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Windows 10 can seek out pirated software

Microsoft recently updated its EULA for Windows 10, noting that the operating system can seek out and potentially disable any pirated software, like games, running on your PC. The new clause in question is found under section 7b of the EULA, which says that Microsoft may check your software at any time and download updates or make configuration changes.

“We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices. You may also be required to update the software to continue using the Services”.

Windows-10

This means illegally acquired software, like games, could be rendered useless by Microsoft's Windows 10 updates. It can also disable “unauthorised hardware peripheral devices”, though it isn't clear exactly what would be considered ‘unauthorised'. At present, it isn't immediately clear if the EULA pertains to Microsoft's own software, which can be acquired from the Windows Store, or all software in general. However, given the amount of coverage this topic is getting we will likely see Microsoft step in to clear things up with a statement.

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KitGuru Says: Pirates are used to dealing with DRM at this point so Microsoft likely won't be able to squash out all piracy with Windows 10. I am interested to know exactly what peripherals Microsoft would consider disabling though, as that could be bad news for third-party controller creators. 

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79 comments

  1. “including those that prevent you from accessing the Services” hmm… it seems micro$#@% makes any and everything that would make win 10 better illegal (disableing the spying etc)

  2. If they start disabling a lot of stuff, they’ll be using a monopoly position again – without legal grounds they cannot just deny devices – and face fines of billions of euros, as they did in the past. So, good luck with that. Moreover, people will just switch back to their bought and paid for version of W7/W8 at the moment.

  3. They should not be allowed to do this and should be removed immediately

  4. I bet most don’t know that MS also steals your bandwidth so that they can upgrade other users to 10 without having to sacrifice their own.

  5. Please see here https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3h5wwg/windows_10_disabling_pirated_software_not_so_fast/ 🙂

  6. why not just worry about making faster and better operating system rather than be policeman. Weather intentions are good or not I dont need Microsoft being nosy. Another reason not to buy version 10.

  7. Zachary Critchell

    Does this not violate data protection from around the world

  8. people this is blowen way out preportion, This is the same way Google hands Side Loads apps vs stroe downloaded apps…

    The OS dose not and can not determin if you GTA V is a steam copy, retail copy, or a cracked copy..

    It can tell if you angry birds Modern App is store bought or a side load crack copy.. and trying to update it will remove it from the system.

  9. Agreed this is just wasted effort on their part and if anything will cost them money in lost sales and law suits.
    Plus the same backdoor they use to disable devices and software can and will be abused by hackers.

  10. Seems like Microsoft is trying to commit corporate suicide on this one.
    The OS team develops what is at it’s core a great OS then another part of the company maybe their legal division completely sabotages their efforts by requiring what pretty much amounts to malware and a backdoor.

  11. If they want Windows 10 to not be a bigger failure then Windows 8 they better remove it.

  12. And this is why I will not be “upgrading” untill spring next year, if indeed I ever choose to. Microsoft have no right to scan my pc to see what hardware/software I am using unless it is software from their own store (which I won’t use anyway), I own a Madcatz 360 controller and I will not be happy if they decide I should buy and use only their gaming controllers. Surely forcing people to use “certified” hardware is completely illegal as it takes away fair competition?

    Microsoft need to clear this up pretty quickly I think.

  13. oh deary me, such problems

  14. The option to go back to W8 is only available for a month after you have upgraded !

  15. this is a double edged sword for Microsoft on the one hand they want to stay profitable and top dog….on the other hand its basically admitting they look into your files under the sudo-plausable reason of anti-pirating what’s to say that A. the government cant make them give them access to those systems under the guise of homeland security and phish for incriminating info. B that the system cant be accessed from the outside for nefarious reasons. and C that with this system in place that no advancements in coding and processing can be made without consent of Microsoft (at least on that OS until someone can reverse engineer the code for their own use){and cant say it isn’t probably being done as we speak}…….and that probably includes a hefty fee for their trouble……its bad news all around…..but its the only way they can combat digital theft at the moment.

