Windows 10 Free Upgrade Deadline Approaching

That sucks! I like when all applications are hidden by default and are only displayed once clicked on expand button.
I really wish MS would stop messing around with design so much.

 

I spent 3 evenings trying to set it up right and reading over a few of the threads but it just did not feel right. So I deleted W10 .

 

I am not 100% comfy either. It can be made close too W7 but never the full clone, nor should it be. The biggest problem I see is it can not be made better than W7.

 

You don't see them until you start scrolling, because Recently added and Most used are shown first. I don't see the point of the extra clicking.
http://www.windowscentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/styles/xlarge/public/field/image/2016/07/startmenu-windows-10-1607.jpg

 

Sorry to say, that's a over thought mess, logical completeness taking to a useless extreme. Seriously, it's not cool.

That's your's? I thought you got rid of the Tiles?

 

I take it you're comparing to the older versions like 1511?

Check the URL.

 

Let's see what your's looks like, so we know what is the best way to set it up on Windows 10

I'd post mine, but I'm on Vista right now.

Spoiler

 

You have to ask someone who actually uses the Start menu.

 

Personally I would take an extra click over that mess...

 

I don't even understand how anyone can consider that a mess.

Is this the mess you're referring to?

 

You don't boot into the desktop?

Nice way to avoid the problems endemic to Windows 10.

You sure you "like" Windows 10??

 

Yes.
Yes.
That's not Windows 10.

 

New image => Not bad, it didn't take you too long to clean it up for company

 

Yes, I consider that a mess to see those #, a, b, etc. straight away once you open start menu. Would prefer much more if they were neatly hidden and only shown when needed. Also, why even have those letters be there? Do people have trouble remembering alphabet? Just a waste of space...

 

The Windows 10 Start menu is all about wasting space. Although I think you won't see the alphabet if there are more programs in the top categories.

 

QFT.
Couldn't have said better myself.

 

No matter what you think about the actual layout, the spacing is crazy big, and they can't come up with the most obvious tile size for desktop use: one unit high (edit: ½ unit high) , and two to four units wide.

 

I find the start menu in WIndows 7 very useful. I use the taskbar for most commonly used programs, and use the start menu to launch less used apps.

 

I don't see the point of keeping less used apps in the Start menu alone. Utilize the Taskbar. YMMW.
Small buttons, no grouping, no lables.

 

Why would I want to put every single app that I may or may not use, in the taskbar? That makes no sense either. If I disabled the start menu, then opening explorer, browsing to the file directory to find the executable, I want to run, would make even less sense? Would it not?

 

Has all companies upgraded to Windows 10 now since the deal line of it being free is soon? Or are all companies going to pay to upgrade to Windows 10 when they want to? I thought by now everywhere would be using Windows 10 like CHI health or Alegent Health, schools or businesses since it's free and they save money.

 

That would be a definite NO. Just because an OS is free does not mean businesses are going to switch. In fact they are some of the last to migrate to a new OS, with the amount of time and labor it takes to migrate hundreds or thousand of PC's. In no way what so ever does it save money to change operating systems, no matter if it is free or not.

 

How about public schools or libraries? Or even dentists?

But ether way they would rather wait and pay a lot to upgrade when they can?

 

Any start menu is an archaic mess apriori, IMO. It's much faster to use taskbar, shortcuts and keyboard - or if you need something rarely used that went to start menu, you can just press WIN key and type it right away, even partially - it will show up instantly. Start menu is and always was the least effective, slowest way of accessing anything in Windows - except for brutally navigating directly to program through explorer, that is. At least with Windows 10 you don't get frustrated every time you mismove the mouse and have to start navigating the atrocious start menu again. =p

 

I do not consider public schools a business, but most public libraries are run by individual states, thus costing money to migrate. If they feel the product they are using is doing a sufficient job, then they will wait until they are forced to upgrade by EOL, or software requirements.

That is all fine and dandy, but what if you cannot remember the name of the rarely used program? Which happens quite often, because it is a rarely used program.

 

Maybe not every single program, not programs like Computer Management, or Services, but every one you use on a daily basis. The part of the taskbar that's empty serves no function, it's better to utilize it.
Taskbar - one click. Start menu - two clicks. What's the drawback?

