Windows 8, windows 8.1 and windows 10 are by far the biggest operating system changes Microsoft has ever made. From the “Tile” desktop, the “Charm bar” and the missing start button some users are holding on to windows 7 like a lift raft in the middle of the ocean. This is very understandable considering the stability and reliability of the windows 7 operating system. Like most Microsoft operating systems the original launch usually delivers a new system riddled with problems and compatibility issues.
Just look at the history of the last few Microsoft operating systems. Windows “Millennium” was a complete disaster when first introduced in late 2000. After multiple patches and updates to the Millennium operating system Microsoft produced the XP operating system that is to this day considered the most reliable operating system ever produced by Microsoft. From 2001 until 2007 windows XP provided businesses and the private sector with an operating system that really delivered on reliability. In early 2007 Microsoft released the windows “Vista” operating system, that in keeping with the Microsoft first launch failure tradition was a disaster! Just about everyone kept their XP system and people that needed to buy a new computer paid extra to have windows XP loaded on their new computer.
Finally Microsoft did the only thing they could do to get customers to move on to a new system when the announced that they would no longer support the XP system. Without updates and patches the XP operating system became a target for virus attacks and compatibility issues. The one silver lining for windows users was Microsoft had finally worked out all the windows vista problems and launched windows 7 in 2009. Windows 7 was really just windows Vista with all the problems fixed by patches and updates.
Windows 7 like windows XP before it was and still is a fantastic operating system. The change from XP and Vista to windows 7 was really an easy transition. From 2007 to 2012 Microsoft users had a long love affair with windows 7. In 2012 Microsoft decided that they needed an fresh operating system that would appeal more to the users interested in syncing the flood of wireless devices that had become so popular. A new tile desktop, charm bar and the removal of the mainstay start button was as you might expect a complete disaster! Welcome to windows 8! Nothing worked right with this new system. Printers and third party applications seemed to hate this new OS. The average computer user complained that everything was more difficult to use. This OS was rushed to market and was obviously not ready for prime time. Windows 7 users were not going anywhere near this new OS. After numerous small and one large update windows 8.1 was born. For those brave souls that were using windows 8 this was a godsend. Windows 8.1 is actually a pretty good operating system when compared to windows 8. Most windows 7 users have not seen any good reason to upgrade to windows 8.1. You don’t really get many improvements while windows 7 is still more stable and easy to use. Windows 8.1 is a system that really requires a user to take a few lessons to fully understand some of the advantages of the new OS.
Windows 8 caused so many problems that Microsoft decided to try and make things right by offering a free upgrade to their newest OS “Windows” 10. They decided for some reason to skip right over windows 9! Windows 10 just released in July of 2015 is really a combination of the good parts of windows 8.1 and windows 7. Yes the start button is back and the tile format has been cut down to size. I think that windows 10 even now is a good operating system. As with any new OS there will be problems in the beginning. I urge my clients to wait about six months before making the move. If the user has windows 8.1 the transition to windows 10 will be really easy. For those of us using windows 7 I can’t see any real reason to make the change unless you need a new computer. Windows 8.1 and windows 10 really require the user to already be computer literate to get the most from these systems. Otherwise I suggest having a professional provide a few lessons. Even though I own and operate a computer repair and service business I did take a seven day course. I found out that there is a lot more to windows 10 than what you see on the surface.
The Computer doctor Boise is now giving lessons or a complete course on how to get the most from the newest Microsoft operating systems.