Windows 10: An improvement! :D

[ManofGod]

Well, I have been using Windows 10 Preview as my primary OS at work, home and on my tablet since Build 10147. One thing among many I can say is they are definitely listening this time. The features are fantastic and will be improving well the stability is greatly improving.

I find the only thing missing for me is that on a desktop, the full screen start menu will not open at login automatically. However, that is minor since I can just hit the start key on the keyboard once and bring it up. Search functionality is greatly improved and even notices my typing mistakes. I have not tried Cortana yet but I do use it on my Windows phone and it works quite well there.

The backup program has been greatly improved and the Windows 7 backup program is also installed by default. Speaking of default, changing the default programs has become easier. 3D effects are built into the OS and look quite good to me. The phone companion is also pretty good although I do not use it that much. (Works with all types of smart phones, not just Windows based phones.)

Backwards compatibility is also excellent with all my programs working so far. Build 10166 fixed a lot of bugs I was getting and RTM is almost here. I am very much looking forward to this and it should be a big boost to the PC market for the school year start and Christmas season.

The only real issues is they do need to improve their modern apps with some missing features. However, stability is more important right now, features can be added in anytime.

 

[ManofGod]

Dang man, I guess a positive outlook gets no looks but complaining is popular. Still, 19 days to the release of Windows 10 and very much looking forward to it. It works well and is no more spy software than Linux is.

Do all things without grumbling or complaining. It is great to be able to have a job doing something that I love. Windows, Linux, Mac OS, they are all fun to use and I enjoy learning about them to support them. For those who like to look down upon an OS, whine, complain and insult, good luck, you will need it.

 

[primetime]

This particular sub forum get hardly any posts.....What did you mean by the 3d effects? I remember seeing a 3d app but never knew what it was for

 

[ManofGod]

No, I was thinking about stuff like shadows, fading in, fading out and trasparency effects. Yeah, I have not tried the 3d program either no do I have any idea what it is either.

 

[svet-am]

No, I was thinking about stuff like shadows, fading in, fading out and trasparency effects. Yeah, I have not tried the 3d program either no do I have any idea what it is either.

it's for doing 3D models and sending them to a 3D printer. It was demo'ed at BUILD.

 

[primetime]

it's for doing 3D models and sending them to a 3D printer. It was demo'ed at BUILD.

thank you for telling us cause i was baffled as to wtf it was for...but back to the subject in general, win 10 is looking pretty good for rtm and the new amd drivers are impressive.

 

[B00nie]

It works for games which is the only purpose it's basically good for.

 

[ManofGod]

It works for games which is the only purpose it's basically good for me.

Fixed that properly for you.

 

[pxc]

It works for games which is the only purpose it's basically good for.

It does seem very much like a consumer oriented OS, and like Win 8.x, it should do relatively well in retail systems. Despite the grumblings of some (me included), most consumers don't really care as long as it runs their programs and games. Windows 10 is less annoying in that way then Win8.x, so there should be fewer consumers complaining about it.

OP brings up a couple of good points. The modern apps are gimped and the OS is still a work in progress, despite being 2-ish weeks from release. With the "free" upgrades consumers get for an apparently extended period now, that's not really a big deal. Someone could wait a year and upgrade then if they choose.

Personally, I can't believe MS didn't fix the major problems that kept Win8.x out of corporate settings. It's worse in some ways, like the incomplete, phone UI-like control panels that replaced fully functioning ones in older OSs. In an attempt to appeal to the anti-Metro UI users, its UI is even a bigger mess than Win 8.x. Quick example: the charms menu pops up on non-touch screen devices during non-modern actions (like searching for an app in the terrible new start menu), when no Modern UI apps are running and it has no necessary context on the desktop, is just really weird. I can only imagine how many people were overridden to get these bizarre, nonsensical UI idioms in place. Like the dumb Surface RT strategy, the next domino to fall (fail) is Windows Phone, but not after doing great damage to Windows.

 

[rezerekted]

The Win10 start menu is retarded so I would still have to use classicshell to fix their mess of a start menu.