  16. you can just format and go back to windows 7 or 8

  17. lol people are freaking out about an issue when microsoft cant even stop their own pirated windows 10 copies from getting activated lmao.

  18. Source?

  19. http://thehackernews.com/2015/08/windows-10-update.html

    Sauce for you!

  20. Ah yes, thanks for that knowledgable article, I was under the impression that bandwidth was only distributed on the local network to other machines for faster delivery of updates.

  21. Looks like my next computer will be a mac.

  22. Disabling Updates and adding Firewall blocks. Wipe and reload to Win7 this weekend. F*&k Microsoft.

  23. What else haven’t they told us is lerking in Windows 10…

  24. F that, go with GNU/linux. All of the source code is open so you know that nothing like that could be in it.

  25. Ah, finally! Someone who actually comprehended what he read. You sir are a ray of sunshine on a dreadfully cloudy comment section.

  26. I wonder if they will be able to track pirated movies and music?

  27. At no time does it scan or ‘seek out’ pirated software. The title of this article and opening paragraph are completely off the mark. This is borderline clickbait.

  28. it says “potentially remove and disable” i dont believe it is gonna be like how everyone is imagining it

  29. Chandler Keith Henson

    or if you created a System Image backup prior to the upgrade just use that.

  30. Well I guess I will never get good enough at adobe creative cloud to consider purchasing it anymore. Goodbye forever adobe. I guess I am stuck with gimp, inkscape, and krita.

  31. If they can stop piracy I am all for it. And by illegal hardware I am sure they mean hardware used to hack computers or mod chips in xbox.

  32. Good luck trying to play games on either…

  33. You can bet your arse it does – I’m pretty sure the EU has already fined them once for doing this.

  34. It doesn’t – But it can. But yeah – This is obviously for their own “app store” system, not your overlying app environment.

  35. Hardware? So I can’t build and experiement with hardware on the usb port? WTF?

  36. These days, it’s easier than you seem to think 🙂 You may not have as quite as many titles to choose from but there are more than enough good ones on Steam / GOG to keep you entertained.

  37. Considering how long updates have taken in them past, as long as they keep it polite I have no problem helping out my fellow man.

  38. “Stop piracy”

    lol

  39. Don’t worry Madcatz 360 controller won’t be blocked I’m certain of it.

  40. They won’t provide customer support for Madcatz 360 though.

  41. Amazingly, not a single comment on any story related to this has had even one single person complain about their games/software being disabled. Just a scare tactic as per usual. Apparently it’s currently working considering how many are making comments about how they are going to revert back to Windows 7/8 or are switching to a mac or linux. Obviously just a bunch of kids chest pounding as any educated person can tell this is just a bogus scare.
    Watch out kids the evil monster is going to get you while you’re sleeping….BOO!

  42. Just buy the games legally and it won’t be a problem

  43. If Rockstar were to provide Microsoft with some sort of hash for specific files within GTA V, then Microsoft transfers that hash to your machine via an update, then it could indeed keep that file with the non-matching hash from running. Someone, somewhere, will find a way around it.

  44. Yeah, um… that’s not illegal hardware. It’s perfectly legal to modify a hardware device in any way one wants.

  45. Honestly, I don’t think upgrading to 10 is advised for anyone with Windows 7…
    One thing they DON’T tell you before you upgrade:
    Not all systems are the same, and not all have been TESTED with Windows 10.
    For example: my Alienware and my husband’s Alienware laptops. Mine was custom-ordered four years ago, with specific high-tech graphics technology, the highest-grade processor available at the time, and MUCH more. I use mine for audio and video production purposes for my family and my kids’ schools, as well as play games requiring high-quality 3D acceleration and speedy graphics rendering.
    My husband’s Alienware, is the same way, while not as high-tech as mine.
    I was given the “green light” by Microsoft, saying my system was COMPLETELY compatible with Windows 10 and ready to upgrade, as was the alerts for my kids’ systems, which are both 8.1.
    I upgraded my son’s and mine on the same day, then my daughter’s a few days later when her alert finally arrived.
    HUGE MISTAKE!!!!!

