If you run a Windows computer no doubt you have been confronted with the Windows 10 update. This is an update that will not go away.
Microsoft has diverted from usual practice and made it difficult for everyday computer users to avoid installing this update. This is what I say it is malware. The approach by Microsoft is malicious in my opinion. Indeed, I think the Microsoft approach has been unethical and socially irresponsible.
Windows 10, while a reasonable update in itself, sucks up disk space and has a track record of breaking things like printer connections and other peripheral connections. These breakages take time and expertise to be fixed.
Newsagents have been particularly vulnerable as the use of computers in newsagency businesses is mandatory if you want to connect with suppliers in a compliant way. Computer penetration in newsagency businesses is above average compared to other small business retail channels.
I say Windows 10 has cost the channel more than $100,000 based on the number of calls my own newsagency software company has taken and a reasonable projection for the channel as a whole and allowing the time spent by newsagents who have not called for support.
Once you add in additional computer hardware purchased as a result of the Windows 10 installation, because it pushes capacity of old, greater than five years old, hardware to the limit, you reach a figure in excess of $500,000.
The approach by Microsoft all but took away the ability of small business newsagents to decide when they want to incur the business costs or the software companies that have worn at least 75% of the total cost of Windows 10 in our channel. No, Microsoft selfishly forced this on us, forced us to spend our money without the courtesy of a question.
My $500,000 estimate is real. My own software company has foregone more than $250,000 in revenue to provide advice, assistance and other services directly related to Windows 10, all work that is not part of supporting the newsagency software.
If this update is so good, Microsoft ought to have paid for the support required. But it did not. People could not get through so they turned to those who do answer their phones.
What Microsoft has done is another example of the danger of the arrogant forced software update. There is no place for this approach for small business retailers. beware software companies that do it.
Serious coin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvRM4fHKTQI
Bill Gates was not involved. Further, he, thanks to his customers, is among the biggest philanthropists in the history of the world.
Yep, according to my google-fu, they changed the wording of their annoying reminder pop-ups so that by closing by the “X” at the top right corner now means that you somehow agree to upgrade.
Thinking I had selected “Yes please, Mr Gates, please upgrade me!” by mistake, I watched my security video to pinpoint exactly what happened. I saw I had indeed closed with the “X”, and it waited for about 15 minutes (must have been waiting for me to leave the room to make my coffee) before installing, just prior to opening the door for the day.
For bonus laughs, the default printer was reset to the dot matrix receipt printer (yeah, caveman computer), so when it came to printing run sheets…..
I downloaded it weeks ago selecting the choice to install when I was ready thinking that it would stop the annoying pop ups until I was prepared to install it. I have set my main computer perform an automatic restart at about 3am and I suspect that when it did this the program self installed. Many small issues followed and I thank Marks team for getting them sorted that day.
I have set my main computer perform an automatic restart. This has shut down my VPN connect between all my newsagency
Costing time & Money
2 SUGGESTIONS
1. Turn off “windows managed printers” It makes the last used printer the default printer.
2. Install “Classic Shell” (free download) It makes the start button look (and behave) like the windows 7 start button…
Mark,
Have given up on this update, 4 computers all running on a stable Win 7 Professional platform – each one has had separate issues on update – I have reverted all back to Win 7 Pro, in one case this meant a full re-installation (of Win 7 Pro)
Made the decision will NOT update any machine, but when Win 7 stops being supported will buy 4 new machines.
I just need to know how to STOP this pest!
John
John, select to schedule the update and on the last screen there is a cancel button.
Labelling an OS as Malware because the users are too daft to know it’s happening? They’re using their hardware beyond its useful life, but it’s Microsofts fault?
It’s been EVERYWHERE that the update is happening. It’s been out for 9 months already…
If you can’t run your IT then outsource it or close down. This isn’t malware,
Neil, I think you are disrespectful of small business newsagents and other retailers.
Plenty of respected tech writers are referring to the approach by Microsoft as malware:
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/gadgets-on-the-go/microsoft-uses-malware-tactics-to-foist-windows-10-on-more-pcs-20160524-gp355z.html
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/229182-microsoft-will-adjust-malware-like-upgrade-policy-for-windows-10-following-outcry
http://bgr.com/2016/05/25/microsoft-windows-10-upgrade-trick/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3073457/windows/how-microsofts-nasty-new-windows-10-pop-up-tricks-you-into-upgrading.html
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/
Wow Neil Gardiner! Labeling Windows users as daft because they have a fundamental change in OS FORCED upon them is just rude and arrogant beyond belief. Without direct user intervention in the updating schedule new software that is not necessarily wanted is automatically installed and, in many instance, causing significant disruption to users.
The fact it has been EVERYWHERE for 9+ months makes it no less malware than if it was released yesterday. Installation by stealth does not make users daft, and being 9 months since its release does not necessarily make hardware obsolete.
Outsourcing IT as per your suggestion does nothing to solve the issue, as most IT providers have the computers set to automatically download and install Windows updates – and that is the vulnerability Microsoft is exploiting.
Unwanted software forcibly installed causing problems, outages and incurring unnecessary costs to the user = malware. If users had the option to permanently decline the update without having to go and change and delete scheduled updates then that is a different story.
Mark, to get to the “Cancel Schedule Upgrade” button you first need to click on the “Schedule Upgrade”. The other option is to “Upgrade Now”. On clicking “Schedule Upgrade” you have to choose a time and date. Once you’ve gone through all that, the option to “Cancel Schedule Upgrade” option appears. I believe that allows you to cancel the Upgrade you just finished scheduling. I have done this and continue to get messages saying when it will upgrade. Now I forward date “Scheduled Upgrade” as far ahead as I can and hope that once the free offer ends the “Upgrade” messages will cease.
Dean, yes, that was the point of #8. The core point of this post is to reinforce that what Microsoft has done has cost the small business newsagency channel an extraordinary amount of money. But this is what happens when software companies make ignorant selfish decisions.
My sources tell me that Microsoft have only done this to ensure their big slice of the X-Box gaming market. Apparently one game launch was worth over a BILLION dollars………
right click on the task bar select properties and customise and you can then select an option which prevents it form coming up all the time.