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Microsoft: 10 reasons to upgrade to Windows 10

Why should you upgrade a machine running a previous version of Windows to Windows 10? Or buy a computer with Windows 10? Or build one and install Windows 10 on it?

That's what Microsoft attempts to answer with a new short video entitled "10 Reasons to upgrade to Windows 10: IT'S FAMILIAR".

The first thing you may notice when you watch the video is that it is rather difficult to discover the ten reasons in the video.

Update: As pointed out in the comments, the video that Microsoft uploaded contains only one reason to upgrade to Windows 10. The company decided to publish a series of 10 videos (one each day until release) that showcase reasons to upgrade to Windows 10. This video highlights the "it is familiar" reason only.

I played the video twice and came up with seven reasons only. Lets get started with the video first and discuss the reasons afterwards.

The reasons I discovered for upgrading to Windows 10 are:

  1. Start Menu
  2. Live tiles
  3. Best of Windows 7
  4. Best of Windows 8
  5. Cloud Sync
  6. Familiar desktop
  7. Windows 10 is free

Did you find the other three? Lets take a closer look at each reason in detail.

Start Menu

windows 10 start menu

Windows 10 ships with a start menu again. If you are a veteran Windows user you know that Microsoft replaced the start menu in Windows 8 with the Start Screen, a fullscreen interface that opened whenever you wanted to perform tasks such as search or launching programs.

The Start Menu is not just a copy of the Windows 7 start menu though as it uses a different layout and design, and displays live tiles in it as well.

It can best be described as a mix of the classic Windows 7 start menu and the Windows 8 start screen interface.

You may remove all apps and live tiles from the start menu if you won't use them.

Probably the biggest issue I have with the start menu in its current form is the placement of the Power button. It is not placed at the bottom of it, the way it was in all previous versions of Windows except Windows 8, but on top of the all apps button. It happened more than once in the past that I wanted to shut down the system but clicked on all apps instead.

Live Tiles

Live Tiles display updated information in the start menu. This can be news, weather information or the most recent photos you added to your account.

While this may be useful on mobile devices, I cannot see the appeal of it on the desktop. Sure, it is nice to have the weather report displayed to you whenever you open the start menu, but the start menu is usually not open long enough to act as a working "news" source.

Best of Windows 7 / Windows 8

While Windows 10 offers most what Windows 7 and Windows 8 have offered, there are features that Microsoft removed from the operating system.

This includes Windows Media Center, DVD playback capabilities, desktop gadgets, some games, Windows Live Essentials.

On top of that, the company modified how system updates work on Windows 10 by making updates mandatory.

Cloud Sync

Microsoft's file and data synchronization service OneDrive has been fully integrated into Windows 10. The service, which you had to install as a standalone program on previous versions of Windows, syncs data across devices automatically, for instance photos you took with your smartphone to your computer, or specific Windows 10 user preferences to other devices running the operating system.

This has been part of Windows 8 for the most part as well.

Familiar Desktop

This one is rather puzzling as it seems to address Windows 7 users exclusively as Windows 8 offers a different two-tiered interface where users navigate between desktop and Start Screen interface.

The desktop is -- for the most part -- identical to that of Windows 7. There are notable exceptions, support for virtual desktops for instance or the start menu mentioned above.

It is fair to say however that Windows 7 users will be more at home than in Windows 8.

Windows 10 is free

There is no arguing here even though it is not free for everyone. There are two main options to get Windows 10 for free:

  1. You have a Windows 7 or Windows 8 license that is eligible for the free upgrade during the first year.
  2. You have joined or plan to join the Windows Insider program.

Now You: What are your reasons to upgrade / not to upgrade to Windows 10?

This article was first seen on ComTek's "TekBits" Technology News

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