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Thursday, August 27th, 2015 12:23 pm
windows 10 - the reckoning
This is a quick addendum to the Windows 10 upgrade post I did here because this is a very annoying problem.
If you haven't upgraded yet or have but haven't had this happen, note:
1.) if you use Word and Excel, go in and change your settings to autobackup every five minutes. Do it right now.
Windows Updates are by default automatic. I thought I set mine to tell me to do it (scheduled), but apparently I didn't, and so more often than I'm comfortable with, I close my laptop and come back to it having shut down entirely and the only reason I haven't panicked is because my Word and Excel have both the five minute rule for back-up in place, and I by reflex save before closing my laptop (most of the time). This is freaking stressing.
So:
1.) go into the updates and switch to scheduled so you get warning.
Further Notes:
1.) I've found when I'm working and everything starts acting wonky--especially playing video--Windows 10 wants to upgrade and this is a hint, unlike just giving me a message.
2.) Updates can take up to five minutes both on this side of restart and the other. Yes you can have a freaking ten minute security update, wtf?
3.) I am so tired of getting Microsoft product advertisements appearing in my notes. HOW DO I TURN THAT OFF? I like Office and this is turning me against it.
Other Notes:
I'm still getting used to it, but honestly, anything is worth getting rid of that goddamn Metro screen, but I do miss the original Start Menu in its original form. I keep a ruthlessly clean desktop--one text file appears there, my linux cheat sheet for server emergencies since I login using putty--and everything else is in Stardock at the top of the desktop (SO RECOMMENDED YOU HAVE NO IDEA WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE) or my task bar.
I also get a lot of my better experience here in Windows 8.1 and 10 is having a touchscreen. I hate to say it because it can be expensive, but if you're planning to get a new computer, save for the goddamn touchscreen; luckily, with Alienware the start value is so ridic expensive that at the time the upgrade was about $150 I think to get the five-point and nothing compared to pretty much everything else. It's not mandatory yet (except Windows 8.1 I would have had a breakdown without it), but usability is definitely biased toward a touchscreen.
I'm a professional user acceptance tester; I did my standard usability check (altered for Windows) to check functionality but all with touchscreen and not using my touchpad and yeah, not surprisingly, a lot of stuff that works fine with touchpad but feels wrong or off suddenly makes sense for touchscreens. It's not entirely subtle, but it is noticeable when you switch over and realize this was made for fingers. What's funny--at least to me--is this is the first time I realized there could be a left-hand bias on touchscreens, which makes sense as we read left to right and left is where everything drifts toward. Not something I would have realized with a touchpad or even a screen as small as a phone, but when the touch real state is 17 inches, yeah, if I can adapt my left to be better coordinated, I'll have a somewhat faster and easier experience.
I speak as someone who likes touchscreens; until they magically make monitors smudge proof and repel dust, I'm against it as primary or even recommended on anything bigger than 12.2 inches (my tablet) because it's ridic how much I have to clean and it's not like I work with manure every day here or don't wash my hands. My laptop is my primary relationship; it gets oily fast from basic touching unless I'm on it every second, and unlike my tablet and phone, it's kind of a production, not a single button, to flip off the screen for a fast cleaning (not so fast, it's freaking seventeen inches).
Despite all this (and now you're staring at me going what?) I do recommend the upgrade, and not just because it's free and Microsoft wouldn't have done that unless they planned to screw over old operating systems and wanted to avoid at least partial rage (won't happen, but give 'em props for trying). To me, it's not better than Windows 7, which became my One True Operating System and I actually bought my entire family upgrades to it, but right now, it's more than acceptable and I honestly think--God help me--that familiarity will let me like it more as I customize it to habits. It does--shockingly--have more options on that front than I expected, and unless 8.1 was your One True Operating System, this is definitely better than that.
Anyway, anyone else have any tips since it's been almost a month since Windows 10 appeared in our lives?
