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Windows 10

Bob Davis said:
.. so when you boot (where did that word come from) up, you get welcome owner, but never 'how are we today?, did you sleep well? or more importantly can I make you a coffee? Isaac Azimov you were wrong.

Bob
Click to expand...
The term 'boot' comes from 'pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps'. There was a time when the computer operator had to input a program step by step using front panel switches so as to 'teach' it to load a paper tape. That paper tape 'taught' it how to load the bigger tapes but checking for errors etc. When the computer was switched off all of that 'knowledge' was lost, (no hard drive!), and so the process had to be repeated next time. Later computers had these first rudementary steps 'built in', the 'BIOS' of today's PCs. For some strange reason, despite all the incredible size of today's hard drives, most PCs still go through a process of 'booting up', building up all the processes needed to run 'Windows' etc. I say strange, because it ought to be standard just to save the machine state to disc on shut-down and pick it up again on start-up. Old habits die hard I expect!
Aren't all these 'Alexa'-type devices going the way you want? Personally I think they are encouraging bad habbits in our children - "Alexa! Do this for me now!" (Alexa thinks: "What happened to the 'magic word'?").
 
Bob Davis said:
I read this thread purely out of interest and I love all the 'gobbledygook' as far as I am concerned as you learned technophobes discuss, query, solve and eradicate problems with computers. I have a networked works computer, a notebook, a laptop and an ipad (now only used for freecell) and a Samsung Android used for EBay, Amazon and BHF. I no longer get interesting? emails on the works computer or the Samsung, the laptop works on Windows 10 and apart from my family tree, I cannot raise any other programme and I only use it for recording my postcard collection, family tree and a route for scanning and storing scans. The notebook is only used for the transfer of postcard scans to be taken to postcard fairs as a reference system and is an older Windows system. I would like to get the postcard scans on the tablet, got the pictures on the ipad, but not the titles, so still have to use the scan to laptop, copy to memory stick, memory stick to notepad and works computer and the record is there. My printer an all singing all dancing HP that does not print or copy any more so all problems I have are solved at a cost (quite high) by local experts. However I do enjoy your abilities and skills and knowledge. But I have now worked out why computers will never take over the world. They can answer almost any question via the search engines, they can ask preprogrammed questions....do you want to close without saving...but they cannot ask a question, so when you boot (where did that word come from) up, you get welcome owner, but never 'how are we today?, did you sleep well? or more importantly can I make you a coffee? Isaac Azimov you were wrong.

Bob
Click to expand...

Just asked Siri to ask me a question. He/she replied “maybe you should be asking.” I repeated and it said “ that’s my line.”

So I asked it to tell me jokes and it came up with several!
 
Spargone,

I agree that the vast majority of people only do relatively simple things on a computer - email, search for information (browser), watch videos, or edit photos and sometimes videos. They may also run two or three independant programs (apps), but that is about it. I was in computing for the last 30 years of my working life and I'm not doing anything today that a 64 bit version of XP couldn't cope with. I don't use any form of mobile phone - if I'm not in when you call, tough, try later, I value my independence. I don't watch TV and neither does my other half. I can get news from the computer and there appears to be nothing else really worth watching that won't appear on YouTube at some stage and it costs me nothing.

Maurice :cool:
 
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I've just bought a new...……...second hand laptop, I like Windows 10 and can't agree that XP was better, one of my car diagnosis tools will only work on XP or 7 and frankly it's a pain.

The new laptop (Lenovo ThinkPad) has Win 10 and an i5 cpu that will run the latest diagnosis stuff better and faster than anything I've used before.
 
My desktop computing needs are not that excessive. I read places like BHF and other interests using Opera browser (best and least intrusive of the popular ones) and for research. I watch a few chosen You Tube items and some web cams. No gaming or F/Book, Twitter etc, but I do use Skype for international calls. I also use dedicated Ham Radio programmes. A stand by - if I need two screens visible - is achieved with a Sony VAIO laptop.
I found Windows 10 a pain, continually updating , often long winded, which gave me lots of extra unwanted 'junk'. Two years ago I switched both desktop and laptop to Linux Mint. Admittedly Linux doesn't hold your hand - that comes at a price I believe - like Windows - so you need to be able to sort out any issues you get, although I have found them rare. There is a fine helpful Linux Forum if needed.
My third item is an Andoid tablet. I use this at church and when relaxing in bed or sun house. It is Google orientated (no Windows) but contains no sensitive apps.
 
My Dell 17" i5 SSD laptop runs W10 as smoothly and as fast as I've ever known any version of Windows run.
My Acer Desktop i5 computer performs similarly.

Searches are fast because W10 has indexed items. I use the free 5Gb OneDrive as a quick network drive so if I'm editing a photo on the laptop I can see how it looks on the other computer and also on my iPad.

