New Windows?

[manofdevon111]

Any signs that Microsoft are moving on from Windows 10. I am considering purchasing a new computer?

[pip08456]

No Windows 10 is the last Microsoft will produce (or so they say).

[swoop101]

It is actually just Windows now, because they have moved away from the big updates onto the incremental update system.
Be prepared (in the coming years) for them to switch to a subscription based release along the lines of Office 365

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by swoop101

It is actually just Windows now, because they have moved away from the big updates onto the incremental update system.
Be prepared (in the coming years) for them to switch to a subscription based release along the lines of Office 365

And then i will move to OSX or Linux.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by Sirius

And then i will move to OSX or Linux.

You are not alone.

[dilli-theclaw]

I must admit I tend to use my Mac more. Just windows for games.

[Anonymouse]

Subscriptions? Paying Micro$oft every year? They can get knotted!

I've had my Windows 8 laptop over a year now...and I haven't installed a single update (it would very much like me to, I think, but I have very firmly said No). It still runs as smoothly as ever. "Critical" updates, indeed. I have less than fond memories of installing "critical" updates on earlier versions, only to see them cause Windows to crash & burn.

Having said that, I do let it check for updates, on the off chance there might actually be something useful, and I even browse through them occasionally, but it has to ask me even to download them, let alone install. So far, not a single update has struck me as vital, important or even useful.

<somewhat O/T>
Most of the updates are security fixes - and aren't even necessary if you have a decent, correctly-configured firewall and don't allow anything to have Internet access if it doesn't need it, e.g. Windows Explorer. A router adds a layer of security, too; use a VPN and that's surely as secure as you can get.

Oh, and don't use admin accounts for Internet access; many hackers rely on the fact that most people simply create the one account when they set up their PC and don't realise/know it's an admin account with installation privileges. Using a non-admin account will stop anything installing unless it uses privilege escalation - which is very rare. I've never seen an example of this on an individual scale; usually only large businesses have to worry about privilege escalation.

I've only ever had one serious malware incident: a rootkit on Win 2000. I was only using an admin account at the time (I know, I know, but at least I learned from this!) because I thought it was secure as I had a firewall etc. Wrong. That rootkit sank its claws deep into 2000 and didn't let go for nearly a week until I discovered F-Secure's Blacklight Beta, downloaded and copied it via an uninfected laptop and ran it, thus nuking the rootkit.

Lesson learned.
</somewhat O/T>

[Mr K]

Would have stuck with XP if they hadn't of stopped updates. W10 is ok but lots of crap I'd never use (eg. Cortana).

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Would have stuck with XP if they hadn't of stopped updates. W10 is ok but lots of crap I'd never use (eg. Cortana).

I still do: XP SP2 as installed. Never updated but I use third party antivirus, firewall in the router and avoiding running dodgy code. Has a load of registry tweaks and a customised command line interface (TCC LE) which is why I never did an update as these tend to muck up settings.

There IS a way of getting XP security updates until 2019 via a registry tweak. M$ have to support embedded XP until then so the trick is to make your PC look like an embedded system. These are commonly in quiz machines and similar.

When I get a new system it looks like a Linux distro will be the way to go as M$ is turning into big brother. Fortunately the CAD tools I need use are becoming available on the Linux platform (at last!) and the older DOS stuff will run in a VM sandbox.

[Ken W]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I still do: XP SP2 as installed. Never updated but I use third party antivirus, firewall in the router and avoiding running dodgy code. Has a load of registry tweaks and a customised command line interface (TCC LE) which is why I never did an update as these tend to muck up settings.

There IS a way of getting XP security updates until 2019 via a registry tweak. M$ have to support embedded XP until then so the trick is to make your PC look like an embedded system. These are commonly in quiz machines and similar.

.

I think XP was a very good version

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I still do: XP SP2 as installed. Never updated but I use third party antivirus, firewall in the router and avoiding running dodgy code. Has a load of registry tweaks and a customised command line interface (TCC LE) which is why I never did an update as these tend to muck up settings.

There IS a way of getting XP security updates until 2019 via a registry tweak. M$ have to support embedded XP until then so the trick is to make your PC look like an embedded system. These are commonly in quiz machines and similar.

When I get a new system it looks like a Linux distro will be the way to go as M$ is turning into big brother. Fortunately the CAD tools I need use are becoming available on the Linux platform (at last!) and the older DOS stuff will run in a VM sandbox.

My problem is that Elite Dangerous the main game i play will only run correctly on Microsh$t. If i could run it on Linux i would have moved away from windows a long time ago. I cannot abide the way windows is used to spy on you, They try to force all there stuff on you like edge, cortana, Bing and adverts. Thankfully i use software to stop most of it.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by Sirius

My problem is that Elite Dangerous the main game i play will only run correctly on Microsh$t. If i could run it on Linux i would have moved away from windows a long time ago. I cannot abide the way windows is used to spy on you, They try to force all there stuff on you like edge, cortana, Bing and adverts. Thankfully i use software to stop most of it.

Spybot anti beacon? I find it very good.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by pip08456

Spybot anti beacon? I find it very good.

Indeed

I will run Windows 7 for as long as I can, after that Windows 8.1 for as long as possible.

They should carry me well into the 2020's, after that I guess it will have to be Linux.

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by swoop101

It is actually just Windows now, because they have moved away from the big updates onto the incremental update system.
Be prepared (in the coming years) for them to switch to a subscription based release along the lines of Office 365

no they wont