Windows 10 Unique in Many Ways
Following on from the previous two Byte Me articles we finally have an article about the new features of Windows 10 as promised! This new operating system is unique in many ways. One, is that it is a free upgrade for existing Windows 7 & Windows 8 users. Another is that it is a true cross platform operating system (designed for phones, tablets, laptops and desktops). And finally it shows that even Microsoft can listen to their customers!
This final point is borne out by the fact that we are getting our familiar and much loved start menu back again as well as the elimination of full screen apps on desktops. These were the only real things ‘wrong’ with Windows 8 from our point of view (the way it looked). For this reason we offered a ‘skin’ to our Windows 8 users to bring back the classic Windows desktop look & around 90% of our customers adopted it.
Microsoft has lost some market share to Apple in recent years and I believe this was one of the key factors in them offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade to Win 7 & 8 users. They needed to come out with a good offering to keep previously loyal customers on-board. As a result 10 has been designed as much for upgrading previous Windows versions as it is for bundling with new PC’s. However, please read last weeks’ article about some of the pitfalls and limitations of this upgrade.
Windows 10 also heralds the release of Microsoft Edge – an entirely new Internet Browser from Microsoft which will debut alongside Internet Explorer on Windows 10 systems. The main push here appears to be compatibility with newer websites for increased speed, security and features. It appears that the Internet has reached an age whereby there is too much of a spread of differences between really old websites and the latest ones.
To maintain compatibility across this spectrum of websites Internet Explorer will cater for older sites & Edge will focus on compatibility with the feature rich latest ones. It will be interesting to see where this leave the likes of Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari as they should be facing the same dilemma. Edge is billed to offer a better user interface as well as offering a host of new features such as the ability to write your own notes and highlight points directly onto a webpage for your own personal records or to share with others.
Windows 10 will also offer users the ability to ‘snap’ applications into a half or quarter window so that they can see up to 4 different applications running at once. Hmm, sounds nice however I would consider this a little useless unless you are sitting in front of a huge desktop screen.
The idea of recurring online revenue has not been overlooked and as such Win 10 will really push a direct link to the Microsoft Store to entice the purchase of further apps, movies, music, TV shows and games. In some respects I see this as just another dig at our wallets not unlike the online betting that is thrust in front of our noses during near every TV sporting event – a trend that is becoming the way of the world which I consider not all that becoming!
Back on the right side of the ledger Microsoft have finally brought back the ‘home’ and ‘professional’ designations for Windows 10 which removes the confusion of which version consumers are actually purchasing. Retail outlets previously loved to advertise that their offerings came with ‘Windows 8’ even when they targeted business users that often needed Windows 8 Pro. This potentially false advertising has finally been addressed.
There are more new features too such as the Cortana user interface / personal assistant that are very interesting however I have mostly used my allocation of ink for this week so we should finalise these points in another 7 days.
Until then, future Byte Me topics can be emailed to [email protected] and Bruce is contactable at Kerr Solutions, 205 Musgrave Street or on 49 222 400.
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