 |
 |
|---|
Posted on 10/22/2020 7:15:58 AM PDT by dayglored
Steady as she goes for Microsoft as Edge turns up and Start gets a buffing
Good news for Windows fans, the October 2020 Update is here, for some people at least, and the known issues list isn't as bad as the last one.
After lurking in the beta and release preview channel of the Windows Insider program for what seemed like an age, the Windows 10 October 2020 (aka 20H2) has arrived, bringing with it Microsoft's new Chromium-based Edge browser and, frankly, precious little else.
The glorified update follows the pattern established in 2019, where a major update hit during the spring, and something that felt a whole lot like a cumulative update arrived in the autumn. While the approach might be a little frustrating for Windows enthusiasts, those looking for stability on the desktop will welcome a repeat of the approach - certainly after the mayhem unleashed by the infamous Update of the Damned back in 2018.
Things are altogether more sober this time around, and many of the toys lurking in the update are likely already on users' PCs, requiring only a flick of a switch from Microsoft to activate them rather than a bandwidth-destroying download. That's assuming, of course, those PCs are on the Nice list: as before, Microsoft is "throttling availability" and restricting devices to which the update is offered.
As for what is actually in it, other than the new Edge, there isn't a huge amount. The Start Menu has been given a lick of paint, as Microsoft gingerly applies dressings to the self-inflicted wounds of Windows 8, Alt+Tab will flick through Edge tabs as well as apps and logos on notifications will make it easier to identify where they are from.
The overall interface has been polished up a bit, but nothing that will frighten the horses, with minor improvements when the screen is detached on 2-in-1 devices, and a decluttering of the taskbar for new logins.
These "H2" updates tend to attract the attention of the commercial world since not only do they benefit from the fixes rolled out after the "H1" release, they also enjoy 30 months of servicing (longer for a Long Term Servicing Channel version) rather than the 18 months of the latter.
This time around, those commercial customers saw updates to the Mobile Device Manager (MDM) with a Local Users and Groups policy that gives administrators the same options as on-premises Group Policy, a more secure biometric sign on and beefed up protection for Microsoft 365 and Edge via the Windows Defender Application Guard.
Despite the lengthy gestation of the build (and the fact that much of the codebase is shared with May's update), there are still issues. One, where Windows throws up an error during the installation of third-party drivers, has been resolved, while others (related to Conexant drivers) remain.
Enthusiastic users wondering why Windows 10 20H2 is refusing to put in an appearance on their kit would be advised to check out Microsoft's helpful health dashboard for pointers with regard to what is blocking an update. Otherwise it may simply be a case that you have yet to migrate to Windows Update's Nice list. ®
|
|
|---|
It’s considered new and ground breaking when Microsoft copies Google Chrome. Who says 2020 can’t hold any more strange surprises?
Time to make sure all my computers think my network is a “metered connection”. Windows update is much more polite about asking to update with that setting so I can update in a couple of weeks at my convenience rather than opening my computer and finding out it has been rebooted without saving files.
My favorite part is how I have ALL updates turned off but it updates anyway.
Hey, it's more than just that... the new Microsoft Chromium Edge is available to run on.... Linux!
I'll post that article in a few minutes...
I saw that update on my system but have been hesitant to install it.
I expect an OS to run my programs, manage a filesystem, and enable the installed hardware to work properly - for weeks and months on end without crapping itself or demanding to be restarted. My $35 Raspberry Pis do that very nicely, maybe some day Win 10 will be able to do so as well.
The last thing I need are “toys” from Microsoft. I’m old enough to remember Bob the Paperclip.
Yep. Windows Update Manager is what I use to keep the nonsense to a minimum.
Confused. I’ve had the new Edge for 2 months!
Microsoft knows what you want better than you do. Bob Dylan tells the tale...
An' I say, "Aw come on now
You know you knew about my debutante"
An' she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want"
Running on Linux??
Later
I’ll have to check on my home computer if 2H20 is available yet. Microsoft stopped offering Windows 10 Version 2004 because of compatibility issues with the local hardware on my Intel NUC computer.
I’ll have to hunt that up.
Just *love* coming back home and finding my login screen waiting and all my stuff missing.
Sounds just like every perv that’s pushing you into a corner at some sleazy bar.
:D
“Nothing that will drop your jaw” - except maybe the 46 minute restart after the update.
I love when I go to shut down my computer it tells me “shut down and update”. When I hit that, the next screen tells me “computer is updating, do not shut down”, which it then does. Real tech savvy bunch...
I dont know if I was ever a “fan,” but I got used to the issues and continual crashes over the decades. Now I have both a Dell, and a MacBook Pro... while there are a few operations on the Mac that are not straightforward, so far in the 9 months I’ve been using it, it hasn’t crashed or even burped. We shall see if this Windows update shifts my perspective.
"It's the best you've ever had, baby!" -- Bill Gates
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.