Around the world, there are already 300 million devices running Windows 10. What led to the new Microsoft system gaining such popularity?
Let's look at the most beneficial aspects of Windows 10 .
Free upgrade from previous versions of Windows
Until July 29, 2016, users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 systems can take advantage of the offer of a free upgrade of the operating system to the latest Windows 10. The task of automatic migration from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 is greatly facilitated by the GWX , the icon of which is located on the right side of the taskbar, with the Windows logo .
Clicking on this icon will open a small window allowing you to quickly start the system update process to Windows 10. It is worth noting that the update process was designed so that it does not require any action from the user related to deleting files or managing storage space. The update preserves all current files and settings of the old system, as well as all installed applications.
After July 29, 2016, Microsoft predicts that the free upgrade offer will no longer be available. People who have not yet decided to upgrade to the latest operating system will no longer see any emails associated with the upgrade process, and the GWX module will be removed from the system.
Who deserved first place?
Linux.
Since it is free, it is recognized as the best build for installation on user PCs. I also really liked the design of the system and its speed even for my weak PC (generally an ancient brick). I think many will agree that the OS should be accessible, fast, stable and beautiful.
Mac OS.
Although it is more sophisticated and more stable, it
properly
on Apple PCs. If you want to install it on your Windows PC, etc. then this will be a very long process, and everything will work slowly and possibly incorrectly.
Windows.
It has few differences from Lunix and also has a high price. Do not forget that it will not work well on older devices. It also has the weakest protection against malware and the internal antivirus does not detect most viruses. Therefore, you need to install a good antivirus, which costs a lot of money.
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New functional Start menu
One of the main drawbacks of Windows 10's predecessor, Windows 8, is the lack of a Start menu. Microsoft in the latest version of the operating system not only corrected the error, but also combined the functionality of the classic Start menu with the Windows 8/8.1 start screen.
As a result, we received a menu that can be adjusted to suit your needs . In no earlier Windows system did the user have such a wide range of personalization of the Start menu as in Windows 10.
We can change the size of the Start menu, as well as the size and placement of icons. The Start menu can contain shortcuts to both classic Windows apps and tiled, universal Windows 10 apps.
The new Start menu is also easy access to System Search Settings. If we cannot find some setting or applications, one of the simplest methods of searching for an object is to use the extended Start menu: simply enter the search phrase, for example, the name of a program, action or setting - the system will suggest the appropriate program or setting.
Advantages of Mac OS:
1) Usability and graphical shell.
All options and settings are designed for quick learning. The interface is multilingual, intuitive and convenient;
2) High degree of protection.
Mac OS is the most secure among all modern operating systems. The number of viruses is almost zero, and the built-in antivirus can handle all “pests”;
3) Easy to install and remove programs.
Simply move the shortcut to the trash to completely remove the application. Mac OS does everything for the user. You don't need to manually wipe your hard drive like you do in Windows or Linux;
4) Stable work.
Due to the high compatibility of components, users do not encounter bugs, freezes or crashes in the OS.
Larger workspace - virtual desktops
Microsoft has finally introduced in Windows 10 a feature that has been known in other operating systems for a long time - virtual desktops .
Until now, Windows users have survived by relying on additional programs, but in Windows 10, you just need to press the key combination Win + D + Tab or Win + Tab to manage active desktops.
To move a window from the current desktop to another, simply drag the thumbnail of this window onto the thumbnail of the selected virtual desktop. Thus, we can easily put in order windows that are chaotically located on one desktop, arranging them, for example, by topic on different desktops.
It is more convenient to switch between virtual desktops using the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + Win + ← and Ctrl + Win + →.
This function makes it easier to work on a computer when you need to solve several tasks of a different nature - then on any of the virtual desktops we can place application windows related to the implementation of a given task (for example, office program windows on one desktop, browser and mail on the second, on the third there is a player and a folder with music).
Windows benefits:
1) Windows is an extreme development of Microsoft.
This means that
all the company’s efforts are aimed specifically at improving and maintaining the operation of the OS.
