Windows 7 Diehard tries Windows 10

[Snowdog]

Recently after trying desktop Linux for about the umpteenth time and still being unimpressed, someone said "...how this is different then trying to install Windows 10 and fully patching it on 12 year old hardware and then throwing your hands up when it runs like garbage."

Which made me think. Yeah, I really should try Windows 10. I have been complaining about it a lot but I haven't actually tried it. Next I found out you could install the download from Microsoft and use it without a Key for testing purposes. So off I go.

The Install: Non issue. This just worked. Dual Monitors, SPDIF sound, and my Ancient 8800 GT just work.

What's nice:

• Stable. Completely Robust so far.
• Task View and Virtual desktops. About time, but Yay!
• Task Manager is nicely improved.
• Bash Shell ! Yay !!! (My route to Windows was Amiga-> Unix at Univ-> PC. I never liked the Dos Command shell)

What sucks:

• The Tablety Start Menu: I tried to stick with it, but after a few hours it was either install "Classic Shell" or chuck it. Classic Shell is like a declutter button. Welcome releif.
• The huge number of privacy settings: I just turned them all off, then disabled Cortana, but there might be some more lingering.
• They broke a minor feature I use a lot. I use "Display Windows side by side" to tile Windows. A search shows people complaining about this from 2015 until today. I like this feature so much I put a shortcut to VBScript file on quick launch toolbar so I can access in one click. 4 windows, one click and they each have a quarter of the screen. Win10 Leaves big areas of the screen like invisible windows are there. Totally ruins it. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10/dc45f5e0-9f60-4f86-848c-7335fd5344e3
• Doesn't have WMC (which I use to record TV).

Compatability:
I tried some of my favorite softwre and some of my GoG games. All installed/ran without issue. There was only one issue. Vampire The Masquerade - Redemption: The Brightness slider no longer works. The other games I tested use a Gamma slider and that still works. I expect the brightness slider is trying to change system values and Win10 doesn't like that. Hopefully this is rare, as no compatability setting seemed to get the brightness slider working.

Overall Experience so far:
Mostly Good, once I install Classicshell and disable all the tablet stuff and kill all the privacy invaders it seems like a decent desktop OS. It has some nice enhancements, some are tempting, but I have strong reservations where Microsoft will take it in the future. After the win10 nagware in Win7, they have blew any trust I had. Now with Microsoft in full control of updates, they could keep taking the OS in directions I don't like after I sign up (more tablety).

Greatest concern:
Microsoft has the power to alter the deal and I don't trust them.

 

[B00nie]

A slightly amount of better experience is not even remotely enough for me to surrender my privacy, money and peace of mind to Microsoft. You took the easy way out and sold out your soul like any dime a dozen consumer. A damn shame.

 

[Snowdog]

A slightly amount of better experience is not even remotely enough for me to surrender my privacy, money and peace of mind to Microsoft. You took the easy way out and sold out your soul like any dime a dozen consumer. A damn shame.

Once you disable everything, your privacy is likely fine.

Certainly better than if you use a standard Android phone, with a Google ID.

Or use Facebook or other social Media.

Or use the web without extreme cookie/script blocking and VPN, and an ISP that doesn't record where you are going for fun and profit. (good luck with all that).

IMO Windows 10 with all the sharing disabled is likely very low on the privacy compromising totem pole.

 

[B00nie]

Once you disable everything, your privacy is likely fine.

On surface (pun intended) you may think so. OTOH you shouldn't have to disable anything.

Certainly better than if you use a standard Android phone, with a Google ID.

Or use Facebook or other social Media.

Don't confuse those abominations in a human discussion. They're pure evil.

Or use the web without extreme cookie/script blocking and VPN, and an ISP that doesn't record where you are going for fun and profit. (good luck with all that).

What, isn't this what any sensible consumer is doing? You're a virus hoover unless you do so.

IMO Windows 10 with all the sharing disabled is likely very low on the privacy compromising totem pole.

That's purely your false opinion however.

 

[auntjemima]

1. On surface (pun intended) you may think so. OTOH you shouldn't have to disable anything.

2. What, isn't this what any sensible consumer is doing? You're a virus hoover unless you do so.

3. That's purely your false opinion however.

1. If I call it tweaking and not disabling, would you even bat an eye at it?

2. I do none of those things. I only run an ad blocker and even only to prevent the annoying ads, not to save my precious information.

3. I agree. It is solely an opinion and the "very likely" made me giggle.

 

[B00nie]

It's not tweaking when the OS includes offensive and malicious default settings. It's like those freewares that you download off the net and that will install malware if you aren't careful with the options you install them with. Only difference being, you get the malware by default and have to TRY to clean it up afterwards. Despite paying for the junk.

 

[DPI]

Honest assessment. Nicely done review.