Windows 10 ... again
Re: Windows 10 ... again
As the saying goes, "the future is now." Windows 10 is no longer an operating system. Microsoft considers it to be a service that it will maintain continuously without intervention from the user. This service offers software in it's "store" some of which is free and some of which is purchased. The main body of the software remains in the store and you simply download the interface to use it. Microsoft is the latest company to switch to this method of supplying programs and content. Apple, Google, and all the rest of the mobile device vendors have been doing this for years. So far you can still install whatever else you care to in your Windows service, but the infrastructure is such that it is easy enough for them to prevent you from doing that in the future. We all fear and loath that infamous cloud, but if you have a smart phone, you have been using the cloud since the day you bought there phone. The way people use computers, and handle information, has already changed. If you can't recognize it, then you are in the same boat as Microsoft. Both of you need to catch up. Even Linux developers have switched, by they way. Thinking Ubuntu Unity desktop here.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Unity is what drove me away from Ubuntu, just as Vista is what drove me away from Windows.
Linux has several distro's which are rolling release, so you never have to upgrade your OS.
Most OS's will probably go this route before long. It helps simplify the core of the system.
FWIW: I keep my bookmarks, form fill data, and passwords in the Cloud.
So far, it has been a ROYAL PITA, as it keeps disappearing.
Every day I get a warning that my Content could not be loaded.
I sign in again, still no data is available.
I log out and back in, still no data available.
A reboot often fixes the problem, which should not be a problem in the first place.
Next I get an e-mail telling me THIS IS A SECURITY MESSAGE FROM GOOGLE.
IF YOU HAVE LOGGED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU CAN IGNORE THIS MESSAGE.
If you have not logged into your account, please go change your password.
Looks to me like Google is still royally messed up with their new Cloud Bookmark System!
What is supposed to make using different devices easier has become one time consuming nightmare, almost on a daily basis.
I have NO CONTROL over the program at their end. But they keep LOSING my data connections, and logging back into their system NEVER fixes the problem.
In fact, Google is messing up a LOT of things. They have all but ruined Pepper Flash! Whenever the time comes we can no longer use the May 12, 2015 version of Pepper Flash, I have no idea what millions of people are going to do.
Some suffer through the new version and its many releases and bug fixes since May, but they never fixed the worst problem of all, the inability to zoom out, and the HUMONGOUS SIZE of everything inside the Flash frame.
I'm sure the Google Pepper Flash mess is causing a lot of companies some very expensive headaches in having to rewrite their programs so they fit within the new GIANT SIZE Flash window.
Linux has several distro's which are rolling release, so you never have to upgrade your OS.
Most OS's will probably go this route before long. It helps simplify the core of the system.
FWIW: I keep my bookmarks, form fill data, and passwords in the Cloud.
So far, it has been a ROYAL PITA, as it keeps disappearing.
Every day I get a warning that my Content could not be loaded.
I sign in again, still no data is available.
I log out and back in, still no data available.
A reboot often fixes the problem, which should not be a problem in the first place.
Next I get an e-mail telling me THIS IS A SECURITY MESSAGE FROM GOOGLE.
IF YOU HAVE LOGGED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU CAN IGNORE THIS MESSAGE.
If you have not logged into your account, please go change your password.
Looks to me like Google is still royally messed up with their new Cloud Bookmark System!
What is supposed to make using different devices easier has become one time consuming nightmare, almost on a daily basis.
I have NO CONTROL over the program at their end. But they keep LOSING my data connections, and logging back into their system NEVER fixes the problem.
In fact, Google is messing up a LOT of things. They have all but ruined Pepper Flash! Whenever the time comes we can no longer use the May 12, 2015 version of Pepper Flash, I have no idea what millions of people are going to do.
Some suffer through the new version and its many releases and bug fixes since May, but they never fixed the worst problem of all, the inability to zoom out, and the HUMONGOUS SIZE of everything inside the Flash frame.
I'm sure the Google Pepper Flash mess is causing a lot of companies some very expensive headaches in having to rewrite their programs so they fit within the new GIANT SIZE Flash window.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
I understand your thinking about Unity. My point in bringing it up is that even Linux (in some distributions) is bowing to the pressure of changes in the way people use computers to handle information. In fact the Ubuntu group acted in advance of Microsoft, which is surprising to me. I realize that Microsoft's claim to fame is desktop/laptop operating systems, but I don't understand why the management there failed to see what is happening to the industry, i.e. going to mobile devices. While I advocate sticking with the software the is most suitable for your needs, you will be left in the dust if you do not follow the latest trends.
A good example of what happens when you don't go with the flow is the Flash Play invented by Adobe. It has a history of being a security risk in spite of Adobe's constant efforts to patch it. Because the risks are increasing fast and furiously Adobe has decided to abandon Flash Players in favor of HTML5. Support for Linux was the first thing to be dropped and that is when Google stepped in with Pepper Flash. Good luck to Google, but the rest of the world is going away from Flash and adopting HTML5. Apple computers never did support Flash and now browsers only reluctantly allow you to enable it. The message here is to move away from Flash as quickly as possible. Problems with it will only increase as fewer and fewer developers support it.
Synchronization of all your computer devices is only a good idea if they all use the same operating system. Even then they must all be on the same level of upgrade. You are doing well to get Google to synchronize anything in Linux Debian. It may be possible to find cloud based software that is cross platform compatible, but I am not aware of what it would be at the moment. Cloud based computing is how computers will work going forward, but syncing your data across different platforms is like trying to run a Windows program in Linux - which can be done in some cases with difficulty. There are no executables involved with cloud storage other than the user interface, but the data storage techniques is not standardized. Until (and if) that happens, there will always be problems with native cloud storage and synchronization across multiple platforms.
