It’s baaack – Microsoft starts pushing out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update

Re: "our next generation machine learning model"

My instinct tells me that probably isn't how they've done it. Because that method sounds far too sane, far too sensible, and very unlikely to cause problems - none of which are qualities their updates have demonstrated in recent weeks.

Re: "our next generation machine learning model"

Visual Studio the world's best IDE? It's not even Microsoft's best IDE.

Re: "our next generation machine learning model"

I think you may be a bit overzealous in your defense there.

"Again, to be fair to Microsoft they are tasked with rolling out a global update for a user base who are 80-90% computer illiterate,"

Good start. I agree that this is a major problem for Microsoft's engineers.

"many of whom bought computers that were either built or upgraded by a 'mate who knows about computers' or the local back street 100% legal PC repair shop."

Some of them are, but most of them are using computers that were built by the companies that build or sell computers, using the software environment that those companies came up with. Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. have much more market share each than custom-built machines, especially when considering users who are tech-illiterate. Those machines have many of their own problems, and a great deal of the driver or hardware problems experienced by users can be laid at the feet of those companies, but it is not fair to classify most windows machines as built with extremely weird components.

"Think about the chances of all them 'genuine NVidia GeForce Ultra cards for £30 on ebay' working after the update,"

I don't think those are going to work, but the kind of person who goes to eBay and purchases an obviously not-genuine graphics card is the type who should expect problems. The type who buys a computer from the computer store and has done nothing at all to the hardware shouldn't expect anything like those using counterfeit graphics cards.

"but they'll be the same 'know-it-all' teenagers that you'll see posting YouTube videos about how Microsoft programmers don't care and aren't listening."

Those people are probably not the ones complaining here.

"In short - the fact that Microsoft have a development team that can release this stuff without destroying the world more often is a minor miracle (and anyone who works in software development would agree)"

They are not as hyperbolically bad as comments here might lead one to believe, but they have had times where they didn't do what they should have (the initial 1809 deleting files thing, for example, was purely their fault and could have been fixed when the Windows insiders found it rather than after it deleted standard users' files).

"just ask which development environment is the world's best - Microsoft Visual Studio wins hands down - made by Microsoft developers for developers. (and yes I'm aware Eclipse is better for some use-cases)"

Personal opinion, not necessarily one I agree with, either.

Re: "our next generation machine learning model"

@Eddy42 - Only a small number of people build their own computers. The vast majority will a prebuilt Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. from a well-known retailer. They are also highly unlikely to ever change out or add anything to the box once home. If anything is done is often by the local 'Geek Squad' equivalent. Otherwise the box is unchanged from the day they bought it. So the fact Slurp cannot release a version that is not problematic is a black mark as most of the boxes out there are using well-known components and some really esoteric card made by Fred in his spare time.

No one is accusing Slurp deliberating trying to destroy one's world. But their incompetence, negligence, and blithe stupidity has the same effect. And it is largely avoidable if Slurp cared enough to have a proper testing group. Most of Slurp's recent negative publicity is purely self-inflicted.

Calling VS the best IDE is pure shilling. It maybe the best for C# and VB but there are plenty of excellent IDEs available. Some are very language specific while others are more general.

Re: "our next generation machine learning model"

@ Eddy42

Cobblers, W10 isn't that drasticly different from 8 or 7 apart from the usual aethetics and 'we've done things differently again...', yet they still manage to make a complete pigs ear of it all because they dont give a fuck about testing.

Re: Windows 10 scares the shit outta me

Windows Update MiniTool looks like a very useful accessory, if it actually prevents the automatic updates from occurring and gives back full control over updates. But someone asked them a q in 2017 about that -- since it is a standalone program, how does it stop Windows 10 from updating itself anyway?

Re: Windows 10 scares the shit outta me

I'm with you ... we're still on Win7 - have too many friends & associates who have had major problems with Win10. Last two PCs bought without OS and Win7 bought from eBay (I'm very careful about the vendors I purchase from).

But ... where can I get/how do I do a pirated LTSC (and what is it?). Need this as insurance for a future catastrophe.

"Redmond only sees that sales are increasing - nothing else matters."

This, exactly. Still on Win7 at home, stuck with Win10 at work.

Re: A friend of mine was giving a demo yesterday

The ipad would not do what he wanted it to do for any money he can afford. Ditto MacOS.

As for changing to another windows OS he's one of these people that bought into computing is easy so he's not up for that.

I may offer to help him upgrade his machine to Linux but not until he's calmed down. He spent ages preparing his demo and getting the people together to watch it and MS takes over his PC and makes him look like a twat (or so he feels), Why cant they just have the common courtesy to say your machine needs updating and it will grind to a halt for a while is that OK or do you have a living to earn from this shit piece of software we made others put on your computer.