While the April 2018 update barely made it out before May, Microsoft has published the Windows 10 October 2018 update on just October 2nd. From an aesthetics standpoint, this release looks quite like the last one, although Dark Mode has expanded a little further and now overtakes the file explorer. That’s one of the last places that I can think of.
In terms of actual features, however, the big one will probably be improved support for NVIDIA RTX and DirectX 12 Raytracing. It’s not clear to me what exactly the new OS brings to the table in that regard. I know that it was hidden behind an experimental flag in the April 2018 update, but the actual difference is a bit muddled. I heard one developer claim that NVIDIA RTX could not be toggled on and off until the October 2018 update, but I’ve also heard people claim to do that on the April 2018 update. So… I dunno.
Regardless, it’s here now, and that’s probably sooner than your 2080 Ti.
One area that Microsoft is focusing on is their new Game Bar update. Apparently, at least if you use the Game Bar, Windows Update will delay updating and rebooting during your play sessions. It would be nice to have more direct control, rather than giving us an app that can indirectly influence how our PC receives updates, but it’s still a good tip none-the-less. I can also see where they are coming from, regarding how infrequently people updated previous versions of Windows.
Another benefit of the Game Bar update is that the audio controls can now be accessed in game. This was one area that kind-of annoyed me in the past, which is finally being addressed. There has been a few times (not many but a few) that I wanted to change output cards but I physically couldn’t reach the control because a game is fullscreen atop it. It’s extra annoying if that game is one of those games that hates to be minimized under the penalty of crash-to-desktop. I’ve needed to shutdown and restart games before just to change the sound device. Now? It’s in the Game Bar, as well as per-application volume controls and so forth.
So if you want the Windows 10 October 2018 update, and you’re on Windows 10 of course, then you can go to Windows Update and check for updates. If not? Well, it’ll come to you soon enough anyway.
Things have improved* with
Things have improved* with switching audio devices with features Windows never officially had built in, and switching audio devices while running a game might work in more games, I’m not sure that it’ll always work in every game.
That being said, the differences in what you can access by either left-clicking or right-clicking the speaker in the Taskbar can still be confusing, and the new locations that Windows 10 has for Sound device settings that have been in development for a long time are still missing major things from the old Sound settings, still accessible if you search for the Control Panel through the Start menu.
For example – for surround sound setups, the new dropdown for speaker configuration includes 5.1. However, it seems to only have 5.1 with side speakers, and not the 5.1 with rear speakers configuration. You will have to go into the old Sound device window and Configure Speakers to do that one.
Another example – You still can’t change the Audio Quality of a device from the new Settings menus. You have to go to the old Advanced settings of your Sound device and select the format from there, which can often get reset by a Windows update and/or a driver update/installation.
More Redmond Cluster-F and
More Redmond Cluster-F and more security/other settings eternal Whack-A-Mole and more more Moles running around spying on each and every thing that you do.
Things can only get worse from here on out until windows 7 goes EOL and the Lords of Redmond will have their way with all the Windows 10 Peasantry.
Enjoy Your Eternal BETA existence Pesants of Redmond for ye will all be under the new form of serfdom.
BaHAHa I read that in Rick
BaHAHa I read that in Rick Sanchez’s voice from Rick and Morty.
What’s that Morty, You
What’s that Morty, You Installed Windows 10 on my Time Machine, WTF Morty W T F!
Oh F–K now the Time Machine, It’s doing IT on its own, and I Can’t F-ing Stop It, MORTY! OMFG Morty we’re getting sent back in time, but to where and when! Oh F-ing F–K Morty never click F-ing Yes to that install 10 popup, or even hit that red X, that’s F-ing useless, Morty!
OMFG, MORTY we’re being sent back in time to Birth of Bill Gates! OMFG! OMGDFG Morty, we’re in the delivery room –and I can see a head crowning! Oh the F-ing Horror, Morty, Look at What you’ve done. It’s alive Morty, OMFG, its alive and it’s going to Oh F—K!