"is no more spy software than Linux is."

Then why does it require a Microsoft online account to login?

 

[B00nie]

Fixed that properly for you.

Well I guess if you wish to have a malware riddled workstation, then I agree. I don't.

 

[svet-am]

The Win10 start menu is retarded so I would still have to use classicshell to fix their mess of a start menu.

"is no more spy software than Linux is."

Then why does it require a Microsoft online account to login?

And before you spout of the "you can create a local account" garbage, if you want to use the store or get any real functionality out of the apps like Maps, News, etc. then you have to log in with a MSA.

 

[B00nie]

The Win10 start menu is retarded so I would still have to use classicshell to fix their mess of a start menu.

"is no more spy software than Linux is."

Then why does it require a Microsoft online account to login?

He was probably referring to the zeitgeist in Ubuntu. Which affects only basic version of Ubuntu and can be disabled with a couple of key presses even there.

 

[ManofGod]

And before you spout of the "you can create a local account" garbage, if you want to use the store or get any real functionality out of the apps like Maps, News, etc. then you have to log in with a MSA.

What the hell is this spout bullshit! It does not require the use of a Microsoft account at all! (Well, the insider previews do for upgrades because it is an insider preview.) However, if you do not want to do the upgrades, you do not need to use a MSA at all.

Last time I checked, you do not need to use the apps at all, they are not required. Also, you and folks like you claim you think they suck so please, stop with the bullshit!
To finish up: WINDOWS 10 and WINDOWS 8.1 DO NOT REQUIRE THE USE OF A MICROSOFT ACCOUNT!

*Breaths in and out, slows down and calms down* Now, do you have anything true to say or are you just going to keep going on like you have so far?

 

[ManofGod]

He was probably referring to the zeitgeist in Ubuntu. Which affects only basic version of Ubuntu and can be disabled with a couple of key presses even there.

No, I was referring to the fact that no OS is without privacy issues, unfortunately. Linux is no better regardless of what folks would like to believe. In fact, I would not be surprised to find the NSA adding it's own functionality to Linux as a person who appears to be just an individual.

 

[ManofGod]

Well I guess if you wish to have a malware riddled workstation, then I agree. I don't.

Well, thankfully, I do not either at all. However, I guess I do not randomly click on things like you appear to do and just click yes without reading what is going on. Also, I try to professionally explain to my customers what is the best way to avoid malware by explaining that a lot of it gets in based upon what a person clicks on and does.

 

[rezerekted]

What the hell is this spout bullshit! It does not require the use of a Microsoft account at all! (Well, the insider previews do for upgrades because it is an insider preview.) However, if you do not want to do the upgrades, you do not need to use a MSA at all.

That is not what I read, the Win10 license is tied to a Microsoft online account. It is optional on Win8.1 but is not on Win10. Microsoft wants all your info just like google so the comment about Linux is just BS.

 

[ManofGod]

That is not what I read, the Win10 license is tied to a Microsoft online account. It is optional on Win8.1 but is not on Win10. Microsoft wants all your info just like google so the comment about Linux is just BS.

Well, you read wrong. I can install the release preview without a MSA. I suggest you try it yourself and see what it is all about. Also, good luck with the Linux comment is just BS stuff, enjoy you potential NSA stuff. Oh, and why would it be BS, because it is not Windows?

 

[B00nie]

Well, you read wrong. I can install the release preview without a MSA. I suggest you try it yourself and see what it is all about. Also, good luck with the Linux comment is just BS stuff, enjoy you potential NSA stuff. Oh, and why would it be BS, because it is not Windows?

NSA doesn't worry me one bit as I'm not doing anything criminal. Main thing is that my information doesn't leak to criminals.

And even the NSA thingy is highly unlikely since literally anyone can review the source code to anything in linux at any time. Try that on windows

 

[rezerekted]

Well, you read wrong. I can install the release preview without a MSA.

Read through this thread, it says license is tied to a Microsoft account. You have a beta and not release version.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1868436

 

[Verge]

From a productivity standpoint, it's a big yawn.

