[accesscomp] Dan's Important tip of the Day regarding Windows 10
- From: "Robert Acosta" <boacosta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <aw-announcements@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2015 08:18:10 -0700
Things to ponder:
Faugh Break:
* Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars, and he’ll believe you.
Tell him a bench has wet paint, and he has to touch it.
* Why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers
don’t groce, humdingers don’t hum, and hammers don’t ham?
Fact of the Day:
Thomas Dolby, who had a hit single with She Blinded Me With Science, is no
relation to the Dolby Sound Labs folks. In fact, the company legally tried
to prevent the musician (real name Thomas Robertson) from using the name.
In 1979, Oscar host Johnny Carson joked, "I see a lot of new faces here.
Especially on the old faces."
When asked if Abe had any hobbies, Mary Todd Lincoln said, “Cats.”
Submitted by Ethan Johnson - Indianapolis, IN
Shel Silverstein, children's poet and illustrator, got his start drawing
cartoons for Playboy.
Submitted by EJ Rotert - Pacific, Mo.
Caffeine serves the function of a pesticide in a coffee plant.
The source links to the first and second articles were obtained from Flying
Blind Newsletter, June 25 2015.
Links vor each topic and supplemental information through out this document
were inserted by Dan visiting the links to varify they are not dead.
Upgrading to Windows 10 could mean things stop working at anytime
June 22, 2015
<https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/upgrading-to-windows-10-could-mean
-things-stop-working-at-anytime/> by 22 Point
Windows 10 logo
I’m excited about the upcoming release of Windows 10 - which is good, since
I’m writing a book on Windows 10 (Please E-Mail me to subscribe to my
E-Mail list <mailto:help@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> to be in the know as soon as it’s
released).
You will find an email link at the URL just below.
https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/upgrading-to-windows-10-could-mean-
things-stop-working-at-anytime/
I think the return of the start menu is a fantastic thing. I am looking
forward to the voice activation features Cortana will bring (even if they’
ll only be available to several countries at launch), and I’m ambitious
about the possibilities of the new Windows Store making it safe again for
people to download addon software without extra addons they didn’t ask for
(see this warning about every major Windows freeware site
<http://www.howtogeek.com/207692/yes-every-freeware-download-site-is-serving
-crapware-heres-the-proof/>
Found here:
http://www.howtogeek.com/207692/yes-every-freeware-download-site-is-serving-
crapware-heres-the-proof/
and this warning about Sourceforge
<http://www.howtogeek.com/218764/warning-don%e2%80%99t-download-software-fro
m-sourceforge-if-you-can-help-it/>
http://www.howtogeek.com/218764/warning-don%e2%80%99t-download-software-from
-sourceforge-if-you-can-help-it/
and this warning about ‘free’ Anti-virus software
<http://www.howtogeek.com/218675/beware-free-antivirus-isnt-really-free-anym
ore/> -
http://www.howtogeek.com/218675/beware-free-antivirus-isnt-really-free-anymo
re/
in fact, while you’re on HowToGeek, and if you only read one article, make
it this article about 12 common PC myths
<http://www.howtogeek.com/219555/12-of-the-biggest-pc-myths-that-just-wont-d
ie/> with references those others as well).
http://www.howtogeek.com/219555/12-of-the-biggest-pc-myths-that-just-wont-di
e/
I do however, have one big reservation about Windows 10, which will resonate
with anyone who has been through a major system update and uses adaptive
technology (third party software which makes the PC accessible to those with
various disabilities) - and indeed for anyone who relies heavily on any
piece of third party software. Microsoft have announced that as part of the
Windows 10 experience you won’t be able to delay updates in Windows 10 home
edition <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications>
.
Read more here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications
Windows 10 will come in a range of flavours, much like the versions before
it, so if you are using Windows 7 or 8 home, you’ll get a free update to
Windows 10 home. If you’re using Windows 7 or 8 Pro, then you’ll get the
update to Windows 10 Pro. While traditionally, Windows updates have mostly
been security patches and bug fixes, with the occasional Service Pack which
might introduce some new functionality, Microsoft have generally held over
on major system and interface updates for new releases of Windows.
Now however, Microsoft have announced that Windows 10 will be the last
version of Windows
<http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/7/8568473/windows-10-last-version-of-windows
-
http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/7/8568473/windows-10-last-version-of-windows
meaning that instead of bringing in new features in a few years and
repackaging the lot in a major update called say Windows 11, Microsoft will
simply add these features as they are developed into your regular Windows
updates. On the one hand this has the potential to be really handy - One day
suddenly new options and settings will appear, Cortana will work in
Australia, and other things will be changed and improved. But will that
always be a good thing? Imagine if you were happily using Windows 7 and then
one day got a Windows update you couldn’t defer and all of a sudden you
lost the start menu and had the Windows 8 metro tile interface? With user
interface and feature enhancements being brought into regular Windows
updates, it is possible. Since in Windows 10 home edition, you won’t be
able to defer updates
<
http://www.howtogeek.com/219166/you-won%E2%80%99t-be-able-to-disable-or-del
ay-windows-updates-on-windows-10-home/> ,
http://www.howtogeek.com/219166/you-won%E2%80%99t-be-able-to-disable-or-dela
y-windows-updates-on-windows-10-home/
you won’t be able to do much about it if it does happen. With Windows 10
Professional, and Windows 10 Enterprise, users have the option of taking
updates after a few months, only after they’ve been extensively tested on
home users (see previous link) - which makes using Windows 10 home great if
you like being an early adopter and trying out new things (you can also sign
up to be a Windows insider <
https://insider.windows.com/Home/Index> and
download early builds of Windows 10 now before they launch, and get new
features in future even before they are pushed out to Windows 10 home users.
