Will I be contrained by Windows 10 if all I want is the WinXP usemodel?

I realize I'm perhaps *not* the norm, so, might I ask if I will be
*constrained* by Windows 10 or not?

My use model is pretty much the WinXP use model, namely:
0. I won't "subscribe" to anything. I buy my cars for cash, and I don't
lease them any more than I will lease my software. Period. I mostly
get almost all my software for free, since it's easily available
for the basic things I do, with the one notable exception of MS
Office, which I have version 2007 and 2010 OEM discs for.

1. I want the operating system to just be the fabric that the apps
install into - I don't want the OS to "do anything" per se, except
for it to give me a *Start Menu* that cascades to three or four levels
(at least) to locate executables in my well organized hierarchy.

2. All I want the OS to do is "be there" and allow me to run the
apps (e.g., I browse with Firefox, I mail with Thunderbird,
I view pictures with Irfanview, I edit them with Paint.NET,
I edit audio files with Audacity, I view PDFs with Acrobat,
I do my taxes with Turbotax, etc.

3. The OS should simply support the hardware, whether I plug in
a USB stick or a flash card into the slot, or a mouse into the
USB port or a USB keyboard, or a WiFi or Bluetooth file transfer
from Android, or the Android USB cable or a speaker, mic, etc.

4. I want to be able to use *old* apps (i.e., I don't think there is
*anything* I need that was developed after about five or so years
ago, in that I need nothing fancy, so, Microsoft Office 2007 has
everything I could ever want to use, and Adobe Acrobat 6 is just
fine for me, and just about everything frozen in time to about five
or ten years ago is just fine (like Thunderbird, or Gimp).

Specifically, I have a few copies of Microsoft Office 2007 that
I'd like to use.

5. It goes without saying, but I probably need to say that I don't
have any desire to *store* or *buy* anything whatsoever on the
web, least of storing or buying any music or pictures or books
or audio files or whatever else people buy or store on the "cloud".

I am firmly locked in the WinXP era, where I don't need (or want)
*any* of that new-fangled net stuff.

Currently, my household has a mix of Windows XP and Windows 7/8
machines, all of which are doing just fine - except the one Windows
8 laptop which is an abomination (just because it's Windows 8), and it
is running Office 2010, which was installed by Dell at the factory.

The rest are running 2007, which I installed and for which I have
original discs.

My question?

If I upgrade the Windows 7 machines and the one Windows 8 abomination
to Windows 10, will I be subscripted to death? Can I *keep* the WinXP
model I use above?

On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 21:17:44 -0400, M.L. wrote:

I realize I'm perhaps *not* the norm, so, might I ask if I will be
*constrained* by Windows 10 or not?


My experience going from windows 98SE to winxp to windows7 is I had to
scrap 2 perfectly good scanners (both from Visioneer). I now use an HP all
in one in the hopes it will keep up with later os versions.
I never upgrade a machine, what I use is what comes installed on what I
purchase. Until my desktop computer went belly up, I was running a dual
boot and relied mainly on linux mint.

Personally, I wouldn't upgrade from winxp to windows 10. But you can try
it with no risk. Simply image your current system using macrium free or
similar but then you are not eligible for a free upgrade so you would have
to decide if the experiment is worth the cost.

Of course, if you are purchasing a new machine, your choice is made for
you.

I am eligible for the free upgrade from windows 7 home on my laptop, but
cancelled. Not sure if I can reverse that, but I'm quite happy with
windows 7.

One thing you would see with a later machine and os, usb support is
definitely improved.

M.L. wrote:
I realize I'm perhaps *not* the norm, so, might I ask if I will be
*constrained* by Windows 10 or not?

My use model is pretty much the WinXP use model

If I upgrade the Windows 7 machines and the one Windows 8 abomination
to Windows 10, will I be subscripted to death? Can I *keep* the WinXP
model I use above?

No.

Win10 is a squirrel wheel... and you are the squirrel.

Paul

On 07/29/2015 08:17 AM, M.L. wrote:
My question?

If I upgrade the Windows 7 machines and the one Windows 8 abomination
to Windows 10, will I be subscripted to death? Can I*keep* the WinXP
model I use above?

My answer:

1. There is no urgency upgrading Windows 7 straight away - the free
upgrade is good for 12 months.
2. Do upgrade your Windows 8 to version 10 as soon as your time permits
you to do so.
3. Consider installing Linux Mint 17.2 KDE (released very soon) to one
of your WinXP machines - you never know and just might like it.

Dave Cohen wrote on 07/28/2015 10:01 PM:


I am eligible for the free upgrade from windows 7 home on my laptop, but
cancelled. Not sure if I can reverse that, but I'm quite happy with
windows 7.

One thing you would see with a later machine and os, usb support is
definitely improved.


The ability to obtain the free upgrade will not be impacted by
cancelling the reservation.

1. You should have the ability to re-reserve via the qualifying o/s
or
2. Use the Media provided by MSFT

Fyi...the media creation tool is available.

