When did you get your first Microsoft product, and what was it? (Have you ever used Apple products?)
To be honest, I ‘cut my teeth’ on a pirated Windows XP which my assembled computer came pre-installed with. Not really being in the ‘computer’ field, this really did not matter to me as the desktop was used primarily in my office for work. At one time I needed to fix my Windows XP and to do this I went online to search for solutions. It was then that the Windows bug bit me and before I knew it, Microsoft had awarded me their MVP status.
And no, I have not used any Apple products because I never really felt the need to switch.
What makes you believe so strongly in Microsoft products?
I am familiar with Windows & Office as an end-user, so I can only talk of these two. The important thing is the intuitive interface which makes it really easy to learn Microsoft products. The next thing is the wide support and software ecosystem that these products enjoy. You name it and there is bound to be a freeware available for Windows. Have an issue and your friend is surely to be able to help you. Have major issues, just search for an answer on the web. I have found Microsoft products to be dependable, and so I stick with them.
What is your opinion on the current Windows 10 deployment strategy?
Microsoft wants everyone to be on the same level as far as the Windows 10 operating system is concerned. As a result of this, they ‘force’ updates on Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro computers. While this may be good on paper, the fact is that there are always some users whose systems break because of these updates.
I am sure that Microsoft tests these updates extensively on all Insider systems before releasing them to the end-users, yet you hear of problems cropping up after the November Update – or more recently the Webcam and the Freezing problems after the Anniversary Update.
One reason this could be happening is because Windows gets installed on almost any hardware configuration – and most users have various combinations of hardware components being used. If after some update, some component or some installed driver software is not supported, the OS breaks!
On the other hand, Windows is a Service now and you will have to keep your computer updated. To be able to install the next set of features or a newer build, you require the earlier updates to be installed.
Somewhere a middle path needs to be found. While users of Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise & Windows 10 Education editions have the option to defer upgrades, Microsoft should offer this setting for users of the Home edition too. So if a user selects this option, the delivery of feature updates to his/her system can be deferred by a few months – by which time if there are issues with a particular update, Microsoft will have had ample time to fix it.
Who are your influencers or mentors? Who do you follow to get your Microsoft news? Who would you recommend others pay attention to?
Real inspiration comes from within, and fortunately, that is how it worked for me. So pay attention to your heart’s calling, and you are bound to excel.
I believe in following the official Microsoft news channels and social accounts because that is where the news emanates from. I stay away from leaks and rumors.
Tell us something about your site TheWindowsClub.com and how it all started.
I launched TheWindowsClub.com in 2009. I enjoyed Windows and I found that I enjoyed blogging about Windows even more. The site traffic grew faster than I expected it to, and so I gradually took on some authors too. The site now gets around 9-10 million page views a month.
What are your life’s passions?
Blogging about Windows is a passion – apart from this, traveling and going on family vacations is something I relish.
Thanks for speaking with us, Anand!
Please visit www.thewindowsclub.com to see some of Anand’s great Windows tips, and check out his Twitter and Google+ pages.
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