The answer is to create your own cloud storage and do the sync manually. Microsoft has One Drive to take care of this problem. It's built into Windows 10 and can be turned off if you don't have a need for it.
A good example of what happens when you don't go with the flow is the Flash Play invented by Adobe. It has a history of being a security risk in spite of Adobe's constant efforts to patch it. Because the risks are increasing fast and furiously Adobe has decided to abandon Flash Players in favor of HTML5. Support for Linux was the first thing to be dropped and that is when Google stepped in with Pepper Flash. Good luck to Google, but the rest of the world is going away from Flash and adopting HTML5. Apple computers never did support Flash and now browsers only reluctantly allow you to enable it. The message here is to move away from Flash as quickly as possible. Problems with it will only increase as fewer and fewer developers support it.
Synchronization of all your computer devices is only a good idea if they all use the same operating system. Even then they must all be on the same level of upgrade. You are doing well to get Google to synchronize anything in Linux Debian. It may be possible to find cloud based software that is cross platform compatible, but I am not aware of what it would be at the moment. Cloud based computing is how computers will work going forward, but syncing your data across different platforms is like trying to run a Windows program in Linux - which can be done in some cases with difficulty. There are no executables involved with cloud storage other than the user interface, but the data storage techniques is not standardized. Until (and if) that happens, there will always be problems with native cloud storage and synchronization across multiple platforms.
The answer is to create your own cloud storage and do the sync manually. Microsoft has One Drive to take care of this problem. It's built into Windows 10 and can be turned off if you don't have a need for it.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Micro$oft is the ONLY COMPANY on the Planet that keeps trying to interject their own PROPRIETARY CODES in to the WORLD STANDARD UNICODE CODE POINT Tables.
Yes their are STANDARDS, have been for years. As new features are developed, the Standards are Added To, but never changed so drastically as Micro$oft tries to force them too.
I agree, Adobe FLASH, Shockwave FLASH, Pepper FLASH, etc. are an accident looking for a place to happen.
I'm only going to talk about Googles messing with Pepper FLASH. Almost all of the games accessed through Farcebook run on FLASH, which a mega-million dollar business for most of the gaming companies.
The LAST known GOOD COPY of Pepper FLASH was released with the Modification date of May 12, 2015.
Google has upgraded at least half a dozen times since then, and the new versions of Pepper FLASH they include in the upgrades is HORRIBLE. They removed the lowest level of zoom, which is necessary to play many of the games properly. But worse than that, something they did causes the Displayed Features, like service windows and tools used in the games to be EXCEEDINGLY LARGE, sometimes SO LARGE they cannot be contained within the Flash Frame at any resolution.
Every time Google sends out an upgrade, we have to go in and delete Pepper Flash and reinstall the May 12 version in order to play the game.
Those using Adobe FLASH or Shockwave FLASH, just have to suffer with the problems, because if you try to load an older version of FLASH, it will tell you to upgrade and won't run the games.
You can use your computer zoom to make the whole computer screen larger or smaller, but often this does not change what you see inside the actual Flash Window Frame.
One of the games my wife plays on the Windows 10 computer, she has to skip using certain features because she cannot see the buttons to activate them, they are off the bottom edge of the Flash Frame at any resolution or zoom setting.
From what I understand, more than 85% of the games available through Farcebook were unable to be converted to HTML5 using the Adobe Flash to HTML5 conversion program. They are just way to complicated for it to possibly be done by a conversion program.
There are players of Farm Town with thousands of dollars invested in that game, and many have hundreds of dollars invested in it. A change to HTML5 would mean most of the features they bought and paid for would no longer work.
As big as Slashkey is, I'm surprised they did not come up with their own video rendering solution, especially with all the problems with Flash Player. I'm sure they have hundreds of employee's trying to rewrite the code work with HTML5, but at what loss to the functionality of the game.
I know you are a big fan of Windows, and have a couple of friends who are working on the Windows new minisupercomputer project for Win10. But I had to laugh when I learned they try things out on Linux first to make sure it emulates Linux before reporting it over to their Windows system. They do think it will be a fantastic system whenever they get it ready to roll out for testing.
Yes their are STANDARDS, have been for years. As new features are developed, the Standards are Added To, but never changed so drastically as Micro$oft tries to force them too.
I agree, Adobe FLASH, Shockwave FLASH, Pepper FLASH, etc. are an accident looking for a place to happen.
I'm only going to talk about Googles messing with Pepper FLASH. Almost all of the games accessed through Farcebook run on FLASH, which a mega-million dollar business for most of the gaming companies.
The LAST known GOOD COPY of Pepper FLASH was released with the Modification date of May 12, 2015.
Google has upgraded at least half a dozen times since then, and the new versions of Pepper FLASH they include in the upgrades is HORRIBLE. They removed the lowest level of zoom, which is necessary to play many of the games properly. But worse than that, something they did causes the Displayed Features, like service windows and tools used in the games to be EXCEEDINGLY LARGE, sometimes SO LARGE they cannot be contained within the Flash Frame at any resolution.
Every time Google sends out an upgrade, we have to go in and delete Pepper Flash and reinstall the May 12 version in order to play the game.
Those using Adobe FLASH or Shockwave FLASH, just have to suffer with the problems, because if you try to load an older version of FLASH, it will tell you to upgrade and won't run the games.
You can use your computer zoom to make the whole computer screen larger or smaller, but often this does not change what you see inside the actual Flash Window Frame.