If you haven't upgraded yet or have but haven't had this happen, note:
1.) if you use Word and Excel, go in and change your settings to autobackup every five minutes. Do it right now.
Windows Updates are by default automatic. I thought I set mine to tell me to do it (scheduled), but apparently I didn't, and so more often than I'm comfortable with, I close my laptop and come back to it having shut down entirely and the only reason I haven't panicked is because my Word and Excel have both the five minute rule for back-up in place, and I by reflex save before closing my laptop (most of the time). This is freaking stressing.
So:
1.) go into the updates and switch to scheduled so you get warning.
Further Notes:
1.) I've found when I'm working and everything starts acting wonky--especially playing video--Windows 10 wants to upgrade and this is a hint, unlike just giving me a message.
2.) Updates can take up to five minutes both on this side of restart and the other. Yes you can have a freaking ten minute security update, wtf?
3.) I am so tired of getting Microsoft product advertisements appearing in my notes. HOW DO I TURN THAT OFF? I like Office and this is turning me against it.
Other Notes:
I'm still getting used to it, but honestly, anything is worth getting rid of that goddamn Metro screen, but I do miss the original Start Menu in its original form. I keep a ruthlessly clean desktop--one text file appears there, my linux cheat sheet for server emergencies since I login using putty--and everything else is in Stardock at the top of the desktop (SO RECOMMENDED YOU HAVE NO IDEA WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE) or my task bar.
I also get a lot of my better experience here in Windows 8.1 and 10 is having a touchscreen. I hate to say it because it can be expensive, but if you're planning to get a new computer, save for the goddamn touchscreen; luckily, with Alienware the start value is so ridic expensive that at the time the upgrade was about $150 I think to get the five-point and nothing compared to pretty much everything else. It's not mandatory yet (except Windows 8.1 I would have had a breakdown without it), but usability is definitely biased toward a touchscreen.
I'm a professional user acceptance tester; I did my standard usability check (altered for Windows) to check functionality but all with touchscreen and not using my touchpad and yeah, not surprisingly, a lot of stuff that works fine with touchpad but feels wrong or off suddenly makes sense for touchscreens. It's not entirely subtle, but it is noticeable when you switch over and realize this was made for fingers. What's funny--at least to me--is this is the first time I realized there could be a left-hand bias on touchscreens, which makes sense as we read left to right and left is where everything drifts toward. Not something I would have realized with a touchpad or even a screen as small as a phone, but when the touch real state is 17 inches, yeah, if I can adapt my left to be better coordinated, I'll have a somewhat faster and easier experience.
I speak as someone who likes touchscreens; until they magically make monitors smudge proof and repel dust, I'm against it as primary or even recommended on anything bigger than 12.2 inches (my tablet) because it's ridic how much I have to clean and it's not like I work with manure every day here or don't wash my hands. My laptop is my primary relationship; it gets oily fast from basic touching unless I'm on it every second, and unlike my tablet and phone, it's kind of a production, not a single button, to flip off the screen for a fast cleaning (not so fast, it's freaking seventeen inches).
Despite all this (and now you're staring at me going what?) I do recommend the upgrade, and not just because it's free and Microsoft wouldn't have done that unless they planned to screw over old operating systems and wanted to avoid at least partial rage (won't happen, but give 'em props for trying). To me, it's not better than Windows 7, which became my One True Operating System and I actually bought my entire family upgrades to it, but right now, it's more than acceptable and I honestly think--God help me--that familiarity will let me like it more as I customize it to habits. It does--shockingly--have more options on that front than I expected, and unless 8.1 was your One True Operating System, this is definitely better than that.
Anyway, anyone else have any tips since it's been almost a month since Windows 10 appeared in our lives?
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From:My housemate who updated hers from Windows 8 also more or less likes it, aside from having to start off with disabling the billion godawful opt-out settings. "Definitely better than Windows 8!" seems to be the general battle cry.
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