by Dave Moore, CISSP
10/24/2021
Oh boy, here we go, again. In classic Microsoft fashion, without any demonstrated need or desire from their end users, yet another version of the Windows operating system has been released, this time imaginatively named Windows 11.
Do we care? Should we all jump on the “gotta have the latest thing” bandwagon and rush to install Windows 11? Whoa, Nellie; hold your horses, partner. Let’s look a bit at the main program that makes your computer work, called the “Operating System,” and the history of previous Microsoft Windows versions.
Regarding, “should I get Windows 11,” the more accurate question is, “how do you feel about being a guinea pig test subject for Microsoft?” because that’s really what’s happening, here. Like those crash-test dummies you’ve seen on TV, where scientists load a human mannequin into a car to see what happens to it when the car crashes, Microsoft is loading live human test subjects into new Windows 11 automobiles, just to see how long they can keep driving before they crash.
Unlike real car crashes, though, the crash will never be caused by human error. Instead, it will be as if the car’s engine caught fire, the brakes failed or the wheels fell off, all due to flaws in the car’s construction. And the pay for being a Microsoft crash-test dummy is pretty poor; in fact, you end up paying for the privilege.
Do I sound a little skeptical? It’s because I have a history with versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system going back 31 years to Windows 3.0, released in 1990. Even though Microsoft, in an effort to make computer chores easier using so-called “windows” (and responding to Apples cool little Macintosh computers) had released Windows 1.0 in 1985, it was largely considered a flawed gimmick. Most serious computer users, people needing to get work done, used IBM PCs running DOS (Disk Operating System), which, while it was plain looking, and required users to memorize arcane keyboard commands (copy *.txt c:\), worked pretty well.
Then, in 1990, after struggling with various versions of Windows 1 and 2, Windows 3.0 was released. Things were looking up. Many of the bugs and barely-functional features had been worked out. When Windows 3.1 came out in 1992, it was even better, and people rushed to make it part of their computing lives.
Windows 3.1 was far from perfect, though. The whole idea of “windows” was multi-tasking, meaning you could have multiple windows open at the same time, with each one running a different task, and you simply switched between them to jump from task to task. In real life, however, most users learned very quickly not to have too many windows open at the same time, or you could have “out of memory” errors and a system crash. Still, with some hand holding, and constant updating, Windows 3.1 could be very useful.
Such has been the history of every version of Microsoft Windows, all the way up to Windows 10. They start out buggy, with strange flaws, conflicts and crashes appearing frequently. Then, over time, usually after a year or two, after the crash-test dummies have reported their crash results, Windows fixes, patches and updates are released, improving the product until it finally becomes something people can actually use and enjoy.
My advice for Windows 11 is to wait. It was released only a few weeks ago, and numerous problems have already been reported. It’s not just Windows 11 that has to be considered, though. The thousands of manufacturers and software companies that expect their products to function correctly with Windows 11 have to redesign and re-engineer their products in order to be compatible, and that’s going to take considerable effort and time.
So, wait at least a year or two before upgrading to Windows 11. Windows 10 users get to upgrade for free, but Windows 10 will still be good until at least October, 2025, so there’s no hurry at all.
Until then, check out this YouTube video at youtube.com/watch?v=yeUyxjLhAxU of Microsoft boss Bill Gates live on CNN doing a demonstration before an audience announcing the release of Windows 98; it’s pretty funny. After his assistant brags about how awesome the system is at connecting to new devices, he plugs in a scanner and the computer promptly crashes, displaying a now-legendary BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). There is much moaning, groaning, embarrassment and laughter all the way around. Some things never change.
Dave Moore, CISSP, has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd., he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 405-919-9901 or www.internetsafetygroup.org