By now you are probably familiar with the Windows 10 free upgrade notification popping up in the task bar on a regular basis and may be wondering what to do. Having had the privilege of attending Microsoft’s official UK Launch event for Windows 10 I can confirm that there are some exciting times ahead for the desktop and mobile platforms.
Amongst other things we’re back to a focus on keyboard and mouse control from which Windows 8, certainly in its earliest incarnation, had strayed somewhat. The start menu is even more familiar now to long-term users of Windows whilst still moving forward in terms of ease of navigation.
There are other features such as multiple desktop options and plenty to admire but the focus of this article is concerned with whether or not to upgrade within the work environment.
As upgrade processes go, the upgrade to Windows 10 does seem to complete fairly smoothly – certainly compared with older operating system upgrades of which we have first-hand experience of processes lasting several hours. You also have a 30 day roll back option to your pre-existing operating system which works reliably – a fact we know because, amongst the early adopters out there, we have a number who have needed to roll back. Herein lies the issue.
Setting aside the odd teething problem which one associates with a new operating system (and there have been a few for Windows 10 already) it is impossible for the Operating System to have been tested against the seemingly infinite number of combinations of hardware and software. Bespoke CRM platforms, legacy accounts software, older business applications which someone has clung on to like a talisman for years may all suddenly stop working post upgrade….indeed, may disappear from the system altogether or appear to work until, days in, one finds a vital function that is not performing as expected.
Our current thinking and advice is by all means upgrade and experiment on a home device if you are interested in Windows 10 but, if you have any concerns regarding the learning curve of a new operating system (particularly if, like many offices, you are more familiar with Windows 7 computers) or are unsure regarding whether your work applications will run on Windows 10, don’t upgrade just yet.
There are still options open to you and areas with which we can help; We can facilitate testing of in-office applications on a Windows 10 platform prior to any commitment on your part to upgrade. We can also disable the upgrade reminder or simply offer further help and advice if required. Please feel free to get in touch – 0118 976 7111 – to help ensure your future migration to the new operating system works, right from the start….