30 Replies to “And people call Linux confusing.”

  2. Microsoft’s Desktop OS development could have just stopped with XP and saved themselves $B’s…and maybe even had a mobile offering.

  3. Windows 3.11 for Workgroups was a good operating system. Windows 4 was OK. As for the rest, …
    The curious thing is that OpenOffice for Linux and Mac reads and writes Excel and Word and whatever files, and is free to individuals.
    What more can one say? Windows is for people who LIKE paying taxes.

  4. I installed it, looked at it, played with it, read the terms, decided the whole thing was commercial spyware, and dumped it. Back to 8.1 long enough to install Ubuntu on my main box.
    While Ubuntu also can “phone home” to”maximize the experience for the user” they tell you where it resides and how to avoid it. The graphic user interface works well enough that it is going on Milady’s ‘puter this afternoon – and the other three units as time permits. G’bye microsoft

  5. With Microsoft, it’s a good idea to wait awhile when a new version of software comes out. There are almost always headaches and frustrations in the box. The customers are basically beta-testing the product for them.

  7. I tried 10 on a newer laptop. I will be going back to 8.1 and I hope all the stuff 10 removed is still available. Like my wifi drivers.

  8. Hey Lance;
    The computer belonging to a guy I know, I’ll call him Guy, died the day that Microsoft 10 was launched It was operating Windows 8.1 and was being prompted to update which Guy may have done.
    I don’t remember the date but you blogged about that Windows was looking to update OS a few weeks ago. He has not resucitated the computer the screen he says went grey-black and that is all that happens when you turn it on. He tried to get into the task manager through ctl alt del but only gets the dark screen.
    Is this just coincidence, or could it be linked to the OS update?

  9. I’ve used Windows since 3.1. I’ve developed applications for Windows for Workgroups, and have ported that over a period of 20 years, though NT, XP, and most recently to Windows 7.
    I suspect that my time with Windows is drawing to a close. 3-4 years ago when I tried Ubuntu it was not ready for prime time in my opinion. I hear it’s a different story now.
    The main problem is that workplaces will continue to use Windows no matter what, and this makes home/office compatibility a hassle.

  10. Gave up even trying at and after XP, been OSX since, do what I need to do on OSX and then copy as MS compatible and hand across for the poor sods that have to use MS.
    That said for the last few years and last few upgrades (I’ve stopped doing that) starting to think Mac may have been recruiting too many ex MS employees.
    I’m getting to old to waste time on re-educating myself for something and upgrades that never really offer anything more to that I need.

  12. Bravo DSV! I agree completely. OSX has become a sludgy pit of phone home apps, and the once clean interface is now as convoluted as anything MS or Linux has to offer. MS is insecure and always updating, while my OSX box keeps asking me credit card details before I can download anything from their partner site.
    I do like Linux, and have worked with it since the days of Yggdrasil. However, there is a race to incorporate features, and the interface comes afterwards. Once you figure out the command line interface, it’s easy to work with. The challenge is still a poor desktop experience for Linux, and I include the latest version of Ubuntu (my current favourite). Sound is still and challenge, and vendors don’t want to support open source.
    But, I might go back to it if Apple releases another kludge like Mavericks with ITunes. (Yes, I think ITunes is crap too). God, I am getting old.

  13. Yes, as we all know, inplace upgrades on other operating systems always go completely smoothly, and new major releases of Linux distros never have bugs.
    workplaces will continue to use Windows no matter what
    Workplaces continue to use Windows because it’s the most economical option, period. License costs are far and away the smallest component of the TCO of platform deployment.

  14. Just skimmed through quickly, may have missed the “if your machine fails at some % update install in Win 10, it is because we ration time for that. Go back later at night and it will finish up downloading the good stuff you need on your crappy computer.”
    The download on two other computers went smoothly and the one with the Nvidia jinx is staying Win 7 for now (even it has a plausible workaround for geeks in business to use for now but MS will probably ensure it turns turtle within a few updates.
    The thing is that this just the start of Wins 10 to get it working in common across many different devices and there will be (Hopefully) constant improvements in store over the coming months.
    Having to type or say stuff like “control panel” is annoying instead of just clicking.

  16. Tried 10 and dumped it the next day. It installed OK, but hung on a number of apps that should be compatible, like office 2010.
    Nothing wrong with Win7. so staying put for now.
    Will say this about 10, it does have a nice rollback feature to return the previous OS.

  17. Jesus. I just read some of what you’re giving Microsoft permission to do by installing Windows 10.
    Back in 2009, there was an episode of Chuck (Chuck vs the Dream Job – Season 2, Episode 19), where the Bill Gates-alike software magnate was introducing a new operating system. The catch was that he was a very bad guy, and had designed the system to mine information from everyone who installed it. It was the ultimate spyware system that would have given him access to everything – corporate secrets, government secrets, personal communications, the works.
    Apparently, someone at Microsoft saw the episode and thought it sounded like a good idea.
    It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the court system after some government employee inevitably installs Win10 and Microsoft – whether intentionally or not – gets their hands on classified information.
    Unfortunately, considering the level of incompetence in government, I suspect that there will be no attempt to protect classified information from Win10, and all the time and money will be spent after the fact trying to cover up their own incompetence. You know, a Tuesday.

