Unless you’ve been living under a rock you will have heard that Microsoft is preparing to release its latest, and final, version of its flagship Windows operating system – Windows 10. From this point forward Microsoft intends to treat Windows as a Service the idea being that there will be no new major releases of Windows, and instead the platform will evolve over time through system updates.
The current lay of the land
According to netmarketshare.com, worldwide more than 90% of Desktop and Laptop Operating Systems are running Windows, with the balance spread between Mac OSX and Linux.
Windows 8 was released on October 6, 2012 but has never really secured its position as a worthy successor to Windows 7 which remains, by far, the dominant Operating System being used today and accounts for almost 58% of machines. Windows XP comes in 2nd Place at 14.6% and in 3rd place Windows 8.1 accounting for just 12.88%
Windows 10 is nearly here...and it’s FREE (for most people)
Microsoft will be releasing the latest, and final, version of Windows operating system, Windows 10 on July 29th 2015. If you’re lucky enough to be running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 the upgrade is FREE for the first 12 months.
Do I have to upgrade now?
In short – NO. However, unless you have a dependence some very old legacy applications, or a beloved peripheral (printer, scanner etc.) that you know will not work with Windows 10 and you just can’t let it go, then it makes a lot of sense to take advantage of the FREE upgrade and all the great new features.
What’s new?
Microsoft has learned the lesson of Windows 8, the much derided Charms bar is no more and an old friend, the Start menu, makes a welcome return.
In addition, there are a number of great new features including: Cortana - the Microsoft personal assistant to assist with your search requirements, the new Project Spartan browser, revamped Mail and Calendar apps, Virtual Desktops and an improved PC Settings page.
First impressions of Windows 10 are very positive and, having been involved in the Windows Insider program beta testing the exciting new OS for a good 6-8 weeks now with no major issues, I am looking forward to it going on general release.
Is my current version of Windows still supported?
If you’re running Windows 7, Mainstream Support ended January 2015 and extended support will end January, 2020. For Windows 8, Mainstream Support will end January, 2018 and extended support will end Jan 2023.
For previous versions, you can check the current support status of your Operating System using the Windows Lifecycle fact sheet
Can I run it?
If you have a PC or Laptop running Windows 7 or Windows 8 today then chances are you will have no major problems with Windows 10 however it is important to check compatibility and you can use the free compatibility tool (look for the 
symbol), accessible when reserving your copy of Windows 10, to do this.
The compatibility tool will let you know if there are any applications or drivers that will not work and these will be removed during installation of Windows 10.
Important Considerations
Once you have made the decision to upgrade, and if you’re running Windows 7 or 8 today, you can reserve your copy of Windows 10 using the ‘Get Windows 10’ icon which will have appeared in the system tray on your task bar.
Be sure to run the Compatibility test during the reservation process, to be clear on any applications or drivers that are not compatible with the new OS.
Immediately prior to the release date, you need to ensure that you make a full backup of your important data files to an external hard disk and, you can optionally create a full system image to enable you to roll-back to your old operating system should the new OS not be to your liking.
If you have found this post useful, don't forget to Like and Share or leave your comments. If you’re keen to step up to Windows 10, but are concerned about making the transition then Excalibur IT can help smooth the path, and if your current PC is not up to it we can build you a new desktop PC, or assist you in sourcing a suitable laptop. Contact us today.