Primarily, XP Pro...However, I am trying to set up my new Windows 10 laptop, carefully! I want to do it right, with my security, not too many [security] programs, this time around.
It makes sense to upgrade before the end of the month to be eligable for the free upgrade. If you decide you don't like Windows 10, you can rollback to previous version of Windows. Then, if you decide to try Windows 10 again in the future, you won't have to buy a license, and Windows 10 will activate once installed without you having to buy a license.
Win 8.1 for the desktop because I found the internals much better than 7, Win 8.1. for the laptop because that's what came with the machine. Both are patched to avoid Win 10 upgrades.
Same over here, it's a pretty good OS, very stable. And with a few tweaks it works exactly the same as Win XP. The only error that M$ made was removing the Start Menu, but that is easily fixed with Classic Shell. In Win 10 there is too much telemetry stuff going on, so I will try to avoid it as long as possible. Plus it's hardly an improvement over Win 8, from what I've read.
MS should not insist in trying to upgrade machines to Win 10, notifying users every now and then about the possibility would be enough. Personally I have to say that after almost 3 weeks of use, I prefer Win 10 to 8.1 and 8. Some people say that Win 10 is still work in progress, which is another reason to upgrade before the offer expires to secure the digital hardware entitlement and then roll back to your original OS. When Win 10 is mature you can still use your free key to install it if you deem the time is right.
This is a security forum foremost. Also, I believe the privacy concerns regarding Windows 10 are greatly overblown. Thirdly, in my opnion Windows 10 is the best operating system Microsoft has ever released. Since they are giving it away, I saw no good reason to stick with Windows 7 or 8.1.
Maybe I had bad luck, but I'm on my 3rd Windows 10 reinstall right now: 1 reset as soon as I upgraded to beta (cause yeah, it wasn't the most pleasant experience if I remember correctly) 1 complete reinstall after new SSD (previously survived a major iTunes bug by manually removing that POS, but way too many minor bugs to bother listing) 1 reset not even a half year later due to my July bork problems (suspect it's related to recent Windows 10 Education upgrade from Home)...
when I read this I said no thanks............. "Finally, we will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary" France sees an issue. http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/21/12246266/france-microsoft-privacy-windows-10-cnil
It obviously makes one feel anxious reading about the problem of privacy being online nowadays, this has been a long debated topic with Google checking the contents of emails for promotional reasons, and I believe MS is moving in the same direction. I like to think that it is about advertising, however after the NSA scandal and the freedom to investigate any individual under the patriot act, the concept of privacy should be redefined. Encryption of documents and emails is the only way to protect data that is deemed sensitive.
I watched a video by mrizos about "Making Windows 10 Run Blazingly Fast". Among the suggestions proffered is "Step 2 - Turning off Windows 10 Data Collection" not only it frees cpu resources but it makes the OS more private in relation to MS data collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V_ZSi9BeEA (he talks about it at 4:30 minutes)
i gave up on 7 - too many update issues so i've 'upgraded' x3 to Win10. I think Google, MS, etc... are shooting themselves in the foot with respect to privacy rights. I expect regulators will be forced to reign them in soon.
Just wondering...am I the only one who is pretty fine with using Win7, Win8.1 and Win10? I mean there are certain things with each that annoys me but nothing drastic to pull me away from using any one of them.
How come people use Internet and smartphones... You want privacy ? go live in a jungle , even there not sure you will get it , spying satellites and monkeys are watching you /s
No, I like all three operating systems (as long as a Start Menu replacement is used in Windows 8.1). I prefer Windows 10, but all are good in my opinion. I hate OS X, and prefer Windows to Linux.