Upgrading to windows 10: pros and cons. but on the other hand

Microsoft is positioning Windows 10 as more than just another operating system update. “Ten” should usher in a new era of working with computer devices, when the user interface is the same on all platforms, from smartphones to 80-inch displays in conference rooms.

Features announced months in advance (including the return of the Start menu) are likely to appeal to users, and updated security and management tools to IT staff.

So should businesses upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise, released on August 1? Will Microsoft be able to achieve its stated goal of “one billion Windows 10 devices in two to three years”?

The new OS is being received well, at least for now. A recent survey of CIOs found that 73% plan to implement Windows 10 in the next two years.

“The enterprise version of Windows 7 has improved administration and security tools,” recalled David Johnson, an analyst at Forrester Research. – Windows 8 was released in order not to lose the tablet market, and Windows 10 was released in order to maintain the dominance of Windows on enterprise computers. And I think Microsoft will succeed in this.”

However, getting large enterprises to switch to Windows 10 won't be easy. Despite improvements and innovations like universal apps, pushing companies to make the switch within the first year of release is no easy task. “For consumers, the benefits of Windows 10 may be clear, but getting most CIOs to upgrade their organizations will require something more compelling,” Gartner analysts Steven Kleynhans and Michael Silver wrote in a research note.

A lot has changed since Microsoft last gained a large user base with Windows 7 six years ago. After Windows 8 left businesses cold, rumors spread about the possible end of the operating system. At the same time, the influx of mobile devices into companies opened the door for Apple and Google to make inroads into the corporate world.

As for those who are ready to implement Windows 10 now or later, it will be a large project for them either way: migrating thousands of PCs is a major undertaking for any large enterprise, and it will require a lot of prep work and a lot of funding.

Windows 10 is not Windows 8

From the end users' point of view, a large Windows advantage 10 is that it tried to correct many of the wrong moves made in previous version.

This is most noticeable in user interface: Microsoft clearly drew inspiration from the beloved Windows 7. There are some modern touches and reminders of Windows 8, but the “desktop” looks much more familiar to most: there are no full-screen applications and Windows 8 “live tiles” designed for the touch screen, which were imposed on you regardless of whether you use a tablet or not. The Start button is back, and Windows Store apps have resizable windows and behave much more like traditional apps.

It is noticeable that Microsoft has tried to maximally improve the conditions for everyday use of the OS on desktop PCs and ensure a consistent interface on devices different types. In itself, this is not a reason to switch to Windows 10, but users like the listed features, and a more familiar interface will make it easier for support staff to organize the transition.

Other features include a redesigned Internet Explorer, renamed Edge, improved search capabilities and debut digital assistant Cortana on desktop computers.

Improved security and administration

For IT staff, the big news was the security and administrative improvements.

Windows 10 will provide new identity management capabilities based on access to Active Directory via the Azure cloud. Thanks to the innovations, there will be no need to use additional passwords when switching between accounts. desktop systems and in cloud services like Office 365 and Windows Store.

Microsoft promises to simplify support for Windows 10 on various platforms, including through a universal app model and advanced management tools mobile devices, – now to the capabilities that have appeared in Windows 8 to control personal devices, used in work, corporate management tools have been added. In addition, as Microsoft emphasizes, it supports corporate data protection policies, managing user groups, full control over the Windows Store, setting up a VPN, and functions for destroying information on devices.

Announcements of other innovations are expected in the coming months.

Much attention was paid to safety during development. “Microsoft is dramatically improving the security of the system itself, including the use of hardware,” Johnson said. “The corporation has worked carefully to implement support for all security technologies available in Intel processors.”

In particular, Windows Hello supports biometrics and two-factor authentication using Passport, and Device Guard has improved protection against targeted threats.

Windows as a service

Perhaps the biggest change for businesses other than new ones Windows functions 10 is the system update schedule. As expected, the “ten” will be the last full-fledged release of the OS, after which a new incremental update scheme will be introduced - Microsoft itself calls it “Windows as a service”.

