Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • PC Hardware

    How Microsoft’s Skip to Windows 10 Will Benefit PC Users

    By
    Don Reisinger
    -
    October 2, 2014
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      PrevNext

      1How Microsoft’s Skip to Windows 10 Will Benefit PC Users

      1 - How Microsoft's Skip to Windows 10 Will Benefit PC Users

      by Don Reisinger

      2Welcome Back the Start Menu

      2 - Welcome Back  the Start Menu

      The Start Menu, which was unceremoniously dropped from Windows 8, has come back to Windows 10. Microsoft made sure to highlight the feature during its presentation and show how the Start Menu works and helps make programs and files accessible, just like it did in the old days. If that’s not an admission of guilt on Microsoft’s part, nothing is.

      3Some Simple Design Changes

      3 - Some Simple Design Changes

      The design of Windows 10 harkens back to the old days, as well. The design changes are somewhat simple in desktop view, but deliver flatter icons, a cleaner user interface and the end of the Metro-style look that so many enterprise customers couldn’t stand.

      4Touch Interface Is Still Alive and Well

      4 - Touch Interface Is Still Alive and Well

      Microsoft has made it clear that while it’s appealing to desktop and notebook users with Windows 10, the company isn’t turning its back on touch. In fact, several touch features are built into the operating system, Microsoft said, that will make it work well on tablets. For one, task switching has been ditched, and the company said it plans to “evolve” the touch interface as time goes on. Few details are known so far about the future of Windows 10 touch, but Microsoft said big improvements are coming.

      5Is This Windows 7 All Over Again?

      5 - Is This Windows 7 All Over Again?

      One might wonder whether Windows 7 is back when looking at Windows 10. After all, the basic design looks awfully similar to that of Windows 7, and the many design changes brought to Windows 8 are no longer front and center. Quite the opposite, Microsoft has gone back in time to Windows 7 and designed Windows 10 as if Windows 8 never existed. It’s an interesting move for a company that still wants people to believe that Windows 8 wasn’t that bad.

      6Satya Nadella’s Realization of a Single Platform

      6 - Satya Nadella's Realization of a Single Platform

      When Satya Nadella wrote his manifesto for the future of Microsoft earlier this year, he said that he envisions an environment in which the company would deliver a single platform for all product types. Microsoft is engaging in that opportunity now by showcasing how Windows 10 will live in “one product family, one platform, one store.” Of course, Microsoft didn’t offer too many details at its curtain unveiling, but it appears right now that it will deliver an identical experience across PCs and mobile.

      7Something New and Nice: Continuum

      7 - Something New and Nice: Continuum

      Finally, Microsoft got around to announcing something new at its presentation: Continuum. The feature provides automatic mode-switching that can recognize when a keyboard is attached to a device or not and adapt the software accordingly. When a keyboard is attached, the operating system will act as a notebook. When the keyboard is detached, it will work as a tablet in touch mode.

      8The Allegedly Fun Task-Switching Has Gone

      8 - The Allegedly Fun Task-Switching Has Gone

      Task switcher, the feature designed to help users quickly get between programs and tasks in Windows 8, has been dropped. In its place, Microsoft has unveiled a feature that lets users switch between applications for multitasking; this feature lives in the taskbar. There’s also a new function for the “Alt-tab” that lets users jump between virtual desktops. So, rather than having a single desktop, users can have multiple desktops running multiple apps at the same time.

      9Being Enterprise-Friendly Is Important

      9 - Being Enterprise-Friendly Is Important

      If Microsoft learned anything from Windows 8, it’s that the enterprise was not too fond of the operating system. That’s perhaps why Microsoft spent the day on Sept. 30 showing the Windows 10 features that would appeal to business users and said that it would hold on to consumer-oriented features for another day. The enterprise was pleased to see Microsoft playing nice and it could help sell Windows 10 units to companies that are still clinging to Windows 7 (or even the outdated XP).

      10Universal App Support Is Available

      10 - Universal App Support Is Available

      To its credit, Microsoft is making it much easier for developers to create programs that can work on any number of products. The company said that Windows 10 will be designed to run on everything from products in the Internet of things space to enterprise data centers. Regardless of the platform, Microsoft will offer a single app store and allow all programs in that marketplace to work across any of those products. It sounds like a neat feature, but it’s not clear how it will work in practice.

      11Consumer Features We Don’t Yet Know About

      11 - Consumer Features We Don't Yet Know About

      As discussed, Microsoft focused its entire presentation (and press statements, for that matter) on the impact Windows 10 will have on corporate customers. So, for example, there was no talk of whether the Siri-like Cortana will be coming to Windows 10. Microsoft said it will discuss consumer features early next year.

      PrevNext

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×