    I lost use of my graphics accelerator immediately. Rendering was obsolete in games, and I couldn’t move in or play any games. It messed up other programs, as well. And all of mine are LEGITIMATE installs.
    I had just bought and installed a game on my son’s computer, too, and it wouldn’t run at all until I downgraded his system back to 8.1.
    My daughter’s system, a touchscreen tablet pc, had a brand new installation of Manga Studio 5, which I bought her for her birthday. Until I downgraded her laptop back to 8.1, she couldn’t use the program AT ALL, even though it said it was compatible with Windows 10.

    And the worst of it: downgrading MY laptop back to Windows 7, which is why I do NOT recommend upgrading from 7 to 10.
    When you upgrade to 10, it automatically upgrades all of your system’s drivers, as well, with 10.
    BUT when you downgrade, your drivers remain with the upgrades. They don’t restore to the prior system versions. And if your system is anything like mine, this will disable your touchpad/mouse and keyboard, among other things. And there is a high risk of LOSING everything on your laptop and having to to a factory restore, so I hope you created a recovery image or cloned your system on a separate device BEFORE upgrading. Better also make sure you have ALL of your installation keys/serials handy, because you may need them.

    Best thing to do is to use COMMON SENSE. Do NOT trust Microsoft to verify compatibility with your system. They only verify BASIC components and OS version. It’s the VARIATIONS between systems that will make or break the upgrade.
    Go to your system’s manufacturer’s website. I’m not sure about other companies, but if you have a system manufactured or distributed by Dell, you can go to their support page, enter your SERVICE TAG/XPRESS SVC TAG, and they will provide a list of downloadable drivers and firmware for your system. Just download to a USB Flash drive for safe keeping and emergency use. I’m pretty sure HP has the same support options (downloadable drivers/firmware), and I imagine other companies would, too.
    ALWAYS keep a full set of your system install/drivers on a separate media (USB, CD-ROM, etc.).
    You can also find out by searching or contacting support for your system whether or not your system meets the requirements to support 10. They can actually break the system down by the individual components during evaluation.

    When in doubt, if you’re happy with what you already have, DON’T upgrade. 😉

  46. With the 10 upgrade, you can only downgrade for free for a month after the upgrade. If you want to downgrade AFTER that month is up, you’ll have to purchase and install a new copy of the prior version. Once a month has passed after 10 upgrade, the prior version of Windows will be rendered obsolete and will no longer be available on your system. They do these things for a reason (their OWN reason), whether the public likes it or not. It benefits THEM, not the public. If a person uses 10 for over a month then decides they don’t like it, they have to PAY to return to the previous version, which benefits Microsoft. They aren’t losing ANYTHING in the downgrade.
    And as for formatting and then going back: as I said, once the month is up, the previous version is now obsolete. The installation key will be deactivated and no longer valid. So you COULD format, but unless you have a new installation of 7 or 8 with a valid key, you are screwed.

    If you want to downgrade, you HAVE to do it within a month of the upgrade. That will be the ONLY time the option is available on your computer. Literally, once that time frame is over, the selection on the Settings’ Restore menu will be gone.

  47. i don’t care what they say. The pirated software/games can using on windows 10 by official toolkit itself, with bootstrap like bcdedit or kernel patch :v. Depending on this, firewall can block all incoming connection.

  48. probably, by checking checksums or some ID3 tags with copyright info

  49. Not if you still have your windows.old folder.

  50. What’s funny is, pirates will easily figure out how to disable Microsoft’s ability to disable pirated software.

  51. christian vasquez

    i’m just curious? can anyone care to enumerate those “unauthorized hardware peripheral devices” that windows can disable?

