![\"cortana\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/files\/2015\/06\/cortana.jpg\")
“What happened to Windows 9 you ask?” It would seem as if Microsoft decided to skip the next\u00a0logical option, Windows 9, and go directly from version 8 to 10.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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,\u00a0marketing Windows 10.<\/p>\n
“What happened to Windows 9 you ask?” It would seem as if Microsoft decided to skip the next\u00a0logical option, Windows 9, and go directly from version 8 to 10.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0Windows 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The bigger news however, is that Microsoft will be offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 to all their clients using the\u00a0Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
BUT, just because Microsoft sent you the message, it doesn’t mean your computer can necessarily handle\u00a0the new operating system.<\/p>\n
And, as with most new software, the first release tends to have some glitches and the occasional bug.<\/p>\n
IT will first\u00a0conduct\u00a0a thorough\u00a0software testing\u00a0and will then notify users when it’s safe to install and use it. Please hang in there for a bit longer\u00a0and keep an eye out for news on Twitter and in\u00a0Bits & Bytes.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that\u00a0some 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.<\/p>\n The biggest visible change will probably be Cortana, a personal assistant – \u00a0Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s less successful Siri. Microsoft Edge will also replace\u00a0Internet Explorer as a web browser.<\/p>\n More answers regarding the upgrade to Windows 10, can also be found on the Guardian<\/a>‘s website.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Wat het van Windows 9 geword?”, vra jy? Dit blyk of Microsoft besluit het om die volgende logiese benaming, Windows 9, heeltemal oor te slaan en\u00a0direk van 8 na 10 te beweeg.<\/p>\n Die maatskappy voer aan dat Windows 10 so drasties verskil van 8 dat hulle nie bloot net numeries\u00a0kon voortgaan\u00a0nie. \u00a0Toevallig was\u00a0Windows 8 ook onpopul\u00ear en minder suksesvol by gebruikers.<\/p>\n Wat die rede ookal is, Windows 10 is in September verlede jaar\u00a0aan die media bekendgestel en gaan, volgens Microsoft, einde Julie uitgerol word aan\u00a0die publiek. Die nuus wat egter op almal se lippe is, is dat Microsoft Windows 10 gratis bied aan almal\u00a0wat tans Windows 7 Service Pack 1 of\u00a0Windows 8.1 gebruik.<\/p>\n Sommige personeel mag `n kennisgewing van Microsoft \u00a0ontvang het waarin daar gevra word of jy wil opgradeer. As jou antwoord “ja” was, word `n kopie vir jou gereserveer en sal jy sal laat weet word wanneer dit beskikbaar is. Jy kan dan kies \u00f3f en wanneer jy dit wil aflaai en installeer.<\/p>\n MAAR, net omdat Microsoft vir jou `n boodskap gestuur het, beteken dit nie dat jou rekenaar die nuutjie\u00a0sal kan hanteer nie.<\/p>\n En, soos met enige nuwe sagteware, het\u00a0die eerste weergawes nog skaafwerk nodig\u00a0en kom daar hier en daar haakplekke voor. IT gaan eers Windows 10 deeglik toets en gebruikers in kennis stel wanneer dit veilig is om te gebruik.<\/p>\n Probeer maar eerder nog `n bietjie uithou en kyk uit vir kennisgewings op Twitter en in Bits & Bytes.<\/p>\n Te danke aan\u00a0Microsoft se deeglike\u00a0bemarking lyk Windows 10 egter belowend en moontlik `n verbetering op sy voorganger. (meer inligting is beskikbaar op Microsoft se webwerf<\/a>).\u00a0Sommige\u00a0funksionaliteit is nie noodwendig al beskikbaar aan alle gebruikers nie en Windows Media Center, sowel as sagteware vir DVDs in die slag.<\/p>\n Die mees sigbare\u00a0veranderinge is die byvoeging van\u00a0Cortana, `n persoonlike assistent – moontlik Microsoft se antwoord op Apple se minder suksesvolle Siri\u00a0en\u00a0Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer se plaasvervanger.<\/p>\nAs jy `n Windows 7 of 8.1 gebruiker is, sou jy dalk gedurende die afgelope twee weke `n kennisgewing van Microsoft op jou skerm sien opspring het. Hierdie poging is deel van ‘n\u00a0baie direkte bemarkingsveldtog vir hul nuutste produk, die Windows 10 bedryfstelsel.<\/p>\n