Why so many builds

I found this in the mail this morning Windows 10 S is ready for testing (but just barely) | ZDNet

Now I am no expert or indeed am I that savvy re computing as some of you will know but I have to say that after using 7 for such a long time and going through what I saw (as I am guessing many did) an upheaval of how Windows works in 10 am now left wondering even more what if any the end game will be. By that I mean will 10 ever become reasonably settled as I find the constant changing of build/s for example rather tiresome to say the least.

It means that I for one cannot get settled into any sort of rhythm just in case one wakes the next day and finds articles such a above (which I know doesn't really affect me) just makes 10 so convoluted.

Plus more concerning for myself it makes taking part in this forum a lot harder for myself than taking an active part if the 7 forum - not that I am not overly savvy for taking part in that forum ( I dare say some would not even that) which is one of the last few pleasures left to enjoy having a lifelong interest in electronics in general.
Moreover I should say that I have quite a few friends who agree with myself because of the constant realignment of the goal posts. It is not that I do not have the time now having retired just recently (not that I can spend every waking hour on my machines) but appears to me at least one needs to be instinctively IT savvy or have a degree in IT to know what is going on now.

So when (and if) can an ordinary user like myself expect the OS to become "stable" for want of a better term to be able to get to grips with it. But I know there will b some who will advise me just to use 10 for day to day stuff and forget the forum and maybe perhaps that is what is the best thing for me to do?? .

Let's start with this: Windows 10 S is not a new build. It is a new Windows Edition in addition to existing W10 editions Home, Pro, Education and Enterprise. It is a Windows 10 PRO without traditional desktop apps, only allowing users to run so called UWP or Windows Store apps only exception being some native Windows 10 desktop apps like Hyper-V.

You coming from Windows 7, Windows 10 is nothing to you and should not concern you. It can't run Chrome or Firefox, it can't run Macrium reflect or Avast antivirus, it can't run any Steam or Origin games, it does not have COmmand Prompt or PowerShell.

Just forget Windows 10 S edition as you have most probably forgotten Windows 10 Enterprise. It is nothing to you or me, old school geeks relying on some basic legacy Win32 desktop applications like for instance Macrium Reflect backup and imaging.

Microsoft Releases Windows 10 S ISO to Developers, Education Customers - Windows 10 Forums

ICIT2LOL said:

I So when (and if) can an ordinary user like myself expect the OS to become "stable" for want of a better term to be able to get to grips with it. But I know there will b some who will advise me just to use 10 for day to day stuff and forget the forum and maybe perhaps that is what is the best thing for me to do?? .

Windows 10 is extremely stable. You do not have to get every new build, leave it to those users who have selected to join Windows Insider Program. Just use Windows 10 official release, current one being version 1703 Build 15063. It will be upgraded to new version twice a year, every March and September, next versions being 1709, 1803 and 1809 (version numbers are and will be format YYMM where YY is the year and MM is the month).

W10 versions can to some extent be compared to Service Packs in earlier Windows versions. Think Windows 10 version 1511 (released November 2015) as SP1, Anniversary Update version 1607 as SP2, Creators Update version 1703 as SP3, and so on. After the Creators Update Microsoft then settled to and announced this twice a year (March & September) upgrade schedule for unforeseen future.

Version 1709, called Fall Update or Autumn Update depending on where you live will be SP4.

If you think getting a service pack twice a year is too much, you need to rethink your computing needs; that's the way Windows will be. If you are not satisfied with it, you might want to switch to another operating system. However, the Windows Insider program and millions of volunteer testers around the globe make it quite sure that when you as a non-Insider will get the next major upgrade version 1709 late September or early October, it will be thoroughly tested and stable.

Personally, I welcome stable service packs twice a year.

Kari

Ok Kari thank you for that as I said I am not the most savvy person around and I suppose I should just ignore those articles it's just that I don't want to be left in the dust so to speak.
I actually like 10 to be honest for eh day to day stuff and well I guess it is just a matter of getting used to 10 it just seems to me to be a tad more technical in the 10 forum than in the 7 forum perhaps it is just my perception of it.

The other thing/s that I find irritating for example there appears to be a lot of "double handling" in 10 such as say the snipping tool whereas the 7 snip sends the screen instantly milky in 10 it requires a further hit to get a new snip it is just little things like that which are frustrating.

Anyway I have had my gripe I had better let you folk get on with more important stuff than an old grizzler like me.

Just to clarify: When I said you should forget Windows 10 S, I did not mean forget to educate yourself, read the articles and get all available information.

I just meant that it's not a Windows edition for us old geeks still strongly relying on so called Windows desktop apps (Win32 apps). It is not a Windows edition you, me and plenty of other users would like to use.

As I am quite interested in Windows customization and deployment, I will most probably play quite a lot with it on Hyper-V virtual machines, but after installing it first time on Friday it was obvious in a few seconds it will never be the OS I will use as my default OS.

Windows evolves. To stay safe and stable, use the official release, do not opt in for Insider builds. You will have no issues.

Kari

Thanks for the tip about the insider builds as that is what I was meaning by so many options or so it seems.