Started out giving 10 a play to see how well Office 2010 would run on it. Scope has gone well beyond that now.

First a bit of my philosophy. I agree with keeping software up to date, so Windows 10 would have the appeal of a more secure up to date OS, as long as there were no huge downsides. I have an 8.1 VM and I don't use it. So far I am very much liking Windows 10.

What I've done:

First I use VMware's Workstation. I upgraded to Version 11, as they updated to specifically handle Windows 10. The workstation specs are:

4 processors
2.89 GB Ram
two 60GB hard drive
audio thru the host


I did the install and carefully selected the offline account. That didn't last as I discovered to use the feedback app you need the online account so I had to change it. Not thrilled but I was careful to disable any use of OneDrive.

What I have installed so far:

Utilities:

1st Clock: a clock setting calendar app that replaces the windows clock
ccleaner
Outback Plus 8.0 an Outlook backup restore program
PowerArchiver
xplorer2 Professional which is an explorer replacement program
a reboot and shutdown shortcut from the desktop
Firefox 34
Hard drive Activity LED

Disk stuff

AX64 Time Machine
Shadow Defender

Security Software

Emsisoft Internet Security
BlueRidge Appguard
NoVirusThanks EXE Radar Pro
HitmanPro Alert

Office Stuff

Office 2010
Paperport 12
Nuance PDF Convert Pro 8

Some comments

1. Can't try Adobe Acrobat Pro XI as I don't have the extra license. I have no doubt it will work
2. Couldn't install any dot net frameworks so apps requiring it won't install.
3. Sandboxie won't work with win 10 yet.
4. Getting Outlook up was tricky. Hate starting over with it. I copied in one of my Outlook Outback backup files, and restored it in the VM. Restored to the wrong place so I looked where Outlook put the files, and copied in the files from where the restored. Bingo works. Did all that with network access blocked. Can't have Outlook download from 2 machines. Looks like it is working fine.

Other things

Imaging. Tried the windows imager. Patty you will be happy, as it's unchanged. I can still grow a beard faster, so no thanks.

File History. I looked at it for the first time, and frankly it's not bad. But, I use AJCsofts Active Back up and it is more robust. Didn't install it, but no doubt the vendor will be ready for 10.

Task Manager is very different. I like it. Especially since they moved the Start up control there.

At this point, I'd have to say when it comes out, and nothing has changed for the worse, I will seriously consider upgrading my new desktops to Win 10.

Things I am planning on testing.

1. Office 2013. The VM will make it easy to install 2013 and then roll back and forth.
2. ShadowProtect
3. Macrium Reflect

Well I just discovered something, that is the worst of the pits.

Before I rant, is there anyway to provide feedback other then the feedback app in Win 10

Rant

One of the things I detest about Microsoft, is their insistence to force you do it their way.

They ask for feed back and I willing would spend the time to give it to them. So I follow the instructions and go to the feedback app. Ah it has to be a Microsoft Account setup. Okay, so I let it convert, and realize that my login password which I keep simple is now my complex account login. Okay I can live with that. When I make the change, I carefully unselect the OneDrive Options.

Then I notice a new icon in my system tray, and it tells me all my stuff has been safely uploaded to OneDrive. ARRRG!!!


But I've rolled the VM back to undo the account changes. If that is the only way to give feedback, the I give no feedback.

While I realize some of this cloud stuff, is exactly what people want, if Win 10 doesn't give the choice, then I reject it. This type of behavior is why I'd never trust MS with my client data no matter how secure they say their cloud storage is.

End Rant

Patty and Steve. I know you might not like hearing this, so let me ask you. If you have all you clients financial data(bank account access) on your computers, would you be comfortable with this.

Pete

If you explicitly set OneDrive Sync to *not* sync to the cloud, it will not sync. The icon and the message are probably referring to the fact that you have a sync relationship set up. Go to your OneDrive folders and look at what is there. Sign into onedrive.live.com and look what is there. I suspect that nothing has synchronized.
-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Peter, all software makes you do things its way. That's just the nature of code and computers. Now not liking their choices is a different story.

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Hi Steve

I just logged in there and you are correct. Dumb part is the icon said the sync was complete. Bad message if it doesn't sync anything. Well I can set it up again and see what happens.

Pete

That's true Patty, and it irritates me no matter who. Quickbooks has some features I don't want, and not only do they not give you a choice, but you can't turn them off. Worse still they nag you to set them up. Unfortunately can't turn them off, but..... can block the executables. Tehe

Egads.

I tried to setup the whole MS account thing again and now when I try to log into onedrive it tells me I've tried to many times. So now I have to try and get by it's captcha, which only a monkey could figure out the characters. I've just plain wasted to much time to give them feedback

Onward with the testing.

No offence intended but what exactly is the point of testing a preview version of software, in effect a beta release, if you won't supply feedback?

Hi Doddie

No offense taken, and it's a good question.

1. I do a lot of beta testing, and I like providing feed back. But in this case compared to other beta testing, this is like having to jump thru hoops to get there. I've spent over an hour on just this feedback issue. Enough time.

2. The actual reason I am doing it, is I am going to have to make some decisions for my business. By seeing how things I need to run, will run under Windows 10 it helps me make plans. So far my impression of what I need to run on Windows 10 is extremely positive. So I test some more and hope what I see may help someone here.

Make sense?

Pete

Stick with it Pete as the build is old. There is a new build scheduled sometime in January or not long after... at least that is my understanding from the last email report they sent to me.

_________________

Yup. Even my Nook doesn't give me the software choices I want. I've used epub readers on phone and Surface and they give me more choices over some things - and no choices in others. Sigh. Guess you can't have everything - unless maybe you want to make it yourself!