  52. Oh hell no…. whats next scanning my pictures to make sure I didn’t infringe copy rights? Looking at my videos to make sure they aren’t pirated? GJ Microsoft I am clicking Down Grade to windows 8.1. Thankfully I use linux for everything except entertainment anyway.

  53. I do not think you get the real problem, How does Microsoft know it is Legal or not?
    If the game has been Registered as such? what if some guy in his basement makes a kick ass game/program that he sells and microsoft suddenly decides it is not registered with them, thus it = illegal?

    It is My choice what I put on my computer, I pay for it. if I choose to not abide by the law it is my responsibility and I need to face those consequences. However I am not about to have my programs deleted/removed because microsoft “might” think they are illegal.

  54. If 6 months from now I want to downgrade to my LEGAL copy of windows 8 and they won’t allow me, I will say goodbye Legal copy and Hello Pirated copy. If they make it so hard to use your Legit software, they are just promoting people to use pirated content.

  55. “And by illegal hardware I am sure they mean hardware used to hack computers”
    Yes so normal everyday computers gets used to hack, does that mean no one may now own a PC?

  56. And the more people use Linux the more support for games will be made for it. The direction Microsoft is going will eventually make everyone use Linux.

  57. Fck Windows 10!. ….rolled back to 8.1. (from an disk image backup)…

    Am I the only one who thinks that shit is incomplete?…

    It’s like all Microsoft history of “one good, one bad”…
    Windows 98—-GOOD
    Windows ME—BAD!
    Windows XP—-GOOD
    Windows Vista—BAD!
    Windows 7—GOOD!
    Windows 8—BAD
    Windows 8.1—GOOD (Win 9??)
    Windows 10– BAD!

    (when…: Windows Update can be disabled, Config applets are complete functional (like, appeareance, “background selection”…), start menu is less akward and fast, colour transitions are smooth, etc etc. then i m gonna update.

    so… Windows 10.1 (or …11??) is my next O.S.

  58. oh good thing i didnt upgrade to the shity windows 10 my digital game might get disabled imagine the pain if u buy the game through online and suddenly boom disabled they even skipped on windows 9 haha

  59. In the Microsoft services agreement it doesn’t say that this is for Windows 10, it says it’s for certain covered services which are listed at the end, it’s basically all the other products that Microsoft make that require the internet such as xbox live and skype, the list of services it covers are found here: https://goo.gl/R74ulj

  60. I would say hello lawyer, and hello hefty lawsuit. I purchased the software key, meaning it’s my key, and I’m not required to upgrade to the newest version.

  61. Win 8.1 with any DX11 GPU, will run Win 10. Notice I stated DX11, not 10, not 9 but 11. If you’re on 8.1 you should have a minimum of DX11.1!

    Your drivers are useless, as they’re signed for Win 8.1, and the signing is different for Win 10.

    This is why it’s advisable to wait up to 6 months before you update, because the drivers from the manufacture have to be programmed. I bet if you waited for 1-2 months, you wouldn’t have any of these problems.

    I’m on Win 7, but I’ve already had to fix 2 Win 10 systems after the update.

    BTW I custom build all my PC’s, Servers, and so forth. It’s not the system per se, rather the signing of the drivers, and lack thereoff.

  62. The only reason I hate windows 8.1 is because of its unstability… My PC came with win8.1 and so far I’ve had about 10 bluescreens and driver problems… and I was doing the “one good one bad” OS which I thought since windows 7 was so good but then windows8.1 was a failure so I thought win10 would be a better version of win8.1 but I guess I was wrong..
    Anyway, they’ll probably never be able to proceed with this idea, as mentioned before in this forum, would cause problems for “potentially illegal” software lol

  63. They could easily determine if it’s cracked or pirated, what are you talking about? All they have to do is go off of checksums and signatures.

  64. So i have to roll back to 8.1 in order to make my 7 8.1 copies legal.Oh yeah.I forgot.My college class for computer tech is giving us 3 legal copies of 7 8.1 10 soon.I,m guessing maybe the backup preinstall 8.1 & 10 won’t be good.Can anyone explain if my usb back up of the ops still gonna be good to activated on both 8.1 & 10 or they gonna not let u back date 8.1.Someone help me out here.