One of the games my wife plays on the Windows 10 computer, she has to skip using certain features because she cannot see the buttons to activate them, they are off the bottom edge of the Flash Frame at any resolution or zoom setting.
From what I understand, more than 85% of the games available through Farcebook were unable to be converted to HTML5 using the Adobe Flash to HTML5 conversion program. They are just way to complicated for it to possibly be done by a conversion program.
There are players of Farm Town with thousands of dollars invested in that game, and many have hundreds of dollars invested in it. A change to HTML5 would mean most of the features they bought and paid for would no longer work.
As big as Slashkey is, I'm surprised they did not come up with their own video rendering solution, especially with all the problems with Flash Player. I'm sure they have hundreds of employee's trying to rewrite the code work with HTML5, but at what loss to the functionality of the game.
I know you are a big fan of Windows, and have a couple of friends who are working on the Windows new minisupercomputer project for Win10. But I had to laugh when I learned they try things out on Linux first to make sure it emulates Linux before reporting it over to their Windows system. They do think it will be a fantastic system whenever they get it ready to roll out for testing.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Microsoft owes it's life to the Windows operating system. It is their core competency. They do not want to rule the world any more than Apple, Google, IBM, and the whole list of high tech companies fighting for survival in a highly competitive open market. They do write software that (they hope) makes there products work well and appeals to the general public. I think even you have to agree that they do that very well. Your specific needs and wants are not what Microsoft has to offer. They don't cater to special needs and niche markets, and that is where the fascination of Linux has it's place. Because Linux is highly customized it only has appeal to a niche in the general field of personal computing. If Linux can't achieve the popularity that Windows enjoys, it's because the end users are making that choice. Windows 10 is probably the best product Microsoft has ever released to the public, which isn't saying a lot in view of their history of failures. It's not for everyone in spite of their advertising otherwise.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
I hate to say this Yogi, but Windows 10 is losing its reputation very fast and being claimed as the worst spyware to ever come out of Micro$oft. Their Keylogger which sends every keystroke back to their servers is currently being covered in detail almost everywhere you look. Not to mention their new anti-privacy policies in their TOS.
From this side of the fence, it looks like they may have shot themselves in the foot.
Windows 10 is being touted as a bigger disaster than Vista, which cost them millions of users.
On another website I frequent, two of the long-time Windows die-hards are now looking into various Linux Distro's to get away from Windows 10. They already refuse to use Windows 10 on-line and fall back to XP or 7. They said you cannot turn off all the spyware embedded in Windows 10. You can try, but almost anything you do turns it all back on again.
From this side of the fence, it looks like they may have shot themselves in the foot.
Windows 10 is being touted as a bigger disaster than Vista, which cost them millions of users.
On another website I frequent, two of the long-time Windows die-hards are now looking into various Linux Distro's to get away from Windows 10. They already refuse to use Windows 10 on-line and fall back to XP or 7. They said you cannot turn off all the spyware embedded in Windows 10. You can try, but almost anything you do turns it all back on again.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
I happen to agree that most enterprises would not look kindly upon anyone logging keystrokes. It's not a shot in the foot as you suggest. It's a lethal dose of idiocy. I'll be watching how this develops just like you are, but I seriously doubt there is going to be a funeral in Redmond.
To put things in persepective, I know you happen to have accounts at Facebook and Twitter. It may be enlightening if you read the Terms of Service at those places. Then, feel free to come back and let us how how using Windows 10 is different. Microsoft is logging certain things but they are not doing anything more than you find in iOS or Android - both Linux derivative according to your POV.
I would guess that your conspiracy information is coming from the same sources that screamed Intel and Microsoft consorted together to create UEFI simply to prevent other operating systems (read that to mean Linux) from using the chips. Oddly enough I have several versions of Linux running on an Intel processor multi-booting with Windows through an UEFI firmware interface. My laptop is mult-booting Linux and Windows using an AMD chipset plus UEFI as well. Linux figured out how to deal with UEFI apparently.
The jury is still out regarding Windows 10 and how well it will be accepted, but to be honest Gary I've not read the same criticism for it as I did for Vista and Windows 7. Then again, I recognize that you and I do not read the same journals.
To put things in persepective, I know you happen to have accounts at Facebook and Twitter. It may be enlightening if you read the Terms of Service at those places. Then, feel free to come back and let us how how using Windows 10 is different. Microsoft is logging certain things but they are not doing anything more than you find in iOS or Android - both Linux derivative according to your POV.
I would guess that your conspiracy information is coming from the same sources that screamed Intel and Microsoft consorted together to create UEFI simply to prevent other operating systems (read that to mean Linux) from using the chips. Oddly enough I have several versions of Linux running on an Intel processor multi-booting with Windows through an UEFI firmware interface. My laptop is mult-booting Linux and Windows using an AMD chipset plus UEFI as well. Linux figured out how to deal with UEFI apparently.
The jury is still out regarding Windows 10 and how well it will be accepted, but to be honest Gary I've not read the same criticism for it as I did for Vista and Windows 7. Then again, I recognize that you and I do not read the same journals.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
When I had my new computer built after the lightning storm, it was LOCKED to Windows ONLY. They took it back and replaced the motherboard and CPU with one that has UEFI, but still allowed Linux or another OS to be installed.
Shame too, because I really liked the computer he built for me, great stuff in it.
As far as Farcebook and Oh What A Twit-ter, they are not copying and storing every single keystroke I make on my computer.
I do have an issue with Google and my Passwords and FormFill Data now being stored in their cloud. Especially when I have to log back in and it still does not work until I reboot my computers.
