Windows 7 vs. 10

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#1
FLAcct  
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I went to a tech update CPE seminar last week. The speaker said that tax preparers should all be using Windows 10 (as opposed to Windows 7) due to security issues. I had already planned on buying a new computer by the end of this year with Windows 10. In different posts that I have read on this forum, several tax preparers have complained about Windows 10. For anyone who doesn't like Windows 10, I would appreciate knowing what it is you don't like about Windows 10 versus Windows 7. Thanks!
 

#2
CathysTaxes  
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Well I have an older desktop. I started with 7 and got the free upgrade to 10. It works about the same for me.
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#3
Frankly  
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There have been a number of things I don't like about the new version. This applies to all new versions: 95 - 98- Vista - XP - 7- 8- 10, etc. Without exception, MS has removed useful features, redesigned menus, moved and jumbled things around, and added new features with value that eludes discovery. Note these are "changes" and not necessarily "improvements".

All this jumbling around requires unlearning current practices and learning the new scheme of things. Windows 10 is no exception - a bunch of stuff jumbled around and hard to find. Example, try looking for the backup function. We all know how important it is to backup. In W10 backup not to be found. Why? Because they have renamed "backup" as "file history".
 

#4
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I have been using Windows 10 with ProSeries, QB, Excel and all software I used on Windows 7 with out any problems.
 

#5
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I use UT & QB. I too have had no issues with switching from 7 to 10. In fact, there are a couple of small things about 10 I really like. The expanded features of the snipping tool are quite useful to me, mostly the print feature. Also, seeing items in the task bar (at the bottom of the screen) on both monitors. Infinitely helpful!
 

#6
makbo  
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I really like all the great background photos you get on the Win 10 login/lock screen.
 

#7
Frankly  
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Very nice pictures indeed. No way to turn it off, apparently.
 

#8
makbo  
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Frankly wrote:Very nice pictures indeed. No way to turn it off, apparently.


Yes there is. Settings -> Personalization -> Lock screen. You can control quite a bit about sign-in/lock screen display.

Now, I will admit that having both legacy Control Panel and the Settings app is a little confusing, but for the settings I use most commonly, it didn't take long for me to learn where they were.
 

#9
ATSMAN  
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I have an old laptop with Win 7 that did not qualify for the free upgrade to Win 10 because of incompatible hardware and the Anti Virus software does not like Win 7. I am constantly getting warnings and errors. I think folks who are still using Win 7 may be taking a risk with viruses and other malware because the protection software may be out of date!

I don't use that laptop for my business.
 

#10
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I made sure I purchased the “ Professional “ W10 as opposed to the “Home” , for the encryption feature ( Bit locker)
Do you pros think BitLocker is good idea for us or do we need other security encryption software ?
 

#11
ATSMAN  
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I am ok with BitLocker. I suppose you could pay for other industrial use encryption, but you will need to evaluate the risk and cost benefits.
 

#12
makbo  
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Gnfr_tax wrote:Do you pros think BitLocker is good idea for us or do we need other security encryption software ?


I think using BitLocker entitles you to state you took "reasonable" security precautions in the area of encryption -- provided you use it effectively.

I also use WinZip, because in addition to encrypting entire disk volumes on the fly, I also want to create various point-in-time encrypted archives of specific files or entire directory (folder) trees.
 

#13
Frankly  
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makbo wrote:Yes there is. Settings -> Personalization -> Lock screen. You can control quite a bit about sign-in/lock screen display.

You can fiddle with it but there's no way to turn it off.

Also can't figure out how to avoid the "sign-in" screen as well. Stand-alone machine, no other users, no network, no cloud thing, yet I have to "sign in".
 

#14
JR1  
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This, exactly: Without exception, MS has removed useful features, redesigned menus, moved and jumbled things around, and added new features with value that eludes discovery. Note these are "changes" and not necessarily "improvements".

All this jumbling around requires unlearning current practices and learning the new scheme of things. Windows 10 is no exception - a bunch of stuff jumbled around and hard to find. Example, try looking for the backup function. We all know how important it is to backup. In W10 backup not to be found. Why? Because they have renamed "backup" as "file history".
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#15
chris  
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Windows 7 goes end of support on Jan 14, 2020

This FUD about "security issues" is very overstated, and a lot of it comes from MSFT themselves because they want as many people moving to 10 as possible. So they can sell apps through the integrated app store, and serve up advertising. Not to mention all the "keylogger" level data MSFT can collect from you, on Win 10 - unless you take the steps to turn it off.
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#16
makbo  
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JR1 and Frankly wrote:moved and jumbled things around, and added new features with value that eludes discovery. Note these are "changes" and not necessarily "improvements".
All this jumbling around requires unlearning current practices and learning the new scheme of things.


