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Windows 10 launched on July 29th and has already been downloaded over 14 million times. But why? MicrosoftMSFT +0.00%’s decision to make Windows 10 free plays a big part (especially given warnings to wait) but it is also just the tip of the iceberg. So let’s weigh up the main differences between Windows 10, Windows 7
and Windows 8. There are a large number of pros but also some
significant cons, including a few potential deal breakers. 1. What Makes Windows 10 Worth The Upgrade Cost – While some Windows 7 and Windows 8 users will not get Windows 10 free,
for the vast majority there is no cost to upgrading whatsoever. On
paper this is a great deal because Windows 10 is not cheap and ‘Windows
10 Home’ and ‘Windows 10 Pro’ editions retail for $119 and $199
respectively. By contrast Windows 7 and Windows 8 have not been made free by
Microsoft following Windows 10’s release and the company has no plans to
make them so. Consequently even if you revert back to Windows 7 or
Windows 8 in time, it would seem to make sense to take your free Windows
10 upgrade while it lasts. Longer Support -Another key reason for getting the
latest edition of Windows is Microsoft will support it for longer than
both Windows 7 and Windows 8. The Windows Lifecycle page (screen grab below) breaks this down into two sections: Mainstream Support and Extended Support. Mainstream Support is the deadline for adding new features and
functionality which makes it less crucial, but Extended Support is when
Microsoft will stop supporting the platform with security updates. As you will see Windows 10 gives five more years Extended Support over Windows 7 and two more years over Windows 8:
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Windows 10 Worst Feature Now Installing On Windows 7 And Windows 8
Forbes - Last week came the warning,
now comes the roll out. The most criticized aspect of Windows 10 is
coming to Windows 7 and Windows 8 after Microsoft released upgrades
which enable the company to extensively track what users are doing. The
releases bring good
Squishy Windows XP Sucks
Facebook will reportedly challenge Google and Microsoft in the office
Share on Facebook Tweet Share Share Pin Facebook wants to become your office's social network. The
company is said to be working on an official launch of Facebook at Work,
an app that Facebook's employees currently use internally for
collaboration and chat. The way Financial Times describes it,
Facebook at Work sounds like it meshes document editing features from
Google Docs and Microsoft Office. And yes, Facebook has witnessed and
likely paid close attention to Slack's meteoric rise
in the corporate world. But Facebook at Work reportedly isn't a
knee-jerk reaction like Slingshot; this isn't some cobbled together
clone app. The New York Times' Mike Isaac reports that Facebook
has been working on and refining its office-focused platform for years.
Isaac too expects to see a proper launch in the coming months, though no
one's particularly sure of a firm release timeframe.
But Slack's massive popularity and soaring valuation
suggest this isn't a bad moment for Facebook to make a play. Facebook
at Work will "look very much like Facebook" with the newsfeed and
features you're used to, but will apparently put a barrier between your
personal and professional identity. Facebook is already testing the tool
with a few companies, according to the Financial Times report,
and is "unlikely" to charge businesses any fees at launch — at least
initially. Going free to start is probably necessary if Facebook has any
hope of pushing into territory owned by Google, Microsoft, and
LinkedIn. (Facebook at Work lets users connect with other professional
contacts, much like the enterprise-focused social network.) We've
reached out to the company for more details.
Bill Gates says cryptocurrencies have “caused deaths in a fairly direct way”
Gates says cryptocurrencies’ main feature is anonymity.
Microsoft and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation progenitor Bill
Gates is not a fan of cryptocurrencies. In a Reddit AMA yesterday, he
posited that cryptocurrencies subvert governments' abilities to
intercept terrorist funding, illegal drug transactions, and more. Redditor Askur1337 asked Gates, "Whats your opinion on Crypto Currencies?" To this, Gates responded:
The main feature of cryptocurrencies is their anonymity. I
don't think this is a good thing. The government's ability to find
money laundering and tax evasion and terrorist funding is a good thing.
Right now, cryptocurrencies are used for buying fentanyl and other
drugs, so it is a rare technology that has caused deaths in a fairly
direct way. I think the speculative wave around ICOs and
cryptocurrencies is super risky for those who go long.
Redditor dikkepiemel followed up with a rebuttal that
cryptocurrencies aren't doing anything cash wasn't already doing,
saying, "The US dollar is also used to buy fentanyl and god knows what
else." Gates replied once more: Yes—anonymous cash is used for these kinds of things, but
you have to be physically present to transfer it, which makes things
like kidnapping payments more difficult. Several Redditors took issue with the statement that anonymity is the
main feature of cryptocurrencies. r/Bitcoin moderator gonzobon chimed in
to say, "Most cryptocurrencies today are quasi-anonymous, but if you
ever need to cash out into 'real' money you will run into issues with
Gates is not the only notable figure in business to criticize cryptocurrencies; Warren Buffett has also predicted
a "bad ending" for people investing in crypto. However, Buffett was
only speaking about the reliability of the investment, not its human
impact. Gates is not an expert on cryptocurrencies, though. Experts who have
responded to his comments have generally offered nuanced reactions.
CryptoCompare CEO Charles Hayter told Newsweek: Naturally, cryptocurrencies were given their first
utility in the dark markets. That trend is declining with the majority
of business now legitimate. The dollar has had its fair share of direct
deaths, too, and will continue to do so. We have to look beyond these
initial trials and tribulations toward the potential for a dimensionless
value transfer system. But also in Newsweek, Comparitech security researcher Lee Munson said: To claim that cryptocurrency could have already directly
led to deaths is a bold claim, but Bill Gates is almost certainly
correct with his assertion... Via the Dark Web, virtual coins have
become the de facto means of payment for not only drugs, but
also a wide range of weapons which can safely be assumed to have fallen
into the hands of people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to source them. As for Gates' specific claim about fentanyl, Ars Technica Health
Reporter Beth Mole has previously reported that US federal investigators
tracked down hundreds of millions of dollars in fentanyl sales online, with bitcoin acting as the preferred currency. However, other methods of payment were also used. Specific examples and statements aside, Gates' overarching concern
appears to be that governments will not be able to track and regulate
the use of cryptocurrencies like they can with minted currencies. That
is, of course, part of the appeal for many crypto advocates, but the
concern from critics is not completely unfounded. As with all new
disruptive technologies, those participating in this movement will have
to tread carefully.
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