  19. After posting this, it occurred to me that Microsoft is also responsible for the Xbox One, the console designed to watch and listen to the room it’s located in – taken directly from 1984’s telescreens.
    Are there ANY dystopian nightmares and/or evil maniacs they aren’t happily willing to emulate?

  20. Two questions, oh ISO downloaders:
    What else does the Media Creation Tool so helpfully supplied by MS leave behind, outside of the ISO?
    What is Panther?

  21. I have one word for the people who are getting all sweaty reading how to save your stupid PC from it’s obvious irrelevancy …..
    APPLE!

  22. I have one word for the people who are getting all sweaty reading how to save your stupid PC from it’s obvious irrelevancy …..
    APPLE!

  23. This was far more true two or three years ago. Apple is quickly descending into “not worth the extra money” territory. Thought I was done searching fro a workable Linux, but I’ll have to consider it next time I need a computer.

  24. What else does the Media Creation Tool so helpfully supplied by MS leave behind, outside of the ISO?
    It “leaves behind” a hidden folder at C:\$Windows.~WS, which is where it installs the executable files used by the Media Creation tool to download and assemble the files that need to be burned to a CD or flash drive. The boot files for the WinPE environment Windows 10 uses to install itself are in here as well.
    What is Panther?
    It’s the internal codename of the unattended setup engine Windows Vista+ uses to install itself.
    You people seriously need to calm down. Microsoft has a million more effective possible ways to spy on your activity if they actually wanted to, and they’ve been built in to Windows since 2000. IF you actually think Microsoft is some kind of evil empire out to spy on you and steal your photos of your dog, it’s already too late.

  25. I upgraded Windows 10 on my home made box this morning. I ignored it for half an hour while it did its thing, and its working fine so far today.
    Other boxes in the house upgraded just fine as well. I’m not excited by the idea that one of them may plotz in the middle of it. That will mean a bare-metal reinstall. You can’t fix this sh1t, you burn it to the ground and start over.
    I have a Mac Mini and a couple of iPod/pads/phones. They suck. Apple has gone to such lengths to keep everyone’s fingers out of the gears, its virtually impossible to do anything useful with them.
    Linux I have been trying to switch over to since the 1990’s. Every year it gets better, but every year it fails to be compatible with the hardware available that year. Got a newish video card, sound card, motherboard? You’re screwed. Haven’t tried lately, maybe its better this year.
    Computers ALL PHONE HOME. There is nothing available to use commercially at this time that can be trusted. At all. So stick a bandaid over the web cam, pour some epoxy in the little hole for the mic, or do what I do and build them up from parts with no microphone or camera in them. Then don’t put anything on there you can’t afford to let the whole world see.

  26. That will mean a bare-metal reinstall. You can’t fix this sh1t, you burn it to the ground and start over.
    A warning for anyone who’s planning to do this: be careful with the Windows license keys.
    Suppose, like most people, that you bought a laptop with Windows 7 or 8 pre-installed. On the bottom of the laptop there’s a license key for your copy of Windows. That is not the license key in your copy of Windows. When it’s installed in the factory, Windows is activated with a generic license key that’s common to all laptops made by your laptop manufacturer. The license key on the sticker is valid and will work if you ever have to reinstall from scratch, but it’s not the same as the one in your running copy of Windows.
    Why this matters: When you run the Windows 10 upgrade, Microsoft gets the license key from your running copy of Windows, verifies that it’s legit, then assigns that license key to your install of Windows 10. Microsoft knows nothing about that license key on the sticker, because no one has ever activated a running copy of Windows with that license key.
    So if you wipe your drive and do a bare-metal install of Windows 10 and try to use the license key on the sticker to activate it, it won’t work and you’ll have to call Microsoft support.

  27. Did the upgrade on the three computers in my hovel. Would generally view this as a bit of a return to Windows 7. So am cautiously happy that the incomprehensible Windows 8 is a thing of the past.
    Agree there will now doubt be glitches as some here are noting. Hopefully Microsoft will patch those up in the near future via the updating process.

  28. If you were trying to ‘switch to Linux since the nineties’ you couldn’t have been trying very hard. As to Linux not being compatible with ‘newish’ hardware….complete and utter bunk.

  29. Spy on your activity if they actually wanted to, and they’ve been built in to Windows since 2000. It’s already too late.
    –
    Agree…
    –
    At least with Win 10 I am finally able to get into that fracking Microsoft Store.
    Tried to download free Apps for three years,
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