Win 7 or Win 10

[JimboUK]

 

Microsoft added the data mining to Windows 7 so you're not in the clear with that.

The major difference is in that "added" part. Win 7's data mining can be easily avoided by steering clear of a few MS updates:

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/30/windows-10-spying-on-windows-7-and-windows-8/#6da613121f69

 

BTW note the hosting site for this page. :smile:

 

As long as a choice is still available I'll continue using Win 7.

 

 

And Windows 10's can be avoided with the right settings and a correctly configured firewall, and let's be honest, anyone worried about their privacy shouldn't be using Windows at all, a Mac is a better option, yeah Apple collect data but they're more fussy about who they give it to. I liked Windows 7 but I don't think it's a good idea to be installing what is now an operating system that no longer has mainstream support and will have to be replaced in a few years anyway, also the OP is talking about gaming and 7 doesn't even support the latest Direct X. Holding onto 7 is understandable but not buying it new now, that's a waste of money.

[TheMastersSon]

Waste of money is a subjective opinion. Make a list of your current games and tell us how many of them require the latest DirectX, or Win 10. It makes sense if the goal is future-proofing a new system, but we're still waiting for our first instance of being limited in our game choices by Win 7. Even VR.

[iXenite]

Waste of money is a subjective opinion. Make a list of your current games and tell us how many of them require the latest DirectX, or Win 10. It makes sense if the goal is future-proofing a new system, but we're still waiting for our first instance of being limited in our game choices by Win 7. Even VR.

 

It's really silly in my opinion to buy a Windows 7 license for gaming in 2017. Once DX12 becomes more mainstream, and it will much sooner than later, you'll be left behind. By next year we will very likely be seeing true DX12 titles - which will make older versions of Windows obsolete for gaming.

[BinakAlgo]

People, the important thing here is how to make the patch work in MO

[Fkemman11]

OneDrive is pissing me off right now with windows 10. Somehow when I upgraded to the 1 terabyte limit it change permissions on my files and I can't find a way to fix it. 3 calls to microsoft and many visits to their site and none of them can give me a solution that works! I understand that some of this may be due to my ignorance but they do not make things crystal clear either. Also there have been bugs reported about OneDrive in the past.

[sunshinenbrick]

As far as I can see the way MS are approaching things is making the higher parts of their shell and environment somewhat more 'open source', hence it should be the last Windows 'release'. The price is we are all now kinda outsourced employees of MS and it is more a case of 'the community will figure it out'. This only goes so far of course and everything is being recorded of course so good luck stealing too many of your own ideas! :laugh:

 

Not sure how I feel about it. Pros and cons. I am an avid gamer and so Windows has always been the go to. But depending where they take things with their obsession with bringing consoles and PC closer together then I am definitely eyeing other horizons including Linux/Mac and the Web for productivity and possibly SteamOS and maybe even Mac or Android depending on whether they perhaps react differently and steal a little ground.

 

Would prefer not to as I know my way round Windows a heck of a lot more than Linux and for gaming it is just nice to have things work. But then I am not often into blockbuster games and there are some poor offerings as of late - sometimes even broken or riddled with micro-transactions. So yeah I suppose we shall have to see and it could be quite exciting.

 

As per the OP question. I would perhaps suggest 10 in your situation as you seem keen to kinda get on with things and Win 7 will possibly be more immediate hassle as the official support is less. But then 7 is older and given what I said above, the community is usually much more useful in most cases. The privacy thing is a drop in the bucket at this point as the s*** as totally hit the fan in that regard and well look at the snooper charter and SESTA to see that things start to pale into comparison.

 

Having said that, DO NOT expect to be problem free on Windows 10 either. Graphics wise there is a list of disputes mostly revolving around who is charge between MS, Intel and Nvdia (I would imagine AMD are not any different but don't have a card). Everything from games simply not working to vsync, full screen, and countless other issues including huge problems with Optimus support on laptops.

 

For example I personally don't update Nvidia drivers past 350.12 (especially on laptops) and then use a directx.dll patcher because unless the game requires DX12 then I have noticed some severe performance issues and other anomalies in various games on anything since that. The Creators (a simple coincidence?) Update was particularly troublesome.

 

So yeah either way there is gonna be somethings to work out and get used to, but fortunately there is usually a very helpful and busy community out there, whatever OS or system you choose, who are normally quite friendly and willing to help along the way. In any case it is a learning and evolving environment to be in.