  65. https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3h5wwg/windows_10_disabling_pirated_software_not_so_fast/

  66. True… That’s why I’m not bothering to mess with the 10 upgrade again… Besides the fact that it just almost cost me EVERYTHING on my computer because it wasn’t even properly tested for Alienware systems, so it wasn’t even COMPATIBLE with my system (which I wasn’t notified of BEFORE trying to upgrade), and downgrading took out at least half of my drivers (they upgrade with 10, but then will NOT downgrade properly back to 7 drivers) causing me to factory restore just to regain my original drivers…
    They aren’t giving anyone a fighting chance because they are limiting downgrade options to 30 days. They are going to have a LOT of unhappy customers STUCK with 10.
    I honestly believe it’s all a financial scam on their customers… you don’t upgrade in time, you have to PAY for the new OS. If you don’t DOWNgrade in time, you have to pay for a new copy of the OLD OS… And regardless of what you do, for those who haven’t noticed yet, the reason it’s designed the way it is, is that most of the stuff on 10 involves SUBSCRIPTION services – things you have to PAY for individually.
    THAT is how they are able to offer 10 for free upgrade.
    Well I, for one, am not giving my family’s entire income to Microsoft…
    I’m sticking with 7… by the time it’s no longer supported, I will already be BLIND and unable to use my computer anymore thanks to a wonderful retinal disease, so I’m FINE with not upgrading…
    Sorry Microsoft – my money’s staying in MY pocket.

  67. I mentioned the hardware issue to my husband, and we think we figured out what the “pirated hardware” thing is…
    Several years ago, I bought him an Eidirol midi device that came with Sonar LE. There were people selling the devices by themselves online, without the software, and others selling the software without the device.
    Sonar and Eidirol designed them where you have to have the software to use the device and are supposed to have the device connected to use the program right, BUT we found you could use the software WITHOUT the device (we had both, though).
    The set was EXPENSIVE. I bought it from a local guitar store, so we had it legally.
    BUT, someone could buy the Eidirol midi box online from someone via ebay at literally pennies on the dollar without the software, then turn around and pirate the software for it so they could use the device. Whether they paid for the device or not, they attained the software illegally, and therefore the device was technically pirated, too.
    Windows 10 would BLOCK use of that device if you didn’t purchase it WITH the software legally.

    I’m not sure about building and experimenting with hardware, though… If what I’m reading is right, If you build your own PC, you would have to BUY Windows 10. That doesn’t sound like a good mix to begin with, though, as like with my computer, it would be a CUSTOMIZED system. Meaning, not all of the components would have been properly tested to work with Windows 10, so not everything would be compatible. Already tried 10 on my Alienware (custom-made for me by Alienware and Dell), before finding out it hadn’t been tested for 10. Microsoft’s upgrade notifications all said it WAS compatible, but after checking my system via Dell’s support site and Ailenware’s stuff, NO – it’s NOT compatible. The graphics card ALONE is not supported (10 doesn’t support most NVIDIA GeForce graphics processors yet, if any).

    If you are custom-building your system yourself, I advise you to AVOID Windows 10 altogether… It’ll be WAY too many problems and headaches…

  68. Sorry to hear about your eyes, I wear glasses and i always make jokes that I am not Far sighted nor Near sighted, but more like No sighted.
    I can still be thankful I have them.

    Either way Microsoft is not doing themselves any favors, but there is nothing they have that I will want to purchase anyway. If they go to far out of line people will just pirate, and this is what creates pirates. Large companies being unfair to the people, thus the people show them the finger and do a work around.