Cover me Morty, while I try and Purge 10 from the damn thing via interdimensional remote internet access! Next Stop Morty! The next stop is coming through to the remote pad. Watch out for that Placenta, Morty! Oh that really looks alien that Placenta!
OMG WTF, Morty it gets worse than this Morty! F-ing Prepare yourself Morty, cover your eyes with your underwear! Yes Morty I realise that you’ve got hash marks Morty!
But Morty you’re going to have a lot more than hash marks in your underwear, Morty, because the next stop is Ballmer—-[Klaxon going off, Klaxon going off, Klaxons going off]
“So if you want the Windows
“So if you want the Windows 10 October 2018 update, and you’re on Windows 10 of course, then you can go to Windows Update and check for updates. If not? Well, it’ll come to you soon enough anyway.”
Or you can use the updater tool: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/3159635/windows-10-update-assistant
The downside is that, like with all the minor updates, Microsoft skips deploying them to systems that have known issues with that update. By forcing it if you happen to have an incompatible setup (e.g. some piece of legacy hardware the manufacturer hasn’t bothered to update drivers for) you may run into issues.
Legacy Hardware and there are
Legacy Hardware and there are millions of PCs/Laptops that have Legacy hardware and even after 2020 there will still be millions that probably can not take Windows 10.
Laptop OEM’s are not really known for even current system’s graphics driver support even for any OEM Laptops that shipped with windows 10 factory installed.
So now some owners will have to update their hardware in order to get devices with the proper Windows 10 driver/OS support or they will be forced to maybe try some Linux Distro.
M$ knows very well that its Desktop OS days are numbered, by M$’s own design. The Folks in Redmond have looked at Apple’s closed ecosystem Mostly Phone/Tablet oriented OS/App iOS ecosystem and Apple’s high billions, now trillion+, dollar market cap and have decided years ago(Windows 8/TIFKAM) that that’s the way M$ is going. That’s why M$ labeled themselves a devices and services company years ago around the time Windows 8/TIFKAM was forced onto M$’s OS end users.
If you want a PC with the Person that owns the Personal Computer in full control then you will have to begin the transition to a Linux Kernel based OS distro or just switch to using a Phone or Tablet OS, because that’s what windows 10 will become mostly after 2020-2023 when the last of the Desktop OS’s from Redmond are EOL.
Any OEMs would rather you have to purchase new hardware at your own expense in order to get OEM made PC/Laptop support for the latest OS/Driver support on any device.
The PC will never be dead but the PC’s OS has been in a mortal state of decline, by design, ever since Windows 8 entered the market with that TIFKAM UI that’s still there for windows 10, alongside UWP/other APP oriented OS Shells/Environments that will be replacing the desktop with an actual Phone/Taplet non desktop OS/App ecosystem after 2020.
For any folks that want a Desktop OS well that’s in the cloud and for a fee and that’s what windows 10 will be, take it or leave it. You’ll get Windows S(S–T Mode) after 2020 if you do not pay your monthly subscription fees for you Desktop on Redmond’s Cloud service model that will become your only choice after 2020-2023. And Redmond’s Cloud can run atop Linux on the bare metal also. So enjoy your Azure days on Sat-Nads Cloud Desktop Services business model becaues you will have to pay to play or get the Windows S(Mode) treatment on your PC/Laptop with very little usefull OS/Application functionality provided.
It’s Time to begin to learn how to use a Full Linux OS distro or just go with the flow and become the product.
And you where foolish enough to believe that you where cutting the Cable Box out of the equatiion, but that new equation is turning your very PCs/Laptops into that very same Cable Box busines model!
Enjoy your new PC and Laptop Cable Box Existence Folks, monthly subscription fees required!
Another shit update for a
Another shit update for a shit OS. How shitty.
I was most excited for the
I was most excited for the dark explorer theme in this update, at last 1 less retina burn after so many years. The design is tremendously ugly though, why can’t they take some cues from adobe programs or some beautiful mock-ups from around the web?
Also I need to ask: How difficult is to keep color consistency throughout the OS? Is it that hard to make all other windows and right click menus dark as well?
I wish a developer would explain what kind of work is needed to fix these seemingly easy stuff.