Should you upgrade to Windows 10
In September 2014, Microsoft Corp. revealed its next operating system, Windows 10, at an unveiling event in San Francisco. Terry Myerson, the executive vice president of Microsoft’s Operating Systems group, said at the event that the new OS represented “the first step” toward a new generation of Windows products. He called Windows 10 Microsoft’s “most comprehensive” OS and the company’s best release for its business customers.
Features
Windows 10 focuses on cross-device consistency. Microsoft touted the OS’s ability to run on the “broadest range of devices ever.” The operating system will adapt to each device, and can be used on PCs, phones, tablets, and Xboxes, among other devices.
Additionally, the Start menu will return in Windows 10. However, it will have some live tiles as well. Live tiles are interactive icons that are displayed on the Windows 8 start screen. Many people criticized Windows 8 for using live tiles. Several of these critics have praised Microsoft for bring back the Start menu in Windows 10.
The combination of live tiles and a traditional Start menu design allows for personalization and customization. Windows 10’s Start menu will also have a universal search function that includes both local results and web results.
Windows 10 users will also be able to create multiple desktops. This means that a user can have one desktop for personal matters and another for professional ones. Users can switch between them by using the Task View button.
A Focus on Businesses
In an effort to cater to the business world, the company noted that it had simplified deployment. The new OS will have the same hardware requirements as Windows 7 and Windows 8. This means that companies can upgrade the computers that they currently own, rather than buy new ones.
Windows 10 will also allow for in-place upgrading. Instead of administrators removing a computer’s previous OS, in-place upgrading lets them install Windows 10 without being forced to wipe the hard drive. Additionally, all of the computer’s data, apps and settings would be preserved.
In touting the new OS, Myerson put a premium on familiarity. He explained in September that Windows 10 would be recognizable to both users of Windows 7 and Windows 8. He stressed the fact that users would immediately be able to work with Windows 10, and that the change would not affect their productivity.
Microsoft’s identity and access management system, Azure Active Directory, will be incorporated into the new OS. By using their Azure AD identities, Windows 10 users will have the same benefits as people with Microsoft accounts. These include access to the Microsoft Store and the ability to synchronize the settings on multiple computers.
Information Security
The company has said that Windows 10 will take information security seriously. The operating system will have “enterprise-grade security, identity, and information protection features.”
Data loss will be less of a problem, thanks to data separation at both the file and application levels. This translates to protection measures that will follow the data as it moves from device to device.
Windows 10’s data loss prevention solution separates personal and corporate data. Users will not need to switch modes or apps in order to protect their data. This solution will allow for the automatic encryption of corporate information as it arrives on the computer from the company’s network locations.
Additionally, Windows 10 will have “next-generation user credentials.” These include a two-factor authentication system in which the computer itself, once enrolled in the system, is one of the authentication factors. The second factor is either a personal identification number or a biometric identifier like a fingerprint.
A Look to the Future
Microsoft has told the public about several aspects of Window 10. The OS will be compatible with an array of devices. It will have cutting-edge security features and a new Start menu that combines Windows 8’s live tiles with the traditional design of previous operating systems. However, there are still plenty of unanswered questions about the new OS. There is no confirmation from many major 3rd party applications such as Pastel, banking applications and printer drivers. As such Techtron is recommending all our clients to hold off on upgrading to Windows 10 for a few months while we gather more information. Techtron as always will be monitoring the release and advise all clients when it will be advisable to make the change.
Regards
The Techtron Team.