Your advice to seniors... stay with Windows 10 or try Windows 11

Haydon · Dec 22, 2021

People of ALL ages spontaneously do what they enjoy, like surfing the web, texting, sharing photos with friends and family, watching videos, play games, etc.

Handling an OS is really a necessary evil, except perhaps for the very few masochists of ALL ages that visit sites like this.

Advising normal people of ALL ages whether they ought to prefer pain #10 or pain #11 is not particularly pragmatic.

Better is to first steer normal people of ALL ages towards enjoyable user apps as in the top paragraph. In other words, configure the OS and the apps for them, so that they can immediately do what they enjoy.

As a natural extension of the previous paragraph, they can then answer more serious emails, book their own vaccine appointments online, safely do online shopping and online banking, etc.

And who knows, perhaps they want to eventually join the club and explore the OS! But starting with the OS is starting at the wrong end

Start with the enjoyable user apps

obelix · Dec 22, 2021

Installed 2x windows11 I like to play online and I'm not happy because it throws out my computer GetCACaps and resets they said that windows 11 will be made for PCI games I was disappointed with luck that I have a motherboard ASROCK TR4 X399 Fatal1ty Prof Gaming with U.2 Connector slot ) so I added ssd m2 and installed windows 10 ASUS game edition with which I have no problems with online games I guess the final version of windows 11 is not out yet and with the updates it will be fixed, my advice is to install Windows 11 because that way you can also report new errors and participate in their finalization. They are great for reporting irregularities and you don't have to be a windows insider preview.

mackie · Dec 22, 2021

Wynona said:
Thanks for changing the name of the thread, @mackie! Much appreciated.

You're welcome!

mackie · Dec 22, 2021

To put things in a little better context than my OP, here's a typical scenario concerning the article.

This is a hypothetical example I just created but reflects why the author said not to consider installing Windows 11.

Your auntie XX or uncle YY, who only seem to call you when there's a problem with their pc, have just called again.
"Hi nephew..... I'm having a minor problem with my computer. Every so often, after a boot, everything comes up ok except the cursor is missing. After I power down and back up everything's ok for a few days. What do you think I should do about this? By the way, Do you think I should upgrade to Windows 11 soon? Would it run better on my pc?"

davewin11 · Dec 22, 2021

mackie said:
To put things in a little better context than my OP, here's a typical scenario concerning the article.

This is a hypothetical example I just created but reflects why the author said not to consider installing Windows 11.

Your auntie XX or uncle YY, who only seem to call you when there's a problem with their pc, have just called again.
"Hi nephew..... I'm having a minor problem with my computer. Every so often, after a boot, everything comes up ok except the cursor is missing. After I power down and back up everything's ok for a few days. What do you think I should do about this? By the way, Do you think I should upgrade to Windows 11 soon? Would it run better on my pc?"

You seem to have put yourself back in the mire.

Wynona · Dec 22, 2021

mackie said:
To put things in a little better context than my OP, here's a typical scenario concerning the article.

This is a hypothetical example I just created but reflects why the author said not to consider installing Windows 11.

Your auntie XX or uncle YY, who only seem to call you when there's a problem with their pc, have just called again.
"Hi nephew..... I'm having a minor problem with my computer. Every so often, after a boot, everything comes up ok except the cursor is missing. After I power down and back up everything's ok for a few days. What do you think I should do about this? By the way, Do you think I should upgrade to Windows 11 soon? Would it run better on my pc?"

And the answer would be to start asking questions along with giving information . . .

The first thing would be to take care of the missing cursor . . . what have you changed lately . . . did you install a new program . . . have you recently updated Windows 10 . . . etc., etc., etc. You know the drill . . .

The next thing would be to figure out what you should tell Auntie/Uncle about Windows 11. Since you know his/her abilities, you'd either encourage or discourage them. Remember, you're going to be the one to support them during this possible change.

The main question would be, "Are you ready to face the learning curve from Windows 10 to Windows 11?" Secondly, you would tell them the major differences between 10 and 11. Give them printed matter to read. IOW, the more informed they are, the wiser decision they will make. Yep, you've given them the information they need, and they should be the ones to make the decision.

Haydon · Dec 22, 2021

mackie said:
To put things in a little better context than my OP, here's a typical scenario concerning the article.

This is a hypothetical example I just created but reflects why the author said not to consider installing Windows 11.

Your auntie XX or uncle YY, who only seem to call you when there's a problem with their pc, have just called again.
"Hi nephew..... I'm having a minor problem with my computer. Every so often, after a boot, everything comes up ok except the cursor is missing. After I power down and back up everything's ok for a few days. What do you think I should do about this? By the way, Do you think I should upgrade to Windows 11 soon? Would it run better on my pc?"

Address the right issue, which is 1% OS and 99% something else.

pparks1 · Dec 22, 2021

My advice is generally the same, regardless of the age bracket that people fall into.

