What about Windows 10?

[Ian Roz]

My printer did not work with windows 10.

 

[Ian Roz]

I prefer windows 7, everything works well, why change thing?

 

[exminister]

What about claims by many that Windows 10 is the worst assault on privacy from any operating system ever? Microsoft claims that the data collection is for improving the operating system - system telemetry - and that it contains no personal information. Others write that Windows sends copies of photos, documents, and other information you open to the big Microsoft in the sky.

Privacy is a big question that I don't have all the answers for. Windows 10 is definitely intended to make money for Microsoft, and the question is how many different ways can they make money? Targeted advertising is one way, and that must involve sharing information with other companies.

I have the same concern. I went through the settings and flipped all the outgoing information to OFF. Well it's just a switch, not a firewall. This is why I don't do Facebook. It just seems to wide open.

Important files I PGP encrypt.

 

[exminister]

Dell's new high-rez machine:
http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-15-9530/pd

Lenovo:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga-laptop-series/yoga-900-13/

Both have high resolution screens, as does my Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. Once you start looking at the web and text using these 4K level screens, the old 1920 x 1080 resolution seems like stone carvings.

The only issue with high resolution screens is that not a few applications have caught up. So you end up with very tiny menu items, icons, and so on that even when setting screen magnification to 250% will not solve.


AMR

My new Toshiba laptop with Win 10 only allows (as far as I can tell) one screen size. I want text and icons to be smaller using more resolution. Oddly the failed one I bought 4 months ago had finer resolution.

The failed was all the bells and whistles where it had touch screen and could behave like a tablet. The new one is a simple laptop, but still I think I could get better hi-Rez.

 

[GuySmiley]

What about claims by many that Windows 10 is the worst assault on privacy from any operating system ever? Microsoft claims that the data collection is for improving the operating system - system telemetry - and that it contains no personal information. Others write that Windows sends copies of photos, documents, and other information you open to the big Microsoft in the sky.

Privacy is a big question that I don't have all the answers for. Windows 10 is definitely intended to make money for Microsoft, and the question is how many different ways can they make money? Targeted advertising is one way, and that must involve sharing information with other companies.

Unfortunately Google proved that people really don't care about privacy. You are in a tiny minority. Look at the number of Android phones selling. Nobody can compete with "free" Google services without selling ads.

 

[serpentdove]

Can't get rid of the Bing bar.

 

[serpentdove]

One issue with laptops and especially tablets is it is difficult or impossible to do hardware upgrades. Desktops can be upgraded easily.

Die Bing bar.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

My new Toshiba laptop with Win 10 only allows (as far as I can tell) one screen size. I want text and icons to be smaller using more resolution. Oddly the failed one I bought 4 months ago had finer resolution.

The failed was all the bells and whistles where it had touch screen and could behave like a tablet. The new one is a simple laptop, but still I think I could get better hi-Rez.

With Windows 10 go to Control Panel-->Display
There you can tweak the available resolution for your laptop, sizes of text, and icons.

AMR

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

If you are using Windows 10 you can adjust the customer information fed back to Microsoft:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article...y-default-heres-how-you-can-protect-yourself/

If you use Google Chrome, just set your default search provided to DuckDuckGo, which still uses Google's search features but omits all the user data gathering.

Enter this in Chrome's omnibox (the place where you type urls): chrome://settings/

Then select "Manage Search Engines" to see if DuckDuckGo is listed and make that your default search engine.

If not listed add it by going to the bottom of the list of search engines and typing in the name, DuckDuckGo
the keyword ddg
and the url
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s

AMR

 

[journey]

If you are using Windows 10 you can adjust the customer information fed back to Microsoft:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article...y-default-heres-how-you-can-protect-yourself/

If you use Google Chrome, just set your default search provided to DuckDuckGo, which still uses Google's search features but omits all the user data gathering.

Enter this in Chrome's omnibox (the place where you type urls): chrome://settings/

Then select "Manage Search Engines" to see if DuckDuckGo is listed and make that your default search engine.

If not listed add it by going to the bottom of the list of search engines and typing in the name, DuckDuckGo
the keyword ddg
and the url
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s

AMR

Thanks for the links and information. I haven't heard of DuckDuckGo before.

