It won’t be that simple JBR imo. There will be updates and then there will be updates. Some updates I’m sure MS will mandate. They will probably be downloaded regardless, whether you have updates disabled or not. Just speculating really but I feel sure there will be categorisation of updates for example “core” updates and “optional” updates. Some people believe they will even sell some updates !
All Windows operating systems over the years relate to each other. What you’re saying is that you want progression to stop at Windows 7, just as years ago people wanted it to stop at 3.11, Windows 95, 98 and XP. People back then were saying just the same as you’re saying now. Yet it was only Microsoft’s efforts and persistence that lead from those operating systems progressing to the now beloved Windows 7. Even with this OS, there was plenty of criticism when it was released.
Microsoft tactics have indeed changed and they want us to keep up with current releases and updates. There are influences about that try to convince me/us that this is a bad thing but I don’t reckon it is, just the same as I reckon going from upgrade to upgrade over the last twenty-two years has been the right way to go.
If you want to know how Windows 10 is better than Windows 7, I can’t really tell you. If you aren’t going to keep up with releases you’ll never get a feel for what aspects are better in later operating systems …and you have to try them with an open mind. Not one that is already saying how you’re not going to like it. I can tell you that I think it’s the best OS I’ve used (clean installation) and that the Start Menu layout is much better than Windows 7’s but you’d probably say this isn’t worth the trouble of upgrading.
I mentioned ‘clean installation’ and this is a sticking point. Microsoft operating systems do work better if this is done. However, starting afresh when a major upgrade is released isn’t something everyone wants to do, or even can do. The smooth going of upgrades on top of existing software is something Microsoft tries hard to achieve but doesn’t always manage.
Well, yes, that’s pretty much what I was saying. As far as I can see, progress did stop at Windows 7, and I’m sure that many owners of Windows 8 would agree with me!
W8 was, like Vista, a distinct regression in my opinion. W10 was an improvement on that, or as some have said, put in place in a vain attempt to try to atone for W8, yet was no better than W7.
So until some distinct improvement comes along, I believe that W7 was the epitome of Windows OSs.
No, I can’t think of anything either!
That quoted line is taken out of context of course. This is the paragraph it came from.
Moving on, I also have the opinion that Windows 7 was/is a good OS but I don’t agree about it being the epitome of a good one. If I thought it was that good, I’d go back to it. I’ve no intention of doing so because I think Windows 10 is better. To have a chance of thinking the same, you’d need to take note of the whole paragraph quoted above. I’d guess that’s not about to happen.
In essence, my grumble isn’t about which operating system is best. As said, I don’t care what people use. It was more to do with what is being said about the purpose of Windows 10 once it is installed and up and running properly.
Negative comments abound without it even being tried for a few months. I think this always has been the case with Microsoft operating systems however. This goes against the grain with those of us who have used Windows 10 since its release and found it to be good.
Mart I resisted upgrading my old laptop to W10, my son says with big upgrades it is better to wipe the computer and start again so there are no bits of programmes left behind. My old laptop had problems so I didn’t bother with doing all that.
My new laptop has W10 and I must say I was very apprehensive about getting it having read so many adverse comments about it.
I have been pleasantly surprised with W10 
and even managed to set the laptop up and import my old files in fact to do everything myself.
I have found W10 a big improvement on W8, there were a couple of niggles such as when I felt things were being pressed on me but I was able to swiftly dismiss them.
I agree with your son about starting from scratch when a major upgrade is released Meg. I did that with Windows 95, 98, XP, Windows 7, 8, 10 and W.10 Anniversary Edition. I’m not sure how major the Creators Update is but if it looks to be reinstalling practically the whole OS, I may clean install again. This would be a bit of a pain for me right now because the computer is running so quickly and well but I’ll see how the update goes.
For clean installations, Microsoft provide a ‘Media Creation Tool’. This is a downloadable copy of the latest Windows 10 operating system. It can be put on a USB stick, which can then be used to boot the computer and start the installation procedure.
As said though, a clean installation isn’t something most people will want to do. I hope this update will install smoothly on top of the existing software for all those deciding not to block it. No telling how updates/upgrades will go sometimes.
Edit: I should add that the Media Creation Tool is best used after installing Windows 10 as an ‘in-place’ upgrade (on top of Windows 7). This makes sure that your computer is registered with Microsoft’s servers.
If the computer is not registered, you will be asked for a key number to activate the W.10 operating system. I have read that, these days, it can be activated with a valid Windows 7 or 8 key number. I haven’t put this to the test though. Maybe somebody else has and could therefore confirm it. Upgrading to Windows 10 on top of Windows 7 before wiping everything clean and starting again is perhaps the safest way to go about things.
To clarify, I don’t see any specific improvements in W10 over W7 (although, of course, it is an enormous improvement over W8).
The improvement you feel has been made: the Start Menu layout, is surely a matter of opinion. Personally, I found the W7 start menu easier and quicker to use.
As for ‘keeping up with releases’, yes, I used to do and then the ‘Anniversary Edition’ came along which, as far as I could tell, provided no noticeable changes other than altering a number of my settings which I had to go to the trouble of putting back to how they were.
Who knows what the next big ‘improvement’ will bring? For that reason, I have disabled Windows Update in the hope that my computer will be left alone, as it seems to be working perfectly well at the moment although who knows, bearing in mind the dictatorial control ethic of Microsoft?
So, apart from the Start Menu layout, what other ‘improvements’ has W10 provided over what W7 had?
There is, of course, the other problem of every new version of Windows requiring all other software providers to update their products. Some of the older ones cannot be updated as the manufacturers have chosen not to provide updates. My (very old) Photoshop Elements is a case in point. It worked under W7 but refuses to do so under W10.