My recommendation is to stay with Windows 10 for the time being. My reasons are 1). It's not really much different from Windows 10 anyway 2). There are no must have features of Windows 11 that most people cannot live without 3). Give it some time to mature and work out the kinks.

When they ask me, "Is Windows 11 bad", I respond with "No, it's not bad, in fact it runs just fine for me. But why risk breaking something that isn't broken for the sole reason of "fear of missing out"". You can move onto Windows 11 anytime in the next year.

dencal · Dec 22, 2021

I run both W10 and W11...will be 85 before years end....it all depends if you are really interested in tech.

Pardon my conceit but the nag nag notice at head of page I find extremely annoying.

"Hey dencal, why not fill in your System Spec and let others know what hardware you are using?
Filling your specs makes it easier to get help with your Windows 11 issues."

I believe I can sort out any problems encountered without the need to ask for help.
admittedly I learnt a lot from being a member of past Windows Forums 7,8 and 10.

After 37 years working with and on computers.....That`s CONFIDENCE for you from an old fart.

fireberd · Dec 22, 2021

dencal said:
I run both W10 and W11...will be 85 before years end....it all depends if you are really interested in tech.

Pardon my conceit but the nag nag notice at head of page I find extremely annoying.

"Hey dencal, why not fill in your System Spec and let others know what hardware you are using?
Filling your specs makes it easier to get help with your Windows 11 issues."

I believe I can sort out any problems encountered without the need to ask for help.
admittedly I learnt a lot from being a member of past Windows Forums 7,8 and 10.

After 37 years working with and on computers.....That`s CONFIDENCE for you from an old fart.

37years is a "youngster" (LOL).

I've worked with/on computers since "BPC" (Before PC). 62 was first. I've been a programmer (NASA Apollo project), tech, Network and hardware help desk manager, etc.

Quandary · Dec 22, 2021

37 years young but not trivial. My experience is "deep" but not "wide". Stated on a commercial computer with only punched cards, no tape drive. Progressed thru tape drives, disk drives (removable then fixed), networked (what a concept), then PC's. No Apple or server experience.

I am the IT support in my family and upgraded the desktop that my wife uses to Win 11. She is completely fine with it.

If their PC is capable of running Win 11 and you can"support" them for the first few days then go for it. Gradual change over time is better than major change at one point.

Stormforce · Dec 22, 2021

77, I think I am a senior and using 523 .I always look for the weekly update but now I have withdrawl symptions - no update until Jan 5th
those MS engineers have too many holidays

cato · Dec 22, 2021

What a great section. I'll be 78 next month and I find out there are several that are older than me. Makes me feel young(er). I have built my own computers for several years but this year I bought a pre-built . It was the only way I could get an RTX 3080. Haven't switched to 11 yet because my 10 is running so well. When it starts irritating me I will switch. (With a Macrium backup of 10 always at my fingertips). Appreciate the posts in this forum from folks I've read on the 10 forum. Good job.

Fortitude · Dec 22, 2021

In my opinion there are enough posts here to dispel the myth that the aged cannot deal well with whichever is the latest version of Windows. The argument against installing Windows 11 is similar to arguing against installing Windows 10 when it became available first. An old person that does not/cannot understand the technology will have a problem with it no matter what Windows version it is. This is equally true about younger persons too.

Haydon · Dec 22, 2021

IMHO, one reason for ANYone to go for W11 is the coming WSA running Android natively.

> You could duplicate your familiar Android phone on your not so familiar Windows computer

> You could run lightweight apps on Android and heavyweight apps on Windows

> You could visit naughty sites with Android :eek:

and if you get infected

just delete WSA altogether, reinstall and everything is hunky dory :)

etc.

unifex · Dec 22, 2021

I'm not a senior yet

, but I'm not really using W11 other than an occasional look out of curiosity. I do not understand the need to "upgrade" an OS on a working computer. If and when I buy or build a new one, it will be another story, but for now I'm using 10 (and only for about a year, before that I used an older machine running 7). I don't see anything at all in W11 that would make me want to break my pattern of behavior (I have no idea why would I want to run Android apps on my desktop, for example).

Zardoc · Dec 22, 2021

Wynona said:
But, but, but, what if I want to do both???

LOL, Wynona

. Was that a question or rhetorical, because I'm sure you know the answer.

Wynona · Dec 22, 2021

Zardoc said:
LOL, Wynona . Was that a question or rhetorical, because I'm sure you know the answer.

Of course, of course. Because I do . . .

Samuria · Dec 22, 2021

Use old people are not senile or stupid I am 74 and no problems with 11 after all I have had every o/s from windows 1 we have forgotten more tham most will ever know so dont put old people down

Bree · Dec 22, 2021

You're all making me feel quite young, I'm not quite 70 yet. I am quite happy to swap between using Windows 11 and Windows 10, taking the differences in my stride. I'm equally at home in Windows 7 and XP, which I have on some of my machines (real or VMs). I do still dislike W8/8.1 though, but can tolerate it (and have it as a VM).

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