“This transition is a response to changing market realities,” write Gartner. – Microsoft is the latest developer on the market trying to generate revenue from an OS for client devices. Today, users are accustomed to considering the operating system as part of the device, something that should only be updated throughout its service life. Charging for updates, as Microsoft is accustomed to, already seems inappropriate.”

Windows 10 Enterprise came out just a few days later than the Home and Pro custom versions, which arrived on July 29. Unlike the free first-year upgrades for consumers and small businesses, Enterprise will still require you to pay for both licensing agreements and Software Assurance support. In exchange, large enterprises are given the ability to choose how and when to deploy updates, while others will install them automatically.

“Enterprises can either, like consumers, update regularly or protect critical environments by allowing only mission-critical updates and security patches,” Microsoft says.

Changes in the update scheme, on the one hand, can cause difficulties for IT services, on the other hand, they help companies avoid falling behind in software versions. With a rolling release schedule, the code will be updated regularly and users will always have the latest version of the system - at least that's Microsoft's plan for Windows 10.

Difficulties of transition

Given that replacing an OS is a serious project, organizations are now considering whether to switch to Windows 10 at all rather than when exactly to do it. Microsoft has tried to ease the burden of deploying Windows 10 by making sure it works on older computers as well. But migrating a large organization to a new OS will not be easy in any case. And it will not be cheap, whether we are talking only about updating existing systems or, in addition, about upgrading equipment. Updating the OS on computers running XP cost, according to Forrester, about a thousand dollars. While upgrading to Windows 10 will likely be cheaper, it will still cost large businesses a pretty penny.

“Migrating from XP to 7 taught us that application compatibility is the biggest problem, which means upgrading will be the most expensive part,” Johnson points out. “I think it will cost much less than moving from XP to 7, but it will still be a lot of money.” You also need to consider the cost of training employees, especially those upgrading from Windows 8. Naturally, organizations shouldn't wait too long to upgrade, at least unless they have other serious plans. Support for Windows 7 ends on February 14, 2020. It may seem like a long time coming, but the migration process often takes up to a year and a half, and this must be taken into account.

“Replacing an OS is a huge undertaking,” says Mareike Fondufe, senior product manager at Heat Software. – Organizations often underestimate the duration of the preparatory phase of large IT projects. The most difficult thing will be with legacy infrastructure - serious compatibility problems may arise here; automated migration tools may be needed.”

Many organizations may have difficulty migrating legacy applications. “Microsoft promises very high compatibility with Windows 7, but despite this, it is necessary to reserve significant funds to ensure functionality key applications, especially those using Internet Explorer, as well as potentially costly upgrade solutions,” Johnson emphasizes.

Alternatives to Windows 10

The most important question is: do organizations even want to switch to Windows 10?

In the years since the release of Windows 7, it has become clear that Microsoft is no longer the only option. Apple continues to conquer the most expensive segment of the enterprise market, and adoption of Chromebooks as a cost-effective alternative to Windows is growing, especially in the education sector. Thanks to the growing popularity of cloud Google services Apps, 5 million Chromebooks have already been sold in the US alone.

“Alternatives will be used, especially in organizations that are strapped for cash,” Johnson continues. – Chrome OS and Chromebooks will come into use in education, medicine, etc. – in industries where they would not like to spend money on administering full-fledged copies of Windows and everything connected with it. As for Chrome OS, if you have enough applications available through the browser like Google Apps, then such a solution would be a natural choice.”

In the short term, it is unlikely that many will want to completely abandon Windows in favor of another platform. Many enterprises have simply invested heavily in Windows, and the popularity of Office remains at an all-time high.

Someone is probably looking for alternatives, but they are in the minority. Most organizations still depend on Windows. Even if they decide to switch to alternative platforms for accessing corporate applications, they will most likely use either virtual desktop infrastructure or Office 365 and other Azure services.

So is it worth upgrading to Windows 10?

For most businesses, the idea of ​​moving to Windows 10 requires consideration. The system corrects many of the mistakes made with Windows 8; security features have been strengthened, the familiar appearance of the “Seven” has been returned, but at the same time there is also a modern interface optimized for various devices, used in offices.

