The era of forced Windows Update for Windows 10 users is coming to an end. In a surprise move by Microsoft today it was announced that – at least for feature updates – users will be given an "update available" notification, allowing some choice as to when such an update is actually installed.
"In previous Windows 10 feature update rollouts, the update installation was automatically initiated on a device once our data gave us confidence that device would have a great update experience. Beginning with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, users will be more in control of initiating the feature OS update. We will provide notification that an update is available and recommended based on our data, but it will be largely up to the user to initiate when the update occurs."
In a post entitled "Improving the Windows 10 update experience with control, quality and transparency" by Mike Fortin (Corporate VP, Windows), Microsoft's stance on the update process seems to have shifted at least partially back to the Windows 8.1 (and prior) era, wherein users actually had the option of when to download and install the updates of their choice. While not going quite that far the post does state that "all customers will now have the ability to explicitly choose if they want to update their device when they 'check for updates' or to pause updates for up to 35 days". The exception will be devices nearing end of service, at which point "Windows update will continue to automatically initiate a feature update".
The full post from Microsoft is available at the source link.
But how long will this last?
But how long will this last? I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest this is only temporary. They will get impatient again around the time the follow up feature update gets released.
They really need to get WU working much better. I often have to force check for iatch Tuesday updates on Friday as WU hasn’t gotten around to downloading them yet. The avg user isn’t checking and doesn’t care so eventually Microsoft will have to automate it again. It’s just the inevitable cost of keeping the ecosystem secure.
I’d have no problem if they
I’d have no problem if they left the current behavior as default and allowed power users to disable or defer updates if they want to. This is what they should’ve done from the beginning, regular users don’t change default settings, and power users wouldn’t be angry about it.
The last two sentences…
The
The last two sentences…
The Soup de Jour is complaining that Microsofts current update scheme is broken due to it’s automatic nature. So they’re removing it. In a few fiscal quarters, everyone will be complaining about how its broken because users don’t update independently, and thus should be made automatic.
It’ll last as long as the “it shouldn’t be automatic” complaints out number the “we’re too insecure, it should be automatic” ones..
I hope this is an earnest attempt to cater to their core base, and not a small, but vocal, and often times naive, subset of users.
La soupe de jour aujourd’hui
La soupe de jour aujourd'hui est biere.
Windows 10 is an eternal BETA
Windows 10 is an eternal BETA moving target with more WDDM updates applied than the entire previous generation of Windows OSs combined.
So say you purchase a laptop well that laptop’s OEM has to vett/certify the laptops Software/Drivers for the current iteration of the Windows 10 OS only. But because Windows 10 is such a continuously moving target well that vetting/certification process is made obsolete sooner rather than after a few years as was the case with the eariler Windows OSs.
Laptop OEMs are not very well known for service after the sale and on OEM(All laptops are OEM) laptops it’s not possible to update the diecrete mobile GPUs on most laptops like on Desktop PCs. That constant Windows 10 Update Cycle/Beta State breaks things more often than on the older Windows OS versions that had 5+ years of OS stability. And that’s the problem with Windows 10 and that constant fixing of what was not broken, that actually broke things more.
All manner of Forcing needs to stop so the devices owners can take care of their specific PC/Laptop SKU’s needs! So the ability to defer any updates/patches needs to be reinstated, and for longer than 35 days. Some Laptop Owners need to keep some updates delayed until the Laptop’s OEM provides a fix because that’s mostly going to take longer than only 35 days to resolve.
There really needs to be some consumer Long Term Servicing Branch of Windows 10 where things stay the same for at least for 5+ years and end ueers can get a more stable OS that does not render their PC/Laptops Vetting/Certification state obsolete so soon after the devices are purchased.
STILL NOT FULL CONTROL *YAWN*
STILL NOT FULL CONTROL *YAWN*
Windows 10 is forever early
Windows 10 is forever early access.
35 days? Oh how generous
35 days? Oh how generous /sarcasm