When I first got a hold of Windows 10, I wrote that it was the best effort at an operating system that Microsoft had made in a long time. I still think that. However, any goodwill that having an operating system that people may have actually liked is being squandered by some major mis-steps by Microsoft. Let me detail them below and illustrate why they’re potential nails in the coffin of Windows 10:
Forced Updates: If you’re a Windows 7 user, you’re being forced to update to this OS whether you want to or not. And while Microsoft is trying to spin that this isn’t going on. Trust me, it is. I say that because I am constantly getting calls from customers to have me stop these forced upgrades from taking place. All this is doing is taking a operating system that people might have wanted, and made it something to avoid. It’s also left such a bad taste in some people’s mouths that they have made a trip to the Apple Store rather than put up with this nonsense from Microsoft.
Forced Patching: One of the things that has changed with the consumer versions of Windows 10 is that your computer is going to get patched whether you wanted it patched or not. On the surface, that seems like a good idea as issues will get addressed and everyone is along for the ride when that happens. But I am aware of two occasions where this forced patching scheme has caused massive problems for users. Being the guy who is called in to clean up stuff like that, I have become less than impressed with this scheme and the same goes for users. Thus, Microsoft needs to put control of patching back into the hands of users. Which is where it belongs.
Privacy Issues: Now I don’t expect privacy in this day and age. But Windows 10 has taken the lack of privacy to a whole new low. This latest Microsoft OS phones home in so many ways, it is mind boggling. Not to mention that it could expose things like your WiFi network access to your friends if you’re not careful. Microsoft says that this is all for your own good, and they’ve tried to take the steam out of this argument by sharing the types of info that they collect. But one has to wonder if it is worth having an OS that is that invasive.
All of this has had a very negative effect on the Microsoft brand. And that is reflected in PC sales which are down. The only company that is beating this trend is Apple who’s shipments were up. Is that a coincidence? I don’t think so. I think it is proof that Windows 10 isn’t getting the traction that Microsoft had hope it would due to all of the above being broadcast on every tech website and blog in the universe. Can Microsoft turn it around? I think they can. But the only way they can do it is to address the above in a fulsome manner and show that Windows 10 is what I said it is, which is the best effort that Microsoft has made in terms of making an OS in some time. And they need to do it before it becomes known as the next Microsoft Vista. It certainly has that smell at the moment.
Related
This entry was posted on March 28, 2016 at 8:21 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Microsoft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Windows 10: It’s Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Vista
When I first got a hold of Windows 10, I wrote that it was the best effort at an operating system that Microsoft had made in a long time. I still think that. However, any goodwill that having an operating system that people may have actually liked is being squandered by some major mis-steps by Microsoft. Let me detail them below and illustrate why they’re potential nails in the coffin of Windows 10:
Forced Updates: If you’re a Windows 7 user, you’re being forced to update to this OS whether you want to or not. And while Microsoft is trying to spin that this isn’t going on. Trust me, it is. I say that because I am constantly getting calls from customers to have me stop these forced upgrades from taking place. All this is doing is taking a operating system that people might have wanted, and made it something to avoid. It’s also left such a bad taste in some people’s mouths that they have made a trip to the Apple Store rather than put up with this nonsense from Microsoft.
Forced Patching: One of the things that has changed with the consumer versions of Windows 10 is that your computer is going to get patched whether you wanted it patched or not. On the surface, that seems like a good idea as issues will get addressed and everyone is along for the ride when that happens. But I am aware of two occasions where this forced patching scheme has caused massive problems for users. Being the guy who is called in to clean up stuff like that, I have become less than impressed with this scheme and the same goes for users. Thus, Microsoft needs to put control of patching back into the hands of users. Which is where it belongs.
Privacy Issues: Now I don’t expect privacy in this day and age. But Windows 10 has taken the lack of privacy to a whole new low. This latest Microsoft OS phones home in so many ways, it is mind boggling. Not to mention that it could expose things like your WiFi network access to your friends if you’re not careful. Microsoft says that this is all for your own good, and they’ve tried to take the steam out of this argument by sharing the types of info that they collect. But one has to wonder if it is worth having an OS that is that invasive.
All of this has had a very negative effect on the Microsoft brand. And that is reflected in PC sales which are down. The only company that is beating this trend is Apple who’s shipments were up. Is that a coincidence? I don’t think so. I think it is proof that Windows 10 isn’t getting the traction that Microsoft had hope it would due to all of the above being broadcast on every tech website and blog in the universe. Can Microsoft turn it around? I think they can. But the only way they can do it is to address the above in a fulsome manner and show that Windows 10 is what I said it is, which is the best effort that Microsoft has made in terms of making an OS in some time. And they need to do it before it becomes known as the next Microsoft Vista. It certainly has that smell at the moment.
Share this:
Like this:
Related
This entry was posted on March 28, 2016 at 8:21 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Microsoft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.