Let's talk about Windows 10....

So, July 29th is supposed to be the big day!
Many PCers will have the ability to download and install the new Windows version 10....totally free.

So, I have the little icon on my task bar.....and still haven't made the decision to try it.

What will it look like?
If I don't like it, can I easily get rid of it?
How stable is it?
Are we gonna be the test subjects and get a version that is buggy?

ETA
How do you back up what you have...in this case Win7, 64-bit.
Or, since I have the discs to Win 7...would it be better to just start from scratch.

I for one love my Windows 8.1, so I'm anxiously awaiting 10.

I'm not some much worried about bugs. I don't use my PC for much hardcore use so any bugs would be of minimal affect on myself.

For those that bugs would be detrimental to their use of their machine then I would probably suggest running a copy on a virtual machine first and play with it a while before jumping ship. Better safe than sorry. For most advanced machines, that's pretty much standard procedure anyway.

I like risks so I will be jumping head first into Windows 10, after I back up of course.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe
It looks like windows 8 without the metro menu.

No. Once you upgrade, you will have to do a re-install of your previous windows from scratch, unless you make a system image ahead of time, which I highly recommend.

Stable so far. I've been running it for quite a while on a second computer.

Yes. It still has bugs to be worked out, and as usual, Microsoft uses its customer base to help them work out the bugs. Note they are not alone. Other companies do it too. Microsoft just excels at it.

a reply to: Klassified

I thought Win 8 relied heavily on touch screen functions.....which I would hate.
Give me a mouse anyday!!!!!

Also, I assume the free version is gonna be 32-bit?
Thus not allowing me to use Waterfox anymore

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

I have windows 8.1 and it does have touch screen features, but you don't have to use them. I don't and use my mouse for everything. Occasionally I use the touch screen......very occasionally.

My 8.1 is 64 bit and I'm assuming that 10 will be the same.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

I don't have the little icon. I don't think I'll try it. I have 8.1 and am still getting used to it. I think I'll stay.

originally posted by: SgtHamsandwich
I for one love my Windows 8.1, so I'm anxiously awaiting 10.

I'm not some much worried about bugs. I don't use my PC for much hardcore use so any bugs would be of minimal affect on myself.

For those that bugs would be detrimental to their use of their machine then I would probably suggest running a copy on a virtual machine first and play with it a while before jumping ship. Better safe than sorry. For most advanced machines, that's pretty much standard procedure anyway.

I like risks so I will be jumping head first into Windows 10, after I back up of course.

Back-ups , I dont need no stinkin back-ups

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Klassified

I thought Win 8 relied heavily on touch screen functions.....which I would hate.
Give me a mouse anyday!!!!!

Also, I assume the free version is gonna be 32-bit?
Thus not allowing me to use Waterfox anymore

Comes in 64bit & 32bit flavours. MS say that due to the different binaries required, it is not possible to convert from an existing 32 bit Windows install, to a 64bit Windows, even if your processor supports it.

But that's just an excuse because with the Mach microkernel, it should be possible to replace the Hardware Abstraction Layer, add 64 bit address thunking .dlls, some registry changes and supplementary modules and leave all the 32 bit stuff functional and in-place.

Unfortunately, also, both versions require SSE2 NX & PAE compatible processors (like 8 & 8.1 do) so some legacy hardware (even if it is fast enough) is simply out of the question.

Additionally, getting unsigned drivers to run is problematic (like with 8.x).

Forget Windows, migrate over to Linux, it's open source and it's free to download and use. Also, it is less susceptible to viruses and more robust.

originally posted by: chr0naut

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Klassified

I thought Win 8 relied heavily on touch screen functions.....which I would hate.
Give me a mouse anyday!!!!!

Also, I assume the free version is gonna be 32-bit?
Thus not allowing me to use Waterfox anymore

Comes in 64bit & 32bit flavours. MS say that due to the different binaries required, it is not possible to convert from an existing 32 bit Windows install, to a 64bit Windows, even if your processor supports it.

