 years ago? Back when "Ubuntu" had almost become SYNONYMOUS with "Linux" as far as books, magazines, and mainstream users were concerned? Now look at them... the only reason they're even still RELEVANT is because of all the popular distros that take Ubuntu's Unity trainwreck and undo most of the damage.

Re:Same As Before

[sexconker]

No, you monetize your product by selling it. When you monetize your customers, you're selling them. People don't want Windows 10 spying on them, serving up ads, having built in backdoors, etc.

Re:Same As Before

[chipschap]

Forced updates is the deal breaker for me. Given the stuff MS does these days (see the /. article on the "anniversary" update), I can't trust them not to undo whatever I've fixed, delete stuff, make stuff run that I don't want, etc. I have 8.1 on a separate (seldom booted) partition and even though it's crap, I haven't lost control over it, at least not yet.

Re:Same As Before

[Darinbob]

It's not just the veneral disease outbreak aspect of Windows 10 that is bad. Though the itching is pretty annoying. But there were so many gawdawful design decisions. Decisions made that benefit Microsoft while hurting customers, like an automaker who uses corrugated tin for the seats because it's cheaper and keeps the drivers more alert than with cushioned seats (because it felt like the right time for an automobile analogy).

The default settings for Windows 10 were just plain awful. Their use of a torrent-like method to share Windows 10 with others that was made an opt-out feature. Their extremely bizarre feature to share wifi passwords if your friends already have them (later removed when MS sobered up). Their spyware, and their methods of bypassing the hosts file to make sure it's hard to block this. Their repeat of the IE mistake by making Cortana integrated and supposedly unable to be removed (just the name Cortana is a stupid idea, it's from a lousy xbox game that the majority of enterprise users will never have heard of). And the biggest hugest fuckup of them all, the inability to skip updates, even the pointless updates unrelated to security, the automatic reboot of your machine by default in the middle of doing your work or playing your game just because Microsoft thought it was a good time for an update.

Re: Same As Before

[Thelasko]

Linux WAS actually well on its way to becoming a meaningful alternative, until Ubuntu (who was responsible for most of that popularity) succumbed to Tablet Fever and, like Microsoft, proceeded to slaughter its golden egg-laying goose.

That's only half the story. GNOME did the same thing. An entire generation of operating systems were lost to "tablet fever". At least Microsoft was smart enough to realize it was a mistake.

Re: Same As Before

[Thelasko]

You do realize that you can install any desktop environment that you want onto Ubuntu, right? (or onto any linux distro)

1. The default environment is the one most people use.
2. The default environment is the one that receives the most testing.
3. The default environment is the one that receives the most support.
4. The default environment has had the most attention into it's functionality and user experience.

I've recently tested what you propose on Mint and Debian. The default user experience is superior. When I tried installing Cinnamon on Debian, I was left with a lackluster desktop. On Mint it's fantastic.

Thoughts? I wish I had the enterprise version

[mark-t]

But that version of Windows 10 is not available without volume licensing. I know that hacks exist to upgrade Windows 10 pro to enterprise, but they carry the caveat that your license key is not a real one.

Re:Long done

[i.r.id10t]

So can you tell us how you feel about the data logging, the changes coming to available settings with the Aug 2 update, etc?

Re:Long done

[OhPlz]

Yea, hurry up and get the free forced updates, free advertising in your start menu and in the notification center, free removal of policy options, free violation of the hosts file for Microsoft/NSA privacy invading domains, etc. You could get all that and more and pay absolutely nothing! I liked Win10 when it was still pre-release. I despise what Microsoft is doing with it now. I regret updating my personal machines to it. My work machine may become Linux just because of the forced updates with reboots. It's one thing if it keeps me from gaming for a bit, it's another if it prevents me from getting work done. Yea, fine.. Enterprise may be safe from a lot of that for now, emphasis on "for now". They switched Lync over to Skype for Business and what a pile of crap that is.

Thank f__king god

[ilsaloving]

Now get that god damn icon off my computers.

Re:Long done

[QuietLagoon]

...Those who have a pathological hate for MS will never switch, those who believe the haters and refuse to switch to Windows 10 get what they deserve, and those on the fence about switching to Windows 10 better move quick or risk paying for what they could have had for free....

What about those, such as myself, who actually had liked Windows in the past, and upgraded multiple licenses with every release (except Vista and Windows 8), starting at Windows NT?

.
I've stated here in the past that I would be willing to continue to upgrade my Windows licenses, even paying for the privilege of doing so, if I could turn off the egregiously excessive data harvesting that Windows 10 performs.

However now, that I've already moved one computer from Windows to Linux, I'll add one more condition for me to stay with Windows... I'm still willing to pay for the upgrade license, but in addition to being able to turn off the egregiously excessive data harvesting, I would also want my computer not to become just another screen that advertisers (including Microsoft) can use to show me advertisements.

Depends

[Comboman]

If you currently have Windows 8/8.1, there's no harm in upgrading and getting back the start menu. If you currently have Windows 7, you should probably stick with it.

Re:Long done

[BarbaraHudson]

Just because a version is out of support doesn't mean you can't legally use it. Your license doesn't automatically terminate (yet - this policy will change when it's a subscription service).