Windows Insider: Where's the Microsoft program?

A look at the Windows Insider program. In recent years Microsoft continues to put a lot of pressure on the of Windows 10 and to participants in the Windows Insider program.

Following the slogan: New day, new problem, we see many different names used for Windows 10, Rings changed or shuffled, A / B tests where only a few of the Insiders get some new features and others do not.

Wondering what happens to Windows 10 and where Windows Insider goes?

The Bad language says "anything they get their hands on at Microsoft will go wrong."

But things are not so bad. But anyone involved with Windows Insider will be tested hard by the company. Here are some examples of what exactly is happening.

Error reports in the feedback hub

If you find bugs in Windows internals, you can report them to the so-called Feedback hub. Instead of doing this from your browser (after registration), you need Windows 10 and its equivalent .

However, this application can only be described as a problem. I tried once or twice to search for topics in the Feedback hub, but after a while I gave up the whole topic.
However, there are people who face the same problems and continue to diligently report operating system errors to the company. However, the errors that are published after the release of an update have already been reported (in many cases) and months ago.

Either Microsoft can't evaluate properly, or it doesn't care why it has to meet a timetable.

Chaos with Windows 10 names and Windows Insider Rings

Windows Insider

Kip Kniskern has written an article for Microsoft. Confusion reigns: what's going on with the Windows Insider Program? It addresses some of the issues and confusion that prevails in Windows Insider.

Let's take a look at the names:

The Creators Update was released in the spring of 2017 and has a release number of 1703. The Fall Creators Update (version 1709) was released in the fall, where "Fall" caused problems in some countries, as the fall (Fall) in the northern hemisphere is Spring in the southern hemisphere.

The fact that version 1703 was not released in March 2017, but in April, and version 1709 was not released in September 2017, but in October, is probably not worth mentioning.

After all, some are now beginning to realize that there will be a problem in the spring of 2020. According to the above nomenclature, a Windows 10 version 2003 is expected to be released, but it has almost the same name as Windows Server 2003 from the previous decade. I'm curious to see how this can be resolved. They might call this version Windows 10 2004.

If anyone asks me if I could do something better: Probably not. First of all, probably I would not move the and secondly I do not get paid to scratch my head to find a name for Windows 10…

Threshold, , 19H1 etc

For Windows Insiders there were special code names such as Threshold 1, 2 or Redstone 1, 2, etc. for development branches. Because this again led to confusion, the name of the development branches was changed at the beginning of 2019. Now codes are given from the year and then number 1 for the spring release while number 2 for the autumn version. Thus, Windows 10 version 1903 is the development branch with code 19H1. In the fall of 2019, Windows 10 19H2 will be released (most likely as a 1909 version).

In addition to the above, Microsoft also uses individual build numbers for Windows. Personally, I don't pay attention to them, and I believe that no "simple" He is not interested.

Kip Kniskern asked if, after four years of nonsense, it's time to create a unified nomenclature for Windows 10 releases. I totally agree and would appreciate a naming scheme like the last ones s 19H1, 19H2 etc.

Major and minor updates

Businesses are furious with the semi-annual updates of new features. Meanwhile, Microsoft has tried to make a 180-degree turn. In order to maintain the old strategy (updating new features of Windows 10 twice a year), the company found a much "smarter" solution. A regular new feature update will be released each spring, supporting 18-month upgrades to all versions of Windows 10.

The new feature update, which is released in the fall, will be released for the first time with Windows 10 19H2 as a “secondary version” or minor release (something like Packs we had in the past).

In other words: Users running systems running Windows 10 version 1903 (Spring 2019) will receive an update that will upgrade their operating system to development branch 19H2. However, if someone is using older versions of Windows 10, they will receive a feature update for 19H2. So, in the fall, every Windows 10 system will reach the same state of development. Half, through a regular service pack and the other half with an update of new features. Very complicated.

Windows Insider

For the story: Fall builds are supported for 30 months, but only for Enterprise editions. Windows 10 Home and Pro are supported for 18 months. Does a simple user easily understand all of the above?

Windows Insider rings: How much more?

When Microsoft launched Windows Insiders there was a Slow and a Fast Ring. So the Insiders had to choose between the two to have new trial versions. Simple and easy.

Meanwhile, the internal partners had the Skip-Ahead-Ring. Note that there is also the Release Preview Ring through which Microsoft has updates for testing before the "final" version.

With the early development of Windows 10 20H1 (expected in the spring of 2020), some of the participants were surprised that this version was released in the fast ring and not in the skip-ahead ring. Windows 10 1903 was tested as 19H1 in the Slow Ring. So many people thought for a long time that Windows 10 19H2 would never be released.

Meanwhile, development branch 19H2 is being tested in the Slow Ring. The testers of the development branch 19H2 can no longer choose between Slow and Fast Ring, because the Fast Ring is blocked by the development branch 20H1…. We are not finished.

A / B-Tests for Insiders

Those who choose to be Insiders probably do so to get updates earlier than others. In recent weeks Microsoft has released two 19H2 builds in the Slow Ring. These versions were not offered to all Insiders. Depending on their system, Microsoft allowed either build. So some got new things, and others stayed in a build, which although updated was the same as the old one.

But that's not the reason they chose to sign up for Windows Insider. Instead, they follow the program to be the first to come in contact with new functions and features.

In other words: I do not think that some people feel lucky when they realize that they are being used as guinea pigs from Microsoft.

Personal view: something is wrong

I have the feeling that Windows Insider is slowly disintegrating. THE Giving Aul, who could still teach technology, left Microsoft and went to Facebook. Officials around Dona Sakar prefer to design new t-shirts and flags with ninja and other symbols, but this way they can not solve the problem.

I also notice a mismatch between what Microsoft offers and what customers actually need. Windows is just an operating system that needs to work. If I buy any machine and it costs me a lot of money, I wouldn't be interested in getting a “machine like ”, which breaks down every 6 months.

If I'm running medical equipment I don't need feature updates, the I just have to run. In SCADA systems the same. I feel that Microsoft is not thinking about a large part of its customers, and that we are all running to realize its super duper vision.

There are industries where the equipment can be used for 20 to 40 years (with upgrades every 15 to 20 years). Therefore, the 10 year support for an operating system is small, let alone the new operating cycles every 6 months or the 18/30 month support.

I'm curious to see what Microsoft will release in the fall and next spring. Personally, I do not participate in the Windows Insider program and when I use Windows I try to do it with a "fixed" version. It's just not worth it.

    Of course some of the above opinions may not represent you and your position may be closer to "who cares" or "if there are no serious issues, everything is fine".

But as a long-time user of Microsoft products (from MS-DOS 1.01), I want to see what the company will do in the end. Too many experienced people have been fired in the past and too many things seem to have been outsourced. I still remember how many people worked for Windows 8 and 8.1, only to retire a little later.

4 years after the release of Windows 10, I am surprised to see some people upgrading to Windows 8.1 due to the end of support of .

We are living in "big moments" and it is sad that the company thinks that this is how it is evolving…

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Written by giorgos

George still wonders what he's doing here ...

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