Guest Author
Windows 10 is here and people are jumping all over it like hipsters at Urban Outfitters. It’s estimated 50 million users have upgraded to the new version.
The Start button in all its glory, has returned to the Windows Operating System, and making most users glad. The last version of Windows tried to embrace the touch screen mode a little too tightly, alienating many clients.
The new start button is not your grandmother’s Start button, but very new and cool-looking. They sprinkled in lets of color to liven up your screen.
With most new versions of software you generally need to study the minimum specifications pretty closely. Older machines generally have glitches or slowness with newer software. However, Microsoft aligned 10 with the 7 and 8 specs. So if your upgrade path is from Windows 7 or 8 you should be OK. However, if you’re still running an XP machine it’s time for new hardware.
Windows 10 comes out of the gate with some cool new security features.
Device Guard is among them. It blocks specific hacking attempts and can neutralize malicious software without the user even knowing. Another feature is Windows Hello, which enables fingerprint and iris security technology versus reliance on passwords only.
The auto-update function in 10 should keep all machines in line with the latest patches, but that presents gray areas. This feature already has caused problems across the board because 10 is so new that bugs are still rampant.
Another big factor to consider is privacy experts’ claim that 10 communicates your information back and forth with Microsoft. Check out this language if you are not a fan of big brother watching you: “We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary.”
That’s pretty grim verbiage in this young man’s opinion (Is 41 young? I say yes!)
I saved the hottest issue for last, the Wifi Sense feature has lit up the Internet in recent weeks. It’s an auto login tool that could share that access with your contacts, Facebook friends, etcetera if you were to log into a new wireless network.
WHOA, TONTO! This is a major problem, so for now make sure the check box for this feature is not checked.
A general best practice is to wait out the latest and greatest and let it stabilize before jumping aboard. That’s especially if you have a complex corporate infrastructure that could have a long list of compatibility issues to consider.
On the flipside if you are looking at just one machine for home use, dive right in if you wish. For all intents and purposes Windows 10 seems legit, and could go down as one of Microsoft’s best efforts.
Blake Dowling is chief business development officer at Aegis Business Technologies. His technology column is published monthly on Wednesday. Contact him at [email protected] or at www.aegisbiztech.com. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
