Windows 10 and more.  Lets put down some of this fear-mongering click-bait out of the way when it comes to Windows 10.  

Windows 10 is buggy…

Here int eh FSD nest we have been using Windows 10 since days after the initial windows 10 beta was releases.  Even then it would be hard to say that Windows 10 was buggy.  It could be said that the initial betas were inconsistent but we never came across true buggyness.  The systems tested ranged from an old first generation single core atom netbook all the way up to an Intel core 2 system.  Some of the cheaper system on a chip type machines had some difficulties but it would be hard to say that it was windows 10 that caused those problems.  They only had 32gb of storage total and the upgrades between each beta release caused problems.  But again that may have been storage or some of the BIOS security features.  Since the release of the full version of Windows 10 we have experienced no problems and few inconsistencies.  A wide range of software has been tested.  Including some software integrated with Corel Draw that requires varying security dongles.  In past versions of the install (XP – 8.1) installing the security software was difficult.  Windows 10 instantly recognized and installed the drivers.  With no problems.  Various versions of FPS have also been tried on windows 10 with no major issues that could be attributed to windows 10.

Windows 10 WORKS!  it is perhaps the best release of windows yet!

Windows 10 forces updates…

OK…  So what how many of the typical windows user has had auto update running since windows XP.  It has always been difficult to turn off.  Here in the Nest we nearly exclusively use Linux on our systems.  We spent a week tracking the updates that were requested.  Of course it was a bad week to track because the prior week there had been a kernel update and the following week there had been a kernel update but the week of tracking didn’t have anything amazing update.  In theory “security updates” are turned on by default so some updated may not be listed.  But here is a simple list of updates in a week of Linux.

• Firefox
• Firefox-locale-en
• libsvn1
• libxen-4.4
• libxenstore3.0
• subversion
• subversion-tools
• Google-chrome-unstable
• libowncloudsync0
• owncloud-client
• owncloud-client-l10n
• owncloud-client-nautilus
• thunderbird
• thunderbird-gnome-support
• thunderbird-locale-en
• thunderbird-locale-en-us
• gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0
• libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0
• libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386
• libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common
• libsmbclient
• libwbclient0
• python-samba
• samba
• samba-common
• samba-common-bin
• samba-dsdb-modules
• samba-libs
• smbclient
• bash-completion
• firefox
• firefox-locale-en
• fonts-opensymbol
• google-chrome-unstable
• libreoffice
• libreoffice-avmedia-backend-gstreamer
• libreoffice-base
• libreoffice-base-core
• libreoffice-base-drivers
• libreoffice-calc
• libreoffice-common
• libreoffice-core
• libreoffice-draw
• libreoffice-emailmerge
• libreoffice-gnome
• libreoffice-gtk
• libreoffice-help-en-us
• libreoffice-impress
• libreoffice-java-common
• libreoffice-math
• libreoffice-mysql-connector
• libreoffice-ogltrans
• libreoffice-pdfimport
• libreoffice-presentation-minimizer
• libreoffice-report-builder-bin
• libreoffice-sdbc-hsqldb
• libreoffice-writer
• libsaga
• libu2f-host0
• python3-uno
• qemu
• qemu-keymaps
• qemu-kvm
• qemu-system
• qemu-system-arm
• qemu-system-common
• qemu-system-mips
• qemu-system-misc
• qemu-system-ppc
• qemu-system-sparc
• qemu-system-x86
• qemu-user
• saga
• uno-libs3
• ure

I could tell you about almost all of those but it doesn’t matter.  But windows 10 releasing larger individual patches automatically that include everything is BAD??  I don’t understand.  Besides above and beyond that the people that would really not want some update have the ability to block it.  Plus of that list show me something i didn’t want to update…

Windows is spying on me…

Seriously…  This is a personal favorite here at the Nest.  Go head and read the terms of service for Google, Apple, Drop Box or any other service out there.  “To improve he user experience anonymous user statistics may be returned to (INSERT EVIL OVERLORD HERE) to help improve the user environment.”  If they don’t know how you use the software how can they make it work for you and let’s face it if you use the software that way how many million others use it the same way?  I know weak argument.  So lets try this.

Google just released a new router.  The first call to arms was that now Google can spy on you.  Google says NO we will not.  The response is OK.  Lets dig deeper on the paranoid side.  Raise your flipper if you know what a DNS server is…  This is a Domain Name Server.  What does this thing do.  Well think of it like a phone book.  You most likely got here by typing (or clicking on) https://FreeStateDrivers.com.  The internet response would be HUH? To solve that a phone book has been created.  When you go to FSD that gets translated to 192.252.150.155.  Now unlike the phone book from your local TelCo you don’t have a copy of this.  OK if you have been there recently and the cache has not been flushed you might have a local copy but going to a new site requires looking up the address.  Typically that ends up being your internet provider that supplies this for you.  This can be one of the ways the provider can say we know you went someplace bad and send you a letter saying if you do that again we will terminate your service.  Typically in relation to downloading music and movies.  More advanced users use 3rd party DNS servers (phone books).  One of those is Google.  We here at FSD use it because it is fast and complete.  But now FSD is signed in to Chrome and so Google knows we are accessing from Address X.Y.Z.A and a DNS request just came from the same address to go to WWW.FS.FED.US.  One could almost assume that the FSD account may be interested in forestry from that.  You ask what are you talking about.  Well here at FSD we did a quick check and the new Google router doesn’t seem to have a documented way to change the DNS server.  So in essence Google could track your traffic but they said they wouldn’t and society said OK.

Another fun one is to go to your Google dashboard.  Ever use Google Now.  Listen to what you have asked for or see where you have been.  Microsoft wants to improve Cortana so they are going to do the same thing and catalog your voice so Cortana can understand you.  This has been done for decades.  Dragon Naturally speaking used to do this for transcription.  If no fingerprint for what you are saying exists there can be no comparison to match it to.  try looking up Evapotranspiration luckily you are not the first so it translates well.

Conclusions…

• Do you have to update to Windows 10?  NO
• Should you update to windows 10? Only you can decide that.  FSD is and isn’t but that is because we have to test on systems ranging from XP to 10 for software compatibility.  My personal Junker computer has Windows 10 on it and formerly had Linux on it.
• Can I update to windows 10?  FSD has done it successfully.  If you have the proper licenses and versions sure.
• Should I wear tin foil on my head while using Window 10?  Your call if you are cold i recommend a knitted stocking cap.  The penguins here in the Nest have them from a friend that we can recommend if you like a knitted one.