Why I call on everyone to stop using Windows

tl;dr: If you are using Windows, you should really stop and consider why you are. If the answer to that question is only because of familiarity, I would strongly recommend you consider stop using Windows and look into a Chromebook or an iPad. If you have to have a standard computer operating system, you really should consider a Mac or even Linux if you can.

Windows 10 was first announced on September 30, 2014 ahead of a July 29, 2015 release date. Microsoft claims Windows 10 is the very last version of Windows, meaning, it will just continue to get minor upgrades and will no longer be refreshed every 3-5 years. Everyone, including Willie the Tech Man, thought that this would be great for Windows going forward because Microsoft wouldn't have to "wait" for a new version of Windows to fix major issues or overhaul a feature in Windows that might need it. Unfortunately however, this continuous updating of Windows has lead to major problems.

When Microsoft released the Windows 10 Anniversary update on August 2, 2016, customers were reporting a whole mess of problems, including but not limited to, blue screen of death when update finished, Windows Store apps not working, Windows Update not working, and sadly I could keep going. What's more frightening, is that Microsoft is forcing users to update whether they want to or not, because they want everyone to stay updated and secure. In theory, this is good because most users forget to update their system, which is critical these days because of security risks. However, you are forced to update whether or not your computer will successfully complete it or not and you can't do anything. 

All of this has made me start advocating against using Windows. I'm calling all Windows users to try something different and to quit the madness that is coming from Redmond, WA. Most computer users do not need Windows anymore.

Here's an experiment you can try if you have doubts about moving away from Windows. Open Google Chrome, or really any web browser, and see if you could do all your computing just from the browser. My suspicion is that many could accomplish this. Think about it, you check your email online, you can edit documents online, you can play games online. Okay sure, video editing you might need a traditional desktop but you can get a Mac for that.

I've found that most computer users only use Windows because it's familiar. What if we said that about everything else in modern times? I use a well over a sink because it's familiar. I use a radio over a TV because it's familiar. It's like the beginning of the PC when everyone was trying to steer clear of it because traditional pen and paper was familiar and yet we've since moved on from those days to everything being stored on the computer. I think it's time to do the same with the Windows operating system. Here are some alternatives to consider.

Chromebook

A Chromebook is a great choice for several reasons. The hardware is very familiar to users by having the laptop form factor, Chrome OS is very easy to figure out, and coming soon, Chrome OS will be able to run most Android apps which will give you access to a wide variety of apps and services from the Google Play Store, just like on your phone if you own an Android. Finally, you don't need to worry about viruses because if the Chromebook were to get one, there is a "power wash" feature which completely restores the Chromebook to it's factor state and since your files are in the cloud your files are all right there when you set it up again.

iPad

An iPad is another good choice, however it is quite the shift from a traditional computer. You are dealing with a touch screen which is more interactive, in my opinion, than a traditional computer. Like Chrome OS, iOS is very easy to learn and has all the apps for web browsing, editing documents, etc. Finally, once again you don't need to worry about viruses because you are locked down to the App Store where all the apps are approved by Apple before they are put in the store.

Mac/Linux

If you honestly can't survive in just the web browser, for example if you do video editing, than a Mac is a good choice, the Mac Mini sells for $500 which is a pretty good deal. If you're feeling really adventurous, you could try a version of Linux, but word of warning, it is not as easy to learn, even though there are Linux operating systems that have graphical UIs. My favorite Linux distributions are Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian. If you are curious about Linux, here is a great beginner's guide to Linux.

Conclusion

The only reason I can see people keeping their Windows computer is for hard core gaming, I will admit that hasn't been figured out yet, but in my opinion, Apple could easily get into this space by releasing a gaming version of the Mac. Will they do that? Probably not, but it's wishful thinking. But I believe that a gaming edition Mac would be a really good seller because I know gamers who own mostly all Apple products, a Macbook, an iPhone, and an iPad but they have the one Windows machine solely for gaming, and they'd like to consulate the two computers and be able to do everything on the Mac. Again, it's probably wishful thinking but it's plausible.

In the end, Windows has had it's day. I believe Windows just gets more and more frustrating for us users to use. In addition, there are not a whole lot of reasons to stay with Windows anymore. Of course, Willie the Tech Man will continue to provide support for Windows machines as he always has. However, keep in mind that there are other options to consider. What operating system do you use? Let me know in the comments and give me your thoughts.