So Windows 10 is out and I really like it so far. I’ve taken a few notes to help you on your journey. I’ll post more as I learn more.
1. You can defer upgrades and change how updates are installed to schedule a restart.
I’ve read multiple articles with the author complaining about updates being forced… This is not entirely the case.
To change the settings look under Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update – > Advanced Options. (Super easy). Change the selection for “Choose how updates are installed” to “Notify to schedule restart“.
Going forward Windows will be ask to schedule the next reboot instead of it happening automatically. This sounds very similar to Windows 7 and Server 2008 behavior.
2. Privacy – You should review these settings
Review your privacy settings because the default settings can send send a lot of information!
For example, Under Feedback & diagnostics take a look at Diagnotics and usage data. By default this is set to send a Full report. You can change this to Basic or Enhanced.
3. Speech, inking, & typing – if you read the description here it might raise hairs on your neck. My computer is going to listen to me and learn my writing?
If you aren’t cool with that turn it off. Sure sounds like what they are saying is statistics about me is going to the cloud to get analyzed for my own personal happy assistant. On the other my little digital assistant will eventually know me better than myself right?
4. You can send documents to different devices under Settings -> Storage
So say your C: drive is low on space you can set video’s to that extra drive while keeping pictures on your c: drive. Pretty cool feature.
5. Make text bigger (my favorite).
Scaling is much improved. Just go to Settings -> Display and you can just move the slider to the size you want your text to be. This is great for those of us with tired eyes and bad vision.
6. Sync Settings (are you sure???)
A really convenient feature introduced in Windows 8 and still going strong in Windows 10 is sync settings under Settings -> Accounts -> Sync your settings. It will sync your preferences, Windows settings, browser preferences and passwords.
@#@!#$%, what?, I’m hesitant to replicate what I do at home on another computer. Call me paranoid, but really, I’m not paranoid…I’m just informed. If you value your privacy then keep your settings, preferences and what you do on that PC at the PC and don’t sync them. The same goes for Chrome. If you log in to your browser you activity is going with you!
7. My Computer shows Recent files
I noticed was the replacement to My Computer shows Recent files you accessed automatically. This is really helpful to a user trying to remember the last few documents the had open before gorging at lunch and accidentally closing every program they had open when they got back to their desk after lunch.
For instigators it’s even more helpful. Sure, Recent files aren’t new but these MRU’s (most recent used) will be gold mines.