Why do people use LTSC in schools?

[mavhc]

Doing what MS want you to do is usually the least work

 

I don't get the argument that people can't cope with change, a) they have phones b) they have home laptops that update all the time, better to have them on the same version of Windows as they have at home.

 

Regarding updates, I've not reinstalled someone's computer since we moved to Win 10, they just update, no need to get their computer in to install the new OS, it's automatic, they can get used to it, you're not going to win an argument about the direction of Windows against Microsoft.

 

7 years of not needing to reinstall their OS so far, and it'll continue with moving to Windows 11

 

Also creating a new base OS to deploy is a 15 min job, not multiple days of installing a base OS, installing all the apps, capturing it etc

 

Office 365 and Google Workspace realtime co-editing is a game changer for efficiency

 

V4 printer drivers a) don't BSOD and b) are way more secure, and c) are configurable via powershell

 

Calculator has programmer mode for teaching CS, graphing for Maths.

 

Do you not have SSDs in all your laptops? That was a 2010 job. You need to explain to your head that they're wasting their money employing very expensive teachers to wait for their computer that's lacking a £30 upgrade

[jthompson]

I don't get the argument that people can't cope with change

 

Agreed. Besides, I reckon that regular, more gradual shifts are perceived less in the long term than larger, less frequent step changes.

[Koldov]

This is the kind of thinking that made buy an £1,500 Apple Macbook for the HT, because that's 'what they're used to'... and I don't know of any other large institution that has that view (and in fact the vast majority of our teachers don't have a home laptop, so they aren't used to anything). Most people can 'cope' with a lot of things if they 'have' to... nobody is saying they can't cope, but that there is no actual 'need' to make them do so...

 

Yes, they all have SSDs and I'll be honest and say I have no idea how long a SAC version update or 10 > 11 upgrade takes, so I can't offer an opinion but I somehow doubt it's as instant as you make it seem.

 

We do very little co-editing, but we do have Google if anyone needs it (they haven't as yet).

 

V3 drivers have been secured by 'Point and Print' restrictions here for years.

 

At our KS level, we aren't teaching CS, graphing for Maths.

 

"no need to get their computer in to install the new OS, it's automatic", I'll hold my hands up to this one, but once every 5 or 6 years is acceptable (if the laptop, or the teacher even lasts that long).

 

Anyway, I do agree those are all nice reasons to upgrade the OS to a different version, but to me they don't actually provide a reason to 'need' to. Since LTSC release I've had at least nearly 5 years (and possibly nearly another 6... ) of not needing to reinstall an OS so...?

[dmj]

I don't get the argument that people can't cope with change

Agreed. Besides, I reckon that regular, more gradual shifts are perceived less in the long term than larger, less frequent step changes.

 

Really? you must be new here. If it's not the way they've always done it, nobody wants to learn a new system even if it's going to save time/money and be better for the long term. Try posting on this forum about IasC, terraform, docker or pretty much any technology that isn't a paid solution from some select vendors and you are pretty much left with a blank stare, or even open hostility.

 

As for LTSC, pretty much the same as any LTS release of anything - if you want stability and have mission critical systems so need to have the reassurance that there will not be breaking changes then it's a good move for some. It may also help with licensing if you chose to buy perpetual licenses (if that is even a thing nowdays) and just upgrade/re-buy every 10 years. It would probably save a few quid.

[mavhc]

V3 drivers are a security nightmare, and so is having a print server

 

Currently here everyone is editing the same student report file, and the same spreadsheet for who wants what for dinner, and one to decide on the daily options the students want to do

 

If it's primary school then kids love Paint 3D

 

Giving children an OS that's older than they are seems odd

 

Also Docker all the things!

[Boredguy]

Personally, never seen the need to have Windows LTSB installed after 1803 build came out, and when using tools such as MDT/SCCM to deploy out your OS any tweaks needed early on to remove the unwanted apps was fairly painless since so many others shared their knowledge here and on other sites.

 

Certainly we've found that the LTSB install at a site we took over last spring was the cause of many of the reported issues from staff, not least because it wouldn't allow Edge to install so the browser of choice was the out-dated Internet Explorer!

For most normal users, having the Standard build is more in keeping with their home computer (unless your a site lucky enough to have a 1:1 device for staff) so interface and functionality is still similar between work and home. Switching it over to standard W10 22H build in the summer has majorly improved the situation there (and brought it in line with the rest of our schools)

 

For any site that went for Cyber Essentials certification, I wonder if using LTSB would have been a negative point since security updates might fall outside of the frequency it requires.

 

At the end of the day the OP was a question as for why people are still using it, not to say "your doing it wrong, change". Each school is different.

[Kitkatninja]

But it does give you a little more breathing room, especially if your hardware doesn't support, eg Windows 11, especially if you go for the Cyber Security Essentials (or Plus) accreditation.

 

Windows 10 2021 LTSC Mainstream support end date is: Jan 2027 vs Windows 10 Education/Enterprise: Oct 2025.

[Synkrox]

I used to. Because Windows 10 and its forced feature updates were havoc. And frankly coming from Windows 7 it was scary, unnecessary and even Microsoft hadn't really made it's mind up on what it should look like (other than "not windows 8.1")

We had start menu layouts changing, a new app store no one used or wanted, bloatware (even on edu/ent editions!) and noone knew what they were going to change and break with the next build. Remember roaming and mandatory profiles? All the workarounds and group policy changes from 7/8?

 

I found it robust and solid while MS went through their weird phase.

 

Now things are settling down, I'm Intune managed Win 11 and Semi Annual Channel, and find it OK.

[MrEprise]

We used the LTSB versions at our last place for many of the same reasons as some others on here.

 

I used to do various odd testing, trying to get to a happy medium with the SAC versions but it couldn't be done, at least not the way we wanted it. I always remember trying to set a Start Menu layout, I was creating it in 1803 but for some reason the layout wouldn't apply properly to users. So I tried creating the layout in 1709 (as I still had a VM with that version) and applied it to my test users logging into 1803 and miraculously it worked fine if I did it that way!

 

It was little things like that that made us think we weren't quite ready to make the jump yet.

 

Current place, we use the SAC versions and they work rather well.

[mavhc]

The trick is to not try to do anything MS doesn't want you to do, and thus doesn't test. Start Menu layouts being one of them, just type to search

[_techie_]

We tried using Edu 22H2 and on the old hardware we had combined with the shared computer suites AND the fact Store Apps install per user each time a student logged on gave a poor experience. This generated more tickets whilst students had to wait for apps to either update or install such as "snip & sketch" rather than the traditional snipping tool which is already available and ready to use.

 

If your fully in with 1:1 devices for all users including students, and know exactly what store apps to remove as part of your build and not brick the OS all credit to you.

 

I don't see a point in deploying an OS that's full of "stuff" that you then have to remove/turn off to keep students focused on work, but every school is different.

 

I'm sticking with LTSC in my computer suites, but happily rolling out Intune laptops with Edu 22H2 to staff.

 

LTSC in the computer suites frees up my time to focus on other projects that need my attention.

[mavhc]

Doesn't install the app, but does initialise it for a user the first time the user logs in