So It Begins…The First Days of Windows 10

It has been just over a week since the initial release of Windows 10. Here at LINC Project, we have been following the release of Windows 10 and its possible implications for Microsoft for months. We’ve also looked at how the release of Windows 10 may affect Microsoft’s strategy in the hardware game also. Well, Windows 10 is here now and although its much to early to make conclusions about its impact on either Microsoft or the PC industry as a whole, we can begin to look at some early reports and feedback regarding the Windows 10 release.

Let’s start with the obvious…. the Start Menu has come roaring back! After being put to pasture as Windows 8 and 8.1 attempted to bridge the gap between the PC and mobile worlds, the Start Menu had been brought out of retirement to the delight of Windows fans everywhere. Microsoft is also doubling down on its Cortana personal assistant by giving it a more prominent role among the operating system’s features, but that may not be such a bad thing. Getting deeper into the issue of ‘how good is Windows 10’, its important to remember some recent history.
Specific, as you may recall, the reviews of Windows 8 were negative on the whole. Windows 8 appeared to have been developed with the intent of bringing Microsoft into the world of tablet and mobile computing. However, in their rush to embrace a growing force in the computing world, they overlooked what made Windows a name brand in the first place. A microcosm of this can be seen in the Start Menu. One of the biggest uproars about what was wrong with Windows 8 was that is took away the classic start menu. Sure. Products, tastes, and trends may change, but a golden rule of product development is to never take out that which has worked for such a long time. In this we see Microsoft’s miscalculation on how its users would react to being forced into the brave new world of tablet and mobile computing.

Although experts have been speculating on the effect of Windows10 on Microsoft and the PC industry as a whole for years, it is still much to early to tell just what the final outcome could be. Most of the initial reviews since the release have been positive, but there have also been some PR missteps as well. Will Microsoft learn from its mistakes for the next iteration of its operating system or can Windows 10 finally replicate the longevity and stability found in Windows XP?