If their direct marketing approach is anything to go by, Microsoft is extremely eager to upgrade clients to their latest operating system. Over the past two weeks, Windows users have been confronted by a pop-up message on their computer screens, marketing Windows 10.
“What happened to Windows 9 you ask?” It would seem as if Microsoft decided to skip the next logical option, Windows 9, and go directly from version 8 to 10.
The company claims that it’s such a huge leap from Windows 8 tot 10, it wouldn’t make sense to stick to the usual numeric naming convention. Given that Windows 8 hasn’t been the most popular, nor the most successful operating system, Microsoft might want to distance them from it as much as possible.
Whatever the reason, Windows 10 was presented to the media in September last year, and will, according to Microsoft, be available to the public at the end of July.
The bigger news however, is that Microsoft will be offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 to all their clients using the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1.
Some staff, depending on the versions of Windows you have installed, might have received a notice from Microsoft asking if they’d like to upgrade. If you say “yes”, a copy is reserved for you and when it’s available another notification will be sent. You can then decide if and when you want to install it.
BUT, just because Microsoft sent you the message, it doesn’t mean your computer can necessarily handle the new operating system.
And, as with most new software, the first release tends to have some glitches and the occasional bug.
IT will first conduct a thorough software testing and will then notify users when it’s safe to install and use it. Please hang in there for a bit longer and keep an eye out for news on Twitter and in Bits & Bytes.
If Microsoft’s marketing material is anything to go by, the new version seems promising and possibly an improvement on Windows 8. (more information is available on Microsoft’s website.
Keep in mind that some of the new functionality isn’t available from the start. Windows Media Center and the previously installed software needed to watch DVDs are also some of the functions that ended up on the chopping board.
The biggest visible change will probably be Cortana, a personal assistant – Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s less successful Siri. Microsoft Edge will also replace Internet Explorer as a web browser.
More answers regarding the upgrade to Windows 10, can also be found on the Guardian‘s website.
Tags: Windows 10