A slight departure from my usual posts here. Traveling around the world of IT.
In this post:
– Short discussion about my experience with previous versions of the Microsoft Operating System
– The big news about Windows 10 and its confirmed release date
– Likely Microsoft Surface Pro 4 release date
– Great guide to Microsoft 10 link
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited by any Microsoft news, but recently I had the opportunity to explore a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and was taken aback. Is this how far they’ve come since Windows 7? Having used Microsoft since Windows 3.1, and repaired computers and the viruses, adware, spyware and other things that had affected them from Windows 95 onwards, I had reached my limit with the release of Windows XP and had pretty much avoided anything to do with repairing computers installed with Microsoft’s Operating Systems after XP’s third patch.
In 2011 I bought a new PC with Windows 7 on it and I’m still using it now in 2015. It works fine, I have only had to do some minor fixes, and since disabling updates and utilising a few firewall services, I haven’t had to do much else. I’m still using a lot of old software that isn’t compatible with anything after Windows 7 and some even require an emulator with Windows 7, so upgrading is not an option. It would need to be a complete replacement of everything I’ve used in the past 20 years, not to mention the huge learning curve and training required.
However, now that I’ve seen what Microsoft Windows 10 can do, I’m ready to move to the next version. For me it is like the change from 3.1 to 95, though it could also be seen as the shift back to pen and paper. Windows Surface Pro has some fantastic drawing, signing and hand writing recognition tools that being able to carry something around I can sketch on, store, colour then email to my designer is a lot better than sketching it on paper, scanning, editing, colouring, resizing and sending. The convenience is there.
Having the plugin keyboard is important for the amount of typing I do every day, (About 10,000 words) so I wouldn’t be able to simply write everything with the stylus. But the lightness, convenience and power of the system is so different to anything that I’ve seen from Microsoft before that I’m definitely going to start planning to get a Windows Surface Pro 4.
Anyone know any competitions I can enter in Australia to win one? (Writer’s income, lol)
The big news about Microsoft Windows 10 is that it is actually going to be free! If you already own a Windows 7, 8..etc then the download will be available for you on July 29th 2015. This is huge news for writers, students and other people who are on limited budgets but still wish to stay ahead. And it would definitely encourage many businesses to make the switch.
A great guide just released featuring everything you need to know about Microsoft Windows 10 is here: Inside Windows 10
(Many businesses in Australia are still using Windows XP, and many lift operating systems as well as transport systems, still use customised versions of Windows ’95. A free windows operating system may completely change everything, though I understand only those with Windows 7 and later are eligible to download the update.)
My only concern with Windows 10 is that I am of the right-click generation, so needing to completely forget that particular habit could be a challenge. A bit like touch typing on a keyboard with all the letters in a different place.
Still, with Microsoft Surface Pro 4 all about fingers, I’m sure not having a mouse anyway is going to make things easier.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 has been rumoured to be scheduled to be released around October. That will give Microsoft time to get feedback from their Windows 10 release and make some adjustments if necessary in time for the Surface Pro 4 release. October is also a good release month as it is in time for the gift giving season, and at somewhere between $1000 and $2000 for a basic model, it’s at the right price point for what it is.
Well, I’m excited. I guess I should start saving!