The need to only have a few programs in the taskbar is something I've only heard from Windows users, and I still don't know why. Never heard of an Apple or Linux user doing the same.

I agree, because that's even more steps to start the program. But I don't understand why you compare something that's faster than the Start menu with somethinig that's slower than the Start menu, just to prove that the Start menu is the best. That doesn't make sense either.

 

And that's another thing, since you can search in Start Menu since, why have that all application on display all the time. Why not just hide it, like it is now.
As for pinning mostly used programs, personally I prefer my taskbar like my desktop - clean. I only have like 3-5 shortcuts on both, the rest is pinned to Start Menu.

Please elaborate, I don't understand what you are trying to say.

 

That is an issue that goes away if you see the icon every day, you'll simply learn it. The last sentence sounds like a contradiction, but I guess it depends on how many rarely used programs you use.

What do you do with the empty space? Or, what does it do for you?

 

Again.

It does nothing, it's just my preference.
Don't like too look at full desktop/taskbar.

 

Not a contradiction, a fact. There are several little Windows programs that I still cannot remember the name of, and I sure am not going to pin them to the task bar...lol. I like the start menu, keeps things hidden and organized. You do not like it, I get it. I was just stating the fact that I do like it. Just as you like Windows 10 malware edition, I do not.

I was referring to starlights post about hitting the windows key and type the name of the program you want to open.

 

I'm just curious where this idea of a clean taskbar comes from, and why it's tied to Windows, that's all.

 

From the old 95 Era, basically Taskbar with Quick Access Hidden.

 

Just made up my mind, got 6 licences, none of them will succomb to, or get replaced by, the 'free' machination. There's -nothing- in w10 I want or need, and -lots- I don't want and will never need. Will stay as much clear of all the recent Microsick concotions as humanly possible.

Athough, the w10 install on test-laptop (using a dedicated w10 disk, now back to 8.1 disk) will probably continue to be activated when booting with the w10 disk, as it got it's 'digital entitlement', can't see this will change, nor kill the original 8.1. Let's see after the deadline has passed. Good to have a live w10 to get to know and dissect. Someday in a distant future it'll be the only ms os, better gather knowledge and experience how to tackle it to make it work to one's own advantage, not MS's.

 

The software might be free but to retrain the workers is not. I work for a company with over 3000 employees and 9 large plants. It would cost millions of dollars in training and lost sales due to the down time that comes with it. Some of our large presses still use windows XP to run our PLC's . Why upgrade when everything is running great with no time lost / down time. Also we just upgraded all our Toughbooks for our forklifts and all were down graded to W7.

 

That was a pun towards Windows XP and below.

 

I will try it out when 2tb SSDs are at a decent price for a solid upgrade. I'm in no rush and have made a bootable USB for when I upgrade my storage and want to try it out. I actually worry about MSI driver support for my model. I'm going to use Win10 Enterprise edition which I already use on my desktop (no forced upgrades being the main thing I like).

 

Reserve Windows 10 without using it

 

Too bad it isn't "Reserve Windows 10 without INSTALLING it..."

"First thing you need to know is that you cannot reserve a license without installing the operating system on the device. That's unfortunate but there is no way around this that I know of."

And, here is that potentially time wasting "hidden danger":

"Also, if you are not totally against Windows 10, you may want to use it for some time to find out whether you like it. Just note that the roll back option is only available for the first 30 days."

That's how it starts, getting pulled into the dark hole of despair, with no known benefit, except to Microsoft and their 3rd party benefactors.

Stay away, it's the only way to be sure...

 

To fairly represent the other side, to get the key now in case some miracle happens and Windows 10 is useful in the future, I found this article.

After reading it, I still don't see any feature worth the upgrade, but maybe you will feel differently

You Only Have a Week Left to Get Windows 10 Free. Here’s Why You Should Update
http://www.howtogeek.com/263413/you...windows-10-free.-heres-why-you-should-update/

Get Windows 10 for Free After July 29th, with a Little Prep Now
http://www.howtogeek.com/253901/get-windows-10-for-free-after-july-29th-with-a-little-prep-now/

Have fun

 

Got the same feels.
Actually some of them are the reason why I keep my desktop away from Windows 10

 

The task manager and file explorer is better than Win7 (ISO mount etc...) but it's identical in 8.1, from what I can see. The task view is nice but it's nowhere as good as Apple's 'mission control' and nor is it gesture friendly - now if Win10 nailed that, it really would be a reason to switch.