    I am happy to pay for the work people put in, but I am not okay extorting people

  69. Yeah, I’m on 7, too. But you see, my system, as does my husband’s, has the NVIDIA GeForce graphics processors with 3D acceleration.
    I’ve checked with three separate companies: Dell, Alienware AND NVIDIA… 10 doesn’t support the GeForce graphics processors yet. My guess it they are too hi-tech for 10 at the moment, even the older ones like mine and my husband’s. Only the most recent one is somewhat compatible (960).
    The problem I had when downgrading back to 7 was that the drivers upgraded WITH 10, but didn’t downgrade back to 7. So I lost use of various components with the downgrade until I was able to replace the drivers. It wouldn’t even let me into the system because the video, pointing device and keyboard drivers were affected, and the facial recognition login had to be reset. If it hadn’t been for a friend, I wouldn’t have been able to get into the system at all to fix it. He knew a way around it to kick in the keyboard for factory restore that I wasn’t aware of.
    Luckily, downgrading wasn’t an issue on either of my kids’ laptops. They both have 8 (or 8.1, not 100% on that… honestly, I thought 8.1 was just 8 with an update). I downgraded theirs because it was messing up major programs I’d installed for them (legitimately purchased programs, not pirated).
    I COULD wait 1-2 months, but I doubt they would have patches/fixes yet for the compatibility issues with NVIDIA’s 3D graphics by then…

  70. Amen to that…

  71. TL:DR Version: If you must, wait for 10 SP1, get Pro, and Microsoft always has driver issues when they first release an OS, but these will get worked out with updates and as companies fix their drivers (which is stupid they hadn’t already, they had plenty of time)

    Edit: Also I’m pretty sure the OP you replied to is referring to actual custom hardware, such as embedded devices over USB.

    I’m not quite sure on your reasoning as to why it won’t work well with custom builds. The most you’ll see are some driver issues that will work themselves out over time – this is the case just about every time MS releases an OS it seems.

    Windows 10 does in fact support nvidia cards – I fail to see how it couldn’t (They had the generic video card driver for them since before 8 even). Now they did have a problem with their foolish autoupdate garbage that updated nvidia drivers and broke them, but that’s different than in incompatibility.

    At work here we do have Dell computers, and it did have some issues with some of the Dell drivers when my boss and I upgraded to test it. His fingerprint reader broke – so far I’ve been fine though (I have a desktop and I don’t use the dell software crap).

    Also to clear something up – you ALWAYS need to buy windows. That “free” upgrade is free for two reasons:
    – Your privacy is violated to target ads to you, meaning they are getting ad revenue now.
    – You bought the copy you upgraded from, either included in the price of your system, or OEM/Retail license from a retailer like newegg or amazon. Either way your copy you upgraded was paid for, and is now a windows 10 license.

    I would say if you build your own system, which I do every time, you’ll be fine. If you really want to, give the OS time to mature some – wait until SP1 or so before putting 10 on it. But I would recommend getting an OEM copy of 10 Pro, not home. Home excludes things like the group policy editor, and various other advanced configurations you or someone working on your system might need/want to use some day.

  72. I fail to see how they would reasonably gauge hardware. How would they see a custom device any different from any other device they don’t specifically have in their database. More than likely I would say this is for specific scenarios and devices. Perhaps such as those devices you can hookup to strip the encryption on HDCP streams, which is an avenue for pirating movies and shows.

    Of course, all of this is absolutely pointless and stupid. Two things will happen:
    1) They will make the devices not have a specific detectable signature to identify it, letting them bypass this nonsense.
    2) They will make the devices work on operating systems such as Linux or Mac OSX.

  73. This is a huge problem with OEM manufacturers. This isn’t even directly Microsofts fault – it’s partly theirs for so recklessly updating everyone’s OS, but it’s also the ass computer manufacturers who have had ample time to update their drivers. But alas, no. As normal, most computer manufacturers have crap driver services, and convoluted ways of doing everything.

    Windows 10 is not a subscription based thing to make it work – windows has driver issues every time you release it. And quite frankly, I don’t even see all this subscription based stuff you’re talking about. I upgraded, and I’ve not noticed anything – then again I don’t use the useless app store they made where idiots buy what amounts to a paid version of the free 7zip program.

