Just when we thought life had become simple, with just one “version” of Windows to persist in perpetuity, Microsoft has announced that their half-yearly updates will be given different names depending on where you live. That’s because someone in Redmond realised that the seasons are named differently in different parts of the world and that when it’s Fall in the US, it’s not Fall everywhere else.
The next update to Windows 10, which is previewer’s hands now, will go on general release later this year, during our Spring or the northern Autumn/Fall.
So, Australia will be getting the “Windows 10 Autumn Creators Update” – which makes no sense as it will be Spring here anyway!
I feel like an old man sitting on a chair on the porch yelling “Get off my lawn” but why can’t software companies stop trying to be cute and name things sensibly? Is it really so confusing to call it “Windows 10 October 2017 Update” or something that is universally recognisable and correct?
It’s this kind of crap that makes life confusing, especially for people running small businesses who don’t have the time or inclination to keep up with version numbers like Build 1709.
In fact, Microsoft already has a great system in place for regular fixes with Patch Tuesday. Why not simply rename Patch Tuesday by the month of release and make every sixth Patch Tuesday a more significant update? And make it obvious to users what month’s update they are running so they know if their systems are up to date.
Patching is one of the key defences against malware attacks. Why not help users by making it crystal clear what version or build they are running?
Comments
5 responses to “Windows 10 Will Have Different Names In Different Countries”
I’ll put up my hand and lay claim to having gotten MSDN seasonal releases changed to months back in the 90s. However one of the reasons that Microsoft likes season names is that it gives the company three months of wiggle room.
Yeah – seasonal names gives wiggle room but monthly names doesn’t limit them. Who really cares in the “Fall” update comes in Sep, Oct or Nov? As long as security fixes come in between it’s not a big deal is it?
If a pre-announced “September” update doesn’t arrive by midnight September 30, then people will complain.
Watch this quickly be fixed and changed to “Spring Creators Update” in Southern Hemisphere countries.
Except that what happens next year in the northern Spring?