App store is 90% scamming shit and the rest is a barren wasteland of unlivimg tiles.

 

[polonyc2]

an improvement over what?...yes it's an improvement over Windows 8/8.1 but not so much for Windows 7 (unless you use a touchscreen or laptop)

 

[Megalith]

Dark theme, meng.

 

[ManofGod]

an improvement over what?...yes it's an improvement over Windows 8/8.1 but not so much for Windows 7 (unless you use a touchscreen or laptop)

I already told you what is an improvement of in my very first post. It is also definitely better than Windows 7, which old and slow in comparison. (Only good thing for Windows 7 is a business where software compatibility has already been proven with it.)

 

[ManofGod]

From a productivity standpoint, it's a big yawn.

App store is 90% scamming shit and the rest is a barren wasteland of unlivimg tiles.

I am sorry but is an OS, not a productivity suite. The App store is better than you think but hey, to each their own. I usually just get what I want and rarely visit it anyways, just like I do on my phone.

 

[Verge]

I am sorry but is an OS, not a productivity suite. The App store is better than you think but hey, to each their own. I usually just get what I want and rarely visit it anyways, just like I do on my phone.

No it's saas, and it's not that good.

 

[XOR != OR]

I already told you what is an improvement of in my very first post. It is also definitely better than Windows 7, which old and slow in comparison. (Only good thing for Windows 7 is a business where software compatibility has already been proven with it.)

Windows 7 is slow by comparison? How so?

As far as "old", MS has done a remarkable job showing us that "old" doesn't necessarily mean "bad".

 

[DPI]

From a productivity standpoint, it's a big yawn.

App store is 90% scamming shit and the rest is a barren wasteland of unlivimg tiles.

You'd think they would've cleaned that cesspool up before the Windows 10 launch. Did they not learn from Windows 8's mess of a launch that first impressions are everything?

Anyway the Metro app store is dead, because Nadella effectively declared windows phone dead, and the whole point of UWP apps was to prop up the failed mobile efforts through the desktop install base. They never quite "got" that people don't want to run oversimplified, functionally limited smartphone apps on the desktop. Nor is UWP/XAML powerful enough to replace Win32 programs, and thankfully Microsoft at least understands that, since they're going to release Office 2016 in Win32 form later in the year, rather than trying to make the UWP version the only/definitive version going forward.

 

[Domingo]

One of the main things that Windows 10 never really "fixes" that Windows 8 did wrong was general disconnect between the universal "modern" world and the desktop world. There are still oddball components that reside in one instead of the other for no rhyme or reason. DPI settings vary, and there's seemingly no way to customize anything modern related. If you try, you're more likely to break it than hide or move something.
I'll admit that I don't hate it, but these final previews are still very raw and I'm all but certain these things are going to be called "features."

 

[Spidey329]

I've switched my main machine over, no issues. It's faster than Win7 it seems. Haven't done the SP3 yet, so I can't comment on the touch/continuum interfaces.

One of the main things that Windows 10 never really "fixes" that Windows 8 did wrong was general disconnect between the universal "modern" world and the desktop world. There are still oddball components that reside in one instead of the other for no rhyme or reason. DPI settings vary, and there's seemingly no way to customize anything modern related. If you try, you're more likely to break it than hide or move something.
I'll admit that I don't hate it, but these final previews are still very raw and I'm all but certain these things are going to be called "features."

A lot of that is likely to be fixed in 10.1. It's obvious they feature locked to get this out the door in time for the Surface Pro 4 launch.

 

[heatlesssun]

I've switched my main machine over, no issues. It's faster than Win7 it seems. Haven't done the SP3 yet, so I can't comment on the touch/continuum interfaces.

Been looking a lot into that aspect of 10 on my SP3. Things were pretty buggy for me regarding Continuum and tablet use on the SP3 until the spat of updates that came out over the last two weeks. 10166 has been by far the best build for me and has worked well enough for me on the SP3 for full time hybrid use to be functional.