    Also I’m sorry to hear about your retinal disease – that really sucks.

  74. Quite frankly, I’m seriously considering dropping windows altogether, with the exception of using it strictly for a gaming machine. Here’s why:

    1) Their licensing is ridiculous.
    2) Their app store is a joke, I hate it and I’ll never use it. I’ll switch to 100% linux and give up gaming before I use that piece of crap, where idiots pay for what amounts to 7zip or one of the many other FREE zip/compression managers.
    3) Their privacy violating garbage, I’m sick of it. I’m sick of them trying to police things, I’m sick of this privacy crap always being covered by “Oh well we’re just trying to improve this!” – bullshit. If that’s the case give me control – detailed control – of what exactly gets shared, how long it gets saved, who it gets shared with, and the option to completely turn it ALL off, period. I don’t give a crap about Cortana, targeted advertisements on an OS I was intending to actually buy (not free upgrade), their Edge browser, synced settings, etc.
    4) Them attempting to insert things to allow them to police things – It doesn’t matter to them if I’m playing an illegal copy of GTA V – they shouldn’t care at all, period. They aren’t liable, it’s none of their business.
    5) Their ridiculous ideas of how things *should* work and making you have to go to stupid lengths to change it – take for instance auto-restarting for updates. You literally have to turn off autoupdate to make it NOT do this, even on servers. I come into work, oh look – windows decided it was time to close all my stuff.

    Yes, you can turn the stuff off, but it’s a pain in the ass, and quite frankly you don’t even *really* know if it’s off.

  75. Honestly unless you’re knowledgeable enough to troubleshoot issues and build systems yourself (I don’t mean this to sound like an insult, if it does) – I would wait until Windows 10 matures, perhaps even to SP1. There’s literally no real reason to upgrade, unless you have a specific reason in mind. DX12 won’t be really useful until games start to come with it, and even then it will take a while for them to really learn how to push it to the limits. So maybe wait 6 months to a year or so.

    Computer manufacturers doing a really bad job at updating drivers, combined with MSs auto-updating driver garbage when it came out, really seemed to screw up a lot of people’s computers. Here at work my boss lost his fingerprint reader for about two weeks until a driver fix came out. Another friend of mine lost his video card because it updating the nvidia drivers automatically, and breaking them in the process.

  76. Honestly I’m planning on building a good gaming PC, and putting 10 on it, then doing literally everything else on a Linux-based Laptop.

    Also here’s the thing with linux – the source is open, but unless you read through it yourself and comprehend what may be privacy issues, you can’t for 100% sure say it’s secute. It’s no doubt a hell of a lot better than windows, and most likely people would have caught anything big, but you never know. That being said, this is just nitpicky for the paranoid, Linux for most uses will be secure enough. If you want to add to that, learn how to do full disk encryption, including the swap, on a linux box. This will be good if you have a laptop and it gets stolen (or a desktop, though this is probably rarer).

    I’m pretty much done with MS, they’re just getting worse and worse. Even if we’re all blowing this out of proportion, the direction they’re heading is not one I want to go. It’s more dumb-down do stuff without you asking, and less control.

  77. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t trust OSX any more than windows. If anything because they’re both closed source, run by large corporations, and both possibly targets for entities who would want to do mass data gathering, behaviour analysis, etc. If you want to be more secure then get Linux and do pretty much everything on that, and just use windows for gaming either via dualboot or a second computer.

  78. Nvidia came out and stated, that they will have partial/full DX12 support for all cards Fermi (Mid 400 series and up) to Kepler (600 and 700 series) and beyond (Maxwell and
    Pascal).

  79. I’m now using Windows 8. I have reserved the windows 10 upgrade for free as offer. I would like to ask that, currently i have a few pirated software in my laptop, like microsoft office, adobe photoshop, adobe dream weaver, illustrator, and etc. Can i still use them after i upgraded?