5 Ridiculous Windows 10 Headlines That Will Have You Running To Linux

[steven36]

When Windows 10 was released I had high hopes, especially as someone who loathed Windows 8. Ironically, Windows 10 is what sent me packing to set up residence in the Linux world. I couldn't be happier with that decision. The tipping point was the uneasy, growing sensation that Microsoft owned my PC. With forced updates, ill-timed reboots, constant nags and pre-loaded bloatware, the "personal" in personal computer" was disappearing.

Today as I was scanning the news I realized it was Patch Tuesday. Since about 2003, Patch Tuesday has indicated the time of the month when Microsoft issues security patches to its various software products. This is of course followed by Woeful Wednesday when users are struck with the painful realization that they still haven't jumped through the necessary hoops to disable automatic updates, and consequently discover how many things are broken.

 

 

Tech journalists probably make a killing covering Patch Tuesday and the resulting fallout. Monthly headlines across the web are crafted to instill fear and panic. "Oh my god it's coming. IT'S COMING! Brace for impact! Is your system prepared?" It's no doubt lucrative covering the details of each patch followed by the 304 possible troubleshooting steps to undo the damage.

 

 

Of course I'm exaggerating, but only just. So in the spirit of Patch Tuesday -- and from the viewpoint of someone who doesn't stress about Microsoft's automatic updates any longer -- I present to you 5 ridiculous headlines that actually should put some fear into you. And possibly make you consider dancing with the happy penguins. (That was a somewhat lame reference to the Linux mascot, sorry.)

 

#1: "Time To Turn Off Windows Automatic Update and Brace For Impact"

 

 

ComputerWorld's Woody Leonhard wants to remind you that this month's Patch Tuesday could be uneventful like it was in August. "Maybe, as in July, the rolled out offal will break everything in sight," he writes. "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'"

 

Leonhard covers Microsoft and the world of updates pretty religiously, and this entire article is framed as a scary reminder that you really should turn off Automatic Updates. You know, those things that are designed to protect your PC and make the overall user experience better. He then lists several helpful steps to aid Windows Home and Windows Pro users in blocking all that stuff at every possible turn.

 

 

Let me quote this passage:

We’ve seen the same pattern repeat itself almost every month since the beginning of the year: The first round of Microsoft security patches (notably including Win10 patches) introduce bugs, while subsequent rounds of patches each month squash most of them. If we’re lucky.

Sometimes the fixes come in second or third cumulative updates. Sometimes they come in Monthly Rollup Previews — a heinous practice. In either case, a significant group of first-round patchers get hit. Their more cautious brethren sit and watch, listen to the screams of pain, and wait for the all-clear.

I think that about covers it.

 

#2: "100 Common Windows Problems and How To Solve Them"

 

ONE HUNDRED? I don't even know what to say to this. Some of these are probably better categorized as annoyances, but still! These common Windows problems include blasting the advertising away from your lock screen, troubleshooting BSODs (Blue Screen of Death), removing Windows notification nags, maintaining your privacy, avoiding inconvenient reboots, avoiding malware on the Windows Store. . .

 

Ok I'm exhausted. The point is that you don't have to deal with any of those things running a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or many other flavors of Linux. Are there edge cases? Actually no. Linux desktop operating systems are fundamentally designed to avoid all those things.

 

#3: "8 Steps To Install Windows Patches Like A Pro"

 

I want you to just briefly consider that there are hundreds of guides out there like this. In-depth, multi-step guides for installing Automatic Updates. Now read up on how Ubuntu installs all your updates. Not just system updates, but all the software you have installed. Third-party software too. All in one batch, automatically, normally without the need to reboot. Without nags and, I would say fairly confidently, without fear.

 

#4: "Overcoming Windows 10 Upgrade and Version Failure Updates"

 

Written by a Microsoft MVP on the Microsoft Answers website, this lengthy troubleshooting guide is undoubtedly helpful, but I'm more interested in the reason it was written. Says author Greg Carmack: "[This was] Compiled from helping in thousands of Upgrade failure cases, these steps work for everyone who tries them all for Upgrade from Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and for version Updates of Windows 10 which are failing."

 

The list is exhaustive but here are some highlights. Users are asked to uninstall any anti-virus software except Microsoft's own Defender (note that Linux doesn't need any of them). Run CCleeaner. Scan for and fix registry errors. Update your BIOS. Update your UEFI firmware. Disable all running services except Microsoft ones. . .

 

I understand that Linux has installation issues too. But I'm quite certain they don't require the same tedious level of troubleshooting and steps that are required to just ensure a smooth Microsoft OS upgrade, or even a version update. And that's of course before you even start dealing with updates.

 

At least Linux doesn't resort to malware-style upgrade campaigns like Microsoft did.

 

#5: "Fifty Percent of Windows 10 Users Have Experienced Problems"

 

TechRadar writes about a consumer watchdog group Which surveyed Windows 10 users, concluding that a full half of them have experienced some kind of problem with their installation.

 

"The most prevalent flaws in those encountered by respondents were software compatibility issues, as cited by 21% – including apps that failed to run entirely following an update. Hardware problems, such as a peripheral not working following an upgrade, were also commonplace, affecting 16% of those surveyed.

 

Some folks said their PC was slower following an update, and others ended up with a computer that failed to work or boot entirely. Of those unfortunates that fell into the latter camp, 46% said they had to pay someone to repair their PC, with the average cost of that work being £67 (around $90, AU$120)."