 

Sorry to ramble but an interesting topic... :smile:

[Numbnumb]

I have used both. I loved Win7, it was great! But I converted to Win10 and if I said there were no rocky moments I would be lying. But after the automatic( if you choose) fixes and upgrades from Microsoft it is running just great.

[iXenite]

For example I personally don't update Nvidia drivers past 350.12 (especially on laptops) and then use a directx.dll patcher because unless the game requires DX12 then I have noticed some severe performance issues and other anomalies in various games on anything since that. The Creators (a simple coincidence?) Update was particularly troublesome.

 

Could you explain why? I'm especially interested in the laptops part (and exactly what types of Nvidia laptop GPU's are we talking about).

[TheMastersSon]

I agree with a lot of sunshinebrick's comments. IMO we're either at or very close to the nadir for Windows development right now, and Windows 10 simply reflects a company that has enjoyed both a 90+% lock on the world's desktops, and legal rights to maintain their essential monopoly for at least one decade and possibly closer to two. Just like Google and web searches, Facebook and social media etc etc. The topic has been discussed in other threads on this site, so I won't revisit it any further than to say imo it's the exact same evolution cycle that every new technology has gone through, from radio communication to our landline telephone network. Invariably a few companies find themselves in de facto monopoly control of the new technology, the companies involved can do nothing other than continuously push the profit boundaries and potentials of their control, until it becomes abusive and the technology is either lost as a useful communication tool (as in commercial radio), or regulated and protected. In over a century nobody has ever found a third alternative, and it's why the Communications Act of 1934 was written and passed. The Title II protections bestowed by the FCC on internet traffic a few years ago are critical long-term: they're the same ones that protect our phone traffic. These regulations are the singular reason we're not required to e.g. listen to commercials before getting a dial tone on our phones etc. But the maturation process of a new technology takes time and short-term, at least for the next few years we must suffer through this seemingly infinite greed from everyone involved in online communication.

 

Expecting any company to act against its own best interest is stupid imo, the problem is that, aside from the above FCC reclassification of internet traffic, the only laws we've seen from our federal government since the rise of the internet have been to protect Sony Corp. (DMCA etc), or facilitate fear and terror.

Edited September 23, 2017 by TheMastersSon

[sunshinenbrick]

 

For example I personally don't update Nvidia drivers past 350.12 (especially on laptops) and then use a directx.dll patcher because unless the game requires DX12 then I have noticed some severe performance issues and other anomalies in various games on anything since that. The Creators (a simple coincidence?) Update was particularly troublesome.

Could you explain why? I'm especially interested in the laptops part (and exactly what types of Nvidia laptop GPU's are we talking about).

 

 

It could only be some cards in some setups buts I'll give you the heads up on my own experience.

 

FYI I have a Dell XPS 15 i7 with Nvidia 640m card and Optimus... well if it is properly enabled.

 

The laptop came with Windows 8 and I went through 8.1 and then Windows 10. There were other issues at first in that not all directx features worked properly in all games and to be honest I also only load Skyrim (which is the game that made me notice the issue) for a short while to test certain things and don't always stress the system too much.

 

Anyway basically I noticed a little while ago (after some stress testing) that after a few minutes there appeared to be a memory issue although there really shouldn't be one as far I could remember. Turned everything off and down and tried, had to run around for ages but same thing. I think I remember something similar years ago at the birth of 8 but I dunno.

 

So I went on an Internet hunt and eventually came across other posts on Optimus being broken for Win 10, but then apparently fixed. Not for me it seemed. Finally found a person claiming something was broken after 350.12 and not yet fixed (by either MS or Nvidia). So tried it it and Boom! Fixed. Except many directx features disabled.

 

I remembered this issue form Windows 8 and there was a work-around to use a d3d9.dll that tricks the game into thinking you have an older full Nvidia card and bingo, full Optimus and directx on a Windows 10 laptop. Runs much better but I had to disable auto driver updates in the real control panel, and so far so good!

 

EDIT: For consistency I tried the same out on the i5 desktop with a 450GTS (I know it is old...) and it worked and also seemed to improve performance there too so am doing some longer term testing.

 

As a point of note it is important to backup profiles and use clean installations of drivers to avoid conflicts and problems.