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Exactly! Unless you do it yourself you will always find issues or limitations. I think that a few here just might agree that when I am not satisfied with a system I do just that, I do it myself. Anyone can do the same if they want. It just takes a little study and effort.

_________________

Can you tell me how to attach a dictionary to an epub reader? Or would I have to write my own reader?

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

I guess that I understand the question but not the issue. Mayhaps your system is different but I do my reading on my Android tablet. When I set the thing up I selected a dictionary to be used. If I highlight words and select the reader just uses the dictionary that I selected.

I doubt that you are going to write your own reader but I'm sure that you could if you really wanted. Mayhaps I over stated but, as an example, I wanted a movie menu for my external drive that holds all my videos. Nothing that I downloaded did what I really wanted so I built an Excel Sheet that did do what I wanted. I open the sheet and click on a title and it plays.

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Well back to the reason this whole adventure started, and yeah, it does come down to choices. The reason was Office 2013 vs Office 2010. My initial reaction to Office 2013 was ugh. So a) I wanted to re evaluate that reaction, and b) see if keeping office 2010 going forward was viable.

Office 2013 has some appeal in it's new pricing structure, and for many users I would agree this is great. But from what I can see the main new feature is the cloud stuff. It may be more secure, but I don't rely on MS for that, I have other options.

For me it turns out there are two main issues that would probably keep me from Office 2013. When is the saving everything to the cloud, by default. In googling how to stop that it appears that is a major issue with more than just me. It turns out that the fix was fairly simple for me. I just added rules for everything but Outlook, blocking the office apps from Internet access. Since my client data is important, it makes me a bit nervous having to do that, but it worked.

2nd big issue, and this may be the deal killer. I have big monitors, and there brightness setting is one that is a good average for all the uses. Office 2010 has 3 themes, Blue,Silver and Black. The black has worked really well as it is very easy on the eye, but still very readable. In 2013 that has been changed. The themes are now white, light gray and dark gray. The white is blinding, and even the dark gray is way to bright. I couldn't take having to work with access, or excel for very long. Yeah, I know I could turn the monitors down, but why go thru that when Office 2010 is working perfectly. Decision made made

Last testing is a couple of different backup solutions.

The Office "themes" in Office 2013 are indeed a bone of contention for many. Rumor has it that the next version of Office (later this year?) will provide some darker choices.
-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

That would be good Steve. I think this saving to the cloud is also a big bone of contention for many. A switch to just disable it would be a good idea. That way everyone can have it the way the want it.

Last test was to see how Shadowprotect and Macrium did.

Shadow Protect imaged fine, but I could test ImageManager as it need dot net and I haven't been able to install it.

Macrium installed fine, I put it in the windows boot manager. Image and incremental images matched other performance. Did a windows automatic restore and that worked fine.

I am done with my tests, but if anyone wants me to look at anything, let me know here.

Pete

Jay, Nook has a built-in dictionary, but it isn't necessarily the one I would choose. You can't choose your own dictionary.

I don't understand the issue with saving to the cloud in Office. I was never forced to do so, I was always given an option to save what I wanted to the cloud and the rest to the computer.

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

The default save as is to the cloud. Googling how to turn it off turns up a lot of upset people. The objection to me is sometime when in a hurry you can accidentally use it. I don't want even the chance it can happen.

Patty how would you feel if you can me all your bank information and I needed to store it and it accidentally got stored in the cloud. I don't want even the chance of that. That is what is upsetting folks.

The default save to is the cloud, but you are prompted about this when you first install Office 2013. You are presented with a choice. And, even if you have selected to save to OneDrive, you can change the save location at any time you save files.

As for your financial/bank information... First of all, it is already in the cloud -- at your bank. I would feel safer about my bank information on OneDrive than on your PC, actually.

-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Okay, two questions.

1. Can you give me a detailed description about Microsoft's Onedrive security. Well the website has a lot of pictures and words, it really doesn't give the detail.

2. What makes you think it isn't secure on my PC

And yes I agree up to a point, about the bank having it in the cloud. For my personal stuff it is between me and my bank. With a client it is between them and their bank. But when I have their data, I treat it very differently. That to me is a huge difference.

Pete

Heh, on MOST folks computers the cloud is probably safer ... but not on Peter's. He uses security techniques and stuff that even I don't mess with.

Acadia

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The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

The OneDrive security is basic to the industry right - password, two step verification and other personal identifiers. They talk about it here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/security And then there's their cloud infrastructure which comes under the category if I told you I'd have to kill you: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-c ... nters.aspx

Essentially you have to trust their cloud infrastructure is set up correctly. I know that's an issue since Target, SONY, etc etc. But you still got a think that at least these guys are actively thinking about this security stuff on a regular basis and spending lots of bucks on what they think. Perfect, not yet.

For you Pete, it's likely your stuff is safe and also for your customers. But it's a matter of scale. Sure you can keep a few PCs safe with your customers data. A small business can handle things rather well even if you have to use a physical safe. But if you get larger then it's harder. Where that point is reached only you can say. And then there's the additional factor of how long do you really want to spend your time figuring out how to be secure and compete with these blasted hackers. Life needs to be simple and enjoyed rather than a constant fight. Retirement is highly recommended by me...

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Best regards,
Manny Carvalho
MS-MVP since 2002

In fairness, I shouldn't have said "your PC" as in Peter's PC, as I meant it in more general terms for data on a PC in the hands of an individual who believes that their PC is secure, but they use an open WiFi connection and use the same password for everything.
Acadia is probably right in that your PC is probably more secure than the bank.

I can't give you a detailed description of the security for OneDrive, but the articles here cover it:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-c ... _Scenario3

-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"