YI run Win 7 Pro and haven’t switched to 10 primarily because if their update system.
From what I’ve read, with Win 10 Pro (as opposed to the “home” versions) there is some control allowed over updates.
I realize I have to switch soon if I want to stay “safe” online. But as I haven’t looked closely into how much control one gets over updstes (and also due to all the “telemetry”), Ive held off until the bitter end.
I might even update to Win 8.1 until 2023, if it’s less invasive and I don’t like what I find out more about Win 10. I have a paid update option for both 8 & 10 pro but am sure I’ll keep an offline version of Win 7 Pro running on one computer (with just internal networking) at least until I get to know any new OS, with all their automated “help”
PS. The askwoody.com site I mentioned gets into analyzing Win 10 KB updates as well. It seems many who run Win 10 rely on their knowledge to handle any updates over which Win 10 Pro does allow control.
It’s a great site to use to avoid inadvertently screwing up your system by being a Microsoft/Windows update “troubleshooting guinea-pig”.
BTW I have absolutely no affiliation with the woody’s site. I just happen to have come to make good use of it. It’s free, but accepts donations.
Windows 8.1 is a shit show on the user end. Skip it.
You can turn the Disable Upgrades option on in Win10 Pro, and specify for how long, to keep it from installing feature updates, while still getting security updates.
1803 is the version I keep my company’s computers at. It’s been stable and pretty bug free.
U[quote=“ProfFalkin, post:23, topic:3097”]
You can turn the Disable Upgrades option on in Win10 Pro, and specify for how long, to keep it from installing feature updates, while still getting security updates
[/quote]
Can you disable unwanted updates indefinitely and/or individually?
If you wanted one “feature” and not another, can you specify that and just install the features you want? Or is it more like Win 7 roll-ups, where anything not installed or “glitchy” from the previous roll-up is included/fixed and you get everything (whether you want it or not)?
At least with Win 7 Pro, you can un-install many individual KB “fixes” later, if you don’t want/need them.
I don’t do much computing to any degree other than audio stuff, so would only use Win 8.1 (with a classic shell/start menu) to extend protection for a few years while I learned Linux.
I think Linux may finally become more user friendly (eventually) and already seems to be on its way, after many false starts at adoption by the masses.
Many corporations apparently use one version or another of Linux, so I doubt it’s going anywhere .
So Win 8.1 would mostly be for security while I continued with Win 7 offline.
Don’t use much cloud related stuff (other than free iPhone backups). And only use gifted “hand me down” Apple devices from family members when they buy newest models.
I’d never give Apple a dime as a company and only use an iPhone like a "Touch. Mostly to make iMessage possible with friends and family members (I still use a landline)!
With free Wi-Fi nearly anywhere you go now, I just don’t find much of s need for a data plan.
Canada is notoriously expensive for cell phone plans and I have a great bundle with free BA long distance from any phone so it’s worth the occasional inconvenience (mostly for others
Friends adapt, others?..whatever
Features come in packages. So if there’s a feature you want, you have to install the package it belongs to. Packages are also known as major releases, like 1803, 1809, 1903, etc. The releases are the year and month they were released. 1803 equals March of 2018, roughly. I’ll be moving the business to 1903, once it’s released and stable.
The nice thing about this system is that security patches can still be applied, hence the option I told you about above.
I don’t know if it’s possible, but you could also put it into a long-term service branch level, which basically means it won’t receive feature updates for many years. doing this will disable the Microsoft store, and any apps that require it. It’s only suggested if you really really really really really don’t want updates. Use cases for this are Kiosk computers, POS (point of sale) computers, etc.
Quality updates are different than everything above, as these are your security updates. Don’t disable these. It is perfectly acceptable to delay them. In fact, it is a best practice in the IT world. We delay our quality updates by 30 days. 15 days for MS to claw back any patches which are breaking shit, then we release to test users and wait 14 days, then we release to production. Of course, if one patch fixes a critical vulnerability, we may test for two or three days and release straight to production. That is usually rare, but it’s happened.
Now, full disclaimer, I’m used to working with Windows 10 Enterprise where I have absolute control over all of this through group policy settings and system center configuration manager. Windows 10 Pro may be slightly different, but it should adhere to the same policy settings.
I hope that helps.
Edit: 1703 is the release that caused a crap ton of pain for users and IT departments alike. Since 1803 it has gotten better. I run 1809 on my test boxes at work without issue. In other words, all the paranoia used to be justified, but the last two releases really were much better. 1903 should actually be nice.
What you say here is pretty much what keeps me hoping that this bloody OS might be worth it before long now.
What I’ve been reading recently led me to have come to the conclusion recently that I likely won’t need to migrate through 8.1 before 2020.
Still not a fan of all the telemetry. But that’s happening in so many other ways now that it’s kinda stupid to worry about it with an OS (unless you’re s big-time criminal with real stuff to hide)!
I’m hoping Win 10 Pro will live up to its promise of being a great OS with more user choice & customization. And hopefully by the time I need to swap things out in a few months.
You seem to think it’s there already, so I need to look a little closer at any differences between Enterprise and Pro versions. As I already own Pro, I hope it stacks up.
It’ll be a clean install either way, so I want to get it right. It’ll be my last OS…so do want to choose wisely l (as to what’s best for my purposes).
I appreciate the vote of confidence in Win 10 at this point in time.
Especially from someone who seems very comfortable with it (and might even use it for similar audio purposes).