Security update packages are released almost every week.
Microsoft also performs well in quickly eliminating viruses. Owners of computers with a licensed system have repeatedly noted that they managed to avoid the massive spread of malware thanks to quick developer updates;
2) Availability of voice assistant Cortana.
With the built-in speech recognition service, working with search will be even easier;
3) Reliable Firewall.
With built-in Microsoft Defender,
there is no need to install additional antivirus programs.
The firewall does an excellent job of detecting threats,
quickly blocks the execution of malicious code, and
allows you to scan the system;
4) Quick start.
The operating system
starts in less than 15 seconds, regardless of the performance of your PC
;
5) Setting up multiple desktops.
Users can add
an unlimited number of home screens and easily switch between them
using hotkeys.
It is worth noting that Windows supports almost any games and programs,
so there will definitely not be any problems installing the software.
New Explorer elements
The main file manager built into Windows has changed its name in the newest system, and also acquired several new functions.
After opening the Explorer , click on its icon located on the taskbar or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + E, you will see a completely new element called Quick Access .
This element is reminiscent of the one known from older versions of Windows - Favorites , but it works differently. It is not the user who decides what should be in this data set, but the operating system that automatically adds folders and files to Quick Access (the data that is displayed in Quick Access is virtual representations of folders and files).
Please note that Explorer does not display libraries by default in the navigation pane on the left side of the window. This element has not been removed from the system, but only hidden. It can be restored by selecting Show Libraries from the menu available after right-clicking on the Explorer navigation bar.
iOS at a Glance
- The iOS OS is a direct competitor to the Android operating system, but it is immediately worth noting that the iOS OS is installed only on products of the famous Apple brand. iOS is a closed platform and is characterized by speed, stability, security and high functionality. Developers pay great attention to optimization and release of new applications and programs.
The built-in App Store offers a large selection of various add-ons and software, and in terms of software quality, this “OS” significantly surpasses its competitors. All content that appears on the App Store is thoroughly reviewed. The latest version of iOS comes with cloud storage, social media apps, and backup functionality.
The interface is simple, clear, intuitive, quite stylish and accompanied by colorful animation, and you can turn off visual effects at any time.
Large-scale search system
The capabilities of the search engine built into Windows 10 were discussed in the description of the new Start menu, but the search function can also be used outside of this menu.
There's a new search icon on the Windows 10 taskbar. When we click on it we will activate the system search bar. According to the suggestion displayed in the dialog box, we can immediately enter the search word in the text field.
After entering it, the system returns a list of results. Typically, the Windows 10 search engine successfully interprets our request and suggests the correct item in the Best Result field, however, using the set of tiles visible at the top of the search bar, we can filter the results, limiting them to, for example, system settings, photos , music files or movies.
Search in Windows 10 is a truly handy tool because with growing capacities and increasing amounts of data, searching for a specific file, application or document would be a big problem without it.
System requirements
Most often in response to the question: “why don’t you want to change Windows 7 to Windows 10?” I heard: “I have an old weak computer, and it won’t handle the new system.” Well, let's take a look at the system requirements of both operating systems.
| Characteristics | Windows 7 | Windows 10 |
| CPU | IA-32 or x86-64, frequency from 1 GHz | IA-32 or x86-64, frequency from 1 GHz |
| RAM | IA-32: from 1 GB x64: from 2 GB | IA-32: from 1 GB x64: from 2 GB |
| Video | GPU with DirectX9 support and WDM driver | GPU with DirectX9 support and WDM driver |
| Screen resolution | From 800 x 600 | From 800 x 600 |
| Input Devices | Keyboard, mouse | Keyboard, mouse and/or touchscreen |
| Free disk space | IA-32: from 16 GB x64: from 20 GB | IA-32: from 16 GB x64: from 20 GB |
Is it necessary to comment on the above table at all? And this is not secret information; finding it on Google will not be difficult at all. The only problem is human laziness.
Automatic system update
The transformation of Windows 10 from a closed software product, as previous generations of the system were, into a constantly evolving service has led to the fact that the role of updates has increased significantly .
