Will I be able to opt out of the Win10 upgrade?

I just bumped into a great question….

Hi,

I’m an individual end user who does not want Windows 10 for many reasons.

I do not have my PC configured to do automatic updates. I do them manually.

Can I assume that this will enable me to opt out of the Windows 10 update, when it becomes a Recommended udpate?

Thanks!

First, I’m glad that you update manually, not automatically. The folks with auto updates turned on are going to get a rather rude surprise early next year. At the same time, it’s very important for you to update your machine periodically. You have to install the security patches. It’s really that simple. Otherwise, your machine is running  around with a “Kick Me” sign on it.

Given our recent experiences with Microsoft’s headlong race to get everyone upgraded to Windows 10, I hesitate to say anything with any sort of authority. Simple fact is that nobody knows what they’re going to do. I don’t think Microsoft itself has thought it all out. But it seems very likely that MS will continue in its earlier vein: If you don’t install updates automatically, you can go into Windows Update, uncheck the “Upgrade to Windows 10” item when it appears, and that should be the end of it.

Terry Myerson also promised that we’d be able to turn off the nagging, “You can specify that you no longer want to receive notifications of the Windows 10 upgrade through the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 settings pages.” Unfortunately, as noted in my InfoWorld article, we have no idea what that’ll look like or how it’ll work. For example, will the setting get reset from time to time by an optional KB update? Don’t laugh. That’s exactly what happened with GWX, the kinder and gentler pusher.

Right now, turning Automatic Update to “Notify but don’t download” (as I’ve been recommending for a decade now) is your best bet. Then follow the news to see what happens, and how to deal with it.

Of course, I’ll be covering the topic in spades in InfoWorld and here on AskWoody.

Just to make sure you understand where I’m coming from… I’m not anti-Windows 10. It’s been a good OS for me, and it’ll get better shortly with the “Windows 10 Fall Update” release. But it isn’t for everybody – and it misbehaves badly on a substantial number of computers. You need to understand the nuances — snooping, forced stealthy upgrades — before you take the plunge.

What really bothers me is the way Microsoft has been rolling it out. Nadella says he wants us to “love Windows” and that’s exactly the right attitude. Instead of forcing it down inexperienced users’ throats, Microsoft needs to generate enough goodwill toward Windows 10 so that everyone’s clamoring to install it.

Carrot. Not stick.