I think that I'm going to wait at least a month, do some more reading, and decide whether I want to try Windows 10 again.

 

[Clete]

Die Bing bar.

Try this...

7 Easy Ways to Get Bing Off Your Computer (with Pictures)

 

[rexlunae]

I preferred the windows 8 desktop configuration over 10's, but other than that I haven't experienced many issues since I upgraded a couple of months ago.

Java wants to update every day, but it still works ok.

Java isn't part of Windows, and you can uninstall it. I recommend that, unless you know you need it.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

I preferred the windows 8 desktop configuration over 10's, but other than that I haven't experienced many issues since I upgraded a couple of months ago.

Java wants to update every day, but it still works ok.

Launch the Java update control panel by entering the following in the 'Run' window of your Start menu. To see 'Run' right-click on the Start icon:

"C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_66\bin\javaw.exe"

[The version in the path above, 'jre1.8.0_66' is the latest version. If you do not have this one, just open the C:\Program Files\Java\ folder and located the javaw.exe file and double-click it.]

When the Java control panel opens select the appropriate update options you want.

Next go to the Advanced tab and scroll to the very bottom.

Place a checkmark in the box 'Suppress sponsor offers when installing or updating Java'. This will prevent you from unwittingly having things like the Yahoo toolbar or some McAfee antivirus program installed along with Java. These sponsors pay Oracle to hitch a ride in the Java update process and if you are not paying attention to the installation/update process you end up wondering why this or that is now installed on your computer.

As a rule always pay attention to the installation dialogs when updating or installing software to make sure you know what is about to be installed.

Given Oracle's poor security maintenance of Java, some recommend no client versions (your computer, not a server in a corporate environment) of Java be installed on a computer. Removing java can be a chore given its cluttering up of the Windows Registry only to find that you need the Java environment for some favorite program or website. Just make sure you are running the most recent version and only install it from the Oracle web site(s) and not from some popup at a web site you may be visiting.

If the company you work for has a BYOD policy (Bring Your Own Device) you may find that the company requires Java to be installed on your personal computer being used on their network for some of its corporate software tools.

If all you do with a computer is web browsing and internet activities, consider a Chromebook. It is basically a computer running Google Chrome engine as an operating system. If you are a subscribing TOL member, see my thread: http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98196 for more details.

AMR

 

[rexlunae]

Given Oracle's poor security maintenance of Java, some recommend no client versions (your computer, not a server in a corporate environment) of Java be installed on a computer. Removing java can be a chore given its cluttering up of the Windows Registry only to find that you need the Java environment for some favorite program or website. Just make sure you are running the most recent version and only install it from the Oracle web site(s) and not from some popup at a web site you may be visiting.

Oracle's inadequate stewardship of the product disqualifies it for me a something I would allow, as does the fact that it seems to cause some rather curious problems that I can't fully explain. I would default the other way: only install (or keep) it if you know you need it. Yes, it could be a hassle if it turns out that there's something you need from it, but there's really very little client software that actually does. It very frequently comes installed on new computers without need, and I would bet that most people who have installed it don't actually need it. Even websites have mostly abandoned it.

If the company you work for has a BYOD policy (Bring Your Own Device) you may find that the company requires Java to be installed on your personal computer being used on their network for some of its corporate software tools.

Maybe. Only way to find out is to try it. I wouldn't assume that it's required. A lot of environments don't require Clean Access or similar invasive tools on guest devices.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Oracle's inadequate stewardship of the product disqualifies it for me a something I would allow, as does the fact that it seems to cause some rather curious problems that I can't fully explain. I would default the other way: only install (or keep) it if you know you need it. Yes, it could be a hassle if it turns out that there's something you need from it, but there's really very little client software that actually does. It very frequently comes installed on new computers without need, and I would bet that most people who have installed it don't actually need it. Even websites have mostly abandoned it.

Maybe. Only way to find out is to try it. I wouldn't assume that it's required. A lot of environments don't require Clean Access or similar invasive tools on guest devices.

For the average user Java is non-essential and your advice well put.

In my work with various companies and law firms that are attracted to every shiny new thing, Java is, sigh, a necessary evil that I have to live with.