In Windows 8 or Windows 7, updates mainly came in the form of periodically downloaded “chunks of code” that “patched” discovered security vulnerabilities or fixed found errors in the system.
In Windows 10, updates not only improve security and reduce bugs, but also introduce completely new features to the operating system and applications running on it, a good example of which is the large list of new products expected after the big Anniversary Update.
The big advantage of the automatic update mechanism in Windows 10 is that it makes the update process as easy as possible. Setting up access in the main Windows Update → just click the Check for updates button.
Windows Disadvantages
Of course, considering the OS from all sides, you need to touch on the pros and cons. As for the disadvantages of the system, they are as follows:
- insufficient level of security for highly specialized work (standard anti-virus software is not able to provide the necessary security);
- malfunctions (even the most current versions of the OS may work with errors, but they are eliminated through updates);
- decisions regarding updating functionality and menus are not always successful.
Despite the shortcomings, Windows OS is a modern and effective software tool for solving various problems.
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Easy window organization
Known from the previous generation, the feature of snapping windows to edges has been significantly redesigned in Windows 10. In the newest system, we can not only increase the size of a window by dragging it to the top edge of the screen, but also expand windows on one of the halves of the screen by dragging them to the left or right edge of the screen.
New in Windows 10 is, for example, the ability to display a window in a quarter screen . Simply drag the window to one of the corners of the screen. Windows that take up a quarter of the screen may seem too small, but let's remember that 4K/Ultra HD screens are becoming increasingly popular.
System boot speed
Spoiler: Windows 10 boots faster. Although this is no secret to anyone. In versions 8 and 10, the system boot speed has been significantly increased. But I won’t say anything at all about Windows 8, because about the dead it’s either good or nothing, but ten really turns on much faster than seven, especially if it is installed on an SSD solid-state drive. Just occasionally watching the boot process of Windows 10, you will no longer want to go back to the seven.
You can see this for yourself, or you can watch videos on YouTube, of which there are plenty. For example:
New Edge web browser
After twenty years of Internet Explorer becoming the primary browser for Windows, Microsoft decided it was time for a change.
Windows 10 comes with a completely new Edge browser designed from the ground up. The new program is significantly faster than Internet Explorer , has a lighter interface, and also offers features not available in its predecessor.
An example of a feature that sets Edge apart from other browsers is the ability to sync bookmarks (named the same as Internet Explorer's Favorites) and reading list items. Thanks to this, we have access to them on any device (computer, phone) with Windows 10, on which we log in through our Microsoft account.
Other interesting features available in Edge include the ability to take notes on sites you visit and a special Reading Mode.
Introduction
A computer (hardware) alone cannot operate without human-developed software. Computer software is divided into three main groups: System software, application software and software. Operating systems (OS) refer to system software. They form the basis for higher-level software—applications and most service applications. Today, the Microsoft Windows operating system in all its forms is undoubtedly the most widespread operating system on PCs: there are more than 150 million IBM PC-compatible computers in the world, and 100 million of them have Windows installed. Obviously, getting to know a PC needs to start with getting to know Windows, because without it, working on a PC is unthinkable for most users.
Universal Apps and Windows Store Sync
Windows 10 is the first system in which Microsoft managed to implement the idea that the system is a universal platform for programs that run on a computer, smartphone or tablet.
We access universal Windows 10 apps through the official Windows Store .
Their advantage is not only that we have the possibility of using the same application both on the computer and on the phone, but above all that we pay for the program once and then can use it on all our devices (the application manufacturer may limit the number of devices on which the application should run).
In addition, thanks to the function of automatically synchronizing programs installed from the Windows Store, we do not need to manually reinstall previously purchased applications from the Store when we buy a new computer with Windows 10. It is enough that we log in through our Microsoft account when we first start the new computer and connect it to the Internet.
Main advantages and disadvantages of Android OS
- The main advantage of the Android OS is based on its “availability”, namely, on open source code, thanks to which each user can modify, make changes and customize the ideal version for work, since there are many different builds and versions of the OS in the public domain.