It is likely that many companies will not rush to deploy Windows 10. Returning to the familiar interface and functionality of the “seven” has its advantages and was well received by participants testing trial versions, but the same thing may delay the transition to Windows 10.

For those who went through the difficult upgrade to Windows 7, Windows 10 simply doesn't have enough features yet: a few innovations are hardly enough to get started major project modernization.

"Windows 7 is a differentiating OS, and there will be many companies that don't have the money or resources to jumpstart their migration to Windows 10," Johnson said. – Apart from improving security mechanisms, Windows 10 does not solve any problems that might arise when using Windows 7, and the last one works great."

On the one hand, as with any newly released software, it may make sense to wait until errors and shortcomings are corrected. On the other hand, Forrester analysts, for example, express confidence that Windows 10 will become a corporate standard. “If there was, say, version 10.1, it might be reasonable to start testing version 10 and only decide whether to upgrade or not after the update is released,” Johnson says. – Microsoft needs to release products that seriously improve the manageability and security of an enterprise; Software that employees will consider a real help in their daily work; tools that will make it easier for developers to create applications for Windows 10 and port them to Microsoft platform from others. And it looks like they're getting serious about all of these areas, which is why I'm much more optimistic about Windows 10 than I was about Windows 8."

- Matthew Finnegan. Windows 10: Pros and cons for enterprise – why your business should move to Windows 10. Computerworld UK. 07/28/2015

Many disputes still circulate on the Internet on the topic benefits the last operating system from Microsoft before the legendary and beloved “Seven”. Of course, everyone must make a choice for themselves - it is influenced by many subjective factors, ranging from simple habits and ending software, which is supported in a particular operating system.

Essential Windows 7

More than 7 years have passed since the release of this operating system, but it is still most popular and used around the world. Microsoft is cyclical in many ways: XP was stable and successful, then a frankly disastrous one was born Vista, which the community received with hostility. Even after numerous patches and updates, Vista has not become better or more stable. And the developers themselves, who at first tried to convince them of the breakthrough of their Vista, soon abandoned this idea and began to create a real good operating system.

In 2009, after the appearance of the seven, the first comparisons new system We went with good old XP. Seven was good optimized, required few resources and thus was loved by users. No one even had a question about which OS to choose - Vista or Seven.

The next OS, Windows 8, was unable to fully replace Windows 7. Users did not like the new navigation and focus on mobile platforms, so the previous operating system was still considered better. Perhaps conservative users were simply frightened by the abruptness of the transition to a new concept. The release of update 8.1 did not fundamentally correct the situation. The outdated Windows 7 required a worthy successor. And so it became new ten.

Worthy continuation

Windows 10 continues the series of extremely successful operating systems XP and 7. The new OS gained its share of popularity due to free trial access to it for owners of licensed copies of Windows 7 and 8. The new OS is better than the eight in everything - in performance, optimization and functionality. It is also, like Windows 8, used on mobile devices, tablets, and so on. Let's compare and understand this issue: what is better - the good old “seven” or the completely new “ten”?

Performance Comparison

To identify the fastest OS of the two presented, you need to test them on absolutely identical computers with the same hardware. The following PC configuration was used for testing:

• Processor Core i5 3.4 GHz;
• 8GB RAM;
• Video card GeForce 980 GTX;
• 1TB hard drive manufactured by Crucial.

Two were tested on this computer. OS one by one. The first test was loading time. Here seven takes the lead by one second: 6 seconds for 10 versus five seconds for 7 Windows. Of course, these data should not be taken seriously, because Everyday life Such differences are difficult to notice. But the purpose of these tests is to determine who is better at computing processes and performance of functions.

The next measured action is waking up from sleep mode. Ten it took 10 seconds for this, and the seven took a full 17 seconds. Here the difference is much more noticeable; the previous OS copes with the task almost twice as slow.

WITH coming out of hibernation same situation: ten copes with it better than the seven by 6–7 seconds. Let's move on to performance tests various programs and standard software for ordinary Windows users.

