[jr2]

Here's what's new with the latest update released today (TH2):

http://lifehacker.com/whats-new-in-windows-10s-big-november-update-1742108755

(I've been running this build for a week or so now, seems as stable as the rest of them)

[MP-Ryan]

“We have received a lot of feedback from Insiders on making it easier to activate Windows 10 on devices that take advantage of the free upgrade offer to genuine Windows by using existing Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 product keys. If you install this build of the Windows 10 Insider Preview on a PC and it doesn’t automatically activate, you can enter the product key from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 used to activate the prior Windows version on the same device to activate Windows 10 by going to Settings > Update & security > Activation and selecting Change Product Key. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 by booting off the media, you can also enter the product key from prior Windows versions on qualifying devices during setup.”

Yeah, that last sentence was NOT in the article I found. ARGH.

[jr2]

MS updated their privacy policy, including some explanations for their use of data. 

Some pieces on that:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-updates-privacy-statement-addressing-concerns-from-critics/

http://www.maximumpc.com/microsoft-revises-windows-10-privacy-statement-to-ease-spying-concerns/

[Klaustrophobia]

"We aren't going to do shady things with your info, honest.  We're still allowing ourselves to though, we just totally won't."

[Dragon]

Well, there is an important change. It turns out that one of the most egregious parts is actually confined to OneDrive, which isn't mandatory. In other words, don't keep your pirated CDs/hacking tools/child porn on One Drive. The "content collecting" part is weird, the example makes it seem that it is actually some sort of legalese "duh" statement to the tune of "in order to show your mail to you we must access your mail". It's still awfully broad for that. Other stuff doesn't seem to have changed all that much.

[Bryan See]

Yes, I've been using Windows 10 right now. I've used to the desktop after upgrading to Win 10 in early August until late November, when I sucessfully installed Windows 10 on my HP laptop following a BIOS update.

[jr2]

If anyone's looking for a good place to discuss all things Windows 10, as well as information on privacy / telemetry info, and different tools/scripts to change those settings, head here:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/forums/54-Windows-10

Similar tools and discussion can be had for the other versions of Windows in their respective sub-forums.

[mjn.mixael]

Meh. I've made my peace with the privacy stuff. Google knows my darkest secrets. Facebook remembers my college days, likely despite the fact that I've long since deleted my Facebook account. Who knows how many ad agencies have basic data on me... why not add Microsoft to the mix?

[jr2]

It's not just privacy, they have a lot of handy tools and such there, as well as links to untouched MS ISOs etc, etc, etc.  Useful resource.

[Klaustrophobia]

Regardless of what's already out there, I don't believe what pretty much amounts to corporate spying on consumers is okay and will not implicitly support the practice.  If we ever want to have a prayer of stemming the tide of privacy invasion, we have to make it clear to these companies what they are doing is NOT okay, even if it's 'nothing new' as I have seen time and time again, and we aren't going to stand for it.  Society has sent pretty much the exact opposite message unfortunately.  Exploit us all you want, we'll put up with it and still come back for more.

[jr2]

As long as MS makes it impossible to back-track the telemetry to a particular user, and you disable such functions as Windows Search etc, and don't use a Microsoft account, don't use a social media account or Google, Yahoo, etc, and use Tor or something, you should still be able to have complete privacy using Windows, I think.

You might say you don't trust MS to not have telemetry traceable, but then how do you trust MS if they weren't supposedly using telemetry ??  It boils down to trust either way.

[mjn.mixael]

I know people will disagree with me here, but I don't think my not using Windows 10 is going to make a difference. (Same I reason I don't vote. The system is **** and I don't have enough cash to make a difference anywhere, but that's a discussion for another topic.) There's enough people who use Windows and don't even know about the Privacy issues that MS can go on even if all us tech informed stopped using Win10. Not only that, but I just need a computer that works and I cannot stand Apple's ecosystem ****. I can't stay on Win7 forever. Like XP, soon enough that OS will be insecure. Yeah, yeah, Linux this and that. Except when it boils down to it, I can install Windows on a machine and be reasonably confident it will work every time. And so will my productivity applications. With minimal tinkering required. That is worth it to me to just allowing yet another entity know about the time I searched the acceptability of wearing sandals and socks.

[Bobboau]

I have been using Linux as my main OS almost exclusively for a couple years now and I don't expect problems. it's at least as stable as windows.

[mjn.mixael]

Can I build a machine. Install Linux simply (like as simply as the Win GUI installer), and then install my productivity applications such as the Adobe Suite, 3DS Max, etc and expect them to work every time? No, I cannot. Perhaps this is a special use case, but that's where Windows excels... Special use cases due to it's long-time archive of applications built for the most popular OS platform of the last several decades. It's only recently that OSX is getting similar love that Windows has enjoyed and Linux is barely an after thought.

