Windows 10 unveiled

Glenn · Sep 30, 2014, 18:50:22

Quote from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29431412The software will run on a wide range of devices from smartphones and tablets to PCs and Xbox games consoles, with applications sold from a single store.

It also marks the return of the Start Menu, which had been removed from Windows 8.

In addition to offering a list of the user's favourite applications, the menu also brings up resizable tiles - similar to those featured in Windows 8's touch-centric interface - on PCs and tablets.

zappaDPJ · Sep 30, 2014, 19:21:14

That sounds dreadful. Take everything that was wrong about Windows 8 and expand on it.

Simon · Sep 30, 2014, 19:32:26

What happened to Windows 9?

Steve · Sep 30, 2014, 19:50:29

Quote from: Simon on Sep 30, 2014, 19:32:26
What happened to Windows 9?

Well nobody's is going to buy that after Windows 8 so perhaps they're thinking people will think it's it three releases since Windows 7 so it maybe ok. Just had a thought perhaps they're copying Apple with their successful releases of OS X (10)

zappaDPJ · Sep 30, 2014, 20:34:18

It is a bit odd, Microsoft has always alternated between good and bad releases. If they miss 9, we will have had two back to back turkeys!

Den · Sep 30, 2014, 20:47:09

I just wished everyone would lay off Windows 8.1 . I use it everyday and took the trouble to learn and get used to it. It is far superior to XP and Vista, it has all the good points of W7 and more and is much faster, If it was made by Apple you would all be singing it's praises and stating that it was the best operating system ever.

Simon · Sep 30, 2014, 21:31:08

I don't think there's many singing Apple's praises this week, Den.

Den · Sep 30, 2014, 21:34:26

Makes a change though doesn't it.

I really do like Windows 8.1 though and can't understand why it's run down so much. I think if people gave it a chance and used it their opinions would change.

pctech · Sep 30, 2014, 23:05:31

OS X has been going for 12 years.

Made me chuckle that when Mavericks was unveiled they said "We've run out of big cats"

I presume when they have to release OS XI they'll make some Spinal Tap related gag about turning it up to 11 or they ran out of numbers.

zappaDPJ · Oct 01, 2014, 05:53:30

Quote from: Den on Sep 30, 2014, 20:47:09
I just wished everyone would lay off Windows 8.1 . I use it everyday and took the trouble to learn and get used to it. It is far superior to XP and Vista, it has all the good points of W7 and more and is much faster, If it was made by Apple you would all be singing it's praises and stating that it was the best operating system ever.

A lot of people including me have spent a fair bit of time learning to cope with the idiosyncrasies of Window 8 and we still don't like it. It has a very obvious problem that Microsoft seem determined to repeat. A PC is not a tablet and while windows 8 works reasonably well on a tablet, it really doesn't work so well on a PC. In fact it was so bad that Microsoft released 8.1 in order to give users something that they were familiar with.

Microsoft seems determined to create a unified platform across all technologies. That's great if it works but it really hasn't worked out too well for them so far with Windows 8 and now they appear to want to include consoles and phones in their grand plan. I can honestly see Windows 7 becoming the new XP, an operating system that lives on years beyond its sell by date. Did you know that Windows 8 actually caused an increase in the number Windows XP installations at a time when XP was declared end of life? It's that bad. Windows 8.1 doesn't even command 10% of the desktop market share http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0 and it comes pre-installed on the majority of PCs.

So why is Windows 8.0 bad? It's primarily because you have to relearn to do the same things that you've always been able to do with Windows 7 without any additional benefit so why not just use Windows 7? It's change that doesn't aid productivity. You should never be left wondering how to achieve an end result with an operating system, it should be invisible, nothing more than an intuitive GUI. If it works for you that's great but it really doesn't work for me and I do have it installed here. If Windows 8 was an Apple product, trust me, I would have given it the death sentence. What has always made Apple products great is any idiot can use them, including me. There's no learning curve, just an intuitive GUI. It's quality at a price but it is quality. That's why when Apple does something stupid as they did with 8.0.1 they are ridiculed and quite rightly so.

Den · Oct 01, 2014, 07:47:21

A friend of mine who always used XP took the plunge and uses 8.1 and likes it so much he has now bought a Windows 8.1 phone.