In an ideal world - or rather, in MY ideal world - Windows 7 would have been left as is, apart from any necessary minor updates that might have been essential and would not have impacted on other manufacturers’ software.
It did everything I needed or wanted and, to be perfectly honest, never caused any upsets to my computer. W10, however, caused several problems with this new laptop on which it was pre-installed, the one that sticks in my mind above all was a graphics problem. Perhaps that was due to the manufacturer not installing the appropriate software to cope with the new W10, I don’t know.
Sorry to be persistent, but I’d be interested to learn which specific improvements W10 has brought (apart from the subjective Start Menu layout).
Fair enough JBR 
Edit: Sorry JBR. Not a very long answer on reflection. What I mean is that we can’t go on to say all the things in this thread that we have said over and over in others. Previous ones can be found and read if anyone is interested. No one is going to change their opinions whatever is said are they?
One thing that has occurred to me in the past and now. It can’t have been unnoticed that many updates for our operating systems are security patches. Refusing these is probably OK for those who know how to look after themselves. Any un-patched security holes that exist are mitigated by personal methods of staying safe and the way the Internet is used.
Not everyone is so careful though and I’d say that security patches are necessary where this is the case. To advise that updates are turned off across the board, as has been done on the forum, is therefore downright dangerous in my opinion.
Yes, I agree. Security patches are very useful. Windows 7 had security patches too!
If Windows Update included security patches only, I’d turn it back on.
I have to say that I rely on Windows Defender, which came with W10 and is, admittedly, a free and effective anti-virus application, although some people claim it isn’t as good as a stand alone AV programme.
It seems OK to me, though, but I don’t visit porn web sites and the like! 
Sites that can take advantage of security holes aren’t necessarily ‘dodgy’ ones. They can be supposedly OK ones too according to this Ars Technica page:
This page is some years old now though, so perhaps the situation has improved.
I read that advertising networks can carry malware too. I think we might take measures to prevent ads from showing or doing anything nasty but not everyone does.
If malware is carried on a site, maybe one of our security measures would prevent it from getting onto the computer …or just possibly, one of the patches that came from Windows Update might be what prevented it from exploiting a security hole.
JBR you might want to do some research into W10 privacy settings and learn all you can about what options you have to limit the extent to how they spy on you.
There were numerous articles all over the web back in 2015 regarding privacy issues with most of them quoting the part of the user license which stated:
“We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services.”
Whilst there are some options to switch off some of this data collection, critics suggest that many end users won’t be aware how much data is collected and may not regularly check their privacy settings.
They might want steal the designs for the flint axe head?
I’m afraid I have no idea how to switch off any data collection.
Privacy is a contentious issue, especially since real threats to our safety might be planned via the Internet. I’m not sure the Internet can be the private place we would all like it to be in view of this. However I do know a number of people who’s lives have not been changed one jot by using Windows 10. This includes me. We all carry on with our lives unhindered as normal.
This isn’t the first time people have been worried by Microsoft privacy issues. There was a huge outcry about WGA years ago. WGA was a way of identifying an individual computer in order to prevent the abuse of O.E.M licences. Spying was the concern back then too. What bother did WGA cause anyone? None as it turned out and now most who complained probably don’t even think about it being in any way harmful.
What else? I know we give away more information about ourselves on the average public forum and other public sites than Microsoft or anyone else can hope to gather by ‘spying’.
I know that nothing has been private on the Internet for years but should it be a place of privacy anyway? After all, we are policed and kept an eye on to make sure we aren’t a danger or break laws in all other aspects of life. We expect life to be that way so why not on the Internet too?
I know that any information gleaned from ‘spying’ on the Internet is nothing compared to how much information is stored on various databases as part of everyday life (medical - dental - tax - government - local government etc ). There are organisations/businesses that know a quite a bit about us …all information being tied to names and addresses. We accept this and don’t seem to think or worry about it.
If worried about privacy, here’s Microsoft’s complete privacy statement, that says what they do and equally important, why they do it:
[i]"Finally, we will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to:
1.comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;
2.protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of the services, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone;
3.operate and maintain the security of our services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or
4.protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services – however, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement."[/i]
The complete statement puts a different slant on matters in my opinion.
Further reading:
You make a good point, Mart.
As I have said elsewhere, I have nothing to hide so have nothing to fear.
The only thing I do fear is that Microsoft may, in the future, insist that I accept some sort of control of my computer by them or am obliged to pay for something I have not agreed to.
I think W.10 may be used to advertise Microsoft’s goods and services. Perhaps also the products of Microsoft partners in the end. This already happens to a degree. I don’t mind this and have bought a game or three from the Microsoft Store as a result. A fly-out from the bottom right-hand corner of the screen sometimes appears advertising similar games. I’m not forced (or controlled) to buy but have bought one or two since Microsoft’s prices for such games are much lower than anywhere else.
Poor chaps. Locked in to W10 with no way back.
On second thoughts, I’ll remove the image that was here. I find it difficult to be rude …even to Realist.
It’s being so cheerful that keeps 'im going!
FYI, I have now updated my pcs to the latest Cumulative level.
My W10 64 bit Notebook went through the update very well, even though it took over an hour to get there.
Having had a quick look, it (C level) appears to have some new stuff but nothing which I’d run through hoops for.
There are quite a few security fixes which I still want to trawl through.
My main W10 64 bit Desktop , however, ran into a problem and has been unable to achieve the new level.
It seems that my pc, and some others in various forums, has a corrupt file somewhere which prevents the update.
No damage is done, as the pc reverts back to the old W10 level, but will need to do much trawling of the web to get a solution.
A clean w10 install might become necessary but I’m not looking forward to all of the restoring/re-installing which often happens when you do this.
I might just wait for MS to provide a fix but I don’t know how many years I’ve got left…!