Microsoft Windows 10 introduction and information
Latest News:
In January 2017 Microsoft has agreed to allow users to have more control. This is one of the
downsides of Windows 10 - privacy and user control. Your machine can be updated to something
quite different without you being asked if you agree. See this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/01/14/microsoft-windows-10-privacy-update-controls/
In July 2016 Windows 10 was updated to what is called the "Anniversary Edition" or Version 1607.
Many machines (with automatic updates set on) have been automatically updated to this version.
You can tell by opening settings, then clicking on System and then (at the end) on About. The start
menu has been slightly rearranged also. Since 29th July 2016 you can no longer take advantage of
the free upgrade to Windows 10, but all new Windows Computers for personal use are now delivered
with Windows 10.
Original article. (Not modified since March 2016).
Windows 8 removed the start menu and attempted to be an operating system which catered both for
desktop machines (including laptops) and mobile phones and tablets. It has been very unpopular,
and has been forced upon users as the only operating system available with new PCs and laptops.
Businesses stuck to windows 7! It was later improved with Windows 8.1 which had a limited form of
start menu and a number of other usability improvements.
Microsoft have now attempted to undo the damage with the release of Windows 10 (29th July 2015).
Windows 10 is a big improvement over Windows 8.1, with many new features, some of which can
make an immediate difference to how you work and play as well as hidden improvements under the
covers. There are less benefits if you have a desktop machine running Windows 7.
There are some issues and you should also check that your machine is supported. See list below.
If you are currently running Windows 7 or 8.1 you can upgrade to Windows 10 for no charge!
You will see a little "upgrade" window icon in the system tray. You can alternatively run Windows
update and download update KB3035583. The free upgrade offer runs until July 28th 2016.
Windows 10 has now been around for over 7 months, and has been well received. While a number of
professional and business users have chosen to stay with Windows 7 because of their complex setup,
for ordinary users we can usually see no reason not to upgrade.
This is especially worthwhile for users of Windows 8 thanks to the return of quite a reasonable start
menu. Windows 7 desktop users will see some benefit once they are used to the new interface. But
there are issues, some of which are listed below. Most serious, if you use it, is the loss of Windows
Media Centre.
The most striking difference between Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is the return of the full Start
Menu. This is not, however, like the Windows 7 Start Menu, but is a new design which is fully
customisable. You can change the style, size and whether you want a mixture of traditional icons
and/or live tiles. I really like it - having got used to how to make it work.
If you have a new touch screen computer with a removable keypad, then one new feature is
"Continuum" which detects when you detach the keyboard from your tablet and then automatically
expands the Start Menu to full screen so that it’s easier to navigate using the touchscreen.
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Search is improved in Windows 10 with the introduction of a feature named "Cortana" (originally
developed for Windows Phone). This intelligent search engine learns about you over time and can
search your PC and local network. Cortana works via a keyboard and mouse and also (more
intuitively) by voice. You can ask "her" questions using your webcam or microphone.
Windows 10 is designed to be more productive in other ways. You can still switch between multiple
applications using the traditional Alt-Tab keyboard combination and the task switcher using
thumbnails on the taskbar. But Windows 10 now features multiple desktops, so you can organise your
open applications and documents; for instance keeping all the data from one project on each desktop.
Snap has also been improved, with the ability to view four applications at once, one in each corner of
the screen.
Management is now easier thanks to the Action Center. (Again very familiar to users of Windows
Phone). Swiping in from the right side of a touch screen or accessed via the notifications in the bottom
right of the taskbar with a mouse, the Action Center gives the ability to manage many settings without
resorting to the Control Panel. It seems the objective is to get rid of this old feature!
Internet Explorer has always been defective in implementing web standards, to the frustration of many
a web developer. With Windows 10 you get a brand new web browser called "Edge". This omits
some older Microsoft web standards (eg ActiveX) and is said to give better performance and security.
It also includes a reading mode, which strips out all the graphics from a page so you can read it more
comfortably, and has the ability to handwrite notes on pages. Windows 10 still includes Internet
Explorer 11, if you need old plug-ins and the like, but Edge is far superior.
Under the bonnet, Windows 10 features major improvements to the core, to improve performance,
and also introduced DirectX 12, which will boost performance in 3D games and applications.
I've had it under test for some months. It is certainly much better than Windows 8, but I'm not rushing
to ditch Windows 7 any time soon! The press is positive about Windows 10 and is encouraging users
to migrate.
There is no longer an Ultimate version. Just Home and Pro (the latter is mostly for businesses).
We have now upgraded two of the three HP Cambrian Centre laptops to Windows 10.
Please ask to try one of these if you would like to see what Windows 10 is like.
Brendan Blake
23rd March 2016 (4th edition - originally produced 1st August 2015.)
Issues:
- Start Menu: Despite the statement that "The start menu is back", it is not the same start menu. It
still contains the tiles introduced with Windows 8, and will require someone who migrates to do quite a
bit of relearning. After a lot of time spent learning how to adjust Windows 10, I have finally got to like
it on a PC. It is very adaptable and can be configured the way you want. Program are listed
alphabetically, making it easier to find an infrequently used program. But this does mean you have
adapt to the new interface, and this takes time.
- Windows Media Centre: Microsoft is withdrawing Windows Media Centre. It will not be replaced. If
you have added a TV card to your computer, then the chances are that you use Windows Media
Centre to view and record TV. This is source of much annoyance to those affected. See
https://www.thurrott.com/windows/3319/confirmed-media-center-is-dead
- Other applications: There are migration problems with a number of third party applications.
Windows 7 computer users who are happy with their computers should not rush to upgrade, but
should instead ensure there are no problems with any of their key applications.
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- Hardware and driver issues: Not all machines will support Windows 10, and some people have
had to roll back. See https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-specifications
- Warning: It takes several hours to perform the upgrade. You first download the update (about 3GB)
and then choose a time to install it. Pick a time when you don't need your machine.
References:
Good Q&A article on the Guardian Technology website:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2015/jun/25/microsoft-windows-10-free-upgrade-7questions-answered
Windows Community Forums: http://answers.microsoft.com
Good review: http://www.alphr.com/microsoft/microsoft-windows-10/page/0/7 (October 2015) Based
on PC Pro article.
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