I have not got a tablet running W8 as I use a iPad so until I get ready to change I must put up with that. I also have a Kindle Fire HDX and in the end if I want to do anything constructive I use my real computer.

The other day a shop I have a lot of dealings with asked me to look at their computer running XP as it was running slow and it reminded me why I changed to 8. I thought 7 was great but 8.1 is much better. I am sure when the next version comes out I will upgrade though because I always do.

Simon · Oct 01, 2014, 09:37:08

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Oct 01, 2014, 05:53:30What has always made Apple products great is any idiot can use them, including me. There's no learning curve, just an intuitive GUI. It's quality at a price but it is quality. That's why when Apple does something stupid as they did with 8.0.1 they are ridiculed and quite rightly so.

I agree, and this is also the case when comparing iOS to Android. For example, on my new HTC One M8 Android phone, I wanted to set up 6 email accounts. The setting up was fine, but then I had to set each one individually to get notifications of new emails, which involved setting peak and off peak check intervals for each separate account. After doing this several times, and wondering why it still wasn't checking for new emails automatically, I accidentally came across another switch, to turn on automatic updates, in an entirely different set of settings. There may be less settings with Apple, which some people complain about, but at least the settings are simple, intuitive, and they do work.

Glenn · Oct 01, 2014, 10:05:22

I can't be Apple's target customer, I don't find OS X 10.7 easy, it's confusing, trying to configure exchange is far easier on a Android device than an iPhone.

Technical Ben · Oct 01, 2014, 21:46:31

Quote from: Simon on Sep 30, 2014, 19:32:26
What happened to Windows 9?

They wanted to get twice as far from 8!

Simon · Oct 01, 2014, 22:03:45

But everyone knows the odd numbers are the best versions!

nowster · Oct 01, 2014, 22:45:53

Nein nein nein!

Glenn · Oct 02, 2014, 08:33:07

According to this'dev' it could be a coding issue as to why 9 is not used.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/windows-10-name-may-be-windows-95-s-fault?

Steve · Oct 02, 2014, 09:05:30

I suppose that makes sense.

Technical Ben · Oct 02, 2014, 20:27:43

But what about the software looking for "Windows 1*"?

stevenrw · Oct 07, 2014, 23:19:12

I had to buy HID a new lappy and of course I had to go with W8.1. I've spent the last three weeks trying to stay out of her way, while she rants.
Fast it may be (although I'm not convinced of that) but the simple things which used to work easily before either don't work at all or are at best flakey.
Now this is as much the fault of the drivers not Windows 8.1, but its difficult to defend. For example if you (or rather "she") wants to print something to our Epson all-in-one she used to be able to scale up the image in question and print easily under W7.
Now she can't (unless she uses one of our W7 machines that is).
Manufacturers like Canon, Epson etc just can't keep spending time and resources updating drivers and software for all their hardware with every failed MS attempt to dictate what we want, so they put out something basic that will fulfill the basics and we take the hit every time.
I can only call 'em as I see 'em, but for me drivers for W7 consistently work better and are more intuitive.
I'm no luddite, but I agree, I can't find too much to recommend W8.1. But we have little choice as consumers.

Technical Ben · Oct 08, 2014, 23:23:58

Had a couple of "Verified for Windows 8/8.1" cameras just stop working with the latest updates too. Other reports on it happening, so not just me. Might be specific to companies, but it's a real pain when it happens.

pctech · Oct 11, 2014, 16:07:43

From watching the videos I'm very surprised they didn't use hardware detection in Windows 8 to offer an appropriate interface for the type of machine it is running on (or whether the machine is running in tablet or notebook mode) as for example it won't offer battery monitoring if it can't detect a battery.

Glenn · Mar 18, 2015, 18:29:00

http://www.windowscentral.com/you-can-upgrade-windows-10-free-even-if-youre-using-pirated-version-windows

Simon · Mar 18, 2015, 19:03:46

I can't help but be slightly suspicious about it being given away free. What's the catch?

kinmel · Mar 18, 2015, 20:04:39

I have been running Windows 10 on one machine for a few weeks and find it at least as good as Windows 7.

Certainly there is a learning curve involved, but most of the Windows 7 way of thinking, works on W10 too.

It's free for the first 12 months to ensure there is a significant take-up and as with Apple and Android, the money is in the Apps, not the OS