Microsoft locks Ryzen and Kaby Lake users out of updates on Windows 7

Yeah, in the current consumer build you can defer upgrades, no option to stop automatic updates though. Not with a simple mouse click anyway. And pointing the average consumer to doing a reg edit isn't a good idea, IMHO. It looks like the next release will have an option to delay updates, but only for a week. Still better than the current option though. Forced driver updates via Windows update seem to be the big gotchas. I do not understand why driver updates are made mandatory and included with regular Windows updates? Include them but make them optional.

pparks1 said:

Some people experience update issues because of viruses and malware they have, but don't know about. Also, they have problems because of changes they made because they felt they knew better.

Not saying problems don't exist, but many of us don't have loads of problems.

No doubt some glitches are due to people messing with their system. Reg edits to disable or turn things off, killing services, etc. I haven't had any issues for a while now. Knock on wood. That doesn't account for all of them though.
The ones that really have people pulling their hair out are auto driver updates. Driver updates via Windows update, hardware now doesn't work correctly. Uninstall the new driver and reinstall the one that works. Windows update installs the new one that doesn't work. Wash rinse and repeat.
My hardware is so old I'm basically immune to that scenario lol. There are no new drivers, and likely never will be any, for my stuff.

pparks1 said:

Also, they have problems because of changes they made because they felt they knew better.

Not saying problems don't exist, but many of us don't have loads of problems.

Completely agree. And I would guesstimate about 75 percent of users experiencing issues fall in the "I know better tweaks" category, the "my friend told me to use this tweak" category, or the way back then it worked" category.

Windows 10 isn't grandpa's Windows DOS OS

Anyway, unless totally generic like say a monitor driver, I get my drivers directly from the hardware vendor themselves - i.e. GPU drivers from AMD/NVidia. Soundcard drivers from Creative.

OilerNut said:

So no one should ever make any changes or install any software, should just use the default settings and default apps. So as to not "mess" with the OS.

I don't think anyone has said that or implied that. What the key is not messing around with the registry unless you really know what you're doing and in any case make a backup of it before you 'fix' it. It comes in handy when something does go wrong. And ... well it can and does.

Not installing software is just a silly statement on your part.

OilerNut said:

So no one should ever make any changes or install any software, should just use the default settings and default apps. So as to not "mess" with the OS.

As noted by others, this is an extreme view of what was actually stated.

Again, where not talking about the everyday user but the tweak artists who go beyond the OS's intended operating parameters and then wonder why the OS crashes. Installing software isn't going beyond those parameters. If we have to explain that, than that says we're just looking to argue.

sygnus21 said:

As noted by others, this is an extreme view of what was actually stated.

Again, where not talking about the everyday user but the tweak artists who go beyond the OS's intended operating parameters and then wonder why the OS crashes. Installing software isn't going beyond those parameters. If we have to explain that, than that says we're just looking to argue.

I have a feeling (now I could be wrong), but I have a feeling he was throwing out the term "installing software" in haste; the same way someone blurts out something inappropriate when they're angry. I "think" what he meant to convey was that Microsoft might be closing up a lot of customization options. A couple of things (though anecdotal) that might be worth considering.

First off, if Microsoft is making things difficult to customize in Windows 10, in an effort to persuade users to accept our product as it is, then that would NOT be unprecedented. Mozilla is in that same process as we speak, by deprecating XUL and conventional extensions in Firefox. The new web extensions would not allow a great deal of UI customization that Firefox users are presently accustomed to. Mozilla's response is that since security is a concern, we need to batten the hatches, so to speak.

Over at MSFN, the user "EricC" is using some third party utilities, and other tricks to make Windows 10 in to a really beautiful workable desktop. It really is nice. His daily driver is Windows 8.1, but he wanted to see just how productive for his tastes he could make Windows 10 into. But every update cycle, a good deal of his changes are blown out like a hurricane. He has to reapply all of his customizations again each time. This doesn't happen on Windows 8x. Now suffice it to say, the gentleman is a developer, and he knows what he's doing, but for someone who wants to customize his desktop in such a manner so that it be productive for his/her needs (on a long term basis), Windows 10 hasn't worked out so well because of the new update model.

So could it not be that Microsoft is worrying none about that sort of user (since we all agree that in the medium to long term, Microsoft wants to deprecate the Explorer/Desktop shell), and focusing on a simpler (Metro/New UI) model that will be easier to maintain, and perhaps more secure, but will be less customizable? I mean, if the Explorer shell's days are numbered, will we even need developers for it (other than niche applications)?