W7 Microsoft conspiracy theory.

[Nocton]

In short, people end up with version X of windows because that is what their last purchase came with, not because they actually wanted X over (X-y). Its a fair accompli rather than a unilateral decision.

Not true at all, in my experience. Both our PCs used to run on W7 and we upgraded to W10 during the free period. Most of the users I know did the same. It was easy - and I am a heavy user of spreadsheet and databases - with no glitches. And as has been said, your PC will probably run faster. And re recent discussion on this thread, Disk checking as well as Defragging can be set to run automatically in the background.

[didds]

In short, people end up with version X of windows because that is what their last purchase came with, not because they actually wanted X over (X-y). Its a fair accompli rather than a unilateral decision.

Not true at all, in my experience. Both our PCs used to run on W7 and we upgraded to W10 during the free period. Most of the users I know did the same. It was easy - and I am a heavy user of spreadsheet and databases - with no glitches.

well WADR, I perceive you are a minority that actively chose the upgrade with positive outcomes.

My experience is of swathes of social media posts from people asking what happened to their PCs overnight, and of systems that upgraded and broke etc etc etc. A perusal of that period of upgrade on here and its predecessor will indicate this issue. But that's side tracking from my main point which was that I perceive very few people think "ooo, MS have brought out their latest version of windows, I must go and buy it and upgrade, or get a new system with it on". My perception is that the typical user uses the version that is in front of them, and only "upgrades" because they end up replacing their system and then get what is in front of them which may well be a later version of windows, and they'd be content running 3.11, or XP (still gazillions of XP systems out there I notice). So yes - I get the bit about MS releasing new versions to drive some churn - but i perceive that churn is not a large deliberate choice following a trend. Obviously other's MMV, but I don't see deliberate upgrading in the local town and villages round here based on social media, pub talk and people phoning me wondering what the hell is happening with their PC that has gone "wierd" [direct quote].

didds

[XFool]

In short, people end up with version X of windows because that is what their last purchase came with, not because they actually wanted X over (X-y). Its a fair accompli rather than a unilateral decision.

Actually posted by didds, not me. But I agree with it.

It is the reason why, when my main XP PC died, I replaced it with a second hand Dell ex-lease machine rather than a new PC. Because any new one was going to have Win 10 preinstalled. Nowadays that's the deal, it's what you are paying for - 'You can have any colour you like, as long as it's black'

I wanted Win 8.1, so it couldn't be a new machine.

[Breelander]

well WADR, I perceive you are a minority that actively chose the upgrade with positive outcomes...

...Obviously other's MMV, but I don't see deliberate upgrading in the local town and villages round here based on social media, pub talk and people phoning me wondering what the hell is happening with their PC that has gone "wierd" [direct quote].

Those with problems would shout loudest. Don't let a vocal minority convince you that they are the majority...

Twenty-four hours after it was released, Microsoft announced that more than 14 million devices were running Windows 10....

...According to StatCounter, Windows 10 overtook Windows 8.1 in December 2015. Iceland was the first country where Windows 10 was ranked first (not only on the desktop, but across all platforms), with several larger European countries following....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_1 ... _and_sales

[XFool]

Those with problems would shout loudest. Don't let a vocal minority convince you that they are the majority...

Twenty-four hours after it was released, Microsoft announced that more than 14 million devices were running Windows 10....

Yeah. But had all they all asked to be running it?

[didds]

Yeah. But had all they all asked to be running it? [/quote]


which is the crux of my point above. what ratio of users have ever upgraded from any version of windows to a higher one by deliberate choice - as opposed to buyig a new system and it comes with the latest version, or it got upgraded without their understanding.

in 2017 it was reported that there were still 2 BILLION Windos XP systems in use, three years after support was discontinued.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/how-many- ... g-10425650

Meanwhile in April of this year NetMarketShare claimed "worldwide, 3.72 percent of machines are still running XP. "

That's a lot of people tghat arent upgrading - presumably because "its just windows" after all.

didds

[BobbyD]

[It is the reason why, when my main XP PC died, I replaced it with a second hand Dell ex-lease machine rather than a new PC. Because any new one was going to have Win 10 preinstalled. Nowadays that's the deal, it's what you are paying for - 'You can have any colour you like, as long as it's black'

I wanted Win 8.1, so it couldn't be a new machine.

Buy new machine, plus windows 8 license from ebay, dowload win 8.1, install windows 8 on new machine et voila, new machine with windows 8...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwar ... indows8ISO

[XFool]

I wanted Win 8.1, so it couldn't be a new machine.

Buy new machine, plus windows 8 license from ebay, dowload win 8.1, install windows 8 on new machine et voila, new machine with windows 8..

So I pay for a Win 10 licence, which I don't want to use, then I have to pay again for a Win 8 licence, which I do want to use, and then I need to install it myself?

Sounds a bit like going to a restaurant when I need a meal and, after ordering and paying for one, leaving without eating and, after shopping for the ingredients, going home and cooking a meal for myself!

I found an easier, and presumably cheaper, off the shelf solution from Dell... (Other PC manufacturers are available)

[BobbyD]

I wanted Win 8.1, so it couldn't be a new machine.

Buy new machine, plus windows 8 license from ebay, dowload win 8.1, install windows 8 on new machine et voila, new machine with windows 8..

So I pay for a Win 10 licence, which I don't want to use, then I have to pay again for a Win 8 licence, which I do want to use, and then I need to install it myself?

Sounds a bit like going to a restaurant when I need a meal and, after ordering and paying for one, leaving without eating and, after shopping for the ingredients, going home and cooking a meal for myself!

I found an easier, and presumably cheaper, off the shelf solution from Dell... (Other PC manufacturers are available)

You could quite easily buy a PC without an OS, although it's not like you pay retail rates for a pre-installed OS if you had bought Win 10 and scrapped it. Many ways to skin a cat, some of which did involve new PC's although you chose a different route. It could have been a new machine...

[Nocton]

This discussion is getting silly. As Breelander says: "Those with problems would shout loudest. Don't let a vocal minority convince you that they are the majority..."
The fact is that most users are now using Windows 10. See "After finally passing the 50% mark in May, Windows 10 stalled in June. Windows 7 held steady despite the short window left before support runs out."
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3199373/windows-by-the-numbers-upgraders-press-pause.html
Quite a few of the W7 users are businesses, who will be upgrading shortly. and as the comment says, the idea that W10 uptake stalled in June is unlikely.
I have visited several PC users to help them out - mostly elderly (like me). Most are running W10, some having upgraded from W7 or W8 - during the free period on my advice with few problems, some who got it with a new PC. It is very stable and faster than W7 or W8.
Note. I still use XP on an old laptop, but it is used for calculating results in croquet tournaments and is never connected to the internet. There will always be a small number of old PCs like that used for such 'legacy' purposes.