Program performance

Let's start testing with an office software package Microsoft Office and determine which operating system copes better with the task. In all utilities of this package both operating systems run equally fast. It is worth mentioning that the eight behaves much worse in this situation.

The browsers chosen for testing were Mozilla And Chrome. Surprisingly, the browser from Google feels much better Windows 7, than by 10. Distinctive feature Windows 10- exclusive browser Edge, which was created specifically for this operating system. The development has paid off: dozens of users don’t even wonder which browser to use. Edge performs better in terms of performance and performance than Chrome and Firefox.

Next comes Adobe products, which are known to be very demanding on PC resources and operating system. In a programme Photoshop CC Windows 10 and 7 show themselves practically the same: 21.8 seconds vs. 21.4 seconds.

Drive performance

For this testing I chose HDD Samsung with throughput 6 Gb/s and 512 GB memory capacity. According to the results of the program CrystalDiskMark, the speed of reading information is not significantly different: 794 Mb/s for 10 versus 786 Mb/s for seven. Disk writing speed varies by 50 MB/s in favor of “ tens».

Computer games

There are many rumors that seven is still better for modern games. It is generally accepted that already released games run extremely unstable on the new operating system.

Games that were released before the release of Windows 10 were selected for testing: Bioshock Infinite, Metro Redux, Crysis 3. In the first two game projects both systems produce identical results: 130 frames per second on the “ten” versus 129 on the “seven”. In Crysis 3, a computer running the Windows 10 operating system took a slight lead (by 5–10 frames per second).

Based on the test, we can draw the following conclusion. The inability of computer games to run on the new OS is a myth. Compatibility and optimization problems were also present on Windows 7, however, this did not prevent gamers from enjoying their games.

The only place where 10s users may experience compatibility problems is with very old game projects that were released even before the release of Windows 7.

Performance Conclusion

Based on the results of all tests, we can conclude that both operating systems cope with basic tasks in approximately the same way. If we compare them as two independent projects, then "ten" looks much better. Firstly, at one time Microsoft needed a certain number of updates before 7 became the most popular and stable operating system. Windows 10, in turn, almost immediately after the release it became fully operational.

Let's move on to the interface and navigation of both systems.

Appearance and interface

Comparing design and comfort is completely subjective. Many users are so accustomed to navigation and appearance"Seven" that it will be very difficult for them to switch to a new generation of operating systems.

The design of the Desktop, windows and menus in the “top ten” is made in “ flat" And " square» Directionality. This trend started back in Windows 8. The “Seven” is the standard of classic design. It is almost impossible to choose the best or worst interface - it's a matter of taste.

In the top ten two modes available: Tiles from Windows 8 and the standard Desktop. There is no trace of anything like this in the old “Seven”, as well as support for mobile platforms. If you are going to transfer all your existing devices to a system from Microsoft, then the choice is definitely on the side of the “ten”. The Start menu in the new OS is a hybrid between classic start and figure eight tiles. Compared to Windows 8, ten is more friendly to desktop computers and mouse and keyboard controls.

The next plus in the piggy bank - Availability voice assistant . This system functions similarly voice search Google also searches for the files and documents you need on your computer’s hard drive. The downside for Russian-speaking users is that Cortana has not yet learned our native language. But those who use English at least at a basic level will like this function. Another plus is the new proprietary browser. Although, most likely, this is a criticism of the Internet Explorer developers themselves, rather than Windows 7.

Overall, the new OS looks brighter and more colorful, thereby making it look better on high resolutions. This is a definite advantage for owners of large and modern monitors, as well as tablet users.

Of course, the “seven” is less demanding on the configuration of your computer. However, if you are going to purchase a completely new system, then be sure to install Windows 10:

• Firstly, she has great prospects, and the differences in everyday work from the “seven” you are used to will be minimal;
• Secondly, all future updates, software, games will gradually switch to support only this operating system;
• Third, synchronization with mobile devices and tablets only available at 10.

Switching from seven to ten, having an average computer or laptop and not planning to update it regularly and in a timely manner, makes sense only when necessary (for example, supporting a new game or a program you need in Windows 10).