Media Creation Tool Windows 10
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softw...load/windows10

Media Creation Tool (How to)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...d=ms_wol_win10

Note: Upgrading to Win10 using media must be done from within the
qualifying o/s. A clean install will be seen as requiring a product key.
- upgrading using media from within a qualifying o/s will not require
entry of a product key, nor will Win10 product key be issued.




--
...winston
msft mvp windows experience

"KH Ysenburgh" wrote in message
...
On 07/29/2015 08:17 AM, M.L. wrote:
My question?

If I upgrade the Windows 7 machines and the one Windows 8 abomination
to Windows 10, will I be subscripted to death? Can I*keep* the WinXP
model I use above?

My answer:

1. There is no urgency upgrading Windows 7 straight away - the free
upgrade is good for 12 months.
2. Do upgrade your Windows 8 to version 10 as soon as your time permits
you to do so.
3. Consider installing Linux Mint 17.2 KDE (released very soon) to one of
your WinXP machines - you never know and just might like it.




If the OP was referring to Windows 8 literally and not 8.1, then it cannot
be upgraded to Windows 10 for free. It must first be upgraded to 8.1.
I have an old computer that is no longer my primary. I installed Windows 8
initially but had difficulties getting 8.1 to install. In the mean time I
had moved to a different computer and didn't bother troubleshooting and
jumping through hoops to fix it and just left it at 8. There are many plain
Windows 8 users still out there.

On Wed, 29 Jul 2015 12:42:48 +0700, KH Ysenburgh wrote:

1. There is no urgency upgrading Windows 7 straight away - the free
upgrade is good for 12 months.

This is good to know.

2. Do upgrade your Windows 8 to version 10 as soon as your time permits
you to do so.

This is good but the Windows 8 is going away to college in August, so,
that's really the time-critical laptop. It has the Dell-installed Office
2010, that I don't want to lose in the process nor do I want my child
to be subscripted to death.

3. Consider installing Linux Mint 17.2 KDE (released very soon) to one
of your WinXP machines - you never know and just might like it.

I didn't mention, but some are dual boot to Ubuntu. I may try Mint
as I've tried Centos, Ubuntu, & Kubuntu to date.

On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 23:27:12 -0700, Rich wrote:

If the OP was referring to Windows 8 literally and not 8.1, then it
cannot be upgraded to Windows 10 for free. It must first be upgraded to
8.1.

I'm pretty sure it's 8.1 (it's about two years old and it's what my
kid uses). I hadn't realized there was a distinction between 8 and 8.1
but I'll check first but am not as worried about that as that I don't
want the Microsoft Office 2010 that Dell installed to be lost nor do
I want it to be subscripted to death.

On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 22:04:05 -0400, Paul wrote:

Win10 is a squirrel wheel... and you are the squirrel.

That wasn't helpful - but was helpful at the same time, since you
hit upon the problem that I'm trying to avoid, which is to be
nagged and subscripted to death.

I just want the operating system to be the underlying framework
that holds the house together, and I don't want to buy my
refrigerator, music box, and coffee machine from the operating
system vendor.

The *only* things I want from Microsoft are the OS and the Office
apps (I don't plan on buying another MS Office ever). I have plenty
of Office 2007 and a Dell-installed Office 2010 and an unopened
Office 2010 hard disc set and that's all I will ever need.

So I just don't want to lose what I already have, which is:
1. A Windows XP use model which has *no subscriptions!*
2. All the freeware applications my heart desires
3. None of the cloud and store and music garbage
4. None of the touch-screen craziness

On Wed, 29 Jul 2015 02:01:17 +0000, Dave Cohen wrote:

I never upgrade a machine, what I use is what comes installed on what I
purchase. Until my desktop computer went belly up, I was running a dual
boot and relied mainly on linux mint.

In practice, I only upgrade under three circumstances:
1. Abomination (which is the case with Windows 8.1)
2. New laptop (which is how we ended up with the Windows 8.1 abomination)
3. Lack of support (which is what I have to consider for the WinXP boxes)

Personally, I wouldn't upgrade from winxp to windows 10.

I upgraded most of the WinXP machines to be dual boot with Linux, and,
pretty much, I find nobody dual boots (so I wasted the disc space). I use
Linux most of the time (as it does exactly what "I" want), but the wife
and kids use the Windows boot (I never could flip them to Linux).

Of course, if you are purchasing a new machine, your choice is made for
you.

Yes. I know. The wife wants a new laptop, and I just wish they'd sell the
laptop without *any* operating system. I can very easily install Linux
and it does everything anyone could want - but it's not going to happen.

The wife is comfortable with Windows XP and Office 2007 & Firefox, which
is all that she ever uses.

One thing you would see with a later machine and os, usb support is
definitely improved.

I'm fine with USB support on Windows XP, and Windows 7 and the one
Windows 8.1 laptop. The only thing I plug in that uses the USB is
an Android cellphone, which they all support. There is an iPad, and
I refuse to put iTunes on (another abomination), so, the iPad only
connects to Linux easily and not to Windows (so that's a compromise).

On Wed, 29 Jul 2015 01:57:47 -0400, . . .winston wrote:

Note: Upgrading to Win10 using media must be done from within the
qualifying o/s. A clean install will be seen as requiring a product key.
- upgrading using media from within a qualifying o/s will not require
entry of a product key, nor will Win10 product key be issued.

