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Friday, May 6, 2016

Windows 10 WTF?!

I'm here to tell you the only thing really great about Windows 10 is Ninja Cat.
Seriously, just look at that majestic bastard!
Having been forced to use it for going on about 4 or 5 months, it pales in comparison to Windows 7.  See, it used to be that every other version of Windows was The One.  Windows 95: Perfect.  Windows 98: Crap.  Windows 2000: Beautiful!  Windows ME: Who phoned in THIS turd?  Windows XP: We just can't quit it.  Like really, we can't.  Windows Vista: THIS is what you follow XP with?  Windows 7: Yes, all the good stuff from Vista with all the crap cut out!  Windows 8:  Tablets?  You think the future of a DESKTOP OS is in TABLETS?!

This is why I had such high hopes for Windows 10.  Historically, Windows 10 was supposed to be AWESOME.  Spoiler alert: It isn't.  In fact, it's so horrendous I can give you 10 reasons why you should just stick with Windows 7.

1.  It's bloated

Believe it or not, Windows 7 and Windows 10 actually have the same system requirements.  Actually using it though you pick up on just how poorly Windows 10 performs by comparison.  The biggest change I had to make in my routine was switching browsers.  For the record, the Edge browser is not poised to take the browser crown.  It barely works properly.  I used to be an avid Mozilla Firefox user.  It worked great on 7 but on 10 it lagged horribly.  I was forced to switch to Chrome.  Some will argue that I should have switched a long time ago but hey old habits die hard and I still prefer Firefox.  Even Chrome starts to suffer once you open more that 3 tabs.

2.  They shuffled their menus again

Every version of Windows presents a new version of Peek-A-Boo with where they put stuff.  It takes a while to figure out where everything is but with Windows 10 they went to new depths to hide stuff.  The one item I used the most is now the hardest thing to get to: Control Panel.  The Options menu item on the new version of the Task Bar doesn't lead to it.  It's not listed anywhere on the Apps menu. In fact, the one method I've tried that gets me there more often than not is...

3.  The Search Bar works when it wants to

The Search Bar is the easiest way to find all the stuff Microsoft has stashed in the back but it only works half of the time.  Also, they designed it to be both a system search and a web search.  But WHY?!?  If I want to search the web I know where the browser is dammit!  Sometimes I attempt to use the Search Bar and it develops a hiccup where it won't search for anything.

4.  The Windows Store is STILL crap

It didn't work properly on Windows 8 and it doesn't work properly on 10.  Besides, apps are for tablets.  On a desktop they're fluff.

5.  Windows 10 often registers phantom movements

One quirk that really irritates me is that Edge will often spontaneously close.  It's not a crash, it closes.  (Keep in mind I have to use Edge because that's the only way I can work with the database I use on a daily basis).  I know it closes because I found a way around it.  I just open two tabs and when Edge gets the kill order I get notified if I want to close all tabs.  This is just one quirk though. Several programs don't play nice with 10 and that includes Office.  Like that one time I had a document irreversibly squash all my images because I tried to put a caption on one.  I had to ditch the version I was working on and go to a backup.  Another time it started rapidly shifting between two programs for no reason.

6.  It essentially tricks you into an upgrade

The nag screens, the notices, and that damn Task Bar icon that won't go away no matter how many times I say no.  My personal laptop is still running Windows 7 and I aim to keep it that way but Windows 10 is very aggressive.  If anyone finds a way to make that thing go away for good clue me in.

7.  DVD playback is gone

Once natively supported you're going to have to install a third party program to play DVDs now.  I recommend VLC for DVDs.

8. Privacy

The first time I installed Windows 10, the first thing I noticed was my pc cam was on.  I started looking for the cam settings and fiddling with them but it never turned off.  No option I messed with turned it off so I just unplugged it.  Granted it was an old Logitech cam but it was enough to make me nervous about what else is magically turned on by default. Heck, they even changed their update distribution to include peer-to-peer and it's turned on in Windows 10 by default.

9.  It comes with a rollback countdown

Microsoft really really REALLY wants you to try Windows 10 so if you were tricked into upgrading you still have an out.  You have 30 days to roll it back to whatever you upgraded from.  It is possible to do it after the 30 day limit but the process is more difficult.

10.  The free upgrade doesn't stay free

Okay, I admit this point is kinda nit picky considering than I'm bashing Windows 10 but you have to face the fact that this is the future of the Windows OS.  At this point you either get on board or cling to your dearly held previous version.  The problem with holding on to old operating systems is that a) support for software and hardware on older operating systems wanes and eventually ends and b) the older an operating system is the less secure it gets...especially if you're connected to the Internet.

The point is that at some point you'll have no choice but to upgrade.  Unfortunately, Microsoft is only giving  you a year to make your decision and the free update offer goes bye-bye in July.  Windows 10 does indeed suck, but at least it didn't cost you anything.

Personally, I'm sticking with Windows 7 as long as I can.

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