Video on the topic

Having brought a new operating system to the market, Microsoft, of course, emphasizes its advantages. However, besides these, the system also has disadvantages.

Let's look at the most obvious "flaws" of Windows 10.

Wi-Fi Sense (Wi-Fi control)

Windows 10 was equipped with Wi-Fi Sense feature. This is a solution that allows you to automatically connect to publicly available Wi-Fi networks or networks that your “friends” provide access to. In this case, the term “friends” means a person whose contacts we store, for example, in Outlook.com, Skype or Facebook mail contacts.

At first glance, this is a convenient feature: it will make it easier to access the network in public places, but potentially dangerous. Many public networks have no security at all. The problem of lack of security can also affect the network that our “friends” provide access to.

Do you really want to share your network with people from your contacts!?

Therefore it is safer in settings Wi-Fi networks In Windows, disable Wi-Fi Sense. Microsoft promises, however, that the controversial part of the Wi-Fi Sense function, which allowed the system to independently exchange Wi-Fi passwords, will soon disappear.

Start Menu Flaws

New Start Menu in Windows 10 is a flexible solution when it comes to personalization, but its disadvantage is that, to some extent, it violates user privacy.

The Start menu, when clicked, shows data presented in dynamic tiles. We shouldn't have to agree to have the Start menu display, for example, our personal photos or personal information when it expands just because it has an icon for the app that stores our data.

Large amount of data on hard drive

The process of upgrading an earlier version of the operating system to Windows 10 results in the fact that, in addition to the files of the new system, all data from the old system is saved on the disk. They are located in a folder created during the update called Windows.old– this folder can take up several tens of gigabytes of disk space.

When we have a lot free space, the problem is not particularly stressful - the extra files will be automatically deleted by Windows 10 after a month has passed since the update (within a month we can easily return to the previous version of Windows).

Unfortunately, when we use a fast, but insufficiently capacious, SSD media as a system drive, it may turn out that After the update we will run out of disk space.

Obviously, the solution is to “manually” delete the folder Windows.old. There are quite enough functions for these purposes standard program Disk Cleanup supplied with the operating system.

Lack of extensions in the Edge browser

Lack of support for legacy anti-piracy systems

If we love old applications or games that run, for example, on Windows XP or 7, which are protected by anti-piracy systems such as SafeDisk or SecuROM, before switching to Windows 10 we should know that these games will not work on the new OS from Microsoft, but the reason for this is lack of compatibility of the operating system with old anti-piracy libraries.

The way out in this situation is to use a dual boot type installation, when we have an older and a newer version of Windows installed on the same computer.

Increased network load

Microsoft has introduced a feature in Windows 10 that allows network distribution of update files for the operating system. Such a solution could theoretically speed up the receipt of updates on our computer, but, on the other hand, it is worth keeping in mind that Microsoft has solved the problem of quickly delivering system updates by simply using the Internet channel of users of the latest OS.

This means that every out-of-the-box Windows 10 computer operates as a node in a P2P network. Receives updates faster, but also provides the manufacturer with part of the bandwidth for further transmission of fragments of update packages.

If we do not want our network to be used for such transmission, we can disable this mechanism in system settings, in the window Select update delivery method by clicking on the corresponding switch.

Automatic updates are an inconvenience

For Windows 10 Home we will have no way to stop the installation of updates. Only Windows 10 Pro users will be able to use the flag Postpone update, but this option does not allow you to choose the deferral time and does not affect security updates - the latter will be installed automatically, regardless of whether deferment is activated or not.

The system spies on the user by default

The standard configuration of Windows 10 collects information about the user and sends it to the manufacturer, which is unlikely to please users.

This espionage dictated by “concern for the development of the product,” but the transmission of many data, turned on by default, is annoying. Ten, fortunately, allows you to limit the capabilities of telemetry.

Lack of DVD player software

In Windows 10, Microsoft has declared DVD movies an obsolete format. The latest operating system does not include a player that allows you to watch movies on DVDs.

