[upchuck]

Why is it so important to Microsoft that we switch?

Excerpt from: 'Free' Windows 10 Reveals Its Expensive Secret

The reason Microsoft is hardlining Windows 10 upgrades for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users, is the new operating system gives the company control over its users like never before. Using default settings (the norm for most mainstream customers) gives Windows 10 an incredible amount of user data (anonymised though invaluable) and absolute control over updates and the installation of new features and services. What’s more, by being ‘free’, Microsoft clearly feels more entitled to use Windows 10 to push users towards its own products.

That, in a nutshell, is why.

[Piranha]

Thank you. Unfortunately, that seems very credible.

[mouske]

“Using default settings (the norm for most mainstream customers) gives Windows 10 an incredible amount of user data (anonymised though invaluable) and absolute control over updates and the installation of new features and services.”

Last week-end when I shut down my windows 10 computer, it prompted me, “Upgrade and shut down” or “Upgrade and restart.” Those were the only options offered. As usual I selected “Upgrade and shut down.”

The next morning it opened as usual but would not allow my wireless printer to connect. At one point the appearance of my desktop completely changed. 14 of 21 icons on the desktop disappeared. I restored to an earlier date, and they reappeared. I muddled around in the settings and found that windows had somehow, in their infinite wisdom, set my computer up to automatically accept updates from windows and updates from other computers that they thought would speed up my acquiring the updates.

I was able to turn off the capabilities that they had turned on in my computer. How frustrating. I spent an entire day tinkering with the computer to return it to its previous state. The printer still does not work wirelessly. I have had to connect it via cable.