I was one of the fortunate ones in the lottery for my laptop computer be part of the massive free software upgrade that is Windows 10 on the first day of its release. After using it for what it was intended, I can say no real harm done.
Functionally, it is almost identical to Windows 7. In fact, while I had Windows 8 on my laptop, the interface changed, yet all of my settings, backgrounds, and programs remained intact. Sure enough, the Start Menu is back, padded with all the trimmings that Windows 8 was despised for. But in this case, the icons are relegated to parts of the Start Menu that I give it. I admit, the power button within the menu was tricky to find at first, but my digital assistant was there to help.
Cortana, Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri, has all the charm and wit that people come to expect from such a program. Residing next to the Start Menu icon, she acts as,among other things, help finding functions within the operating system, creating calender schedules and reminders, activating or deactivating programs, and a search engine. Ask a question, she opens up your default browser to Microsoft’s own Bing. She is also terrific for riddles and jokes; maybe you’ve heard them, maybe not. She does rely on an internet connection, but is witty enough to remind you that she and the internet are not getting along at the moment.
When it came to my already installed video games, however, that’s where issues began to form. When I attempted to load them up, some crashed before the program even began. The next day, though, my video drivers were updated, and I reinstalled the games to play it safe. Combined, that seemed to do the trick. So before updating to Windows 10, be sure saved games are backed up if they are not already on the Steam Cloud, just in case you might lose something you can’t replace. Windows 10 has been touted as requiring less memory to operate, allowing better performance from games. Alas, I noticed no such difference since switching, but that could be the hardware within my computer.
Microsoft’s newest web browser, Edge, takes notes specifically from Mozilla’s own Firefox. The browser has a unique appearance that requires adjustment, but is otherwise intuitive and smooth scrolling, literally and figuratively. To fully take advantage of what Edge has to offer, a touch screen is recommended. That way, one can hand draw notes or pictures over a screen shot of a website, and send it through email or a social network of choice.
If for whatever reason I want to revert back to an older version of Windows, thankfully I can. Within a month after installing the update, I can tell the system to revert back to an older operating system (Cortana will lead the way.) Of course, one can still use their original media that likely came with their PC, if they would prefer that method.
This time around, it appears that Microsoft actually listened to its customers and built something that is as efficient to use as it is exciting.
Even with grumblings of Microsoft seeking personal information from people, I do not regret making the switch; we live in a world where we are connected, whether we know it or not. For the convenience and pleasure I derive from Microsoft’s latest, I have nothing to argue about.
Have you made the switch yet? What are your thoughts on Windows’s latest incarnation? As always, let us know in the comments below.
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