I get four e-mails from them, warning me someone logged into my account, each time I have to log back in again from each computer. I don't think they realize some people have more than one computer, even though that is the whole purpose of using their cloud so you have your Bookmarks available from all of your computers.
I'm thinking it probably has to do with the IP numbers changing every time we have a power outage, or I reboot the router.
I forget what magazine it was in, a paper published magazine, with a title that said, Corporations say NO to Windows 10. Someone posted it on I think, the "Everything Linux" Forums. It wasn't big business, so the heading was misleading. The article mainly talked about small business enterprises trying to keep their customer information and data secure, and finding it almost impossible to do with Windows 10 unless they call in an expert to turn things off, which is an expense they don't need to incur.
Shame too, because I really liked the computer he built for me, great stuff in it.
As far as Farcebook and Oh What A Twit-ter, they are not copying and storing every single keystroke I make on my computer.
I do have an issue with Google and my Passwords and FormFill Data now being stored in their cloud. Especially when I have to log back in and it still does not work until I reboot my computers.
I get four e-mails from them, warning me someone logged into my account, each time I have to log back in again from each computer. I don't think they realize some people have more than one computer, even though that is the whole purpose of using their cloud so you have your Bookmarks available from all of your computers.
I'm thinking it probably has to do with the IP numbers changing every time we have a power outage, or I reboot the router.
I forget what magazine it was in, a paper published magazine, with a title that said, Corporations say NO to Windows 10. Someone posted it on I think, the "Everything Linux" Forums. It wasn't big business, so the heading was misleading. The article mainly talked about small business enterprises trying to keep their customer information and data secure, and finding it almost impossible to do with Windows 10 unless they call in an expert to turn things off, which is an expense they don't need to incur.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Windows 10 is the new kid on the block and gets all the criticism. A year from now will be more telling, but I don't think it's going to suffer from the same bad publicity that Vista or Windows ME received. There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what Microsoft is collecting and not collecting. They do indeed record key strokes in the beta version and for obvious reasons. The commercial copies wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell if recording keystrokes was SOP. Plus, many critics fail to realize that Windows 10 is primarily aimed at mobile devices, that is to say, devices without standard keyboards.
The security settings on Windows 10 can be a nightmare for the same reasons they are on Farcebook. There are an overwhelming number of functions available in both places and each one of those functions has their own set of opt-in and opt-out settings. There are plenty articles out there showing how to lock down Windows 10, and there is just as much software that will do it for you automatically. I've tried both with mixed results. One highly emphasized feature of Windows 10 is the security it offers and it almost does not make sense to turn off some of the telemetry.
Micorsoft's version of The Cloud is called One Drive and they do exactly what everyone else (including Google) does. They sync your devices via a remote server in the cloud. However, One Drive can be turned off and the app uninstalled. You don't need a Microsoft account to log in either. You can log in locally the way we have been doing it for many years. Doing all that, of course, eliminates some of the functionality of the operating system.
I've been "evaluating" Windows 10 for nearly a year now and have come to the conclusion that it's a great improvement over Windows 8. Going forward Microsoft will focus on mobile computing and Windows 10 seems to be a good step in that direction. Having said that, I still feel most comfortable with Windows 7 which arguably is the best desktop OS ever invented. Unfortunately Windows 7 is the end of an era. Its desktop environment may not become extinct, but it will be less and less significant as time marches on in the technology world. I think you will see the same sort of thing happen in Linux as well. Ubuntu is just the first major showing in the mobile environment. As people become more reliant on devices they can carry around comfortably, the need for workstations and their desktops will diminish.
As a side note I think Google has gone paranoid, perhaps for good reason. They record your IP addresses and your browser's user agent string to try and make your identity unique. When one or both of those elements do not match the data they have on you, they flag it as a possible attack. I'm getting more of those warnings from Google lately, but they all make sense if you know what they are looking for. What I worry about is when I don't get flagged. That means they think they know enough about me to not bother sending me warnings.
The security settings on Windows 10 can be a nightmare for the same reasons they are on Farcebook. There are an overwhelming number of functions available in both places and each one of those functions has their own set of opt-in and opt-out settings. There are plenty articles out there showing how to lock down Windows 10, and there is just as much software that will do it for you automatically. I've tried both with mixed results. One highly emphasized feature of Windows 10 is the security it offers and it almost does not make sense to turn off some of the telemetry.
Micorsoft's version of The Cloud is called One Drive and they do exactly what everyone else (including Google) does. They sync your devices via a remote server in the cloud. However, One Drive can be turned off and the app uninstalled. You don't need a Microsoft account to log in either. You can log in locally the way we have been doing it for many years. Doing all that, of course, eliminates some of the functionality of the operating system.
I've been "evaluating" Windows 10 for nearly a year now and have come to the conclusion that it's a great improvement over Windows 8. Going forward Microsoft will focus on mobile computing and Windows 10 seems to be a good step in that direction. Having said that, I still feel most comfortable with Windows 7 which arguably is the best desktop OS ever invented. Unfortunately Windows 7 is the end of an era. Its desktop environment may not become extinct, but it will be less and less significant as time marches on in the technology world. I think you will see the same sort of thing happen in Linux as well. Ubuntu is just the first major showing in the mobile environment. As people become more reliant on devices they can carry around comfortably, the need for workstations and their desktops will diminish.
