How bad is Win 10? Options

[pandy]

My computer has broken down. Yeah, again. I just bought a very slightly used one with a lot better components that I would otherwise afford.


It comes with Win 10 (Pro), I think. The guy hated it himself and recommended me to install 7 or 8 instead. 7 seems the least annoying, but support ends in less than 3 years. 8 seems pretty horrid too. So maybe I should just go with 10?

I've read about the murder of the start menu, that updates are forced and that you have no control of what and when. Is it as bad as I've heard?

[pandy]

Oh, I decided on win10. The guy will format and make a fresh installation so we can test run before putting it in a box.

I think the best thing will be to use a real keyboard again and to see what I'm writing...

[pandy]

Well, the computer is fast. But the look and feel of Windows 10... My eyes hurt already - not joking. All this verbose text everywhere, the colors, no proper borders, program windows float into eachother *visually*... I don\t even manage to choose the color I want on the desktop. And yeah, the keyboard settings are screwed up somehow. That\s next.

Isn\t this supposed to be fun. It isn\t. And to explain, I can\t type a question mark, prim or paranthesis.

[pandy]

Fixed the keyboard. Still sucks. Not even my beloved k-mel looks as it should.

[pandy]

Christian, do you have Pro or some other more advanced version of 10? I have Home. I find no way to make an ethernet connection metered.

And what's with these "apps"? Just a hip word for applications/programs or more like apps on a phone?

[Christian J]

Christian, do you have Pro or some other more advanced version of 10? I have Home. I find no way to make an ethernet connection metered.

I have Home too. Go to Windows Settings (the cog wheel icon) > Network & Internet > Change Connection Properties, and enable Metered Connection.

While you're at it, go to Win Update > Advanced > Choose how updates are delivered, and disable everything. There are many more similar annoyances, see the links I posted above.

And what's with these "apps"? Just a hip word for applications/programs or more like apps on a phone?

Both, I think. The plan is likely to make users buy programs from the Windows Store (similar to Apple's and Google's walled gardens) instead of downloading free software. Most likely they try to make it more complicated and scary to download free software, and that way herd users into the Windows Store, so expect even more "security warnings" etc in the future.

There's also a version called Windows 10 S, where you are only allowed to install programs from the Windows Store.

This post has been edited by Christian J: Sep 27 2017, 10:04 AM

[pandy]

Thanks. I'll look into the links tomorrow. My head spins right now.

I have Home too. Go to Windows Settings (the cog wheel icon) > Network & Internet > Change Connection Properties, and enable Metered Connection.

But how?

While you're at it, go to Win Update > Advanced > Choose how updates are delivered, and disable everything. There are many more similar annoyances, see the links I posted above.

Ouch, that's a nasty one.

There's also a version called Windows 10 S, where you are only allowed to install programs from the Windows Store.

For real? And people buy that? Maybe it's meant as some kind of semi kiosk mode? If you want to give a severly demented person a computer or use it as a learning machine at kindergarten maybe this offers some kind of security and still lets them play with installing stuff.

About the floating windows, I meant in my mind. Big white areas without borders, with too much text and flashy icons and everything spread out instead of ordered in nice, compact columns and sections, I can't easily separate what belongs where. It does actually hurt my eyes. They get tired. Probably I stare to try to see something that isn't there.

I don't know. I've always defended MS back in the "evil empire days". I never thought they were quite as bad as people painted them. But now I don't know. Problem is, there's nowhere to go. Linux doesn't really do it for me. I can't use my favourite programs. Yeah, I know, Wine or whatever is used these days, but it isn't the same. And many Linux programs that could be good are in eternal beta stage.

So, at the end of the day, who will own our asses the most? MS or Google?

[Christian J]

But how?

That looks like the old Control Panel, that they're gradually phasing out. Now there's a second one called "Windows Settings". Go to Start and click the cog wheel icon in the bottom left, then Network & Internet > Change Connection Properties, and enable Metered Connection.

For real? And people buy that?

No idea, but some seem to buy Chromebooks too. Apparently Win 10 S came with some Surface Laptops, but buyers where given the option to upgrade to full Windows.

Maybe it's meant as some kind of semi kiosk mode? If you want to give a severly demented person a computer or use it as a learning machine at kindergarten maybe this offers some kind of security and still lets them play with installing stuff.

Yes, and maybe people demented by used to smartphones and tablet use will like it.

I don't know. I've always defended MS back in the "evil empire days". I never thought they were quite as bad as people painted them. But now I don't know.

The dirty tricks they've used to trick Win7 users to upgrade to 10 were a give-away for me. As for the spyware, the app store and the new UI, I think they just try to imitate Google and Apple in a clumsy way (kind of typical for MS).

So, at the end of the day, who will own our asses the most? MS or Google?

So far it's possible to fight Google by being careful, and you don't need any of the MS cloud services. But if MS starts spying on your file system and keyboard input it sure becomes hard to defend yourself. OTOH I can't imagine Win 10 Enterprise clients accepting that MS spies on their company secrets, and even if MS would just spy on pesky Win Home users I think the loss of trust might affect their Enterprise sales as well.

[pandy]

That looks like the old Control Panel, that they're gradually phasing out. Now there's a second one called "Windows Settings". Go to Start and click the cog wheel icon in the bottom left, then Network & Internet > Change Connection Properties, and enable Metered Connection.

It leads to exactly the same page. What am I looking for? A "link on the page", a menu option?

Windows has upgraded itself with this creator's somthing or other I've read about. Some sites say what I'm trying to do is possible after that, but alas... Most sites just say it's impossible. But I assumed they were old, since you say it is doable.