[Fury]

There are various graphical installers that make Linux about as easy as installing Windows. Also, you're wrong about Windows excelling at special use cases and Linux not. It is exact opposite actually. Linux provides limitless customization, as does BSD for that matter. Application availability is a separate matter, even if it is not completely unrelated. But as Microsoft cannot control what applications vendors release for their OS, neither can Linux community.

What you really mean, is that application vendors such as Adobe don't see any need to develop all or some of their products to support multiple platforms, or that these platforms do not include Linux. As a matter of fact. Adobe has repeatedly received very large number of requests for them to make Linux-compatible versions of their productivity suites. But nothing ever has come out of it. Adobe's track record of even supporting Flash on Linux is horrid, so given that, Adobe can go **** themselves. Thankfully Flash is on its way out regardless, and I haven't had Flash plugin installed for several months now.

Linux is stuck in a vicious cycle of vendors not being interested in Linux because Linux users do not (supposedly) have enough potential customers. Linux does not see more adoption because of lack of applications like Adobe's productivity suites. Productivity applications aside, Valve now has a chance to stop this vicious cycle where games are concerned. The next few years will tell us whether Valve succeeds. If they do, we might have much better chance to see productivity tools for Linux as we see wider adoption of Linux driven by those who play games on PC. Vulkan cannot come too soon.

[mjn.mixael]

Until something actually changes in terms of program availability for Linux, your argument is a what-if at best. I cannot, today, choose to go with Linux and have an easier time getting a productivity machine up and running with minimal effort.

Windows does excel at special use cases.. even to a fault. See: all the companies still paying MS for Win XP or 3.1 support. They have special programs just for that system. Windows is still easier, even if only because of it's sheer popularity advantage for the length of time it enjoyed that.

[jr2]

I think special use is being confused with backwards compatibility.

Special use as in, can you run Linux on an ARM based CPU or somesuch.

Backwards compatible, as in, can you keep using old software ad infinitum.

[mjn.mixael]

I was more trying to get at the fact that high numbers of groups/companies/whomever have built specific applications to run on Windows machines for whatever it is that they do. This topic comes to mind as an example. Years ago when I worked customer service at a grocery store... the proprietary software that ran the checkout lanes? Yeah, it was built for Windows.

[rev_posix]

Gonna have to disagree with you mjn...

Meh. I've made my peace with the privacy stuff. Google knows my darkest secrets. Facebook remembers my college days, likely despite the fact that I've long since deleted my Facebook account. Who knows how many ad agencies have basic data on me... why not add Microsoft to the mix?

First off, two wrongs don't make a right, as it were.  And facebook is infamous for not actually deleting accounts, but just making them 'inactive' and hidden.

Just because $PERSON can't keep from gossiping about you doesn't make it OK for others to do the same.

Second, you have a choice to not use facebook and avoid their data mining.  Same deal with Google, you have a choice to not use their services.  There are browser add-ons like adblock and no-script to prevent the metrics scripts from running when visiting a web site.

There is no choice with Windows 10, unless you pay for the Long Term Software Base Enterprise edition, which isn't easily available compared to home and "pro" for the average person (which I find funny that the only version that can actually turn off the telemetry stuff is the version that isn't 'free').

Yes, Google, Facebook, and their ilk have been doing it for a while.  But again, one has the choice to use those things.  What choice does one have with Windows?

I was more trying to get at the fact that high numbers of groups/companies/whomever have built specific applications to run on Windows machines for whatever it is that they do. This topic comes to mind as an example. Years ago when I worked customer service at a grocery store... the proprietary software that ran the checkout lanes? Yeah, it was built for Windows.

Which has nothing to do with Windows 'excelling' at 'special use' applications, it's more a case of people who can write something in VB are a dime a dozen, so the cost of entry to produce and sell said special purpose software is much less compared to writing the application on and for a proper embedded system.

For the record, I worked retail for five long years as a clerk, and some time as help desk for Kroger, dealing with just about all the different chains Kroger owns, the self check out machines, and the fuel stations, both hardware and software, so I'm not pulling these ideas and theories out of thin air, I do have some experience on the IT/IS side in regards to those systems.

...
Special use cases due to it's long-time archive of applications built for the most popular OS platform of the last several decades.
...

Popularity != the best

"Add millions of Joes together and you do not get enlightened decisions, you get AOL."

[mjn.mixael]

I never said best. I said easiest to get up and running.