The solution in this case is installation of additional software , for example, the popular VLC media player.

Lack of Cortana in Russia and uninformative web search

In countries where Cortana is available, it is cited as a major benefit of the newest system. It is therefore not surprising that the absence the greatest advantages of the new system in the Russian version should be considered a disadvantage. Unfortunately, there is nothing to indicate that anything should change in this matter. Cortana won't come to Russia for a long time.

If we talk about system search, it is very effective as long as we are looking for local data, i.e. stored on our computer. But the online search function is disabled as standard. Even if you turn it on, the results leave much to be desired.

The fact that every user of Windows 7 and 8 will be able to get completely free new version operating systems are no longer news. Microsoft announced this back in January as part of a special press conference, which was aimed at introducing the world to new Windows 10. Recently, however, the company announced that this can be used not only by owners of legal copies, but even by those who use unlicensed versions of Windows 7 and 8.

This announcement was surprising, to say the least, especially in light of Microsoft's long-standing and focused efforts to limit the distribution of pirated copies of its software products and, most importantly, Windows image. What caused this sharp turn in the company's commercial policy?

Windows free

While it seems unprecedented, it's not Microsoft's first step in this direction. Last year, in an attempt to expand its presence in mobile market the company announced that it will offer Windows 8.1 for portable devices with display diagonal up to 8 inches without license fees from their manufacturers – i.e. in practice it is free.

This approach is certainly not new to the software market - Apple, for example, has been offering free updates to its OS X since 2013. Updates to new versions of all mobile operating systems are also free.

Google, one of Microsoft's strongest competitors in the last few years in terms of services offered, also distributes Android completely free of charge. Additionally, the company allows its operating system to be relatively freely modified, whereas Windows has always been and will likely always remain a proprietary product. source code.

Of course, for Google, this is a key part of the company's global marketing strategy since its entry into the market. The search giant was able to offer its core product as Android for free because it generates huge revenues from related services, apps and advertising, successfully converting the popularity of the operating system into a stable cash flow.

It's possible that Microsoft wants to try a similar practice - evidence to support this thesis is the subscription model for products such as Office 365, Skype, and OneDrive, which involves monthly payments for use. The company is clearly seeing success in this area - something that can't be said for traditional market-based Windows and Office licensing revenue, which was down 7% last year from the previous reporting period.

A possible motive for offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 could also be the company's still relatively weak presence in the Chinese domestic market. It's no secret that the level of piracy there is extremely high, and the Chinese government is not ready to take targeted measures to curb it. Moreover, Chinese authorities even in government agencies - a decision that is partly due to the high costs of upgrading to latest version operating system.

At the same time, the presence of a huge number of pirated copies of Windows on the market creates undoubted risks for the security of millions of computers around the world. Despite the termination official support Windows XP, for example, many systems still use this version, making them extremely vulnerable to hacker attacks. Separately, conditions are created for easier and more widespread distribution of malicious software.

The ability to completely "legalize" pirated copies of Windows for free (albeit only for one year) can go a long way toward solving these problems in a quick and relatively painless way for users.

but on the other hand

However, such a move on Microsoft's part is also grounds for some skepticism. There are several reasons for this, but the most serious one relates to concerns regarding the security of personal data of future Windows 10 users.

Early, preview versions of the new operating system are known to collect a significant amount of information about the consumption habits of the people who use them. It's about not just traditional methods like tracking your internet search history and most visited sites, but even scary ways like recording voice commands and information, as well as monitoring the sequence of keystrokes on the keyboard. At the same time, Windows 10 transmits this data to Microsoft without warning the user.

On this moment the company has not commented on whether this will continue in final version operating system, but it is possible that Windows 10 will eventually include warnings about the presence of such practices with detailed information to users.

On the one hand, this is certainly a cause for concern. On the other hand, this practice is widely used in almost all the “free” products and services that many of us use every day - including social media, search engines, mobile operating systems and applications in them. So it is very likely that next Windows version Microsoft is looking to join what is undoubtedly a very lucrative business of selling behavioral data about its users.

Have a great day!