When Windows 10 updates itself, in the final stages, we’re treated to a series of screen-filling messages, like “We’ve updated your computer”, and “All your files are right where you left them.” I can understand why Microsoft is showing messages like this: to reassure users who would otherwise be wondering what’s going on as their hard drive thrashes away. As a more technically-minded person, I would prefer an indication of exactly what’s happening, and how long it’s going to take, but I can live with these messages instead.
On the other hand, sometimes these messages are misleading. Take this one: “We’ve got some new features to get excited about.” Apart from the grammatical issues, this message simply isn’t usually true. The most recent Preview builds, for example.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 11102
Build 11102, released on January 21, includes only one new feature of note, and it’s hardly exciting: you can now “right-click on the back and forward buttons in Microsoft Edge for quick access to your recently visited websites in the current tab.” Woo hoo.
Note that this build still has the problem with WSClient.dll error dialogs popping up at inconvenient times. At least the build announcement describes a workaround.
Windows Insider Preview Build 14251
Build 14251, released on January 27, has the distinction of generating a lot of discussion regarding the large jump in build number. It turns out that the big jump is the result of Microsoft trying to synchronize builds across platforms, which is actually a good thing.
Meanwhile, the announcement for build 14251 actually says “This build doesn’t have notable new features in it”. And sure enough, it’s mostly bug fixes.