I’m after opinion on microsoft

[Beehpee]

Hi, if this is not a place to ask my query then maybe mods can delete or move.
I’ve got a great HP laptop that I bought about 12 months ago, really pleased with it, when I’ve done my regular updates it asks if I want update to Windows 11, version 22H2, it’s free but I heard some niggles when 11 came out but I’m hoping it’s been freed of any bugs, so anyone have any views would be great.

BP

 

[RogerL]

The advice I've seen from those that seem to know is that W11 doesn't really do anything W10 doesn't so best to stick with W10.

 

[Bluetonic]

I administer over 100 laptops in my day job. All windows 10.
We have banned users from updating to Windows 11 at the moment, although at some point it will be forced on us.

Lack of taskbar/start menu customisation and it's riddled with M$ telemetry/spying that requires loads of policies setting to disable it are two of the reasons we are staying away at the moment

 

[Paullus1959]

I'm in total agreement with the comments above.
I had always looked forward to new versions of Windows because they are generally an improvement. I lasted less than a week with Windows 11 before I rolled it back to Windows 10.
In my opinion Microsoft removed features in W11 that I used often in W10 such as, a right mouseclick on the taskbar gave you the option to show open windows stacked, cascaded or side by side. The latter something I frequently use when working on documents. After installing W11 I spent ages trying to find the things I wanted only to find they had gone.
I think it was aimed primairily at Microsoft Surface Go tablet users.
No, in my experience Windows 11 is definitely a step backwards.

 

[Sam Vimes]

All of the above. Stay with 10.

 

[Beehpee]

I’m going to stick with 10 then guys, I felt like giving 11 the push when it first came out and hoped that it had got better but going by your posts I’m better staying here, so thanks to all who to the trouble to give your opinions.

BP

 

[JTQ]

We have three more years of support for Win 10, so that for me will become the critical time; for those security conscious tasks I undertake, I want MS support.
Actual date stated presently is 14th October 2025.
With Win 11s disappointing penetration into the market MS might feel they need a rethink, unless that penetration greatly improves.

I have one of my many machines I converted to Win 11, I have no great like or dislike of it, it's just to me, "different". I wanted it because playing with this branch of technology is something of a hobby of mine.

Win 10 is more "comfortably familiar "to me and I find to most people I help with things computer, 11 seems less so.

Unless you feel a need to change, or like me play, then I suggest you stay with Win 10 at least till MS start hinting they will pull a free update, I suspect though they will not rush to further limit its rate of take up by doing that.

If tempted, do some online research into whether your peripheral devices are compatible with Win 11. So far those of mine that worked with Win 10 are,

 

[Hutch]

I stuck with Windows XP professional for many years, avoiding all the upgrades, now I nearly always just use an Android Tablet.

 

[Bluetonic]

I stuck with Windows XP professional for many years, avoiding all the upgrades, now I nearly always just use an Android Tablet.

Certainly in my private life I use android on my phone or my Linux Mint OS laptop more than windows, I'd even rather use a chromebook than Windows

 

[Jcloughie]

I use an iPad most of the time now but it would greatly frustrate me if I still needed to do multi tasking and switching between programs as I needed to do when I was at work.

I still have an older but well spec‘d ‘all in one’ PC. I looked to upgrade to W11 but it is too old. W10 works fine. I left work in 2013 and we had about 3,000 computers on XP. I was on the IT committee, and the IT manager wanted to hang on to the tried and tested. Particularly as the mostly government sites we needed to link to were tuned to XP. I therefore don’t know when the moved on and how the move went.

So I would stay with the tried and tested W10, unless you are savy enough to load dual operating systems so you could try it out.

John

 

[Beachball]

I would say stay with windows 10

 

[Trevormc]

Just purchased a new laptop that came with W11 don't like it I was that used to W10.

Trevor

 

[Sam Vimes]

Just purchased a new laptop that came with W11 don't like it I was that used to W10.

Trevor

You can install Windows 10 for free if you want, from here.

Download Windows 10

 

[Sam Vimes]

I have a mixture of machines but use Windows 10 as the main OS. I have too much time, money and effort invested in Windows software that just doesn't run on any other OS.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. MS just want to hook more people into their eco system just like Apple do. If anything is free you can be sure you'll pay for it in some other way.

 

[Beachball]

I stuck with Windows XP professional for many years, avoiding all the upgrades, now I nearly always just use an Android Tablet.

My wife got Huawei Mediapad M5 Lite Tablet (Android) and she never puts it down .

 

[Sam Vimes]

Its a question of using the right tool for the job. So, you need to ask yourself what is it you want to do and if what you've chosen works ok then stay with it.

I have software that only works with specific versions of Windows and not any other OS. Some of it will only work on some machines and not others.

 

[Guzzilazz]

All of you who are nay sayers about W11 are missing a trick. The big improvements in W11 are "under the bonnet", and W11 is much slicker and quicker than 10.

My credentials are that for 17 years I had several roles in a large organisation with 30,000 desktops. I reviewed desktop OS's and became a Windows Insider when W10 was being developed. This population of people (into the millions) has ensured that Windows upgrades are more reliable... Consequently, there hasn't been gotchas like iOS has had with updates killing Bluetooth (for example).

The group has also had a big say in what's needed.

 

[JTQ]

All of you who are nay sayers about W11 are missing a trick. The big improvements in W11 are "under the bonnet", and W11 is much slicker and quicker than 10.

Yes, but users predominantly "live with the user interface" and form a comfort or otherwise from that experience, not how under the bonnet it is achieved.

 

[Raywood]

We upgraded, but find 11 nowhere near as good and wish we never bothered.

 

[Trevormc]

Sam thanks for that info.

Trevor

 

[Sam Vimes]

All of you who are nay sayers about W11 are missing a trick. The big improvements in W11 are "under the bonnet", and W11 is much slicker and quicker than 10.

You'll have to forgive me but that statement is really meaningless. How is Win11 slicker and quicker than 10? In other words how will me going to Windows 11 - which I can't - improve my life or productivity when sitting in front of the keyboard?

You mention iOS updates killing Bluetooth, well I've never had a reliable Bluetooth connection with Windows anyway. Windows updates have had problems - Win 11 printer driver installing as just one example. It will continue to have problems just like any other OS update.

Now you can find any report on the internet that supports your point of view but one published just a couple of days ago states that despite Windows 11 being released in Oct 2021, its market share is only 15.44% of the PC worldwide market. iOS is at 17.6% of the market. Even Win7 still has 9.61%.

Some of this reluctance to upgrade is no doubt due to the stringent hardware requirements that it requires so existing machines like mine can't be updated - not that I want or need to.

With inflation being what it is, businesses etc are going to think twice about investing in new hardware if the benefits of Windows 11 over 10 are somewhat dubious.

 

[audiorob]

Unless I replace my not so old PC I have no choice as my processor is on the incompatibility list. My PC does all I need of it and so I shall keep it running as long as I can with W10 and therefore will have no concerns over any ageing software or printer drivers being W11 proof for the foreseeable future. I am pleased to see postings regarding the market share including some ancient Windows systems and so hope my W10 lasts as long!

 

[Beachball]

We upgraded, but find 11 nowhere near as good and wish we never bothered.

My Lenovo laptop keeps saying upgrade but i am very happy with Windows 10 so far