Having complete control over the device, thanks to the rooting function, you can get to the very origins of the device, install a new operating system, remove standard programs, or install special utilities. The same applies to the program interface, which can be customized at your discretion - change the appearance of icons, desktop design, install new widgets from third-party developers and even the shell itself.
- The Google Play Market or Android Market always offers a wide variety of new applications, games, and programs that not only make certain changes, but also increase the functionality of devices. There are many more free applications and programs on Google Play than on other platforms, but most of them are “loaded” with advertising. Applications can also be downloaded from a PC or laptop, and to transfer data you just need to connect your device to your PC and it will work like a regular flash drive or removable drive.
Another undeniable advantage of the Android OS is its multitasking. That is, if necessary, users can simultaneously use several applications. Android can be considered a fairly stable operating system that works almost without errors, and the built-in browser is considered one of the fastest among all existing today. The presence of an innovative Flash system allows you to make Internet surfing a more exciting experience, listen to music directly in the browser or watch video files.
Notification center and easy access to tools
The new Action Center in Windows 10 is a much more powerful tool than its counterpart from the previous generation of Windows.
By default, it is displayed along the right edge of the screen and displays notifications generated by the system, as well as messages from applications running in the system. In addition, through the Action Center visible at the bottom, we have easy access to selected system settings and functions, such as those related to network connections.
Operating system versatility
Windows 7 is only for PC, and there is nothing more to talk about. Win10 is designed to become a universal operating system for all devices: desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, game consoles, watches, toasters, vacuum cleaners, Christmas lights, electric drills and in general anything that uses electricity to operate.
But, as we all know, Microsoft's Napoleonic plans failed in the bud. PS4 practically pushed Xbox One out of the market, no one needed Windows smartphones at all, and as a result, the Windows 10 versatility program was slowly phased out.
As a result, there is a draw in the versatility point. Because neither one nor the other can cope with this. The only difference is that the seven was not supposed to be universal, and the ten, in general, is not to blame for the fact that Microsoft took a shot at something that even they couldn’t handle.
Improved command line
Accompanying the Windows system since the first edition, “Command Line” is also available in Ten. This program has received several improvements in the latest version of the system.
The biggest new feature in Command Prompt is the ability to use the system clipboard. Moreover, copy and paste functions can be accessed not only through the menu, but also through keyboard shortcuts.
If the copy and paste links don't work, you need to enable them. To do this, select Properties in the command line context menu and in the Command Line Properties window, on the Editing Options tab, select the Enable Ctrl key shortcuts checkbox.
Advantages of Linux:
1) Quick start.
The system boots in 10-12 seconds
, which is significantly faster than Mac OS and most Windows systems;
2) Support for working with multiple desktops;
3) Built-in utility for quickly installing and uninstalling programs.
In this version of Linux, users will not have to deal with repositories.
Everything is done for convenient work with the software
;
4) Multilingual interface;
5) Quick debugging of the system.
If you encounter programs freezing,
you can disable the process by pressing one key
;
6)Supported by all desktop PCs and laptops.
7) User-friendly interface.
conclusions
If you read to the end, you probably realized that Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 in all respects. Actually, as I said. But I'm not one of those who likes to gloat. Most of the advantages of the dozen are all the same Win7 functions, only slightly improved. And that's good, because it means Microsoft is moving in the right direction, other than Windows 8, rest in peace. The developers were able to introduce a huge number of technologies into the new version of their system and, as we saw at the very beginning, without ever increasing its consumption of computer resources. On the contrary, in many respects ten requires much less than its predecessors, if only because of the built-in programs, which now do not require downloading from the outside and thus do not put an even greater load on the system; or an interface that has stopped showering glitter on all sides, loading the computer with widgets and other fluff.
Windows 10 is the best thing Microsoft has produced in the last ten years. And even if not everything is smooth in it, even if some updates do not happen as we expect them, but the top ten confidently moves forward, growing up and developing with us, constantly becoming better and better. Sometimes it's worth leaving the past in the past and making way for the future. Especially something so beautiful.