As a side note I think Google has gone paranoid, perhaps for good reason. They record your IP addresses and your browser's user agent string to try and make your identity unique. When one or both of those elements do not match the data they have on you, they flag it as a possible attack. I'm getting more of those warnings from Google lately, but they all make sense if you know what they are looking for. What I worry about is when I don't get flagged. That means they think they know enough about me to not bother sending me warnings.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Desktops may soon be a thing of the past. I took a shortcut through an office building and noticed almost every person working in the offices was doing so on a laptop, and having to reach uphill to type on it too, which will cause severe medical problems very fast for the majority of them.
Honestly, I don't know how anyone gets anything done on a laptop. I've had several, still have a few, and the only way I can use them at all is to plug in a keyboard and mouse and use the laptop as if it were a desktop monitor.
Besides, they are slow compared to a desktop. But I guess if you grew up using one for skewl and carrying it with you everywhere, then using the small toy computers they have now is a snap. Just pretend it's a Schmartz-Fone with a bigger screen, hi hi...
FWIW: My frau loves her Schmartz-fone and Tablet computers. She sits watching TV and doing things on the computer at the same time. She is used to her screen being filled up with ICONS, something which I was hounded about constantly. Keep your desktop clean, don't have all those ICONS on it. Use Folders, etc., you know what I'm talking about.
Now they do just the opposite. Load down the viewport with a million ICONS you have to scroll through to find what you are after. And most can only do one thing at a time. They can do more, but most folks don't need to be productive these days, so the equipment they use fits them to a tee.
Honestly, I don't know how anyone gets anything done on a laptop. I've had several, still have a few, and the only way I can use them at all is to plug in a keyboard and mouse and use the laptop as if it were a desktop monitor.
Besides, they are slow compared to a desktop. But I guess if you grew up using one for skewl and carrying it with you everywhere, then using the small toy computers they have now is a snap. Just pretend it's a Schmartz-Fone with a bigger screen, hi hi...
FWIW: My frau loves her Schmartz-fone and Tablet computers. She sits watching TV and doing things on the computer at the same time. She is used to her screen being filled up with ICONS, something which I was hounded about constantly. Keep your desktop clean, don't have all those ICONS on it. Use Folders, etc., you know what I'm talking about.
Now they do just the opposite. Load down the viewport with a million ICONS you have to scroll through to find what you are after. And most can only do one thing at a time. They can do more, but most folks don't need to be productive these days, so the equipment they use fits them to a tee.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Laptops were meant to be portable; something you can carry to a staff meeting to take notes or make small presentations. The name says it all. They were made to be used on your lap, not on your desk. The fact that they will burn your cookies if you keep them on your lap too long never entered the picture. Eventually, young people figured out you can listen to music, watch videos, and carry on video calls using laptops. The road to mobile computer was thus paved.
My view of the future office worker is that there will be desktop/laptop computers in the office and tablets in the brief cases. Tablets shine when it comes to short uncomplicated tasks. All the stuff that needs to be done at a workstation is sent up to a cloud for temporary storage until you can deal with it at the work station. Corporations, of course, will be using internal clouds and tablets customized to their business. Your doctor, for example, will carry a tablet around in the future if s/he does not do so already.
I now what you mean about desktops. But only desktop sized computers need them. Those other devices are not intended to carry your desk around. All those icons you see on mobile devices are not sitting on the traditional desktop. What you are looking at there is the program directory that has been prettied up for quick recognition and access. My wife never shuts off an app after she opens it. It's amazing her iPad still functions with a hundred programs running. Windows 10 is a brilliant idea when you think about it. It will adapt to the desktop, a tablet, or a smartphone environment automatically. It's Microsoft's attempt to make one size fit all. The strategy of making it a service instead of an operating system is appealing to developers as well in that only one development environment is needed to create programs across all platforms. That would be awesome if Linux had that capability - perhaps Ubuntu is a step in that direction.
My view of the future office worker is that there will be desktop/laptop computers in the office and tablets in the brief cases. Tablets shine when it comes to short uncomplicated tasks. All the stuff that needs to be done at a workstation is sent up to a cloud for temporary storage until you can deal with it at the work station. Corporations, of course, will be using internal clouds and tablets customized to their business. Your doctor, for example, will carry a tablet around in the future if s/he does not do so already.
I now what you mean about desktops. But only desktop sized computers need them. Those other devices are not intended to carry your desk around. All those icons you see on mobile devices are not sitting on the traditional desktop. What you are looking at there is the program directory that has been prettied up for quick recognition and access. My wife never shuts off an app after she opens it. It's amazing her iPad still functions with a hundred programs running. Windows 10 is a brilliant idea when you think about it. It will adapt to the desktop, a tablet, or a smartphone environment automatically. It's Microsoft's attempt to make one size fit all. The strategy of making it a service instead of an operating system is appealing to developers as well in that only one development environment is needed to create programs across all platforms. That would be awesome if Linux had that capability - perhaps Ubuntu is a step in that direction.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
A financial salesman where my son works has something most interesting.
It's like a tiny projector that is attached to his cell phone and projects the image onto the white screen which is the side of his briefcase, sorta. It's behind a flap that opens to hold the briefcase from falling over.
It gives a video presentation displayed on the briefcase, almost like looking at a monitor.
Have no idea the brand or anything about it, but can ask if you are curious.
I'm sure it was quite expensive, but these guys can afford it, especially if it comes through their company somehow.
I can see something as small as a cell phone eventually replacing almost all personal computing devices, including desktops.
Edited to add: They are called Pico Projectors, so what I was seeing wasn't his cell phone, just the projector.
It's like a tiny projector that is attached to his cell phone and projects the image onto the white screen which is the side of his briefcase, sorta. It's behind a flap that opens to hold the briefcase from falling over.
It gives a video presentation displayed on the briefcase, almost like looking at a monitor.