 

Following the survey results being published, the group started making some noise, insisting on two big ideas: 1) That Microsoft devises a more thoughtful and thorough way to educated its users on the possible downsides of updates and 2) to treat its digital product like any normal product, where consumers have the right to a refund or a replacement if things are faulty, and even a right to compensation if value data is lost due to Windows 10 errors.

 

 

Some may consider this a humorous -- if dire --  take on the state of Windows. Some may just shake it off an deal with it as a "fact of life." I'm not that far removed from the Windows world, and I recognize that Linux isn't an instant, all-inclusive replacement for certain things in the Windows world. Yet.

 

Seriously though, if you're tired of seeing headlines like these or worn out from the panic that creeps in everytime Patch Tuesday rolls around, consider a switch to Linux. There certainly isn't a shortage of choices out there, and one thing I can say with confidence: it sure is more relaxing to use on a day-to-day basis.

 

Source

 

 

[Cruzan]

Linux aside, IMO anyone using win10 deserves what they get. OK let the fanboys at me now! lmao

[steven36]

57 minutes ago, Cruzan said:

Linux aside, IMO anyone using win10 deserves what they get. OK let the fanboys at me now! lmao

I just done updates on my Windows 8.1 partition hadn't done them in 2 months and the darn thing don't want to even want to connect to the internet now, it  had been working fine for like a year .It don't matter what windows you use sooner or latter you will  have a problem if you do updates , I booted into Linux and done updates like I do every time i use it without a hitch   , now i have  to decide  do i want clean install windows or just put Linux on this box. I already removed windows from my other PC  that came with windows 8. because of the shitty drivers they provide for older hardware on windows that not updated in years , that's a security risk itself. nice try though .

 

Windows 10 was the reason i started fooling with Linux  back in 2015.   I been using Windows since 2001 and  Microsoft was pushing out bad updates before Windows 10 even came out,  we were having to remove  botched updates from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 back in 2014.. they fixed it now were  you cant remove them without doing a restore or have a backup image because there cumulative updates now on  all windows ..Windows updates its a total mess they have  been for years now.

 

Users find fix for botched KB 2982791 and KB 2970228 Windows update Aug 15, 2014

https://www.infoworld.com/article/2608894/microsoft-windows/users-find-fix-for-botched-kb-2982791-and-kb-2970228-windows-update.html

 

Microsoft releases KB2993651 update to fix botched update for MS14-045 28 August 2014

https://myonlinesecurity.co.uk/microsoft-releases-kb2993651-update-fix-botched-update-ms14-045/

 

Microsoft Yanks Botched Patch Kb2949927, Re-Issues Kb2952664 Oct 22 2014 04:29 PM

https://www.infoworld.com/article/2834930/security/microsoft-yanks-botched-patch-kb-2949927-re-issues-kb-2952664.html

 

The whole paranoia about patch Tuesday predates Windows 10 it's been like this every since they got the CEO they have now. 👽

 

[straycat19]

I don't do updates.  Why?  Updates are supposed to fix problems but in reality they only create more.  Every version of windows has resulted in a never ending series of patches, updates, and fixes, with each of them creating another problem of one type or another.  It is much easier to just install the base version and never update it.  You are then working with a known OS and can block/filter/tweak/modify it to suit your own security desires without worrying about Microsoft breaking everything with their next update. 

[steven36]

3 hours ago, straycat19 said:

I don't do updates.  Why?  Updates are supposed to fix problems but in reality they only create more.  Every version of windows has resulted in a never ending series of patches, updates, and fixes, with each of them creating another problem of one type or another.  It is much easier to just install the base version and never update it.  You are then working with a known OS and can block/filter/tweak/modify it to suit your own security desires without worrying about Microsoft breaking everything with their next update. 

Will  I was  able to get windows 8.1 back working right again,  by doing a simple restore what ever the update broke is now fixed .  Fact is while what you say is true , people should not have to  be exposing themselves to unpatched exploits  and the only reason you have to fear the patch is because you think you must use windows . If everything gets stole from a user on here because you told him not too do updates and  they get hacked , are you going to replace it for them,? No your  not . Truth be told  doing updates is risky and not doing updates is risky on windows were on Linux  updates most always go very well without any problems at all. even major OS upgrades.

 

You can not justify a  a company  who is putting there users threw the ringer by telling every one that bad security hygiene is the answer ,  because windows is software and any software that's any good always gets updates , If there was no such thing as updates they  would be no need for update sites like nsanedown. Some people love doing updates , I use too  installing stuff is addictive. They shouldn't have to fear them is the point of this post .

 

  Only home users  have a choice if they do  updates or not  and even if you own  a business  and dont  do them, you still will have to pay for them or get audited and fined and M$  knows this . Stuff like not doing updates would be and excuse to pull contracts as well .  People fear updates so much on windows now they  go  out of there way to stop them,  were  when Vista and Windows 7 came out most all topics were about downloading loaders and other cracks .. Now days it's changed to  topics about you need to fear the updates or about some new feature windows 10 is going to get that no one really needs ...  it's very sad the way things have became ...  I got tired of  posting  news about bad updates in 2016  because every since windows 10 came out its the same old problems over and over.   

 

As as  much bad press as Vista had  there were those  who used  Vista tell it ran out of updates  and it it only got two major upgrades in 10 years .  Windows 7 and Windows 8 wont never have but one . Windows 10 has had 7 fixing to be 8 major updates since summer of 2015  . It's crazy ...

[BimBamSmash]

You know, some of those issues can happen on Linux too - maybe even in uglier fashion. Standard procedure for machines that are filled to the brim with apps and craps.

 

These problems can go away, not with some open source OS, but rather when all apps and services become stuff you stream from the internet via browsers and alike - much like a TV program. I fully expect this to be the future.