At Upward, since Microsoft’s big push of a free upgrade to their new OS, Windows 10, not a day goes by without one of our clients asking if they can, or should, upgrade. As of right now, our answer remains the same: for existing computers, it’s still best to wait. But not for long. Why our hesitation? Here are some things to consider when it comes to holding out until your Managed Service Provider can give the ‘go-ahead’ on that free upgrade:
–It’s not a Beta OS but Microsoft is still in the testing/patching phase. The version that is out right now is a technical preview, meaning they are gathering research from anyone who has installed the OS to see what kind of bugs need fixing and what should be improved on.
–Many of your applications aren’t yet ready for Windows 10. For instance, some of the major anti-virus applications haven’t updated yet. This is pretty major for us. If we can’t install reliable AV on an operating system then we can’t recommend an upgrade.
–Microsoft is also recommending that you have a fair amount of tech knowledge if you do the upgrade. With certain hiccups that can occur you may end up in a spot where you’re going to have to wipe your hard drive completely and install the OS from scratch. Not comfortable with that step by step process? You probably shouldn’t proceed then without consulting an IT professional.
–What happens if you’re not happy with 10 and think you want to roll back and wait until the consumer release happens? A rollback may not be easy. An OS rollback is always a bit of a hassle and risk. Take it from us, whenever it comes to this kind of action, it isn’t something we like to do from a support perspective. Rolling back an operating system can mean data loss, it can cause issues and glitches in custom applications, and it can mean an entire rebuild of a system if we can’t fix it.
–As with all upgrades there are new features and existing features that don’t make the cut. With Windows 10 Windows Media Player was not included.
We should note though that Windows 10 is already showing great potential. We are currently testing the OS in our offices and the reception is positive overall. So far this is what we like about Windows 10:
-Account Manager Brett Mustard likes how reliable it is. There hasn’t been any crashes on his laptop and he thinks the search feature is nicely integrated and fast.
-Upward Tech Daniel Johnson likes how it takes what Windows 8 was trying to do (merge desktop, mobile, and tablet platforms) but successfully keeps the familiar windows interface in mind.
-On the mobile platform Upward CEO Ethan Dunham likes how clean, fast and easy to navigate it is.
-Help Desk Manager Josue Rivas is pleased with how Windows 10 is easier to navigate. Particularly from an IT perspective we can get to the Control Panel much quicker which is vital in technical support.
-System Engineer/Operations Manager Elias Stucky likes the look and feel of the OS and also the new feature of being able to split your screen in four parts which helps immensely with multi-tasking and referencing.
So you definitely have things to look forward to when it comes time to upgrade to Microsoft’s new platform. And when that time arrives, we’ll look forward to being there to help take your company to the next level.
Have more questions regarding Operating System upgrades? Want to know more about Windows 10 and how it will work with your company’s specific systems? Contact Upward Today!
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