But that's just an excuse because with the Mach microkernel, it should be possible to replace the Hardware Abstraction Layer, add 64 bit address thunking .dlls, some registry changes and supplementary modules and leave all the 32 bit stuff functional and in-place.

Unfortunately, also, both versions require SSE2 NX & PAE compatible processors (like 8 & 8.1 do) so some legacy hardware (even if it is fast enough) is simply out of the question.

Additionally, getting unsigned drivers to run is problematic (like with 8.x).

Wow what an informative post and I for one thank you for sharing that information with everyone here.

Regards, Iwinder

After spending a lot of time with 10 only to find less access to the deeper system, buggy implementation and flat looking visuals throughout I have to say NOPE. "Edge" is still just explorer only with more disaster waiting to happen added in. It's over for MS.

I'll admit I still run 7, even 3.11 on non vital systems strictly for some specialized apps but Linux now has everything I need so once 7 is unsupported there won't be a single Microsoft "product" in my office. Slight learning curve for the open source alternatives but more and more they are beyond "good enough" and far exceed the latest offerings from MS. Gnome (&classic) / Cinnamon / Mate / LXDE offer all a person could ever need for a windowed experience.

NOPE... Not touching it any further, even with a 100 foot pole. Microsoft has become a hostile problem all around. Don't waste your time and certainly not your money. Free, in this case, is too expensive.

"Surface"? Oh God, Fail.
"Edge"? Fail.
"Office 360"? Fail.
Windows Phone? Not too bad actually!
7, Vista, 8, 8.1 & 9 (ahem 10)? Complete fail. 7, The least however.
Zune? Was great!

Considering shorting their stock. I'm not that big of a gambler but I'm thinking it's lights out 2nd quarter after full release. They no longer have what it takes, lack the vision and have become adverse to productivity.
An overall belligerent nothing of a formerly great company. Even Bill Gates couldn't move the iceberg dead ahead.

If you are rolling the dice on a does it all desktop, consider Linux Mint, Xubuntu, Lubuntu or Open SuSe. Extend your current machine's life another 3 or 4 years this way as well. If you like the tiley / touch sort of interface, standard UBUNTU will do you fine.

I'd say go Apple, while generally better overall, but even OSX has lost itself in the apple ecosystem.
I'm not bashing MS for the sake of it. The legacy OS software companies have lost touch, literally.
Ever since that meeting in DC, funny enough.

I wanted to add: If your operating system or productivity software requires you to be connected to the internet, or is based in "the cloud" consider it hostile and leaky as a sieve.

originally posted by: Klassified
It looks like windows 8 without the metro menu.

Windows 10 still has Metro. And you can swap between Metro (Start Screen) and the Start Menu any time. Here's a quick video on how to re-enable Metro on Windows 10:

www.youtube.com...

originally posted by: Klassified
No. Once you upgrade, you will have to do a re-install of your previous windows from scratch

That's if one wants to go back to Windows 7 as I'm pretty sure restore points will be erased once the upgrade occurs. If someone wants to re-install Windows 10, they do not have to install Windows 7 or 8 and then do the upgrade again. They will be able to download Windows 10 directly from Microsoft, which can then be saved to a USB or DVD for future installations.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
So, July 29th is supposed to be the big day!
Many PCers will have the ability to download and install the new Windows version 10....totally free.

You can rest easy for a bit. Not everyone will be able to download Windows 10 on July 29th. Microsoft will be rolling it out in waves. This article (as well as many others) explains how the roll-out will be done:

www.slashgear.com...

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
So, I have the little icon on my task bar.....and still haven't made the decision to try it.

You can't try it right now unless you download a preview copy. The icon is just for reserving your copy. All you have to do is click on it to reserve. Then your system will tell you when it's your turn to download Windows 10.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
What will it look like?

It will look very similar to Windows 8 and 7. Especially since 8 can be made to look like 7 with very little effort.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
Are we gonna be the test subjects and get a version that is buggy?