I'm mostly worried about the Office 2010 installed by Dell on the two-
year-old Windows 8.1 laptop because I do not have a backup disc for that
Office 2010 installation.

Will I be subscripted to death for Office once I upgrade that laptop to
Windows 10, or will the Dell-installed Office 2010 still just work?

On 7/29/2015 9:36 AM, Wolf K wrote:
You might like W10 better than W8, since it brings back most of the
interface features that we know and love, and (apparently) improves
some. But mostly, it's a bundle of programs and applications, most of
which many seasoned users will not care about one way or the other.

I have question also, but no one seem to know.

I run Windows 8.1 from the desktop, and like the full access to the OS
and similar functions with a right click on the MS Icon on the desktop
task bar. Will they still be obviously available?

Does Windows 10 retain the same jumplist as Windows 8.1 when you right
click a program Icon on the Desktop taskbar?

Will the new Start Menu be like the frustrating collapsing menu system
that has been in Windows since XP. I always hated it when I would get
down about three popup menus and have it collapse just as I found what I
was looking for.

In the released version will I be forced to install an upgrade on my
tablet when I am in a meeting and running on battery. That is the
biggest drawback that I have heard to Windows 10.

On Wed, 29 Jul 2015 07:31:35 -0400, "M.L." wrote:

I'm mostly worried about the Office 2010 installed by Dell on the two-
year-old Windows 8.1 laptop because I do not have a backup disc for that
Office 2010 installation.

The valuable part of any Windows or Office installation is the key, so in
your case you simply need a copy of the Office 2010 media to use with your
existing key. You may be able to get that from a friend by copying a CD or
DVD, or via Ebay, for example.

M.L. wrote:


So I just don't want to lose what I already have, which is:
1. A Windows XP use model which has *no subscriptions!*
2. All the freeware applications my heart desires
3. None of the cloud and store and music garbage
4. None of the touch-screen craziness

It can do all that for you.

You just have to hold your nose, when something doesn't work
exactly the way you wanted.

(An example being, the practice of using NTFS compression
on files, when I didn't ask for this service to be performed
for me. A desktop with a large hard drive, does
not need this. It's well suited to tablets, but
I'm not driving a gutless tablet here. Useful
controls seem to be missing for this. There
are none. "Designers know best" is
the rule of the day.)

But you can't get away from Windows Update.
And that happens to be a deal breaker for me.
I've been interrupted a couple of times now,
by a request to reboot. Which is jarring, and
disturbs your train of thought. You have to
deal with the interruption *right away*, even
if you're in the middle of a sales presentation
in an auditorium. It leads to a kind of
"range anxiety", like with electric cars.

It leaves you viewing "pulling the network cable",
as a way to control your computer. Which is stupid.

I'm pretty careful about Windows Update on
the other OSes, and take the time to read
*every* update description. When I updated
my new copy of Windows 7 three weeks ago, I
had to read *200* of those. And I can't say
I'm all that happy about it. But, I do have
control in that case. I'm driving the bus.
If there was an update in that list that
could possibly brick the OS, I hid it.

There was a recently added retroactive
control scheme for WU on Win10, but I'm
not even going to describe it. It's that
stupid.

Paul

Paul wrote:
M.L. wrote:


So I just don't want to lose what I already have, which is:
1. A Windows XP use model which has *no subscriptions!*
2. All the freeware applications my heart desires
3. None of the cloud and store and music garbage
4. None of the touch-screen craziness

It can do all that for you.

You just have to hold your nose, when something doesn't work
exactly the way you wanted.

(An example being, the practice of using NTFS compression
on files, when I didn't ask for this service to be performed
for me. A desktop with a large hard drive, does
not need this. It's well suited to tablets, but
I'm not driving a gutless tablet here. Useful
controls seem to be missing for this. There
are none. "Designers know best" is
the rule of the day.)

But you can't get away from Windows Update.
And that happens to be a deal breaker for me.
I've been interrupted a couple of times now,
by a request to reboot. Which is jarring, and
disturbs your train of thought. You have to
deal with the interruption *right away*, even
if you're in the middle of a sales presentation
in an auditorium. It leads to a kind of
"range anxiety", like with electric cars.

It leaves you viewing "pulling the network cable",
as a way to control your computer. Which is stupid.

I'm pretty careful about Windows Update on
the other OSes, and take the time to read
*every* update description. When I updated
my new copy of Windows 7 three weeks ago, I
had to read *200* of those. And I can't say
I'm all that happy about it. But, I do have
control in that case. I'm driving the bus.
If there was an update in that list that
could possibly brick the OS, I hid it.

There was a recently added retroactive
control scheme for WU on Win10, but I'm
not even going to describe it. It's that
stupid.

Paul

I love VanguardLH's description in the Win10 group;
"This solution has a pile of dog
**** delivered at your door, you step out and into the pile of ****, you
hop back inside to wash your shoes, and then carefully head back outside
to hose off the welcome mat."

Ed