Windows 10 feedback - Featuring Shaq and Andre The Giant

So this morning I got a pop up box on my PC that asked me to rate my Windows 10 experience. This was pretty easy since I'm not too fond of it. Afterwards, I'm asked to tell them why. The bad news for Windows was that the coffee had just kicked in. I sent the following as my reply:

Windows 10 is slightly better than the abomination that was Windows 8. But it still sucks.  You tried to cram the Windows 7 desktop back in, when your released Windows 8.1. Windows 10 feels like a slightly more polished version of 8.1. However, it still seems like a mishmash and rather patch work thing. It's sort of like a Honda Civic with a 10 inch lift, thirty inch rims, a sail and an anchor. You also seem to have put in an extra steering wheel but taken away the breaks.

Let me be more specific here. Why are there now two places for settings? What was originally in the control panel is now also available in the settings app. Why keep both? Does your research show that people are sentimental towards the control panel? It seems redundant to have two elements of the operating system controlling the same things. I personally still use the control panel, but only because of its familiarity. If it wasn't there I would probably just learn to use the settings app. I think most people are capable of that.. We've come to expect some re-education when you launch a new version. Are you hesitant to  force new features on us since we reacted so negatively to Windows 8's massive overhaul? It was like walking to your car only to find it replaced with one of those old-timey bicycles with one giant wheel. How the hell do I even get on this thing? We can adapt to new changes if they are not so ubiquitous.

Another really annoying change is that you've disabled the ability to uninstall certain bundled apps. I now have to use power shell or CCleaner. I'm not sure why you did that. I like having control of my device. If I don't want something installed then let me uninstall it. Just be sure to warn me of the implications if I uninstall critical apps like 3Dbuilder or Groove Player. I mean, how else can I possibly play an mp3?

And the really big pain in the ass?  Automatic updates. Do you think we are too stupid or lazy to get these ourselves? I know that not updating puts us at risk, but having them automatic can be seriously inconvienent. They also frequently fail. I hate being forced to stare at the “getting windows ready” screen for thirty minutes, only to reboot and wait another 10 minutes for Windows to undo the failed updates. Boot, crash, repeat, It took 3 tries for the KB3194496 cumulative update to successfully install on my laptop.

Yes, I can choose hours not to reboot for updates by setting "active hours". However, Windows 10 has limited the amount of active hours to 12. 12 active hours? Really? Like a lot of people, I work and play on my PC. It's pretty much only inactive when I'm sleeping, eating or in the bathroom. Sometimes I even neglect a few of those duties. Who are you to tell me how many hours of the day my computer can be active? So, I can sort of choose when to reboot, but if my computer happens to turn off for any other reason, I'm stuck going through the updates. It's 4:30am, I just want to drink coffee and play Fallout 4. I don't want to freaking update right now. If I get hacked or lose data or God forbid- Groove Player stops working- that's fine. It's on me. Give me my control back.

Maybe I am just power hungry, but my yearning for control of my own computer doesn't stop there. I also want to choose when I download updates. No, I don't have a bandwidth cap or metered connection. I would just like a say in when and what comes through my own modem. I live in the country. I don't have cable and my local dsl provider sucks. Trying to stream Netflix and downloading updates simultaneously is like Shaq and Andre the giant crossing the Antlantic in a row boat. Don't ask me why Shaq and Andre the giant.

There are ways to disable or choose when windows downloads updates through group policy or metered connection settings. But should I really have to drill down into gpedit or set my wifi connection to metered to do this? Both of these methods are basically work arounds since you took that control away from us. Please, please, please let me control this. For the love of God, they've got Twin Peaks on Hulu right now.

Ok, so maybe I've been a little harsh, there are some good things about Windows 10... I mean there has to be something... Cortana? Ugh... bundled bloatware? no... Groove player? nope...

Well overall, and this is entirely subjective, it seems to run a lot smoother than 8 or 8.1. It's got its problems, but I would say that it's a walk in the park compared to those two. So, I guess the best thing I can say about Windows 10 is that it's not Windows 8. Sorry, I'm really trying here. I'm definitely still a Windows guy. I'll keep shelling out money to Microsoft every few years, so I guess really the jokes on me.