Wait -- are we talking about Microsoft and Windows, or Congress and the tax code? :lol:
 

#17
makbo  
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FLAcct wrote:For anyone who doesn't like Windows 10, I would appreciate knowing what it is you don't like about Windows 10 versus Windows 7.

The main complaint seems to be that some user interfaces changed under Win 10, not that it is functionally any different from Win 7. I found the transition painless as apparently did other commenters in this thread, in fact my Lenovo notebook had a mysterious driver problem under Win 8.1 it came with, which was solved by Win 10 upgrade!

One big item no one mentioned, which also contradicts the claim that all the user interface changes were for no reason: Win 10 provides the ability to fully interact with the system using only fingerprint smudges on your screen, rather than keyboard and mouse. I've been told that the majority of adults in this country, if not worldwide, prefer to interact this way with their computing devices, even when the screen is only the size of a small index card. And Win 10 has an app store, which I also understand to be a highly popular way for folks to obtain new software.

Frankly wrote:This applies to all new versions: 95 - 98- Vista - XP - 7- 8- 10, etc. Without exception, MS has removed useful features, redesigned menus, moved and jumbled things around, and added new features with value that eludes discovery. Note these are "changes" and not necessarily "improvements".

I too have noticed that Google, Yahoo!, every one of dozens of financial institutions I deal with, and the IRS have all re-designed their web sites in the last few years, similarly removing useful features, re-designing menus, and so on. In fact about the only thing that's remained relatively stable even through annual updates is my tax software, and Quickbooks Desktop after a flurry of major changes settled down 3-4 years ago.
 

#18
Joanmcq  
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My husband updated all of his personal computers to Win 10, I made sure I found a computer offering Win 7 Pro when I needed a new one a year & a half ago.

Win 10 updates automatically and there is no way around it. In January, an update was incompatible with some of his hardware and the updates froze all of his computers. It took him a month to locate the issue and restore his systems, requiring multiple rollbacks, and reinstalls. His oldest laptop is now completely disconnected from the internet because if it updates, it won’t work. This is the only way to stop the updates.

Two weeks ago, the other 2 computers updated again and froze. Turns out the update didn’t like one of the components, I think it was the WiFi card. He had to remove the card to do the update and then pray it would boot once he reinstalled the card. He got lucky and it did. He’s active on computer forums and the update completely bricked other computers - dead.

Now he isn’t a computer expert but does like fiddling around with them and they’re personal computers. I don’t like fiddling around with computers and our main source of income is my business. I can’t see having an update brick my system in March. I’m sticking with Win 7 as long as I can.
 

#19
ATSMAN  
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These are the suggestions from PcWorld:

If you have a Professional, Enterprise, or Education edition of Windows 10, you can turn off automatic updates. But the option is hidden.

Press Win-R, type gpedit.msc, press Enter. This brings up the Local Group Policy Editor.
Navigate the left pane as if it were File Explorer, to
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update.
Find and double-click Configure Automatic Updates
Select group policy step 3
In the resulting dialog box, select Enabled.
In the Options box, pull down the Configure automatic updating menu and select your preferred option.
Select group policy step 4 and 5

The metered network trick

If you’ve got the plain old Home version of Windows 10, you can stop automatic updates by lying to your operating system.

It only works with a Wi-Fi network. Ethernet don't apply.

The trick is to tell Windows that you have a metered connection to the internet—one that can only download so many bits per month without increasing your ISP bill. To tell Windows that you have a metered connection (whether you do or not):

Select Start > Settings > Network & Internet.
The Wi-Fi tab should already be selected in the left pane. In the right, main pane, select Advanced options.
Turn on Metered connection.
Select metered

You should do this for any Wi-Fi network you visit. The setting is only for that particular network.

You have two ways to manually update: You can turn off the metered connection option. Or you can simply use another network, even one with ethernet.
 

#20
makbo  
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Joanmcq wrote:Win 10 updates automatically and there is no way around it.


That is not true, if you have Win 10 Pro, which should be the minimum for a business-use computer. It's not even hidden, you can go to settings and set the delay to 365 days. I have never had an update applied requiring a reboot, where I could not control when, in the three years I've been using Win 10.
 


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