Microsoft won't be issuing release notes for Windows 10 updates

[mmntech]

Microsoft has now released three cumulative updates for Windows 10. These updates combine security fixes with non-security bug fixes, and so far, Microsoft hasn't done a very good job of describing the contents of these cumulative updates. While the security content is quite fully described, explanations of the non-security fixes have been lacking.

Many, including your author, feel that this is undesirable and that a key part of the Windows-as-a-Service concept, in which Microsoft releases a steady stream of fixes and functional improvements, is a clear explanation of what those updates are. This is a new approach for Microsoft, and it seems like reassuring users and administrators that issues are getting fixed—and that functional changes are clearly described—should be important.

This is doubly important in those unfortunate situations that a patch has a problem. Microsoft will tend to update such patches when the problems have been fixed, but it does a poor job of clearly communicating this.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that the company intends to change this approach. Company representatives told The Register that while the company "may choose" to perform "additional promotion" of new features depending on their "significance," there's no intention of providing full release notes. This means that future patches are going to continue to say nothing more than "This update includes improvements to enhance the functionality of Windows 10."

Microsoft is not unique in the lack of detail in its updates; as app store aficionados will know, software developers show great variation in the quality of their release notes. Some clearly describe the fixes and features that a point release update includes; others offer no more than a terse "Various bug fixes" or similar. But if it is to make Windows 10 appeal even to conservative administrators, we cannot help but feel that more information would be much more valuable than less.

http://arstechnica.com/information-...no-plans-to-tell-us-whats-in-windows-patches/

A lot of people in the comments are riled up about this. Particularly a few IT professionals since this apparently applies to Windows 10 Pro as well. No word if it affects the Enterprise addition.

How do y'all feel about this?

 

[Puffnstuff]

Personally I would like to see more details about the updates being installed on my pc's, especially when there's an issue surrounding them.

 

[lxskllr]

I like to know exactly what packages are being updated, and I like the ability of browsing specific commits if desired. GNU/Linux is unique in that regard. It takes some of the mystery out of updating, so there's less "It worked before, and now it doesn't". Also, an upgrade isn't always an upgrade if it negatively affects your work flow. With data, one can decide whether or not new features/security fixes are worth the changed user experience.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Personally I would like to see more details about the updates being installed on my pc's, especially when there's an issue surrounding them.

It's not really "your" PC with Windows 10 installed on it.

 

[bbhaag]

That's not completely true. The hardware that makes up your PC is yours it's just the OS that makes it all come together isn't.
Honestly it has been that way for a long time regarding Windows. It just seems like now they are finally making a bigger push.

This is just one more proverbial nail in the coffin for me regarding 10. I'm glad I didn't jump the gun and upgrade right away because it seems every day or so there is something that just makes me hesitate a little more.

 

[Sabrewings]

It's not really "your" PC with Windows 10 installed on it.

It hasn't been yours since you installed a closed source piece of software.

 

[bbhaag]

This quote is from the original article that Ars is writing on. I encourage everyone to go back and read the source.

In a statement sent by a spokesperson to us, Microsoft said: “As we have done in the past, we post KB articles relevant to most updates which we’ll deliver with Windows as a service. Depending on the significance of the update and if it is bringing new functionality to Windows customers, we may choose to do additional promotion of new features as we deploy them.”

I love that Windows is a service now. Don't you?

 

[escrow4]

Windows is now like Chrome. The dev version I have is version 46 something. There ain't no detailed changelogs for each update either. Same with 10. As long as it works, meh.

 

[DustinBrowder]

I for one will be going to Steam OS in few years as soon as they increase support for it and make it more complete.

It wouldn't surprise me to see some new OS coming from Russia and China though, I would hope its open source, free and secure and private!

 

[mmntech]

Here's a real world example of why this is a bad idea. I used to work at a TV station and my job was to input data into our own traffic app. We had developed it and all the supporting software in house. The backend CMS software got automatically updated and the devs never put out release notes for anything.

