Bryley Basics: Introducing Microsoft Windows 10

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With the usual hoopla, Microsoft previewed Windows 10 at its Redmond, WA offices on Wednesday, January 21st.  What they unveiled was a solid attempt to provide one operating system for both PCs and for mobile devices that adapts to the device on which it is installed.

Prominent, new features include:

  • Internet Explorer 12 and a new, less-obtrusive browser – Spartan
  • A new, Siri-like, context-aware, digital assistant – Cortana
  • A platform-sensing/shaping utility – Continuum

There is an effort to bring Windows users into the future by fixing past mistakes:

  • The Start menu reappears and displays the traditional desktop, but includes a list of apps on the left (similar to the traditional Start menu) along with the tiles (now named Modern rather than Metro apps) found in Windows 8
  • The Charms bar, a source of controversy in Windows 8, has been removed

Also, Windows 10 may be offered as a service (WaaS); updated will be constantly and automatically applied, potentially with a monthly or yearly subscription.  (Preston Gralla of Computerworld expands on this topic in his 1/21/2015 article “Forget Windows 10 – Here are the four most important words Microsoft said today”.)

For more information, please see Preston Gralla’s preview in the ComputerWorld article: “Windows 10 deep-dive review: Finally, a unified operating systems”.