Have no idea the brand or anything about it, but can ask if you are curious.
I'm sure it was quite expensive, but these guys can afford it, especially if it comes through their company somehow.
I can see something as small as a cell phone eventually replacing almost all personal computing devices, including desktops.
Edited to add: They are called Pico Projectors, so what I was seeing wasn't his cell phone, just the projector.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
I've never seen one, but the Pico Projector sounds like an awesome idea. Most tablets can do the same thing and are self-contained. If screen size is an issue, I have a 17" laptop that anyone can view from a reasonable distance. I'm thinking that mobile devices are here to stay because the way business is conducted is changing as well as the way people entertain themselves. At this point in time it's hard to believe desktops will become extinct, but they are diminishing in value for many applications. Microsoft is doing the right thing with Windows 10, even if they are late in coming to the game. If you think what is happening today is too complicated to contemplate, think about nano-tube semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. You and I will not be able to recognize this world twenty years from now - assuming we are still around to recognize anything.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
The very first time I saw an LCD monitor I said to myself.
These things are going to get thinner and thinner until they can be made like a decal and stuck to the side of a delivery van. The technology won't stop there either. Paper magazines will have super thin LED FILM in lieu of printed images on the pages, which play video's when you open the magazine up to a page they are on.
Probably no battery needed, a solar panel will be built into the LED FILM itself and it will provide its own power from even low ambient light sources.
Don't they already have a computer so small you wear it like a ring on your finger, and it shows the display on your arm?
I've seen the Pen Sets that project the image, the keyboard, etc., whether they are for sale yet or not, or even affordable I don't know.
One thing is for certain, computing technology is moving forward at lightning speed.
Who knows what the future, or even next year holds?
These things are going to get thinner and thinner until they can be made like a decal and stuck to the side of a delivery van. The technology won't stop there either. Paper magazines will have super thin LED FILM in lieu of printed images on the pages, which play video's when you open the magazine up to a page they are on.
Probably no battery needed, a solar panel will be built into the LED FILM itself and it will provide its own power from even low ambient light sources.
Don't they already have a computer so small you wear it like a ring on your finger, and it shows the display on your arm?
I've seen the Pen Sets that project the image, the keyboard, etc., whether they are for sale yet or not, or even affordable I don't know.
One thing is for certain, computing technology is moving forward at lightning speed.
Who knows what the future, or even next year holds?
-
Icey
Re: Windows 10 ... again
You gentlemen know that I don't pop onto this forum too often because I have difficulty in expressing my computer problems (and understanding them) in techie language which's old hat to those who know what they're on about, but I still like reading what you have to say, and've picked up the odd tip or two.
I find laptops horrible to use, because the keyboard/pads are too flat, and I do all my computer work from home, so there's no need for me to drag a tablet or LT out with me. I hope that desktops don't go completely out of fashion because it's what I've got used to - if you can say that, ha! - and although my eyesight's fine, I prefer to work with a bigger screen than tablets or (especially) phones provide.
I haven't played around with Windows 10 since I last posted about it, but my son appears to have no problems when using it. I don't think it's going to be as bad as I first feared.
Now although I should've started a new post here, I wonder if anyone can tell me (simply) if people who have difficulty in using their hands, can obtain voice-activation in order to send emails? If so, would they need a special computer, or how would they get a service like this?
I ask, because a relative of mine has bad arthritis in her fingers, and typing's getting painful for her, but she still likes to email her friends. I'm sure there's a way of her being able to dictate her mail, and I told her so. If I'm wrong, fair enough, but I'd like to help her.
I find laptops horrible to use, because the keyboard/pads are too flat, and I do all my computer work from home, so there's no need for me to drag a tablet or LT out with me. I hope that desktops don't go completely out of fashion because it's what I've got used to - if you can say that, ha! - and although my eyesight's fine, I prefer to work with a bigger screen than tablets or (especially) phones provide.
I haven't played around with Windows 10 since I last posted about it, but my son appears to have no problems when using it. I don't think it's going to be as bad as I first feared.
Now although I should've started a new post here, I wonder if anyone can tell me (simply) if people who have difficulty in using their hands, can obtain voice-activation in order to send emails? If so, would they need a special computer, or how would they get a service like this?
I ask, because a relative of mine has bad arthritis in her fingers, and typing's getting painful for her, but she still likes to email her friends. I'm sure there's a way of her being able to dictate her mail, and I told her so. If I'm wrong, fair enough, but I'd like to help her.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Icey
I would remind you that this is a very small group of people and that we are all virtual friends. Everyone has their own talents and abilities of which they can be very proud. I for one do not feel uncomfortable discussing things with which I am not familiar (as you must have noted by now) and I've learned quite a bit from the people on this site. Us bit-heads and geeks in this Computer Forum do not expect you to know the ins and outs of a highly technical subject such as computing so that you are encouraged to just express yourself the best you can. I can't think of any time in the past where I have not been able to understand what you are asking about. If I don't understand you, I would not hesitate to ask you to clarify in your own words. That is what I also expect you to do with any long winded replies that I may post.
I think I can keep your current question in the context of this Windows 10 thread so that there is no need to start a new one. While you might not be aware of it, voice recognition has been a part of Windows for several generations. Not only can you speak to your computer, but it will read text back to you if you choose to allow it to do so. Voice communication is nothing new, albeit in previous years a feature not used very often.