Boss walks in: "Hey Mmntech, why hasn't the app been updated with this yet?"
Me: That feature's broken in the CMS. Has been for months.
Boss: They fixed it like two weeks ago
Me: Well, nobody told me. Why didn't the devs send out an email?
Boss: I don't know. I'll look into it.

Which he never did. If you wanted to know if something was fixed, you had to physically walk over to their department and ask them. Lack of communication and transparency is always frustrating.

It wouldn't surprise me to see some new OS coming from Russia and China though, I would hope its open source, free and secure and private!

 

[ArizonaSteve]

At this point I have had enough of Microsoft and am actively evaluating Linux distributions this weekend.

 

[PliotronX]

At this point I have had enough of Microsoft and am actively evaluating Linux distributions this weekend.

JFYI Elementary OS and Kubuntu are sights for sore eyes.

 

[LightRider]

At this point I have had enough of Microsoft and am actively evaluating Linux distributions this weekend.

I'm using Xubuntu myself now. Very functional.

 

[Red Squirrel]

At this point I have had enough of Microsoft and am actively evaluating Linux distributions this weekend.

I've used Kubuntu, Xubuntu and few others in that family. Currently using Mint KDE. All great. So far Mint KDE is my favourite.

With all the crap MS is pulling lately I have a feeling more people are going to start seriously considering alternatives. At least, informed people anyway.

 

[Hugh Jass]

It wouldn't surprise me to see some new OS coming from Russia and China though, I would hope its open source, free and secure and private!

 

[Maximilian]

At this point I have had enough of Microsoft and am actively evaluating Linux distributions this weekend.

Same, I reached that point with windows 8 and ive been slowly moving towards linux ever since. That piece of trash OS was the final straw in things MS have done to irk me.

Moved my server from windows to linux debian ~2 years ago, moved the laptop from windows 10 to linux mint kde yesterday. Desktop is the only thing in the house still running windows right now :\

 

[MongGrel]

I've used Kubuntu, Xubuntu and few others in that family. Currently using Mint KDE. All great. So far Mint KDE is my favourite.

With all the crap MS is pulling lately I have a feeling more people are going to start seriously considering alternatives. At least, informed people anyway.

I've been using X awhile now, have to see I guess.

Does look like Microsoft trying to Rick Roll people a bit in the future maybe.

 

[Jaskalas]

I like to control the updates going to my PC.
Anything that detracts from that is a negative.

 

[DigDog]

people, Linux is not an alternative to Windows, no matter how you spin it, for 99% of the population. Even owning a OSX system marginalizes you, and if daddy Apple stopped controlling everything you do, you would be dead in the water.

ok, hyperbole there.

91% windows
7% mac users
1.7% linux

people don't buy computers to only use google and facebook; if that was all you could have, the private ownership of PCs would plummet. What drives pc sales are games, and the possibility of running countless software, from media creation to media consumption.

Linux is for professionals. It will never be a consumer level OS, no matter what you think.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Every time the linux pushers show up I think of this truenuff.tv skit:
TrueNuff.TV Mac Spoofing Upgrade

 

[dave_the_nerd]

people, Linux is not an alternative to Windows, no matter how you spin it, for 99% of the population. Even owning a OSX system marginalizes you, and if daddy Apple stopped controlling everything you do, you would be dead in the water.

ok, hyperbole there.

91% windows
7% mac users
1.7% linux

people don't buy computers to only use google and facebook; if that was all you could have, the private ownership of PCs would plummet. What drives pc sales are games, and the possibility of running countless software, from media creation to media consumption.

Linux is for professionals. It will never be a consumer level OS, no matter what you think.

Whah? Do you really think even 5% of the installed base of Windows PCs are used primarily (or even secondly or thirdly) for platform-exclusive games?

I have windows PCs out the wazoo, but I've been a lifelong Mac user, and have never suffered for lack of entertainment titles on either platform.

