More Windows 10 development highlights from BUILD 2015

[HEXUS]

Classic Win32 apps come to the store, Android and iOS easy app porting, and more.

Read more.

[Saracen]

Well, Windows 10 still has some big, unanswered questions as far as I'm concerned.

First, can Cortana be truly, thoroughly and utterly disabled?

Second, is it snooping in MY data and uploading to the cloud in ANY other way? If it is, MS can stick it.

Third, are local accounts still available, because I DO NOT want an MS account?

Fourth, can I completely disable ALL cloud uploading/integration?

Because otherwise, "free" or not, I ain't interested. Not even if they pay me to use it.

And as for

Microsoft also aims to make Windows app monetisation easier, add video adverts and IAP subscription options and carrier billing options.

.... oh, do they?

I'm happy to pay for software, be it apps or traditional packages, that are useful, and work well. I'm NOT using apps with video adverts in them. And if those apps were 'targetted' then .... how? Data nosy little Cortana has sniffed out?

I'm not making any decision on W10 until these things become much clearer, one way or the other, but I'm not liking the mood music from MS. Not one little bit. Only time will tell quite how W10 handles these things, but ....

If MS are going where I suspect they are, then they can shove Win10 right where the sun don't shine, and push it firmly there with a broom handle.

[EverybodyelsE]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

GIVE US A VANILLA WINDOWS 10! No Cortana, no bloatware, no MS account. Let us decide if we want to install these features if and when we need them. If Microsoft did this then everyone would be happy to upgrade and pay for it.

[Corky34]

My guess, going on past version of Windows, is that you'll probably be able to turn off some features like Cortina and One Drive or just not use them, but I highly doubt they can be removed.

Personally i would love to see a more modular version of Windows that had the ability to remove unneeded/unwanted features, sadly I don't think the code base could be unpicked or that Microsoft even considers that not everyone may want such great features.

[LSG501]

I hate adverts with a passion and it's bad enough getting the 'image' adverts in windows 8 apps but if I start getting video adverts the app will be uninstalled and rated 0.

I'd rather pay a small price for a decent app (I'm sorry but most apps are not fully featured programs so don't warrant the same price) and do without the adverts.

[Saracen]

A vanilla or modular Windows would indeed be nice. I've favoured that for, oh, since before HEXUS started, at least. One example was not having things like defraggers, AV software, firewalls, etc built-in as standard because I used full-blown standalone versions of such tools, so they should be deselectable, on install.

But for things like Cortana, cloud integration, etc, an acceptable (to me) minimum is for them to be absolutely, incontrovertibly and easily turned off. Better yet, off by default and enabled by those that want them, but at a minimum, easy to completely disable.

I want to be sure, certain beyond doubt, that such features absolutely ARE NOT passing data about me, my files, browsing habits, let alone voice samples, back to MS without my specific, knowing and explicit consent .... which won't be forthcoming.

And absent that certainty, a red line has been crossed and I won't be using Win10. And that, to be honest, is where I expect to end up .... little absolute clarity or certainty of control.

[Saracen]

I hate adverts with a passion and it's bad enough getting the 'image' adverts in windows 8 apps but if I start getting video adverts the app will be uninstalled and rated 0.

I'd rather pay a small price for a decent app (I'm sorry but most apps are not fully featured programs so don't warrant the same price) and do without the adverts.

Absolutely. 100% agree.

[Shordes]

I would also like a vanilla Windows 10.

Though I'm not sure I would upgrade straight away since I'm loving 8.1 and pro audio software support will probably be awful the first few weeks/months.

[shaithis]

Microsoft have a good track record with catching up when they fall behind.

It looks to me like they are throwing everything at the mobile sector now and I am starting to believe that I may need to look at Windows when I look for my next phone......

[Saracen]

Microsoft have a good track record with catching up when they fall behind.

It looks to me like they are throwing everything at the mobile sector now and I am starting to believe that I may need to look at Windows when I look for my next phone......

It's what they're catching up with (Google??) that worries me.

[crossy]

It looks to me like they are throwing everything at the mobile sector now and I am starting to believe that I may need to look at Windows when I look for my next phone......

My missus (luddite) is a firm fan of Windows Phone on her Lumia620 - even offered her a nice new Android Samsung the other day and was told to "beggar off". She's also a fan of her (Nokia too) WindowsRT tablet. In both cases because they do what she wants and don't leave her hanging around. Although the RT's been giving issues with some websites - maybe needs a newer browser?

Video ads in apps - hate them! I refuse - on principle - to buy anything advertised in a video ad.

Cortana isn't going to do a lot for me since I refuse to have a microphone hooked up to my desktop PC.

Cloud stuff I'm okay with (it's convenient) as long as I've got 100% control over what's placed in the cloud, but cloud/roaming accounts are a no-no. I loathe the overhead and I've only got one Windows box so where the eff is it going to roam to? Okay, I've got accounts on the kid's PC's but that's only so I can login to do sysadmin work.

Actually guys (and gals?) I'm pretty sure that we aren't the only naysayers for Redmond's "bright new future", so even if they (MS) don't allow mere users to deCortana etc, then I'm sure someone will figure out what registry entries need to be poked to terminate her (and the other net nasties) with full prejudice.