All the major players have voice recognition capability. I think Apple introduced it first in their iPhones, then Google incorporated it into Chrome. Microsoft had very little presence in the mobile phone world, but as I mentioned above they did have voice recognition built into Windows. Windows 10 takes the concept a bit further by adding artificial intelligence. They call the application Cortana and she is marketed as a personal assistant. Like a human assistant she will perform tasks by simply talking to her. Cortana also understands what you type into the keyboard, but her fortè is voice commands. One of the ads flaunting Cortana gives the example of a person saying, "Cortana, send an e-mail to Mary." You then dictate the message and Cortana sends it off to Mary. If you want an attachment, it will find it on your computer, "attache photo of Mary," that easily. Cortana can do a lot of other things like wake you up and arrange appointments, and it is well suited for people with arthritic fingers. I'm guessing as time goes on we will not need a keyboard because if your computer can understand it, it will do your bidding from voice commands.
Speaking of keyboards, there is one area where Windows seems to be ahead of the pack today. Microsoft entered the hardware business many years ago, but these days it is relying heavily on success of it's Surface Pro computer. The Surface is a combination tablet/laptop. It has a keyboard if you need it, but can be used as a tablet with a touch screen too. This is the solution for people who need both but only want one device that can do it all. Apple and Google, oddly enough, are introducing similar products in the near future. It seems like this combination tablet/laptop device will be the way we do our computing going forward. The downside of the Surface is that it too has a flat keyboard. Neither you nor I like those things, but the concept of an all in one computer seems like the next logical progression, and Microsoft is already doing it.
All your friend may need is a computer with Windows 10 installed. S/he may then simply speak what s/he wants the computer to do.
I would remind you that this is a very small group of people and that we are all virtual friends. Everyone has their own talents and abilities of which they can be very proud. I for one do not feel uncomfortable discussing things with which I am not familiar (as you must have noted by now) and I've learned quite a bit from the people on this site. Us bit-heads and geeks in this Computer Forum do not expect you to know the ins and outs of a highly technical subject such as computing so that you are encouraged to just express yourself the best you can. I can't think of any time in the past where I have not been able to understand what you are asking about. If I don't understand you, I would not hesitate to ask you to clarify in your own words. That is what I also expect you to do with any long winded replies that I may post.
I think I can keep your current question in the context of this Windows 10 thread so that there is no need to start a new one. While you might not be aware of it, voice recognition has been a part of Windows for several generations. Not only can you speak to your computer, but it will read text back to you if you choose to allow it to do so. Voice communication is nothing new, albeit in previous years a feature not used very often.
All the major players have voice recognition capability. I think Apple introduced it first in their iPhones, then Google incorporated it into Chrome. Microsoft had very little presence in the mobile phone world, but as I mentioned above they did have voice recognition built into Windows. Windows 10 takes the concept a bit further by adding artificial intelligence. They call the application Cortana and she is marketed as a personal assistant. Like a human assistant she will perform tasks by simply talking to her. Cortana also understands what you type into the keyboard, but her fortè is voice commands. One of the ads flaunting Cortana gives the example of a person saying, "Cortana, send an e-mail to Mary." You then dictate the message and Cortana sends it off to Mary. If you want an attachment, it will find it on your computer, "attache photo of Mary," that easily. Cortana can do a lot of other things like wake you up and arrange appointments, and it is well suited for people with arthritic fingers. I'm guessing as time goes on we will not need a keyboard because if your computer can understand it, it will do your bidding from voice commands.
Speaking of keyboards, there is one area where Windows seems to be ahead of the pack today. Microsoft entered the hardware business many years ago, but these days it is relying heavily on success of it's Surface Pro computer. The Surface is a combination tablet/laptop. It has a keyboard if you need it, but can be used as a tablet with a touch screen too. This is the solution for people who need both but only want one device that can do it all. Apple and Google, oddly enough, are introducing similar products in the near future. It seems like this combination tablet/laptop device will be the way we do our computing going forward. The downside of the Surface is that it too has a flat keyboard. Neither you nor I like those things, but the concept of an all in one computer seems like the next logical progression, and Microsoft is already doing it.
All your friend may need is a computer with Windows 10 installed. S/he may then simply speak what s/he wants the computer to do.
-
Icey
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Oh blimey - thank you Yogi!
I've seen the Cortana app. Is it really that simple? It's for an auntie of mine, and no, I don't think she has Windows 10 yet, but in my ignorance, I didn't realise that voice recognition'd been out for so long. Sorry - that shows my lack of knowledge again, but I've had no reason to think about it really, except for wondering how Stephen Hawking manages to communicate. I presume in his case, that it's some kind of eye contact? Whatever, this's marvellous for people who have difficulties, and so I'll tell my auntie. Do you just click onto Cortana and switch the mic on?
Well you're very generous towards my techie uselessness! I should know far more than I do, because I seem lacking in even basic computer knowledge, but I hope it gives you a laugh sometimes! I don't act simple on purpose - my brain just blanks out anything which I have no real interest in learning, BUT, I'm beginning to like what Windows 10 could offer me, and although I haven't got it installed yet, I'm leaning towards the possibility!
I have to say though Yogi, no, I've not noticed that you'll participate in discussing things you don't know much about, because you DO seem to know! LOL, but it's true. I find everyone on here intelligent in their own way, but you DO seem to have a broad intelligence, which's great, and I like reading about what Gary's done, or does do, as well. All you guys amaze me.
Tyvm much for the latest info. No joke, it's really going to help a very nice lady who's struggling to type and feeling depressed that she might soon be unable to plonk more than a very few keys. I appreciate what you've told me.