The Linux gaming scene is similar to the Mac scene in the '90s - very few big name titles (Firaxis seems to be pretty good about porting their stuff, and Empire: Total War is available), and a bunch of freeware that's pretty fun. Except I can run web apps and "casual" browser games too.

 

[postmortemIA]

The only thing people will consider is getting a mac. Linux hasn't eaten any Windows marketshare in 15+ years. That might change a little bit with SteamOS. Finally a big player behind it.
(Seen the article about suspend mode in SteamOS? That speaks volumes about Linux hw support)

BTW it would be useful to split forums for Windows and *nix, most of us don't give a sh** about Linux anymore (or some never did).

 

[Red Squirrel]

people, Linux is not an alternative to Windows, no matter how you spin it, for 99% of the population. Even owning a OSX system marginalizes you, and if daddy Apple stopped controlling everything you do, you would be dead in the water.

ok, hyperbole there.

91% windows
7% mac users
1.7% linux

people don't buy computers to only use google and facebook; if that was all you could have, the private ownership of PCs would plummet. What drives pc sales are games, and the possibility of running countless software, from media creation to media consumption.

Linux is for professionals. It will never be a consumer level OS, no matter what you think.

The private ownership of PCs *IS* plummeting. Most people are replacing them with tablets and smart phones now, which arn't exactly better because they are closed systems that probably have just as much spy crap as windows 10 but they don't care. For gaming they use consoles.

For enthusiasts who do want a PC and do care about privacy then Linux becomes worth the extra effort for some. It's sad it has to be that way but it seems these days if you want privacy you really have to compromise and work hard for it. Linux has come a long way though but there's still lot of things that don't make it fit for say, a corporate environment, due to lack of proper central management. Due to the open source nature of it some central management, better permission system etc could be coded in but they really should come up with something more plug and play. Basically something like AD but for Linux. (no not Samba, I mean something native)

Personally one thing I need to figure out is my phone as that is a pretty big privacy breach to own. Using android is not exactly the best thing as far as privacy goes. Google's entire business is about spying and collecting data. I wish there was more choice when it came to phones and that there was an open platform like PC where you can put Linux equivalent phone distro on it. There was one called the open moko but don't think it's updated anymore.

I'm surprised no other open source electronics enthusiasts have come up with a phone concept yet. Or at least I have not heard of any major ones.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Personally one thing I need to figure out is my phone as that is a pretty big privacy breach to own. Using android is not exactly the best thing as far as privacy goes. Google's entire business is about spying and collecting data. I wish there was more choice when it came to phones and that there was an open platform like PC where you can put Linux equivalent phone distro on it. There was one called the open moko but don't think it's updated anymore.

I'm surprised no other open source electronics enthusiasts have come up with a phone concept yet. Or at least I have not heard of any major ones.

What is the status of the Ubuntu-based smartphone? I could go for that.

 

[mmntech]

It's a strange world when Apple becomes the lesser of two evils. I always figured they'd be the first to try and close off your PC. OS X tends to be a little more transparent about data collection. You can also shut it off completely if you want. iOS is a different story though, unfortunately. iAD can burn in hell.

Even owning a OSX system marginalizes you, and if daddy Apple stopped controlling everything you do, you would be dead in the water.

How so? I can see it being an issue for highly specialized software in professional environments, but not for the average user. It's been years since I've needed a program but wasn't able to find a suitable OS X version. Apple doesn't maintain an iron grip on OS X like they do with iOS.

Gaming is also still a niche market for PCs. Windows mostly remains dominant due to cost and the enterprise environment. It's far cheaper to outfit a cube farm with bargain basement Dells than it is with iMacs. Same applies for the consumer market.

Linux is still seen as the domain for hardcore nerds. While it's a lot easier than it used to be, there's going to be a time when you have to use the terminal. A lot of people find that overwhelming. Lack of professional software like Adobe Creative Cloud is also a big issue. So yes, it's not ready for prime time. Though I find it perfectly adequate for general use. Browsing, checking email, playing back media, light photo editing.