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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
Windows Update came roaring back today [Mar 7] after more than a month in a semi-comatose state, and the chute filled up quickly this morning. Windows Update seems to be working well -- even more reason to check your Win7 and 8.1 systems and make sure it's turned off
[...] More disconcerting are the re-re-releases of KB 2952664 (Win7) and KB 2976978 (Win8.1). As I explained last month, those two patches have, in the past, triggered a new Windows task called DoScheduledTelemetryRun.
Even proponents of installing all Win7 and 8.1 patches balk at those patches, which were born in the crucible of the Get Windows 10 (GWX) marched upgrade madness. The series was renumbered, with no explanation: KB 2852664 was renumbered from revision 25 on Oct. 4, 2016, to revision 12 today. Microsoft states:
This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update.
Yet it appears as if the scheduled task runs whether CEIP is enabled or not. If there's a reason for installing the patches, other than increased telemetry, I haven't heard about it.
(Score: 2) by zeigerpuppy on Saturday March 11 2017, @03:51AM (1 child)
Mint Debian edition is really good.
Debian has had plenty good driver support for ages.
I tried elementary OS, It's nice but not as polished as mint, and you'll need to configure some settings using config files.
Try to stick with popular hardware, especially graphics cards and read a few reviews before purchasing peripherals.
Most newer printers, for instance, support linux but occassionally drivers can require a bit of knowledge to install. I've had good experiences with mid range Lexmark and Brother Laser Printers.
You'll love linux after a bit of ititial frustration. Get onto forums and use your search engine, nearly all problems have already been encountered and linux forums (esp. Debian ones) udually provide sane advice.
(Score: 1) by terryk30 on Saturday March 11 2017, @05:53PM
...nearly all problems have already been encountered and linux forums... udually provide sane advice.
I'll underscore that by contrasting it to Windows problems: many of them have also been encountered, but it's seemed to me that for any given problem the advice on forums often varies significantly enough that I no longer have much confidence that any given solution will work, and due to the often sketchy explanations or discussion of what's really going on, it's hard (as a reasonably competent but non-guru of Windows) to even judge which ones are worth trying.
For those times I "have" to use Windows, it's gotten to the point where after a bit of googling I now trust my sense of when trying to solve a problem would be an hours-down-the-rabbithole waste of time, and just work around it instead (as just another annoyance).