Yeah, yeah...I know. This is probably the zillionth thread about the subject. But the more I read articles, the more pumped I get to upgrade. But then afterwards, I always start wondering...why? What's the point?
I don't want to brag, but I'm sort of a power user. I'm used to using tools, tweaks, settings change and things like that. I'm using windows 8.1, but I hardly ever even notice anything of the metro interface (classic shell+a few boot tweaks), and for anything else...
Okay, let's try that again. This time from a historical perspective. Back in the days, there were clear advantages over upgrading. At least every other windows version. Windows 98 (and later SE) was a lot better than the 95 (which I had no PC for). Millenium showed that newer isn't better. XP set the standard for stability, and was as popular as it was with good causes (I still have it dual-booted on some laptop). Vista was sort of the beta for 7, but XP ran fine as it was.
Can't remember exactly why I upgraded to 7...probably things got corrupted or clogged too much after many years of just running programs on it.
8 was criticized for the metro look...and that was it. In the end, I upgraded to 8.1 (current) because wifi-drivers were just a bit better (perhaps I could've fixed it in 7, but meh...I had nothing to do, so...).
So here I am, reading all sorts of things about 10. And wondering why I should the fuck care. Take this random article with 14 advantages. Let's go over them, shall we?
1) return of the start menu. Yeeey, I guess? As mentioned, I use classic shell. I upgraded one of my spare PC's to 10, and after less than a half hour, I just reinstated classic shell again. It may be better than metro, but classic shell is just better to my tastes (I don't care that I can disable the apps...I don't want them in the first place. And I'm more of a desktop shortcut junky, so I won't be using it for that either).
2) it's FREE!!!!! Yeah, yeah...linux is free (sorry: FREE!!!!!!) as well. And since I'm pirating windows, it doesn't impress me. Rather the opposite: if MS can give the one thing that makes them money away for free...where's their revenue then? In other words: I'm reluctant to wait until all the MS-spyware is taken care of and carefully documented.
3) cortana! Nice if you have a microphone and speak English. I don't do either, and it's not in Dutch. Besides...keyboard junky.
4) microsoft edge! Unlike that one person living under a rock, I already have a decent internet browser
5) better password stuff! My PC doesn't have any of that (it's a desktop...not a laptop), so can't use it to begin with. Besides...this really needs critical mass (right now, all banks and online services have their own stuff rather than something unified), as well as MUCH better security. Let's just say I'm skeptical.
6) windows phones! that's NOT a reason to upgrade my DESKTOP pc
7) Windows 10 interface will adapt via Continuum...wtf does that even mean?
8) multiple desktops! Oh, my! Just like I always dreamed. I'll switch directly...to linux mint.
Seriously: I never used it in the first place
9) a unified app store. Okay, future potential. But again...don't care. I'm only considering windows for the applications that only run on it. I don't want to get deeper in their ecosystem by buying stuff I don't even want or need in the first place.
10) universal apps. The same as 9, but aside from the fact that things get easier for developers to port their work to everything easier, I'm fine with it.
11) flexible security ... ah, screw it. let's just say that 11-14 are convenient, but nothing that's missing.
So...I know I'm ranting (and being cynical), but it's more about publicity than anything else. Every magazine tauts the triumphant return of something even a half-assed computer user should've fixed themselves from pretty much day 1 (okay, okay...classicshell wasn't released on day 1, but you get the proverbial idea). Meanwhile, I look at things at face value and can't bring myself to care. I remind you that I upgraded from 7 to 8 because I couldn't be arsed to solve a driver issue (that was it. The sole reason. Everything...EVERYTHING else worked fine, like any OS should be doing). And the way it is, I can't see a damn difference between 7 and 8.1 either (again: classic mode and classicshell).
So what do you guys/girls think: is there any real benefit to upgrading? Was there anything that made you glad you upgraded? (no, an integrated pdf-printer doesn't count...I already have those by the dozen)
I don't want to brag, but I'm sort of a power user. I'm used to using tools, tweaks, settings change and things like that. I'm using windows 8.1, but I hardly ever even notice anything of the metro interface (classic shell+a few boot tweaks), and for anything else...
Okay, let's try that again. This time from a historical perspective. Back in the days, there were clear advantages over upgrading. At least every other windows version. Windows 98 (and later SE) was a lot better than the 95 (which I had no PC for). Millenium showed that newer isn't better. XP set the standard for stability, and was as popular as it was with good causes (I still have it dual-booted on some laptop). Vista was sort of the beta for 7, but XP ran fine as it was.
Can't remember exactly why I upgraded to 7...probably things got corrupted or clogged too much after many years of just running programs on it.
8 was criticized for the metro look...and that was it. In the end, I upgraded to 8.1 (current) because wifi-drivers were just a bit better (perhaps I could've fixed it in 7, but meh...I had nothing to do, so...).
So here I am, reading all sorts of things about 10. And wondering why I should the fuck care. Take this random article with 14 advantages. Let's go over them, shall we?
1) return of the start menu. Yeeey, I guess? As mentioned, I use classic shell. I upgraded one of my spare PC's to 10, and after less than a half hour, I just reinstated classic shell again. It may be better than metro, but classic shell is just better to my tastes (I don't care that I can disable the apps...I don't want them in the first place. And I'm more of a desktop shortcut junky, so I won't be using it for that either).
2) it's FREE!!!!! Yeah, yeah...linux is free (sorry: FREE!!!!!!) as well. And since I'm pirating windows, it doesn't impress me. Rather the opposite: if MS can give the one thing that makes them money away for free...where's their revenue then? In other words: I'm reluctant to wait until all the MS-spyware is taken care of and carefully documented.
3) cortana! Nice if you have a microphone and speak English. I don't do either, and it's not in Dutch. Besides...keyboard junky.
4) microsoft edge! Unlike that one person living under a rock, I already have a decent internet browser
5) better password stuff! My PC doesn't have any of that (it's a desktop...not a laptop), so can't use it to begin with. Besides...this really needs critical mass (right now, all banks and online services have their own stuff rather than something unified), as well as MUCH better security. Let's just say I'm skeptical.
6) windows phones! that's NOT a reason to upgrade my DESKTOP pc
7) Windows 10 interface will adapt via Continuum...wtf does that even mean?
8) multiple desktops! Oh, my! Just like I always dreamed. I'll switch directly...to linux mint.
Seriously: I never used it in the first place
9) a unified app store. Okay, future potential. But again...don't care. I'm only considering windows for the applications that only run on it. I don't want to get deeper in their ecosystem by buying stuff I don't even want or need in the first place.
10) universal apps. The same as 9, but aside from the fact that things get easier for developers to port their work to everything easier, I'm fine with it.
11) flexible security ... ah, screw it. let's just say that 11-14 are convenient, but nothing that's missing.
So...I know I'm ranting (and being cynical), but it's more about publicity than anything else. Every magazine tauts the triumphant return of something even a half-assed computer user should've fixed themselves from pretty much day 1 (okay, okay...classicshell wasn't released on day 1, but you get the proverbial idea). Meanwhile, I look at things at face value and can't bring myself to care. I remind you that I upgraded from 7 to 8 because I couldn't be arsed to solve a driver issue (that was it. The sole reason. Everything...EVERYTHING else worked fine, like any OS should be doing). And the way it is, I can't see a damn difference between 7 and 8.1 either (again: classic mode and classicshell).
So what do you guys/girls think: is there any real benefit to upgrading? Was there anything that made you glad you upgraded? (no, an integrated pdf-printer doesn't count...I already have those by the dozen)