Windows 10: Five ways Microsoft has fixed the worst of Windows 8

Windows 10 addresses a number of complaints levelled at its predecessor

LEFT cold by Windows 8? Windows 10 might just be the solution to ALL your problems

 

Windows 8 was an attempt to modernise personal computers and cater to the growing popularity of smartphones, tablets and two-in-one devices.

Unfortunately – it did not work.

The Microsoft operating system was so unpopular that a number of PC manufacturers, including HP, started re-selling computers with Windows 7 after its release, as part of a promotional "back by popular demand" campaign.

A little under three years later, Microsoft has rolled out its latest – and final – version of Windows. And it fixes a number of the biggest complaints with its predecessor.

 

Apps Are Windows Again

Windows 8 was undoubtedly focused on touchscreen devices and adapting the desktop experience to mobile devices.

As a result, apps for Windows 8 were designed to take up the full screen, just like tablets.

Granted, you could split the screen – but apps could only be placed side by side, not top to bottom in a landscape layout, as you would want when scrolling through your inbox and streaming video at the same time.

With Apple OS X computers and previous versions of Windows, users were able to resize app windows however they chose.

With Windows 8, that was limited to apps that hadn't been adapted for touch – the ones thrown into the basement, otherwise known as desktop mode.

 

Resizing and snapping windows has returned for all apps, not just those built for desktop use

 

Desktop mode and tablet or touch mode in Windows 8 were like feuding siblings, each seeking to dominate in a bitter tug of war.

Windows 10 restores resizing for all apps, touch or not. It might sound cosmetic, but it can make a big difference to your workflow.

Start Again

Yes, the Start Menu is back and we couldn't be happier.

In Windows 8, the bottom-left start button, only visible in desktop mode, launched a full-screen graphical start page in tablet mode.

Although the live tiles were incredibly useful – providing information at a glance, similar to the homescreen in Windows Phone – the touch-centric start menu was more than a little jarring for desktop users.

 

Microsoft has built a new Start Menu, which combines elements of Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

You had to manually return to the desktop mode to run an older app, even though you were sent to tablet mode to launch it. Sigh.

With Windows 10, the start button functions the way it did with Windows 7 and earlier. 

The graphical start page from Windows 8 is embedded in that start button, so that it feels modern without making you chuck old habits. 

You can still get a full-screen start page – but it's a choice and not forced on you.

Living on the Edge

Internet Explorer is gone – replaced by Microsoft Edge. (And when we say "gone", we mean buried and hidden within the operating system for those who really need it.)

Edge presents some functional improvements, such as a virtual marker to draw arrows or circle an entry on a Web page to share over email, Facebook and other means.

 

also bundles a stripped back, text-only reading mode, similar to Instapaper, as well as a stripped back user interface, a la Google Chrome.

Even better, you no longer have separate browsers for desktop and tablet modes.

With Windows 8, when you opened a website in desktop mode, it didn't show up in tablet mode. You had to open it again.

Thankfully in Windows 10 – it's a truly unified browser, so you pick up where you leave off if you switch modes.

Universal Windows 

While Windows 8 was a brave and radical departure for Microsoft – it tried a little too hard to adopt features from mobile devices.

Windows 10 unifies the experience across the Microsoft ecosystem, but only incorporates features that make sense for a universal operating system.

Two new features borrowed from Windows Phone include Action Centre and Cortana.

 

The former is a new panel which slides in from the right-hand side of the screen.

It houses some quick settings, including wifi, display brightness and "quiet hours" – a useful way to suspend notifications and sounds if, say, you're giving a presentation.

Action Centre also features a stream of notifications from your apps.

These notifications sync across your Windows devices, so if you dismiss an email as read on your tablet, it won't pop-up on your desktop PC. Useful.

Cortana also makes her desktop debut in Windows 10.

 

Digital assistant Cortana is now here to help across the entire Microsoft ecosystem

 

The voice assistant is akin to Google Now or Siri but luckily – because chatting to your computer in a busy office might be a little awkward – users have been given the option of typing in commands, such as "Remind me to get milk."

Cortana is integrated with the Edge browser, too. 

Right-click to ask Cortana to define a word or provide a restaurant's hours of operation, or directions to the establishment.

A Cortana window temporarily slides over with that nugget of information so you don't clutter your browser with opened tabs.

Files Whenever You Need Them

As Microsoft shifts its focus to online services – it has been pushing users to store more and more of their files on its OneDrive cloud storage solution.

As with Dropbox and Google Drive, OneDrive typically keeps copies of all your files on your computer so you have them while offline. Any changes will sync the next time you're online.

 

That changed with Windows 8.

Copies were grabbed from the Internet only when you needed them, which meant files weren't always available when using laptops on the go, away from wifi.

Windows 10 restores the approach of keeping copies of everything, unless you limit that because you're low on storage.

So … is it worth upgrade?

Its worth updating your copy of Windows within the next calendar year – while it is still free.

However it might not be worth updating on Day One.

As with any major operation system release, make sure your favourite apps and accessories will work, as it might take time for outside developers and manufacturers to catch-up.

Microsoft's own Get Windows 10 app will check for known problems. 

And always back-up your PC first.

 

If you're using a low-end "Home" version of Windows, Microsoft will turn on future updates automatically once you get Windows 10. 

That is normally a good thing, especially as Microsoft plans to add features regularly, rather than wait for the next major release.

But automatic updates might surprise you with incompatible apps and accessories. After all, it might be the update after next whihc breaks everything.

 

You might want to wait a few months to see whether these automatic updates cause any meltdowns for others. 

In addition, Windows 7 users who use Windows Media Centre or have DVD players might need to find replacement software first.

The case is easier for those using Windows 8, including the Home version. The experience is much better, making any potential upgrade hassles worth it.

THE BIG QUESTION : WILL YOU BE UPGRADING TO WINDOWS 10?