Windows 7 is easierr to use than 10
I have been Windows 10-less now for two months. I sold my 18-month-old laptop before the Creators Update arrived, having not used it since February 2017, and have never been happier than I am with my second-hand Windows 7 laptop. What a revelation! It is so simple to operate, I know where everything I need is situated, and I don’t have oodles of ‘apps’ to ignore.
I can choose when to install updates, I can use older 32bit programs, and its 160GB hard drive is adequate for my needs. Who needs a terabyte for normal computing, browsing the internet, sending emails or editing images? I use Synctoy ( www.snipca.com/24819, pictured below) to back up my documents and photos to a 500GB external hard drive. Simple.
Yesterday, I had to visit my brother, who has an identical Windows 10 laptop to the one I used to own. I was horrified at all the changes made, presumably by the Creators Update. I understand that Microsoft will probably not be pleased that they have lost yet another ‘customer’, but I just cannot understand why computing has to be so complicated. I have been using computers since the Commodore PET in the early 1980s, both for work and pleasure, and things are getting worse. Perhaps I am just getting too old? But then again, perhaps not. I see that 50 per cent of PCS still run Windows 7, so maybe I’m right and Microsoft is wrong. Roy Phillips
AThis is a very complex area of the law, but we’ll do our best to explain. Data privacy is governed by the Data Protection Act (DPA), which covers companies and organisations. Within these it’s the Data Controller who is responsible for any breaches. This is the person who decides why personal data is being stored.
The Data Processor, who gathers and uploads the data, is not legally responsible. Put simply, the Data Controller is the person in charge, making decisions, while the Data Processor is merely following orders.
It’s not entirely clear how fully the DPA will affect this local group, which is legally independent of the U3A and run by volunteers. However, it is responsible for ensuring the data is accurate and remains beyond the reach of hackers.
But under the law would anyone in the group be considered a Data Controller? It’s likely, but depends how the structure between it and the U3A is set up for this cloud-based venture. We would love to give James a clear-cut answer, but for peace of mind he should contact the Information Commissioner’s Office for advice on 0303 123 1113, or by email and live chat ( https://ico.org.uk/global/contactus). It also has a guide to data protection at www. snipca.com/24786.