AMR

 

[exminister]

With Windows 10 go to Control Panel-->Display
There you can tweak the available resolution for your laptop, sizes of text, and icons.

AMR

No direct Control Panel --> Display.
So I chose Control Panel --> Appearances and Personalization --> Adjust Screen Resolution. It took me to what I had done before, which follows...

Before I right clicked on Desktop and choose Display Settings.
In Display the change the bar for text, apps and others is all the way to the left. If I pull it to the right it only goes all the way to the right and is now 125%. Wrong direction for me. If I go to the Advanced Settings, it shows Screen Resolution at 1366x768 (recommended). Any other option goes the wrong way.


I am calling it a hardware restriction either physical or driver. Was checking for display specs and this is what I see so far. "Intel(R) HD Graphics". Device object name NTPNP_PCI001. There are Driver Files to support 32-bit as well 64-bit processing.

I bought the cheapest Windows laptop this time because 4 months ago bought the most expensive one. Lessons relearned for me. Avoid Windows and get a Mac. But when Windows is my only option avoid new Window releases until everyone else has done the for the general public "beta" testing.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

To get the major November Windows 10 update if you already have Windows 10 installed, download this: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

This is a major update to Windows 10, not just some security tweaks.

Or just wait until it is pushed to your machine via the usual Windows Update feature.

Update on a Lenovo Yoga 2, Lenovo w520, and and older Dell Inspiron 14R N4110 laptop went without a hitch a few days ago. The new update about 30 minutes per machine after the downloaded files are present.

One nit: the update will change your default app for reading pdf files to Windows Edge browser. Easily can be changed back to your usual pdf viewer (Adobe, Foxit, etc.).

Afterwards, if you are cramped for space, delete
C:\$WINDOWS.~BT (about 1.5 Gb)

But you will not be able to downgrade back to a previous installation if you delete this folder.


AMR

Oh, Snap!

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-yanks-latest-windows-10-release-from-its-download-server/

AMR

 

[serpentdove]

Try this...

7 Easy Ways to Get Bing Off Your Computer (with Pictures)

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

No direct Control Panel --> Display.
So I chose Control Panel --> Appearances and Personalization --> Adjust Screen Resolution. It took me to what I had done before, which follows...

Before I right clicked on Desktop and choose Display Settings.
In Display the change the bar for text, apps and others is all the way to the left. If I pull it to the right it only goes all the way to the right and is now 125%. Wrong direction for me. If I go to the Advanced Settings, it shows Screen Resolution at 1366x768 (recommended). Any other option goes the wrong way.


I am calling it a hardware restriction either physical or driver. Was checking for display specs and this is what I see so far. "Intel(R) HD Graphics". Device object name NTPNP_PCI001. There a
re Driver Files to support 32-bit as well 64-bit processing.

I bought the cheapest Windows laptop this time because 4 months ago bought the most expensive one. Lessons relearned for me. Avoid Windows and get a Mac. But when Windows is my only option avoid new Window releases until everyone else has done the for the general public "beta" testing.

When you get to that panel with the slider bar, just scroll down and select the "Advanced Display Settings" link. At the panel that opens select the 'Adjust sizing of text and other items' link near the bottom. Try adjusting text as well as setting a custom display option even though the "not recommended" is shown. I have my own Yoga 2 laptop set with a custom display. That said, I am going for larger text and icons on a high resolution display, so I need at least 200% enlargement.

You should also search in the Start Menu for the Intel Graphics control panel and see what else might be available for tweaking. See also: http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/change-icon-size-windows-10

AMR

 

[exminister]

When you get to that panel with the slider bar, just scroll down and select the "Advanced Display Settings" link. At the panel that opens select the 'Adjust sizing of text and other items' link near the bottom. Try adjusting text as well as setting a custom display option even though the "not recommended" is shown. I have my own Yoga 2 laptop set with a custom display. That said, I am going for larger text and icons on a high resolution display, so I need at least 200% enlargement.

You should also search in the Start Menu for the Intel Graphics control panel and see what else might be available for tweaking. See also: http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/change-icon-size-windows-10

AMR

I see what you are saying but I don't want the make individual component text smaller but the overall landscape proportionately.

Resolution is at the max and it is a hardware/driver restriction in my case.

Thanks for your help.