Start menu is alright but using classic shell with 8.1 is better, IMHO - I tried to love the live tiles but I prefer smaller icons on the list and not having to scroll in order to find apps near the bottom. I also pin my most-used apps to the task bar and use the 'win key + typing' shortcut for any seldom-used apps that I require - which Win8.1 and classic shell manages just fine.

Apart from DX12, there's just nothing that Win10 does any better than 8.1 and a number of things that are worse IMHO. Getting rid of pushed updates would go miles to entice me to switch and I'd really like the option of waiting when there is a new driver, to see whether it works before I install it manually. An unobtrusive pop-up box in the notification area would be fine, along with a clickable 'OK, one week has gone past and everything looks fine - install this driver, if it makes you happy' button.

I have one system with Win10 licence key incase there is a sudden reason to switch but am just not seeing any good reason to do so. I hated Win8.1 at first but installing classic shell has won me over - won't go back to Win7.

 

Today is the last day to upgrade to windows 10 for free. Come get it!

 

Why the hell did I install Windows 10?
Jamie Lendino on July 28, 2016 at 1:33 pm
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/232553-why-the-hell-did-i-install-windows-10

"...despite my satisfaction with Windows 7 and access to Windows 10 test machines, I installed Windows 10 on my main PC some time ago and have been using it ever since.

I can’t remember why."
...
"I just can’t figure out why Windows 10 is so important.

If someone swapped my drive out and put one in with Windows 7 and all of the same apps, what would happen?

I’d see longer boot times with my still-fast SSD. I don’t talk to my PC. I don’t need DX12. I don’t have an Xbox. I still don’t have a touchscreen monitor. I don’t use built-in Windows apps for things like email and calendar appointments.

While that’s all personal preference, I also don’t see anything in that list that seems like a must have for a large majority of people. It’s… basically the same way I’ve been using my PC all along.

On the eve of Microsoft Windows 10 leaving its “free” status and jumping to $119 for consumers, the biggest reason I can think of for telling someone to upgrade to Windows 10 is that it doesn’t hurt — at least as long as you either adapt to or disable its background data collection, and we’ve got a new how-to on that coming soon.

And, oh, that if you upgrade, you’ll finally dismiss those horrific nag windows, and this is your last chance to get it for free.

As for why that’s a big deal? I’m coming up empty.

I feel like the past seven years should have brought us further along on the Windows PC desktop, and they really haven’t..."

 

So it's 29th here. I think I made it!
At least on main PC.

Time to exit the vault!

 

The biggest things that I love about 10 are the corner snap feature that I use constantly on a 4k display (each corner gets a full 1920x180 window with a quick click) and the pause feature for large file transfers. Neither of which are available on my Win 7 machines at work. They may have added the pause thing in Win 8 I don't remember.

Those two things save me so much time and I found it impossible to downgrade even though I own a bunch of Win 7 licenses.

My biggest gripe is that they are slowly killing the control panel, and putting some items in the settings area. Now I have to go back and forth to find where everything is. Who the heck thought that was a good idea? It does nothing but make it harder and more confusing to find different settings. Do one or the other, not half of each!

 

The pause feature is in Windows 8.

They are slowly but surely getting rid of Control Panel.
I don't know why bother having in it there as most of the graphical options don't even do anything besides showing
a faux configuration that you entered though it.

Had to edit them though shell to set/get correctly since those options don't exist in Settings.

 

I don't know why this comes up so often. Right-click start menu, click control panel. Most things that you could adjust in there before is there like it never left. Yes the settings app is kind of annoying but the control panel is geared towards the power user while the settings app is for your average user.

On topic, glad I built my roommate his new computer yesterday, he refuses to use anything but 10 so I bought a 7 Pro key and put 10 on.

 

A better option: Go to "Settings" -> "Personalization" -> "Themes" -> "Desktop Icon Settings", enable all the icons available. I did this since Windows 7.

 

I just have gotten used to right clicking the start button. I've done it since Windows 8 beta. I hit the windows key and type to quickly search for apps but other than that, my usage of the start button is almost exclusively via right-click.

 

You can still grab a free Windows 10 copy after July 29, 2016