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Open letter to Microsoft: force Windows updates, don't force restart

2 points by zebra ↗ HN
To who microsoftie may concern.

Unexpected OS restart is one of the worst user experiences ever. And yet this is exactly what happens with Windows 10. The user loses unsaved documents, open browser tabs, and their prepared working environment.

This said I ask Microsoft to change a little the update procedure - download the updates, warn the user, but do not restart Windows. Just apply the update when the next restart occurs.

P.S. Sorry for using HN for publishing this letter, but this is my only place where my path crosses paths with some people from Microsoft.

3 comments

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Amir6
I would put it this way: Forcing windows updates are bad, forcing windows upgrades (or shoving windows 10 down the computer's throat as I call it) is worse and forcing restart is just simply ridiculous. It all contributes to the list of reasons why I made my final decision abandoning windows for good and migrating completely to Linux.
zebra
I am proposing a small change in Windows that can lead to big improvement to the user experience.

Yes, you are right that Linux has its merits. But I don't want Windows to become so bad that the people move to Linux because of this. I want people to move to Linux because it has become better than Windows.

Amir6
well said! I have been a windows user since windows 98 (bought my first PC in 2000) and a Linux user since 2009. Once Windows 8 came out, I felt like this is not going where I want it to be so I tried to move as much as I can to Linux. As of now, only 1 (out of 4 PCs I use on daily basis) is running Windows. But as you mentioned, it is sad to see such a good product is becoming unusable because of such terrible UX decisions.