Once you reserve your copy, and then eventually download Windows 10, you can install it whenever you choose. You can wait months or years for the bugs to get worked out before installing. It's all your choice.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
I thought Win 8 relied heavily on touch screen functions.....which I would hate.
Give me a mouse anyday!!!!!

No, they just added the touch screen functionality for tablets. Keyboard and mouse support never went away and still works like it always has. I've always had a mouse hooked up to my Windows 8 tablets because there are still some things that are faster and better using a mouse.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Klassified

I thought Win 8 relied heavily on touch screen functions.....which I would hate.
Give me a mouse anyday!!!!!

Also, I assume the free version is gonna be 32-bit?
Thus not allowing me to use Waterfox anymore

It did. Touch will be a feature in 10 as well, but the desktop and laptop versions will be more conducive to keyboard and mouse.
No. 64-bit will be the norm. Only those now using 32-bit will end up with 32-bit.

originally posted by: deloprator20000
Forget Windows, migrate over to Linux

Some of us are waiting for full, native gaming support to come to Linux. Until then, we're stuck with Windows no matter what.

Steam has been making headway with that, and many developers are now starting to make their game in Linux as well. I already use Mint, but it's only casual right now. As soon as native gaming support is here to stay on Linux, Windows will be history forever.

I can see MS buying Canonical (Ubuntu) or Red Hat any day now as they are both starting to lose touch as well. LOL!!!

a reply to: _BoneZ_

Windows 10 still has Metro. And you can swap between Metro (Start Screen) and the Start Menu any time. Here's a quick video on how to re-enable Metro on Windows 10

Understood. But it doesn't come setup full screen, with no way to minimize it, or get rid of it. So it isn't the same as the old metro.

That's if one wants to go back to Windows 7 as I'm pretty sure restore points will be erased once the upgrade occurs. If someone wants to re-install Windows 10, they do not have to install Windows 7 or 8 and then do the upgrade again. They will be able to download Windows 10 directly from Microsoft, which can then be saved to a USB or DVD for future installations.

Also understood. I have been using it since the day it was released, and have kept up with all of this. If you do the upgrade on 7 or 8, you will not be able to "roll back" from what I've read. You'll have to re-install 7 or 8. Yes. It can be downloaded from MS for re-install if need be. My apologies if I wasn't clear enough, OP.

Good to see you, Heff, and a few others are keeping track of all this as well. There's gonna be a lot of questions once the ball gets rolling.

originally posted by: Klassified
Good to see you, Heff, and a few others are keeping track of all this as well.

You also. I always keep up on tech news. That's the first thing (next to gaming news) that I read religiously every day.

a reply to: _BoneZ_

That's if one wants to go back to Windows 7 as I'm pretty sure restore points will be erased once the upgrade occurs. If someone wants to re-install Windows 10, they do not have to install Windows 7 or 8 and then do the upgrade again. They will be able to download Windows 10 directly from Microsoft, which can then be saved to a USB or DVD for future installations.

What your saying is, I can upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10, use Acronis to make a complete 1:1 copy like I do for 8, reinstall windows 8 and have the choice of using my Windows 10 image in the future AND/OR re-download it from their website as long as I made the initial upgrade?

I'm usually on top of these things, but I've stomped out the flaming bag of Microsoft enough times to know it's a turd. I'd like to try polishing it up before dismissing it completely.

a reply to: eisegesis

You'll have the option of downloading Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft's website (just like you can with Windows 8) and put it on a USB thumb drive or DVD. You don't need to make an image of your Windows 10 installation to be able to reinstall Windows 10 if you don't want to.

Once you download Windows 10, you can either use Windows 8 or Windows 10 whenever you like at your convenience.

a reply to: _BoneZ_

Once you download Windows 10, you can either use Windows 8 or Windows 10...

Sorry, my Polish is flaring up!

Do I have to initially install windows 10 over my current Windows 8 in order to then be able to download the ISO? Or can I leave Windows 8 untouched, download the Windows 10 ISO and stash it?

Thanks for your help.