Design
This comparison will be quite subjective, because, as we all know, felt-tip pens have different tastes and colors. But even here, Windows 10 is slightly ahead of the seven, at least in that it is optimized for the touchscreen. That is, if you have a touch monitor, you can completely do without a mouse in certain situations.
The first thing I want to point out is the Start menu. And yes, I like it better in the top ten. The menu fits perfectly with the angular design, matches the main theme and looks quite concise and convenient, providing a complete list of all programs installed on the computer in alphabetical order. Don't be confused by the number of unnecessary titles in the launch. You can remove them all and replace them with your own. The only question is, is this function needed at all? After all, it is much easier and more convenient to keep shortcuts to all the necessary programs on the desktop than on the initial start screen. But the money has been cut, the functionality has been implemented, but it’s up to you to decide whether to use it or not.
At first glance, the launch of Windows 10 lacks what was in the seven: device manager, control panel and everything else useful. But the developers themselves explain this in such a way that they gradually move from the control panel and all its sections to general parameters, which can be accessed from the start by pressing the corresponding gear-shaped button. In Windows 10 settings, everything is also neatly organized and, frankly, rummaging through the settings in search of the necessary configurations has become much more convenient and faster.
Now I’ll briefly talk about what is purely my subjective opinion, but maybe someone will listen. The design of Windows 10 itself is very high quality. Angular elements look strict, without unnecessary husks and even beautiful. The explorer is designed superbly: for once the fonts are normal, all the necessary settings are visible at once, the speed of work has also increased noticeably, largely due to the absence of that same husk and transparent caps.
The Windows 10 interface is fully customizable. There are no unnecessary elements that cannot be removed. Is the People button getting in the way? – turn it off. Tired of your computer shortcut? – you can open it by clicking on the explorer button, having previously configured this in the properties of the explorer itself. Want the theme to change to match your wallpaper? Nothing could be simpler. There are also plenty of color palette options.
It would be wrong to single out the entire point into just dozens and not say a word about the design of Windows 7. Everything about it was also quite attractive. The Windows Aero theme is still loved by users. We all sometimes loved to get stuck in a screensaver with bubbles. We liked these rounded frames, translucent caps, the color of which could be adjusted with the cursor, just like the buttons, which were pleasantly illuminated with different saturation when hovering the mouse over them.
But let's still be realistic. For the most part, we were all happy with the 7's design because it was really nice compared to the clumsiness of Windows XP. We were ready to upgrade to the new Windows, if only because it began to look human and gave users the opportunity to personalize their system. But at the same time, this personalization still slowed down the system a little on weak or old PCs.
Ten came out after the vomiting Eight with its unbearable titles instead of launching, but by that time the latter was already dead, and everyone had already switched back to Windows 7. Therefore, we can safely say that Win10 replaced the Seven with its rather good design. And this replacement was quite successful, because the design of the ten, although completely different, is no worse than the good old Aero.
In general, if we take into account only functionality, personalization and convenience, the design of Windows 10 came out better than Win7.
Games
In order not to get lost in the topic, let’s carefully walk around the edges. The seven is loved because it supports many old games that no longer run on the ten. And even I can’t argue here, because there were moments when you wanted to plunge into nostalgia, but you were turned off because some game from the 2000s simply didn’t want to launch on top ten.
But it’s far from 2007, so today support for new technologies is important, and for old ones you can always download Virtual Box. And Windows 10 keeps up with these technologies. It supports DirectX 12, which you don’t even need to install, it is already integrated into the system. And in combination with the tens game mode, this leads to a significant increase in performance in games.
Working with equipment
Immediately after installing Windows 10, you will make an amazing discovery. Most devices on your computer will not need to install drivers. This is a new feature of the dozen.
Most drivers are installed out of the box, immediately when installing the system.
The missing drivers can be obtained by simply updating the device driver via the Internet.
Now you don’t have to look for the necessary drivers on the equipment manufacturer’s websites. This is undoubtedly one of the main advantages of Windows 10.