I've seen the Cortana app. Is it really that simple? It's for an auntie of mine, and no, I don't think she has Windows 10 yet, but in my ignorance, I didn't realise that voice recognition'd been out for so long. Sorry - that shows my lack of knowledge again, but I've had no reason to think about it really, except for wondering how Stephen Hawking manages to communicate. I presume in his case, that it's some kind of eye contact? Whatever, this's marvellous for people who have difficulties, and so I'll tell my auntie. Do you just click onto Cortana and switch the mic on?
Well you're very generous towards my techie uselessness! I should know far more than I do, because I seem lacking in even basic computer knowledge, but I hope it gives you a laugh sometimes! I don't act simple on purpose - my brain just blanks out anything which I have no real interest in learning, BUT, I'm beginning to like what Windows 10 could offer me, and although I haven't got it installed yet, I'm leaning towards the possibility!
I have to say though Yogi, no, I've not noticed that you'll participate in discussing things you don't know much about, because you DO seem to know! LOL, but it's true. I find everyone on here intelligent in their own way, but you DO seem to have a broad intelligence, which's great, and I like reading about what Gary's done, or does do, as well. All you guys amaze me.
Tyvm much for the latest info. No joke, it's really going to help a very nice lady who's struggling to type and feeling depressed that she might soon be unable to plonk more than a very few keys. I appreciate what you've told me.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Yes, Cortana is THAT simple - in theory at least. I use it to a limited degree and have no direct experience with it's voice recognition and artificial intelligence. The voice recognition in earlier versions of Windows was limited in what it could understand and do. Cortana is a much more advanced product.
While Cortana has been around for a few years in the Windows phone environment, it's release for desktop and laptop use is new with Windows 10. There were some bugs in the earliest versions, but it is refined to the point now where it apparently will be used on Android and Apple phones too. It is Cortana that has raised the hackles of many Microsoft critics and conspiracy theorists. In order for this app to perform at it's best, it needs to learn about the user and store what it learns (up in that cloud) for future reference. This collection of personal data is frequently looked at with suspicious eyes and Microsoft has been accused of collecting personal data for nefarious purposes. Let it suffice to say that I am more suspicious of the critics than I am of Microsoft.
Cortana is installed by default in Windows 10, but it is an app that can be turned off, restricted, and/or deleted. Of course you lose functionality when you do that. Because it requires gathering personal information about it's users, there are settings that specifically give Cortana permission to search and track your personal activities on the Internet. This is exactly the same kind of agreement you must accept for any app. My personal opinion is that to realize the full capability of the Cortana app one should allow it to gather all the information it needs. Cortana is a service and the price you pay for that service is the exchange of personal data. Love it or hate it, that's the way apps work in 2015.
The Cortana app is smart enough to do whatever is required to work on your computer after you give it the go ahead. It will take a small amount of learning how to use your computer with voice controls, but mastering the technique is no more complicated than posting in a computer forum and getting something useful out of it.
While Cortana has been around for a few years in the Windows phone environment, it's release for desktop and laptop use is new with Windows 10. There were some bugs in the earliest versions, but it is refined to the point now where it apparently will be used on Android and Apple phones too. It is Cortana that has raised the hackles of many Microsoft critics and conspiracy theorists. In order for this app to perform at it's best, it needs to learn about the user and store what it learns (up in that cloud) for future reference. This collection of personal data is frequently looked at with suspicious eyes and Microsoft has been accused of collecting personal data for nefarious purposes. Let it suffice to say that I am more suspicious of the critics than I am of Microsoft.
Cortana is installed by default in Windows 10, but it is an app that can be turned off, restricted, and/or deleted. Of course you lose functionality when you do that. Because it requires gathering personal information about it's users, there are settings that specifically give Cortana permission to search and track your personal activities on the Internet. This is exactly the same kind of agreement you must accept for any app. My personal opinion is that to realize the full capability of the Cortana app one should allow it to gather all the information it needs. Cortana is a service and the price you pay for that service is the exchange of personal data. Love it or hate it, that's the way apps work in 2015.
The Cortana app is smart enough to do whatever is required to work on your computer after you give it the go ahead. It will take a small amount of learning how to use your computer with voice controls, but mastering the technique is no more complicated than posting in a computer forum and getting something useful out of it.
Re: Windows 10 ... again
Another voice recognition program I used back when I was mostly using Windows was Dragon Point and Speak.
I started out with their early versions, which had a lot of problems, but worth building up your vocabulary with.
At first, I used it more for commands rather than transcribing what I said. I liked to keep both hands on the keyboard while typing, so the ability to give voice commands was the feature I liked best.
Naturally you have to teach it what your command means, such as Daffy Open Thesaurus, Daffy Open Index B, Daffy Scroll Down Speed Two, etc. Although I used the word Daffy here, I taught it to recognize just Daf. Daf Cursor Down, Stop, Up One Line. Daf Copy Three Sentences. Daf Return, Daf Paste. Then I could get back to my typing.
Newer versions have improved tremendously, but I moved on over to Linux to have less headaches, and they do not support Linux users.
I started out with their early versions, which had a lot of problems, but worth building up your vocabulary with.
At first, I used it more for commands rather than transcribing what I said. I liked to keep both hands on the keyboard while typing, so the ability to give voice commands was the feature I liked best.
Naturally you have to teach it what your command means, such as Daffy Open Thesaurus, Daffy Open Index B, Daffy Scroll Down Speed Two, etc. Although I used the word Daffy here, I taught it to recognize just Daf. Daf Cursor Down, Stop, Up One Line. Daf Copy Three Sentences. Daf Return, Daf Paste. Then I could get back to my typing.
Newer versions have improved tremendously, but I moved on over to Linux to have less headaches, and they do not support Linux users.