Some new features to note: One column wouldn’t capture all of the details risks and advantages so I tried to cover the big ones.
Rule of thumb: Working with Microsoft operating systems for the past 25 years, do not upgrade on the first day. Microsoft usually needs six months as a grace period for them to work out kinks. If you are one of those who has to have the latest and greatest, use caution before installing.
Out of all the operating systems of the last 10 years or so, Windows 10 is not bad. No real bugs no issues that can’t be resolved. That’s a huge feather in the cap of Microsoft.
Microsoft is set on attracting a new user base for its new operating system. The more and better apps there are for Windows 10, the better the user experience for consumers and businesses. That attracts new users, and usage, creating a super cycle.
Microsoft has promised one billion Windows 10 devices in the market in the next two or three years. This is a deliberately vague promise that comes with wide latitude for Microsoft—it doesn’t have to sell one billion licenses. It just has to get a billion devices running Windows 10; hence why Windows 10 is a free upgrade (for home users).
Should I upgrade my office PCs?
Golden Rule: Back up all data. If you don’t have the program licenses, go find them. If you have a printer from when acid-washed jeans were in style, it’s time to get a new one. Usually I give advice on how to do this on your own, but when it comes to your office and livelihood, this is something for which an experienced I.T. team should be hired. This does not mean your neighbor’s kid who has had Windows 10 for a year.
Planning is key when rolling out a new operating system. Speak to all of your application vendors. Make sure they have a Windows 10 version and support. People are always surprised when I tell them this. Be ready to back out and have all of your office applications come to a screeching halt; you need to be ready to back out. Your neighbor’s computer maven son will not ever have that type of experience.
For the enterprise, the easy answer is that it’s too early to say. Microsoft reports that deployment won’t even start until the second half of the year, but a lot is riding on the enterprise side of the equation for Microsoft.
One point in Windows 10’s favor is the growing popularity of Office 365. This is Microsoft’s version of Office in the cloud. The price is nominal and you get up to five devices for Office 2013.
Pros—Multiple Desktops on one screen are a must see, but harder to describe. This is not mirrored; this is your desktop with critical icons on screen you can toggle to. Something like how a Droid phone screen works. Keep your icons on a certain screen and toggle back and forth. The Start Button is back, though the apps are still there. You can get to all of your apps programs. No more toggling from apps to start screen via Alt+D as Windows 8.1 requires. The search bar is very powerful and easy to access and use. Security is better and less hardware compliant; it is free to consumers for one year.
Cons—If you have an older printer (five to seven years old or more) that officially doesn’t have Windows 8.1 drivers, Windows 10 printer drivers are not available. Windows 10 will look for Windows 8.1 drivers. But if your printer is so old that there are no printer drivers, you will have no printer. Cortana—Microsoft’s version of Siri or OK, Google—forces you to open a Microsoft account; same with OneDrive and Microsoft Edge. The new Internet Explorer does not support Java! Your website will tell you to use Firefox or Chrome. But Chrome and Firefox are not officially stable for Win 10.
Overall, if you have all of your data backed up for your Home PC, go for Windows 10.
This installment of UnGarbled-Tech was written on a Windows 10 upgraded PC. Shneur Garb is the CEO of the The Garb I.T, Consulting Group LLC in Teaneck, NJ. Comments or Questions? Email [email protected].
By Shneur Garb
