Free way for anyone to upgrade to win 10?

[Captain Jack]

I err...actually like Windows10. Installed it on my laptop on a spare SSD drive and it feels pretty nice to use. Somewhat dumbed down and waaaay too many privacy options to turn off but it's not bad.

Not a patch on my Mac though ...

 

[hairybadger]

Works for me - upgraded from Windows 7 64-bit on a Toshiba Satellite from 2010 or so. Only thing that I can't get to work reliably is the scroll area on the touchpad, but I can live with that for the time being. Whole experience seems faster, but this might be because Win 7 accumulated so much junk with the years...

 

[4wd]

and waaaay too many privacy options to turn off

What can be turned off is just a few buttons which are included to give a user the illusion of some control.

Deeper down w10 is constantly busy with telemetry, incl. what is written on the keyboard, contact lists, sending screenshots of what's on the display etc etc, to be stored and accessed\disclosed\shared with other parties whenever MS feels like it. All this to "enhance the user experience".

Basically, any w10 pc content (and activity) is accessible and monitored by Microsoft, and one fully accepts and agrees to this when installing 10. This is why it's 'free', the price one pays is giving away any and all privacy.

 

[pgh13]

Basically, any w10 pc content (and activity) is accessible and monitored by Microsoft, and one fully accepts and agrees to this when installing 10. This is why it's 'free', the price one pays is giving away any and all privacy.

No such thing as a free lunch!

 

[Vipersan]

What can be turned off is just a few buttons which are included to give a user the illusion of some control.

Deeper down w10 is constantly busy with telemetry, incl. what is written on the keyboard, contact lists, sending screenshots of what's on the display etc etc, to be stored and accessed\disclosed\shared with other parties whenever MS feels like it. All this to "enhance the user experience".

Basically, any w10 pc content (and activity) is accessible and monitored by Microsoft, and one fully accepts and agrees to this when installing 10. This is why it's 'free', the price one pays is giving away any and all privacy.

Yes indeed ..
there were an awful lot of snooping switches to be turned off just during the installation..
Easily missed if you didn't use custom install...
and even once installed ..it still snoops..
A novelty ..but not for me..

 

[Captain Jack]

Indeed. It's only a temporary install but I don't think I'll be continuing to use Windows 10... simply because of privacy issues. Screenshots is just

 

[4wd]

For balance, here's an 'everything is good' point of view http://www.zdnet.com/article/no-microsoft-is-not-spying-on-you-with-windows-10/

From the article: "Any company that offers modern computing services has nearly identical language in its privacy agreement", true, but before w10 MS was mostly 'the good guys' regarding personal data gathering, now they join the pack (of wolves ;O) full time (and forced to do so, as an attempt to compete with google and apple).

"We expect personalized services. We expect relevant search results. We expect the devices we use daily to get smarter and more useful over time. We expect them to understand us despite our accents when we use speech-enabled features"
Up to anyone to accept transfer of personal data (due to perceived usefullness), or choose some actions to minimize privacy impact.

As for the OS itself, I've found the latest 10 release stable and reliable on the tested laptops, but nothing fantastic or special, certainly no practical reason here (speed, stability, function etc) to kill off any current 7 or 8 license to get 10.

There's a bunch of telemetry-stopping programs apearing, like this > http://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10. IMO some good program like that + not using MS for everything (search, email, cloud, msphone etc) may make 10 eatable in the long term, as it stands now got zero rush to replace any 7 or 8.1 installs.

 

[gibertini]

there will be ulterior motives behind it as nothing is free nowadays... you never know the CIA/NSA could be spying on people through their webcam,s with sneaky hidden programmes lol

 

[satelliteman]

Had the invite after downloading Win7 updates. May think twice about downloading win10 then.

 

[Archive4]

Win 10, best thing since sliced bread!

That said, I always buy an uncut loaf!

 

[william-1]

Tried Win10 on my desktop ZooStorm 7877 not bad so far so will stick with it

Not so good with my Sony-Vaio some functions did not work I should have heeded the warning from Sony "Not all drivers are available atm for Win10 & may not become available for your pc"

So I went back to Win7 had to look for the Wireless connection on line to get it working again the main problem now is the screen brightness control no longer works

 

[skomedal]

there will be ulterior motives behind it as nothing is free nowadays... you never know the CIA/NSA could be spying on people through their webcam,s with sneaky hidden programmes lol

Have physically blocked my built in webcams ( since new ) on my 4 lappies with yellow post it paper bits

Thought everyone did that nowadays

Regards

 

[timo_w2s]

Yes, I have a black bit of insulating tape over my laptop camera as I've never used it and have no need for it...

I've just set up a Windows 10 laptop for a client of mine and so far I like it. Seems easier to use than Win 8.1 and has similarities to Win 7. I can live with the "spying" as I just disable what I can and accept some data will be collected.

One thing that does seem quite basic is the built in Windows Mail app. It seems very limited and the fact you can't turn off conversation style threads is a big reason for me not to bother with it.

 

[excollier]

Last time I "bought" Windows was Vista (pre-installed on a laptop) in 2008, wiped it for Linux a couple of years ago.
Now I am completely free of Windows, just don't need it any more, and read loads of forum threads about 10 and all the anxiety it is causing.
I hope this helps a few more adventurous people to come over to Linux or even BSD in future.
It seems crazy the amount of work that Windows is by comparison.

 

[satelliteman]

At the least, reservation now cancelled.

 

[timo_w2s]

If you are holding back from upgrading to Win 10 because you value your privacy then you better read this...

Microsoft backports data slurp to Windows 7 and 8 via patches

 

[4wd]

:O) Proof that w10 location\tracking is really effective:
NONE of the Windows Anti-Spy Tweaks work! DATA MINING CONFIRMED - Page 14

 

[4wd]

"in order to provide a more personalized experience", the Intrusion 10 saga continues:

Microsoft Edge Sends Browsing History to Microsoft - How to Block It

Privacy Groups Claim Microsoft Uses Windows 10 as Big Brother to Read Your Emails

 

[mickwig]

Just something for the really paranoid: Mozilla has an agreement with Google who is the biggest data collector of them all, to make Google the standard search engine for firefox. So where does that leave the really parnoid??;)

 

[4wd]

Mozilla has an agreement with Google

Outdated info. & IMO can't compare features of any extra program that the user chooses to download, install and use to what the very kernel of the OS itself (+ it's automatically installed 'apps') is pre-programmed to do.

And if Goofle etc invades privacy and gathers info, does that make it any good if MS does the same on an even larger scale? Personally got no problem with either, but understand the ongoing outcry regarding the latest MS moves.

Linux seems more and more interesting :O) but still lacks some good program choice. Will one day end up using w10 here (works fine on my tested laptops) just waiting for programs like O&O ShutUp10: download free antispy tool for Windows 10 to evolve a little further, and getting a decent way to control os\driver updates (like in 7 & 8).