Read more here:
https://insider.windows.com/Home/Index
For home users, the idea of not having a choice about installing security
updates is actually not so bad, as it will ensure that security updates are
in fact up to date, and Windows 10 won’t be quite as in-your-face about
updates as they have been on occasion in the past, but rather will download
updates and install them as you reboot, as has been happening recently so
many users won’t even notice except that the PC will take a bit longer to
shut down on those occasions.
The problem comes in when features are added or how existing features work
changes. While some 3rd party programs are very quick to respond to changes
and ensure their programs continue to work, others are not always so fast,
and it depends on the changes within Windows - some changes may require a
3rd party app to make only minor adjustments to continue working, or even
none at all, but some may take a major rewrite - again consider the changes
necessary for a screen reader to understand how the Windows metro tile
interface worked in Windows 8, and then again to make all the changes
necessary to support a new start menu (with some metro like tiles) in
Windows 10. What this means is that screen reader company would need to have
someone in the Windows Insider program, testing new features, and responding
to those with program updates, hopefully before those features go live for
home users, otherwise, those home users who rely on that screen reader, will
not have access to at least that feature of Windows until their screen
reader is able to work with it. maybe not such a big issue if the broken
feature is in Microsoft Paint, but potentially crippling if the feature is
the Start menu or system tray.
Probably the safest option for users relying heavily on third party software
such as screen readers, could be to stump up the extra $100 to upgrade their
Windows home license to a Pro license.
Potentially you could even upgrade to an Enterprise license which would
allow you to still upgrade to Windows 10 but not receive incremental feature
upgrades at all. Of course you can still stay with Windows 7 or 8.1 -
Windows 7 will receive support up until 2020 - although the free upgrade
offer is only valid for the first year so if you do stick with Windows 7 or
8 beyond July 29 2016, you’ll have to pay for the new version.
For most users, I’d recommend not necessarily upgrading on day 1, and
potentially considering upgrading to Windows 10 pro. Because of the big
incentive to upgrade by it being free, it will most likely be something that
majority of PC users will find themselves using, so it will be interesting
to see how it all plays out. What are you planning to do about upgrading?
Are you going to be a day 1 adopter? or are you going to hold out and decide
whether to upgrade in about May 2016?
EDIT: I’ve been asked a few questions and had some discussion about this
post, so I’ve collated some further information into a supplementary post
<
https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/upgrading-to-windows-10-future-upg
rade-branch-options/>
*Second Article and direct link are below
https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/upgrading-to-windows-10-future-upgr
ade-branch-options/
Following the posting of the above article, Following my article earlier
today on Windows 10
<
https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/upgrading-to-windows-10-could-mean
-things-stop-working-at-anytime/> , there’s been quite a bit of discussion
about the best way forward for users and the costs and differences between
the different options.
Basically there are three options for Windows 10 (looking at PC versions
here for now):
Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise. There is also
Windows 10 Education which is basically Enterprise but designed for
educational institutions.
Pricing
Windows 10 pricing for home and small business is available now <
http://www.
techradar.com/au/news/software/operating-systems/windows-10-release-date-pri
ce-news-and-features-1029245> . To buy from scratch, Windows 10 home will be
$119 USD
Windows 10 Pro will be $199 USD
and if you’ve already got Windows 10 home (or the free upgrade from Windows
7 or 8 home), to upgrade that to Windows 10 pro is $99 USD
I haven’t yet found any pricing information for Enterprise, presumably the
idea is that if you are a business big enough and with systems which are
mission critical enough to require Enterprise, then you negotiate a deal
directly with Microsoft.
Features
There are plenty of articles about the features the new operating system
will come with, I had a first look at Windows 10 <
https://22point.wordpress.
com/2015/04/15/initial_look_at_windows_10/> a few weeks ago and will post a
new update prior to the new Windows going live on 29 July.
View my comments here from my first look.
https://22point.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/initial_look_at_windows_10/
Windows 10 Professional
As to features of the other versions
<
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/wha
ts-the-difference-between-windows-10-home-and/55338b22-d042-45cb-b9c9-a1be21
b534e1> ,
Found here:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/what
s-the-difference-between-windows-10-home-and/55338b22-d042-45cb-b9c9-a1be21b
534e1
as well as everything you get in Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro also comes
with:
- Domain Join Services
- BitLocker Drive Encryption
- Remote Access Services
- Group Policy editor
- Windows Update for Business
With most of those items, if you’re not sure what they are, you probably
don’t need them. Bitlocker drive encryption is one that might be of
interest, essentially it’s an extra layer of security that means that even
if someone were to get access to your hard drive, they wouldn’t be able to
access the files without the encryption key. It is arguable whether it is
the most secure encryption method
<
https://rcpmag.com/blogs/scott-bekker/2015/06/microsoft-bitlocker-disk-encr
yption.aspx>
https://rcpmag.com/blogs/scott-bekker/2015/06/microsoft-bitlocker-disk-encry
ption.aspx
though it is likely the best option for most average users.