The other thing about Windows10 I'd like is some way to control where user accounts and apps are placed for a fresh install. At the moment I've got a C, D and E drive for OS, apps and user respectively - and I'd like to continue that going forward (especially as I can't afford a 2TB SSD, which would be needed if everything goes onto C

[LSG501]

I still say they will need to be able to uninstall/disable cortana for businesses, I work with plenty of nda's and I can see it now many other businesses in the same situation kicking up a stink if it's not, it's too much of a security risk if it's scanning the pc/staff all the time, not to mention pc overheads.

[Otherhand]

.

In Belfiore's BUILD demo, he showed the lock screen of Windows 10 making 2-3 spot notifications across the image (very small, easily to ignore, and skipped completely just by clicking the mouse to go through to the password login).

His example showed that these notifications might give you the opportunity to hover and reach more information about the geographic location in the photo. The next used an abstract graphic related to Cortana, which he explained was appearing because the PC did not have Cortana installed. The notification offered more info about Cortana, and the invitation to install and run Cortana if the user so chooses.

The third notification, always present, is a sort of "not interested/don't show me this" kind of thing.

So, if all of this is correct:

- No enforced Cortana
- Cortana remains optional
- Nags are easily avoidable

I got the impression the video ads were inside tiles in the Store itself, rather than in apps, but I could be wrong.

[Otherhand]

Microsoft have a good track record with catching up when they fall behind.

It looks to me like they are throwing everything at the mobile sector now and I am starting to believe that I may need to look at Windows when I look for my next phone......

I've been testing Windows 10 on my phone. It's very wobbly right now, and already looking better to me than 8.1 on phones, but it's apparently about to change dramatically.

Take a look at this and see what you think:
http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwin...balance-right/

Me, I couldn't be happier. It looks so good now, and it's great to see MS adopting serious clean design like they are now.

[Corky34]

Cortana isn't going to do a lot for me since I refuse to have a microphone hooked up to my desktop PC.

I'm more worried I'll be carted of in a straight jacket for talking to my PC.
I already feel a right charlie when i mistakenly think someone talking on a blue tooth earpiece is talking to me, it's going to a nightmare in an office environment with everyone talking to their PC.

[GuidoLS]

Well, Windows 10 still has some big, unanswered questions as far as I'm concerned.

First, can Cortana be truly, thoroughly and utterly disabled?

So far, yes. It's either on or off.

Second, is it snooping in MY data and uploading to the cloud in ANY other way? If it is, MS can stick it.

Cart before the horse - second question should be fourth, and vice-versa. If you disable cloud services (like Cortana, it's on or off), then nothing goes out to the cloud. If you enable cloud services, AND you have an MS account, your settings, at minimum, will be saved, and usable across multiple devices (things like themes, backgrounds, and highly encrypted wi-fi passwords if you use them - so far).

Third, are local accounts still available, because I DO NOT want an MS account?

I haven't tried on the latest build, as I did a direct upgrade, but as of 10049, the option was there, although I did not make any attempt to set up a local only account. I will confirm, 100%, that if you have set up an MS account, you are NOT required to be connected to the net, although you will still be required to know and use your credentials (username and password). And again, that removes any need (or connection) to the cloud.

Fourth, can I completely disable ALL cloud uploading/integration?

Answered and expanded upon under number two, but yes.

Because otherwise, "free" or not, I ain't interested. Not even if they pay me to use it.

And as for .... oh, do they?

I'm happy to pay for software, be it apps or traditional packages, that are useful, and work well. I'm NOT using apps with video adverts in them. And if those apps were 'targetted' then .... how? Data nosy little Cortana has sniffed out?

The vast majority of the apps I've seen in the 'store' are the same type of stuff that are in the Android Market and Apple Stall and Amazon, etc. Pretty much take them or leave them. The little bit of advertising was more along the lines of 'visit our website, and see our cool stuff'. The advertising in the games (which are, again, typical APP type games) have been pretty exclusively RMT stuff. Buy this level, buy that character type of crap. In my case, that pretty much results in instant removal, but some people seemed to enjoy getting ripped off by Dungeon Master 2, amongst others.

I have yet to use any kind of productivity app that has had advertising in-app. To expand on the come to our website statement above, that has only shown up when closing a program, and not in it. My selection has been self-limited to only free stuff, and things that are similar to products I already use, but might possibly be more modern (still looking for a decent Shoutcast Radio program, still using WinAMP.) Everything else has been BYO, and I've not had a single program that loaded and ran properly on Windows 7 fail to load and run properly on Win10. That includes multiple games, Office 2007, LibreOffice, MSI Afterburner, CCleaner, Malwarebytes, etc.

I've found a way to re-activate the game explorer, although that may get broken later, so hesitant to share that one. So far, the only major disappointment is the lack of Media Center. I know there were people that didn't care for it, or just liked to hate on it because it was a Windows product, but it did one thing very well - I was able to plug in my Happague USB TV stick, the drivers auto-loaded, and Media Center prompted me for my Zip code, downloaded the local OTA TV schedule, and acted, quite nicely, as an HDTV.

I'm not making any decision on W10 until these things become much clearer, one way or the other, but I'm not liking the mood music from MS. Not one little bit. Only time will tell quite how W10 handles these things, but ....

If MS are going where I suspect they are, then they can shove Win10 right where the sun don't shine, and push it firmly there with a broom handle.