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Why it doesn't matter if Windows 10 is (or isn't) the last version of Windows
ZDNet ^ | 05/11/2015 | By Mary Jo Foley

Posted on 05/11/2015 8:02:57 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Talk of Windows 10 being the 'last version' of Windows has been circulating for a year. What does this really mean? The answer: Not much.

As Microsoft made clear last year by skipping "Windows 9" when going from Windows 8 to Windows 10, Windows version numbers are an arbitrary thing.

That's why all this talk about Windows 10 being the "last version of Windows" is a nothing to see here moment.

Many of us Microsoft watchers had been saying that Threshold (Windows 10) would be the last major version of Windows for months, if not a year. Microsoft Developer Evangelist Jerry Nixon said the same thing last week at Ignite in a session entitled "Tiles, Notifications and Action Center."

Cue the headlines claiming that Microsoft has now officially declared Windows 10 the end of the Windows trail.

As those who've been paying attention know, Windows 10 technically isn't the last Windows release. It might or might not be the last Windows release granted a new version number. But that's basically a branding decision.

Microsoft will continue to update Windows 10 with regular security updates, fixes and new features. Those who sign up for Microsoft's free Windows upgrade deals -- via which consumers running Windows 7 and 8 will get a free upgrade to Windows 10 -- agree as part of that deal to get all the updates to Windows 10 that Microsoft delivers pushed to them automatically.

(Excerpt) Read more at zdnet.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows10

1 posted on 05/11/2015 8:02:57 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

“Why it doesn’t matter if Windows 10 is (or isn’t) the last version of Windows”

1. It won’t work until version 10.3
2. You will still be an unpaid Microsoft tech support person
3. It will still need to be reinstalled regularly, “because it has been a while.”
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


2 posted on 05/11/2015 8:08:03 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion ( "Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal.")
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To: SeekAndFind

Oh FFS! They’ve very clearly outlined why they skipped Windows 9! There would be legacy coding issues since they’ve had Windows 9* (e.g. 95, 98). This is not some conspiracy.

They also wanted to change the revision numbers from 6XXX to 10 for consistency.


3 posted on 05/11/2015 8:09:58 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

I have 4 machines in my home running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. My Windows 7 machines have been going strong for over 5 years. My Windows 8.1 machine has been online consistently since release in 2013 without so much as a hiccup.

Windows XP, even Vista, yes, you wanted to do a “sanity reformat” every few years. Since they’ve hardened the kernel, the need for that has dropped to zero.


4 posted on 05/11/2015 8:12:22 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Well Vista , 7, 8,8.1 and 10 seem very similar anyway ,so I think Microsoft stopped making new OS’s long ago


5 posted on 05/11/2015 8:12:51 AM PDT by molson209 (Blank)
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To: SeekAndFind
part of that deal to get all the updates to Windows 10 that Microsoft delivers pushed to them automatically.

First thing I did when I brought home my Win7 box was boot it and turn off auto updates. Four years later it is still running fine.

Every version of Windows has had an update that caused problems, sometimes major. No way am I letting them push updates to me automatically.

6 posted on 05/11/2015 8:19:04 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s, you weren't really there....)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Hi Johnny 5 here, you no got start up screen please hold.


7 posted on 05/11/2015 8:23:09 AM PDT by boomop1 (Term limits is the only source of change.)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Plus someone always uploads a bootleg Windows program on torrent regardless Windows upgrades or not.


8 posted on 05/11/2015 8:30:09 AM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: molson209
Well Vista , 7, 8,8.1 and 10 seem very similar anyway ,so I think Microsoft stopped making new OS’s long ago

There isn't enough programming talent on Earth - architects, developers, code monkeys - to make a new OS from scratch, in a reasonable time frame, that would be anywhere close to existing Windows and Linux.

Microsoft is forced to only do small improvements in the OS. They tried - and failed - to make larger changes, like the new filesystem. (The NTFS is with us since Windows NT - since 1990s.) The changes that MS is touting with every new release are superficial, and largely insignificant. Take the Aero Glass, for example - it is a nice feature, but it does not add or remove functionality, compared to XP. Or take much faster startup/shutdown on Win8/10 - it is nice on laptops, but it has no effect on always-on desktops in businesses.

I don't want to guess why and who said what about Windows 10. That talk is not worth anyone's time, as Microsoft on numerous occasions had said one thing and then circumstances led it to do another.

9 posted on 05/11/2015 8:32:33 AM PDT by Greysard
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To: SeekAndFind

Whoever wrote this is clueless.


10 posted on 05/11/2015 8:54:22 AM PDT by Kirkwood (Zombie Hunter)
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To: SeekAndFind

I am amazed MS did not title the new OS “Windows X”...


11 posted on 05/11/2015 9:21:57 AM PDT by rjsimmon (The Tree of Liberty Thirsts)
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