Enterprise
As well as everything you get in Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise comes
with:
- Long Term Servicing Branch
- Device Guard - help protect against the ever-growing range of modern
security threats targeted at devices, identities, applications and sensitive
company information
Education
In turn, Windows 10 Education builds on Windows 10 Enterprise, and is
designed to meet the needs of schools - staff, administrators, teachers and
students. This edition will be available through academic Volume Licensing,
and there will be paths for schools and students using Windows 10 Home and
Windows 10 Pro devices to upgrade to Windows 10 Education.
The ‘branches’
The Long Term Servicing Branch
http://www.windows10update.com/2015/01/microsoft-go-into-more-detail-about-w
indows-10-enterprise-licensing/
The Long Term Servicing branch
<
http://www.windows10update.com/2015/01/microsoft-go-into-more-detail-about-
windows-10-enterprise-licensing/> (only available to Windows 10 Enterprise
customers) will continue to get latest and greatest security updates and
enterprise grade support, but the feature updates that will be pushed to
normal customers will not be provided during the support lifecycle of the
OS. This branch is aimed at businesses who cannot compromise on stability
and can do without the cutting edge features.
On Long Term Servicing branches, customers will have the flexibility to
deliver security updates and fixes via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
which allows full control over the internal distribution of updates using
existing management solutions such as System Center Configuration Manager or
to receive these updates automatically via Windows Update.
The Current Branch for Business.
Businesses opting for the Current Branch on the other hand will be able to
get the feature updates from the consumer versions but at a later date, once
the features have been tested by Windows Insiders and guaranteed to not
break compatibility.
By the time Current branch for Business machines are updated, the changes
will have been validated by millions of Insiders, consumers and customers’
internal test processes for several months, allowing updates to be deployed
with this increased assurance of validation.
System administrators will be have the flexibility to choose the updates
that they would like to deploy in their operating environments, giving
further control over the overall stability and compatibility of the Windows
10 installations.
This is great news as it reflects the fact that Microsoft is giving a lot of
thought to Windows 10 as a Service and Windows 10 business Requirements.
Home branch
There isn’t a nice neat description by Microsoft for this, but reading from
the Professional description above the feature upgrades will be sent out to
home consumers along with the security and other updates, and once they’ve
been found to be stable after a couple of months (possibly involving one or
more patches along the way to fix issues found), then they will be sent out
to Pro and Enterprise users on the current branch for business.
Windows insiders
There is one more branch which is designed for the technically minded who do
love to be early adopters and don’t mind testing out features and finding
bugs. The Windows Insider program allows users to get advance copies of
“beta” versions of Windows features before they are sent out toe Windows
home and then other users. This is not designed for use on your primary PC,
but rather on a second or “testing” PC.
It’s free to join the Windows Insiders program
<
https://insider.windows.com/Home/Index>
https://insider.windows.com/Home/Index
Enterprise pricing
Windows 10 Enterprise pricing seems hard to come by: Microsoft
<
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/licensing-programs/software-assura
nce-by-product.aspx#tab=2> goes into a lot of detail about all the many
benefits you get by being an Enterprise customer but not so much the price,
although it does appear to be on a year by year basis and I expect would
likely work out more expensive than other options for the average user.
Although you get the long term stability branch which would be attractive to
some, I would HOPE that adaptive technology compa
http://www.informationweek.
com/software/operating-systems/windows-10-enterprise-update-surface-hub-pric
ing-microsoft-roundup/d/d-id/1320849nies, (and others who make all the other
third party software people use) would be able to keep up at least with the
“current branch for business” update stream.
If you’re interested in Microsoft’s newest toy
<
http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-10-enterp
rise-update-surface-hub-pricing-microsoft-roundup/d/d-id/1320849> , for
everyone who wants an 84″ Surface Pro hub, for all your enterprise employee
collaboration needs, will set you back a cool $19,999.
http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-10-enterpr
ise-update-surface-hub-pricing-microsoft-roundup/d/d-id/1320849
If the price of a family car is a bit much for a tablet, then perhaps you
will be tempted by the more modest 55″ model, for which you will only need
to part with $6,999.
More to come in future entries, but with that extra information, which
version of Windows 10 will you be aiming for?
“With God, no problem is too big and no detail is too small.”
- Woodrow Kroll
To subscribe to Dan's tips or HotSpot with God Daily Devotional, send a
blank message to dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx and include "subscribe Dan's Tips" or
Subscribe HotSpot with God" in the subject line.
Robert Acosta, President
Helping Hands for the Blind
(818) 998-0044
www.helpinghands4theblind.org
Other related posts:
- » [accesscomp] Dan's Important tip of the Day regarding Windows 10 - Robert Acosta
