The free upgrade from Microsoft might not be around forever, right? So should you install it? That depends.
There are several issues with Windows 10 you might want to consider—many of them having to do with privacy. So you’ll want to consider everything before making the jump. Also, if what you’re running now is working fine, be careful before making a blind leap into the unknown. Not all software (apps) will survive the upgrade. In fact, sometimes it’s as if some software never existed at all. Users of open-source Mozilla Thunderbird have had this software entirely disappear after the upgrade. Is the upgrade worth the complete loss of all contacts and email archives? Similar things happen with other applications as well.
The good news is that if you need to roll back from Windows 10, you can do so if it’s within 30 days of your upgrade. After that, your old Windows profile might be lost forever.
If Windows 10 is hassling you or threatening to install every time you boot your computer, there’s a handy tool to keep this from happening. The folks at Ultimate Outsider have created GWX Control Panel, a simple way of getting rid of those pesky “Get Windows 10” notifications. If you don’t want to upgrade, be careful—I’ve had several people call me with reports that Windows 10 automatically installed itself after they repeatedly dismissed the update notification. The reason this happened is because—unlike with all other Microsoft applications in history—dismissing the update notification by closing it with the red X in the upper right-hand corner of the window actually gives the update permission to install. It’s very misleading, which appears to be what it’s designed to do.
If it’s such a great upgrade then why is it free? And why trick people into upgrading? Questions worth considering.