I use adblockers on my Windows devices but do allow ads when using Chrome on my iPad and touch a few each day for the BHF. I block ads when using Safari on the iPad and iPhone.

Most of the Windows versions I've used over the years are shown as pics in post#363.
Presently I'm running Win 10 Version 1903 (OS Build 18362.239). I have no problems with W10 updates, they just quietly happen or I can force them.

I have Linux Mint in an old Lenovo computer and it's ok ...:)
 
I preferred Windows 7 because I am not very PC wise and it was so simple and easy to follow but can understand more experienced users preferring 10. Eric
 
Four years and a day since Windows 10 became available and I upgraded the computers I was using back then.

How time flies !

After a few blue screen crashes in the first year Win 10 now runs very smoothly for me ... :)
 
Oh joy! Microsoft have forced an 'upgrade' on me. Now I have to get rid of the massive search box (again, after getting rid of it on the last upgrade), get rid of the out of focus effect and put the background colour the way it was.
All I really want is something that will support the old hardware, old programs, start quickly and look after my files, none of which Windows 10 does well. Is there any new feature worth having?
 
It's strange how we all have different views about Windows 10. I'm running Win 10 Version 1903 (OS Build 18362.267) which is about as upgraded as available and my colours always stay as they were. I have not changed them since two years. My 'Start' page has stayed the same through recent updates/upgrades and I've never had out-of-focus effects.

I have old programs from 1997 running and use them regularly. I use the search in File Explorer rather than the search on the taskbar. Updates can now be delayed for up to 35 days.

Satisfied W10 user ... :)
 
I haven't had any problems with updates resetting anything and I have the Classic front end and a few other bits of customisation, and they seem to stay OK with updates. Having said that, I still prefer Windows 7 as I find that I can, for instance, set Irfanview to be my default image & audio viewer for all except MP4, which I play through VLC. Every now and again Windows 10 will reset one of my default image files to the Windows 10-preferred app on the grounds that something was in compatible. I promptly reset it back again, but find myself having to do this every few weeks. A minor annoyance, but neverthless, an annoyance. Never had that problem with Windows 7.

Maurice :cool:
 
oldMohawk said:
My 'Start' page has stayed the same through recent updates/upgrades and I've never had out-of-focus effects.
Click to expand...
Apparently it is under
  • Personalization -> Colors.
  • Turn off the option "Transparency effects".
I'm afraid I hated Windows 10 'out of the box'. There was a desktop covered in junk. Did I 'own it' or was it all 'adverts'? Go look for something like 'Notepad' - a trusted Microsoft 'App' - does it come with Win 10 (yes) but would you know? (Games that came with Win 3.11 don't!). It really gets me that Microsoft keeping changing the operating paradigm. Remember the old control panel? Look through the icons and eventually there was the control that was wanted. Then it changed to topics, none of which seemed to relate to things like printers or fonts. I think that was when they started the game of having screens that told you the status but didn't give the option of changing it. I'm glad I never had to suffer Windows 8. A friend had her Windows 7 laptop stolen and the insurer replaced it with a Windows 8 device. She was in tears because she couldn't get past the opening screen. (As I recall it had to be dragged sideways?) Damn Microsoft and their new paradigms again!
The steering wheel turns the car, the accelerator makes it go faster and the brake makes it stop. Simple, every driver understands it. Nothing has changed in principle with the PC in thirty years; Intel tries to make them go faster and Microsoft makes sure they don't! It worries me as a Chartered Engineer that the next upgrade will leave me staring at a colourful but meaningless screen!
 
Spargone said:
Apparently it is under
  • Personalization -> Colors.
  • Turn off the option "Transparency effects".
I'm afraid I hated Windows 10 'out of the box'. There was a desktop covered in junk. Did I 'own it' or was it all 'adverts'? Go look for something like 'Notepad' - a trusted Microsoft 'App' - does it come with Win 10 (yes) but would you know? (Games that came with Win 3.11 don't!). It really gets me that Microsoft keeping changing the operating paradigm. Remember the old control panel? Look through the icons and eventually there was the control that was wanted. Then it changed to topics, none of which seemed to relate to things like printers or fonts. I think that was when they started the game of having screens that told you the status but didn't give the option of changing it. I'm glad I never had to suffer Windows 8. A friend had her Windows 7 laptop stolen and the insurer replaced it with a Windows 8 device. She was in tears because she couldn't get past the opening screen. (As I recall it had to be dragged sideways?) Damn Microsoft and their new paradigms again!
The steering wheel turns the car, the accelerator makes it go faster and the brake makes it stop. Simple, every driver understands it. Nothing has changed in principle with the PC in thirty years; Intel tries to make them go faster and Microsoft makes sure they don't! It worries me as a Chartered Engineer that the next upgrade will leave me staring at a colourful but meaningless screen!
Click to expand...
All the old favourites are still there see Pic 1
I click the Window icon then click the 3 lines top left and all the apps show in a nice list.
Notepad is in 'Windows Accessories', a right click on Notepad then click 'more' and pin it to the task bar.
This is the best way to get apps on the taskbar.
Pic 1
Screenshot (346).png

