Good News: Windows 10 is Coming!

Thank goodness Microsoft has come to its senses. It had foolhardily ignored the majority of their once loyal long-term users' wishes and complaints and tried to push Windows 8 down everyone's throat for way too long, with the silly notion that somehow the Metro GUI mimicking the smartphone crowds was the only way to go. They forgot that most of their paid customers using Windows are serious PC users who prefer keyboard and mouse to input vast amount of data and graphics on their desktops and laptops, and not immature and finicky 13-year olds who prefer to use their fingers on touch screens as entry method for playing games.

Thanks for this article. I have always wanted dual monitors but didnt really look into it. Now i know i can do it. I read your letter daily and find interesting things there and all this is free. Thanks again.
Lee

Hmmmmm....

Does the 'Last major upgrade' point at the '365' version of renting windows for 12 months rather than an outright purchase? For a home user prices are ridiculous.

If it does it will be the end of Microsoft on Personal Computers.

The tech has now reached a stage where advances mean nothing to the average home user of a PC. Probably (having read many articles on the demise of XP) even less for most small and many large and even very large businesses.

Despite as claimed Microsoft earning less from China than Holland the banning of Microsoft products from Chinese Government use in future will leave a gap to be filled probably by Google or Linux. The size of the market will lead to a development of these areas.

Those of us who are old enough saw IBM make similar mistakes by seeing DOS as the permanent and unchallengeable king of the PC marketplace.

For daft old gits, like myself, the question becomes - Do I need another OS when adding a SSD will provide a greater increase in performance for a smaller outlay?

Jon

I'll be buying a spare copy of Windows 7 before it goes off sale at the end of the month. I'll use it for the new PC I'm planning to build early in the new year. I started with PC/MS DOS and then the very first release of MS Windows and currently run Windows 7 on my desktop and laptop PCs. Windows 7 will be the last version of Windows I will be using as I have no intention of upgrading to a newer version beyond that.

An old machine that I occasionally use and that still runs XP will get upgraded to Linux.

As for faster updates to Windows 10, I can imagine they won't be cheap and will by on a subscription basis more like Office 365. Open Office and Libre Office are excellent alternatives to that.

Microsoft is a big hungry machine that needs a constant diet of cash from it users to continue operating and I'm tired of feeding it.

Am i the only one on this planet that likes windows8.1 ???
I really like it with and without touch screen. My only problem, after spending some time learning the basics in win8, is that my hardware is getting to old. There's no proper driver for my network card and so on. According to the developers sites there will never be made drivers for my good old laptop either. Think i'll have to upgrade my hardware:-)

Windows 9? Seems to me Windows jumped from number 95 to 98, then a couple with names, then down to single digits, 7 and 8, then the decimal 8.1, so actually, if you really want to know what the problem is, nobody in Seattle knows how to count. Count on Microsoft. :-))

@Geir Wathne - No Geir, I kinda like it though a little wary to say so aloud. Part of the fun in life is working out how stuff works including OS which approach I've followed most of my existence though I do appreciate there are lots of people who want answers immediately like my kids and grandkids...and yes, I agree with your point re hardware which these days and relatively cheap

I've been running Windows 10 for about two weeks. So far I can see no compelling reason for updating from 8.1 to 10. Most of the new features in 10 are available as third party add-ons in 8. Some are free. If the lack of a menu bothers you then go get "Classic Shell". The start screen is still there in 10 so if you prefer it you can turn off the new menu and revert to opening with the start screen. No Geir you are not the only one who likes 8.1. I think it's the best Windows so far.

I'm giving away my age when I say that the tech evolution with all the hype and excitement reminds me of they new model roll outs by the vehicle industry in the 1950-1970s. People would camp out at the dealerships to see the fins, scoops and fender skirts, smell the Naugahyde, listen to the echo effect of the radio, etc. Bottom line: a car takes you from point A to point B. It can do so for $$$$$ per mile or $$ per mile, depending upon what model and what bells and whistles. Personally, I just want a PC that will run all my software and NOT require me to lay out tons of cash to keep doing what I am totally satisfied with now. Boy, back in the day I literally memorized ALL the DOS commands and still have a copy of The DOS Bible. For what? I for one am burned out on the technology rat race.

I've downloaded and installed the technical preview on a spare laptop and i'm happy with how the OS feels. I like the new start menu and the fact that tile apps now run in a window on the desktop. I haven't explored any advanced features of the OS but I feel it's a good start.

@Geir Wathne, no you are not the only person that likes Windows 8.1. I bought a new laptop with Windows 8 and liked it so much I purchased a copy to ugrade my other PC. I found a small program at Iobit that replaces the actual start menu/button. I have no problem navagiting in either desktop or metro mode. It is not rocket science. It is a stable OS. No Problems here. Look forward to Window 10 also.

That link that you included doesn't show a screen shot of the new Windows Explorer on the Windows 10 software, unless I missed it? I would like to see how Microsoft set it up. Years ago, I used X-Tree Gold. Loved that program. I understand you can still download it.

One thing I don't like with using Windows, is being a full time Beta Tester. I hope when they come to release Windows 13, they skip 13, very unlucky.

Sounds like MS has come to it's senses. I have Win7 and XP on several desktops and laptops and I have Zorin9 on an older desktop (it's very good but not a total Windows replacement yet) I use PcMatic which includes Super Shield and I have yet to have any problems with Win7 or XP We'll see how Win10 works out.......

Hi people, being born in the 40's, I'm lucky to have a good basic knowledge of working with a
computer. My Acer desk top which ran Vista just
crashed, the CPU went kerbluey from not being
turned off for two months. I just bought a new
desk top with Win 8.1....I am so looking forward
to any change for the better or I'll go to Value
Village and buy a Win 98. Oh I miss my Vista.

