Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Windows 10 "Anniversary Update"

"The Anniversary Update is, technically, version 1607, and it is far more than a service pack." according to ZDNet.
It's being pushed out by Microsoft to Windows 10 PCs in a rolling fashion starting last week.  I got mine this morning.  Here's what I've observed.
  • It took more than an hour to download and install the update on my PC.  Your speed may vary depending on your internet connection, your hardware and your software.
  • Continuing change for the sake of change.
    • "Several major groups of options, including networking, have now moved almost entirely to the new Settings app," (ZDNet op cit.).
    • Cortana returns (It was wrong for you to decline to use Corntana before.  Now you cannot turn off Cortana without hacking the registry.  See here.)
    • It was also wrong for you to fiddle with the privacy settings before.  You have to fiddle with them all again to re-close the earlier loopholes and to close some new ones this update adds.
Microsoft wants you to think of Windows 10 as a service, where new features arrive as they're ready.  They promise that there will be frequent "feature updates" as well as cumulative monthly "quality updates."  I expect that it also means that we are in for:
  • A siege on our privacy where every round of updates requires re-closing loopholes.
  • Frustration when Microsoft decides that there is a better way to do something that everyone already knows how to do.