Another quick easy way to get apps is use Windows Search see Pic 2.
Click the 'Magnifying Glass' icon bottom left and search window appears.
I started typing Control Panel and the search showed the Control Panel access.
A click on 'Open' and the Control Panel appears.
Notepad can be accessed using same search method.
Pic 2
search.jpg
:)
 
Scrumper,

I guess that a large chunk of Windows users could still get away with using Win 98SE as their needs are very basic, but for security issues and lack of drivers for third party software. Much the same applies to XP. But if Microsoft stops support, there is nothing we can do, except go with the flow.

Maurice :(
 
My needs are fairly basic. No games, just research,various fora, some web cams and religious programmes - some in a couple of other languages.
Windows 10 became 'overloaded' as far as I was concerned so I am happy with the a Linux alternative.
Latest upgrade took less than five minutes. The good thing is you can know what is being altered and/or improved by reading the dedicated Forum which notifies major upgrades well in advance. The other feature is that you don't need to upgrade if you don't want to.
 
The nice thing about the W10 Search (Magnifying Glass Icon bottom left) is you start typing and W10 will enter the rest. The more of the word you type the more the search gets narrowed down. It's amazing what it finds ... type b and it goes for battery info ... type a bit more of the word and it will find more ...

Type anything and it instantly finds stuff in your computer you had forgotten was there !

Just a thought ... you need to have indexing switched on for very fast results ... but just start typing indexing in the search and select indexing options ...
 
I was slightly miffed to be informed that Microsoft will no longer 'support' Windows 7 after January next year. As far as my personal computer requirements are concerned, Windows 7 is more that enough, and I bet I don't use 1% of its capacity. I send and receive e-mails, watch and listen to music, use Google, store documents and photos, talk to various forums, and that's about it. No gaming, Facebook, nowt else. XP was my favourite, simple and straightforwards. I've heard very mixed reviews about 10. It seems some users can take straight to it, whilst others have problems. On the BHF, it certainly seems that there are some really clued-up computer experts, but I ain't one of 'em and never will be! So I'm going to stick with 7, support or no support, but I wouldn't mind betting that from around January onwards I'm going to be bombarded with 'reminders' from Microsoft. Screw 'em - I'm staying where I am!

G
 
Basically we don't like change! My first ever laptop was Windows8 so that is what I learnt which got updated to Windows10 so I don't compare with XP and 7. When I get stuck I ask a question on the forum and someone, usually old Mohawk, sorts me out. I don't understand most of the jargon but it doesn't matter I just stand in awe!
 
Big Gee said:
I was slightly miffed to be informed that Microsoft will no longer 'support' Windows 7 after January next year.
G
Click to expand...
I think that provided you run a decent anti virus and maybe scan once a week with the free Malwarebytes you should be ok. Provided a computer does what you want it to do, thats all you need.
 
Thanks, OM. Yes, I do use an anti-virus and also scan two or three times a week. Windows 7 is way more than enough for my needs, so I'll carry on using it. I guess like car manufacturers Microsoft are really obliged to continuously update their products in a competitive world.

G
 
Relate the "Microsoft will no longer 'support' Windows 7 after January next year." to virtually any other product, cars for instance, can you see a supplier giving you free maintenance for ten years on say your BMW to keep it safe and up to date?
 
True, Eric, and there comes a point where the number of users of older versions has declined to such a point that it is costing a very disproportionate amount of money to provide updates, and such that the users of later versions could suffer. That's the way business is if you want to keep the business running!

Maurice :cool:
 
The problem with not upgrading is that things start not working. You find your anti-virus, for example, will no longer support windows X in it's latest version so you can't get the newer version then you can't get updates for the old version. The same sort of thing happens with the drivers that connect your computer with other stuff especially if you have to change the other stuff to something newer. Although you can hold out for a few years, you finally get stuck with buying a new computer that will run the new operating system and the cycle begins again.
 
I ran XP for ages after Microsoft ended support, and never had a problem. Incidentally, someone I know who works at a local hospital told me recently that the NHS are still using XP in certain areas. I wonder if this is correct?
 
That may be true BG, I read it somewhere in the news, I have a car diagnosis programme that will only run on XP or Win 7 so I keep an old laptop that is never connected to the web for that.
 
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