No offence mate, but try applying the same logic to almost anything else you use on a daily basis. It might help to consider hardware, rather than software- the principle is the same, you use product A, they're trying to force you to use product B. That nasty old TV in the living room? Totally outdated, you should take the manufacturer up on their constant spamming and unasked for upgrades and go out and get a brand new one. Because it's clearly a better product, right? Or your car- get rid of that old junk, this year's model kicks it's butt!
If their new software was so great we'd all be queuing up to buy it. As it happens, a lot of people (and I'm one of them) would rather they just keep their neb out until we chose to upgrade. It really is that simple. I can accept all the things they tell me about their product are true- but I don't care. If the kit I've already got works, I don't want to go mincing around with a whole new set up, because long and bitter experience has taught me that the new software will bring a ton of problems, the solutions to which might take months to find, if I ever do. Not all of us are software gurus, or even particularly well versed in problem solving software and updates. It can be an absolute nightmare to correct even minor issues if you lack the knowledge or the time to research the problem. Tech forums are infested with passive aggressive smart Alecs who seem to post there to demonstrate their innate superiority and cleverness, rather than genuinely help people struggling with unfamiliar tasks and methods. MS support is a poor joke. Upgrading can often turn a sweet, well optomised system into uncooperative, malfunctioning dross at the click of a few keys and the laying down of a handful of sheckles.
No thanks!
You...can't really compare that principle with software as, it is entirely up to user, as long as the hardware supports it, users need to want the software and what it provides, if they do not want that, then they aren't going to have it....so yeah, if hardware only supported a specific OS then yeah sure.
Are they overly aggressive in their wanting people to upgrade? oh definitely sure, but that is basically all advertisement ever in my book, but when you our software is on the vast majority of personal computers out there, you want your software to represent properly, think of it more in nature of the xbox content updates then a normal upgrade cycle.
As for all queuing up, a lot are, Windows 7 is steadily dropping and windows 10 is gaining after the absolutely catastrophic PR start windows 10 had.
As for how people behave and not actually helping others, yeah, well some people are like that, though it feels like this talk is turning into a "that's not the right solution, mine is the right" kind of argument at times, the average, general user is better off having the most upgraded version of their OS, that's all there is behind my suggested method to fix, as again, the majority of issues, are incompatibility a clean upgrade fixes. And has little to do with passive aggressive.
As for microsoft support, I've only had to talk to actual people a few times, and all those times it was quick and my problems were solved, both by UK support and local Danish support, so I can't really say I've experienced that.
I am in no way denying the policy of the user being the product from mobile is slowly affecting the desktop market, many different applications do this now a days, but so far what windows 10 collects and such can have a fully logical reasoning, take cortana, the assistant needs certain information to respond accordingly, it can't check your calendar if you do not give it access, and such, the problem is judging when something is excessive, and without knowing EXACTLY what is collected people are basically guessing, I know a good bit from researching and much of the paranoia seems to come from people suddenly knowing what is being collected, but here's the thing, windows 7 collects data as well, less yes, and easier to disable because the things that do the collecting aren't as integrated as they are in windows 10, and iOS MacOS collect a significant amount.
So this data collection really isn't anything new, its just been happening without user knowledge, and windows 10 did initially collect excessively but microsoft reacted to the privacy outrage, so they are listening? compared to say Apple, users have wanted full openGL support for ages....nothing just one of many issues there, and no this isn't me trying to make Microsoft seem like the 'best' it is more stating facts, Microsoft has made some odd choices but not of them seem with ill intent or for what would be considered reasons other then the stated? but people need to realise that it isn't a new thing.
The only real 'safe' system is linux because you can build it as you want it.
As for the whole "well optimised systems" my experience fixing numerous computers both for normal users and gamers, really makes that wording seem very very very vague, as many situations have shown that people will do the oddest things that compromise their computer in other ways to get it to work 'well' in another setting, most common would probably be the whole turn off firewall because its annoying and preventing various things, but the list is....long.
But really that is one of the beauties of computers, you can get them to work great for what you want in many many ways, just that many of them aren't without consequences.
So all I'm saying is calm down, look at the facts, and act accordingly to what you believe is right for you, if you don't thrust Microsoft, don't thrust them, do not upgrade, do not do anything with your hardware that you don't want to, but look at facts and confirm your research from more then one source that seems to confirm your belief, it is an understandable thing that many accidentally do, nothing wrong in doing it, human nature, but it doesn't show the entire picture.
If microsoft did something truly egregious affecting their users, we would hear much, much much more about it, there are an enormous amount of people looking into these matters that are knowledge and well involved in the whole issue.