Overall I think Continuum works well enough for tablet use though the tablet mode isn't as "tabletly" as Windows 8.1. The desktop File Explorer for instance is the file system UI for modern apps with the modern explorer removed. It works ok and is touch friendly enough but certainly not touch optimized. And other desktop elements can get mixed in that shouldn't really present themselves in tablet mode.

I think overall desktop usability is very solid though. The addition of the task viewer, new snap modes and virtual desktops along with better high DPI support.

 

[ManofGod]

One of the main things that Windows 10 never really "fixes" that Windows 8 did wrong was general disconnect between the universal "modern" world and the desktop world. There are still oddball components that reside in one instead of the other for no rhyme or reason. DPI settings vary, and there's seemingly no way to customize anything modern related. If you try, you're more likely to break it than hide or move something.
I'll admit that I don't hate it, but these final previews are still very raw and I'm all but certain these things are going to be called "features."

Well, that is just in, it does go a long way in fixing it. However, it is not 100% there yet but as I have said before, backwards compatibility holds things like this back. It is just the nature of the beast and will not change overnight. As far as the display scaling goes, I did try it once with my 4K monitor and the 1080p monitors I used to have and it work great. (Automatically scaled on both monitors to the proper scaling.)

However, I really do not understand what you mean by customizing anything modern related.

 

[Domingo]

However, I really do not understand what you mean by customizing anything modern related.

With the modern app shortcuts - there's no way to sort them, rename them, put them in forlders, hide them, or do anything else with them. When I pull up the "all programs" menu, they're there in the midst of my other folders and there's nothing I can do about it. I'd love to put those shortcuts in other folders, hide them, re-arrange them, etc. but I can't. They're one reason my start menu involves so much scrolling.

The DPI thing is really, really weird. Nearly every time I reboot my system changes its color profile from RGB to YbPbPr. The DPI settings seem to vary greatly between the two and whenever I save the color profile and settings - they still don't seem to stick. I have both configured to be nearly the exact same, but Windows just can't seem to keep the settings right. The easiest thing for me to do is when I see the watermark on my desktop looking larger than normal I reboot until it shows up normally.

 

[Domingo]

A new Nvidia driver launched through Windows update that seems to alleviate some issues. At the very least I'm no longer going between RGB and YbPbPr at random. DPI scaling is still odd, but I have a feeling that's just how the OS is going to launch. 125% is just going to look sloppy with a lot of programs.

 

[heatlesssun]

DPI scaling is still odd, but I have a feeling that's just how the OS is going to launch. 125% is just going to look sloppy with a lot of programs.

Unfortunately that's more likely a problem with the app and not Windows per se. As higher resolution screen become more common hopefully more developers will make their apps scale better.

 

[Domingo]

Unfortunately that's more likely a problem with the app and not Windows per se. As higher resolution screen become more common hopefully more developers will make their apps scale better.

The thing is, those same apps look absolutely fine on Windows 7 and 8.1 at 125%. In Windows 10, they seem to have changed how it works. I can either have a small start menu/taskbar at 100% or blurry apps at 125%.

 

[XOR != OR]

It is also definitely better than Windows 7, which old and slow in comparison.

Windows 7 is slow by comparison? How so?

As far as "old", MS has done a remarkable job showing us that "old" doesn't necessarily mean "bad".

I'd still like an answer to this, as I updated my 7 install to 10 and haven't noticed a speed boost.

Note; that's not a complaint. It's an OS, how much faster could windows even get after all this time? I will say that my only real complaint of 10 is how the apps are arranged in the All Apps area of the start menu, and that's hardly a complaint at all. I'm a fan of 10 and like it, personally, much better than 8/8.1. Compared to 7 I'm somewhat ambivalent, I could go either way.

More importantly, however, is that I think this will be a comfortable upgrade for my users. The GUI changes which impact my users are gradual enough that it won't cause too much of a training headache ( such as the start screen nightmare that was 8/8.1 ). I got my mother rolling on a beta build, and she had very few issues with it. In comparison, she lasted a day on 8.1 before she brought her laptop to me to switch it back to 7.

So I give 10 a thumbs up, noted rough edges and all.