windows 10 to be free

[smilodon]

Well mine isn't specifically a works enterprise machine. It is however a machine I use primarily for work. While loosing a HDD as happened on Monday morning wouldn't be a catastrophe due to a rigid and comprehensive backup regime and a laptop that can step in at a pinch, it could be a complete pain to loose the PC right in the middle of an assignment.

Once a Windows 8.1 installation has had the default Teletubbies Ui fixed I'm not seeing a compelling reason to upgrade right now, just some potential pitfalls.

[smilodon]

http://www.howtogeek.com/224805/the-start-menu-should-be-sacred-but-its-still-a-disaster-in-windows-10/

This is an interesting article about the W10 start menu and how it's still rubbish. The W8 start screen was so bad that the W10 start screen might seem great by comparison. But it's not, it's still dreadful. I posted somewhere else on the forum that Windows historically has been an OS, a file manager and a program launcher. With W8 Microsoft has tried to reinvent itself as a service provider much like Google and Apple are. So the Windows OS is becoming a portal into Microsoft's ecosystem, appstore and cloud. The Start menu is now a place where the Internet appears in little tiles and Microsoft start trying to sell you stuff. This sadly probably a sign of worse things to come.

Classic Shell
Start10
StartisBack

[kregoron]

Update to MS ToS 1. August

“Sometimes you’ll need software updates to keep using the Services.  We may automatically check your version of the software and download  software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent  you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using  unauthorized hardware peripheral devices”.



These new lines enables and permits MS to block Software and hardware deemed pirated or unauthorized.
Now this scares me a little, as what defines Unauthorized hardware?... Is it a magic wand MS swings at random or ....
Now the trickiest part is, the system should in theory require data to be uploaded for analyzes... yet that is not mentioned nor blockable.  

http://www.t3.com/news/windows-10-will-sniff-out-and-block-pirate-games-and-unauthorised-hardware

[Sneakytiger]

w10 is working fine for me, updates my hardware as soon as theres a new driver,cortana reminds me about stuff i've forgotten, i'm linked to my xbox ccount so i can see what my mates on xbox are doing,my advice is stop worring about what might happen,the whole OS is'nt gonna shut down and leave u without an OS.

[kregoron]

http://www.pcgamer.com/report-games-with-securom-and-safedisc-drm-wont-run-under-windows-10/

Weeeeeee

[kregoron]

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/28/microsoft-intensifies-data-collection-on-windows-7-and-8-systems/

Interesting, looks like MS is finally starting to use the hardcoded Host file, instead of the normal host file, so it bypasses user changes for certain bits

[Twyst]

Remember folks, you are the product even though you may have bought the hardware and/or the OS.

"The price of peace is eternal vigilance" - Leonard H. Courtney