Although Gartner believes "... Windows 10 will be the last version you’ll ever need to buy", we should consider Windows 10 to be the Windows Invoice That Never Dies.
As Bob Rankin suggests, Windows 10 could be more costly in the long run, since frequent "minor" fees add up to a large significant total.
Microsoft is not likely to ignore any income, if true to its previous history. Even the new MS CEO knows his corporation is a hungry beast, and must be fed.

I fought and fought to NOT use Windows 7, because, I loved Windows XP, so much! Finally, this past year, I purchased an off-lease Dell Desktop and it came with Windows 7 Professional. I was amazed and honestly, upset with myself, for being so stubborn.

I now, LOVE Windows 7!!! I do believe, I will love Windows 10, if and when, I need to get it. Right now, I got another off-lease Dell Desktop, running Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit and basically, it is as solid, as a rock. I have had a couple BSOD, but, it was a program issue, NOT my Operating System. Okay, there was an "issue" with one or two software programs, running on my Win 7 Pro 64 Bit. I believe, the problem was with a software program (a couple of Casual Games) is that, the program wasn't really compatible a 64 Bit OS. However, I simply, re-booted my computer and was able to run, those programs that caused the BSOD.

I am sure, that Windows 10 will give the person or company, the option to install as a regular FAT32 or as a NTFS. I prefer, using the NTFS Operating System. I have found that, it is a much sounder and solid platform, for doing what I want to do, especially, when you have MS Office. :)

OK folks... time to get real. I'm not embarrassed to show my age because with it come s real world experience. I worked on my first computer in 1969. By 1973 I was running operations in a small community bank. By 2009 when I went into consulting I had 40 years experience with almost every type of computer used at all levels of business from small mom and pop shops (I owned one in the late 90's) to mid-sized regional banks.
Business uses Windows. Period. Sure there are some super specialized business with dedicated high paid programmers who use customized Unix/Linus based back office software, but almost nobody uses a GUI interface other than Windows. Oh no! You say what about all the MAC users? That 5% that are graphic designers simply don't count in the real world. Business uses Windows because it works. And when it doesn't there is enormous support available from MS and outside vendors. When new apps are written (yes "apps" as in "applications" the term used all the way back to the old days when we had "DP") they are written for Windows first, because over 90% of the computers in the world run it.
Now to home users. I have 4 desktops: 2 Win 7Pro, 2 Win8.1 Pro., 4 Notebooks: 2 Win7 Pro, 2XP.

I fix computers in my retirement for seniors. They all have Vista, XP or Win. They are all happy. They all tell me they hate Win8, because their friends told them they got new machines and it didn't work. The problem with Win 8.1 is simple. Microsoft did not provide a simple easy upgrade path for people who got new machines because they needed new hardware, not a new OS. My wife is one of them. I got her a new W8.1 machine, configured it to start at the desktop, moved her favorites and desktop icons, and put it on her desk one night while she was sleeping. Three days later, she asked me when I was going to give her her new computer. I told her she's had it for 3 days. The point is Win8.1 is a fine OS and can be used in the local user mode as if it was Win7. With no more than 10 minutes instruction a diehard Win 7 user can be happy with Win 8.1. With 30 minutes you can teach them some of the new tricks and they are fans.

Do they need Win8.1? Of course not. I don't need it. I only got it so I can fix help seniors with new machines.

W7 will be around for another 6 years. MS is planning and projecting what the computer environment will be like then. By then Win 8 will be widespread. By then Win 7 will have been around for 12 years and W8 for 8 years. And guess what... every day users still won't need more than Win 7 or even XP. There are people who need the newest and the best for a multitude of reasons. Some need it so they can be cool. They buy Apples. Others so they can be in the forefront of technology and are hobbyists and get satisfaction from knowing new things, like Tony. I bet most of you reading this fall in that category.

And Chris... when did MS force you to abandon W7? I think you are right that most people like the keyboard and Mouse... I hate touch screens... but there no reason they can't continue to use them in Win 8.1 or Win 7.

Jon, Jon, Jon.... "the end of Microsoft on Personal Computers" really? Who's going to take over? Linux, which requires a MS in Computer science to comprehend an interface and has very few apps written for it? And talk about support :(. Apple? 20% premium price with absolutely no flexibility or large scale business interfaces?
MS is here to stay and we should be thankful that IBM made one of it's few strategic business mistakes by allowing hiring Bill Gates startup (MS) to enhance DOS and then grant him exclusive licensing rights. That's why the World still uses Windows and the competition it spurred has brought about the most innovative technological advances the human race has ever seen. That same competition is what makes MS continue to look forward and upgrade it's OS and the rest of it's products. Oh yes. tune in for the next chapter about another little known and used MS product the Server line.

Full disclosure: I own IBM and Microsoft stock :)

Mr. Rankin . . . What too you SO Long???
I highly anticipated YOUR take on WinX!
(the other tech sites had a jump on you with their published comments on the Next Microsoft OS)
Nevertheless, I guess one saves the best for last as this article (right here) added some things I was not aware of. It seems (to me) that before Mr. Rankin puts anything out there it is gonna be thoroughly researched . . . and for all of your hard work - - your Rankinites are pretty grateful!

i

Telling us that The preview edition collects limited data about the files you open and what you do with them, that does not answer the question of does the final release still have the keylogger! And by th way, A keylogger is a keylogger! You know what key means right? And what logger means right? Key as in keyboard keys! And logger as in logging? You know? recording info? This means it does collect everything! And Microsoft even admitted it! So unless you can put your personal info in with your mind, It still has to go in through typing with (KEYS) on the keyboard that a (KEY)Logger records! How dumb are you people?