Embracing Windows 10 for Windows 7 Loyalists

Windows 10 was released in 2015, but many computers are still on Windows 7 (or earlier!). As extended support for Windows 7 ends this year, we thought it would be a good time to go over the basics of why Windows 10 is great and what is noticeably different.

August 13, 2019
Valiant Technology
5 min read

In January 2020 extended support for Windows 7 will end. This means everyone will have to upgrade to Windows 10 to continue to get upgrades that will keep up with ever evolving security threats and performance issues. Going forward, Windows 10 will supposedly be the last new version of Windows that will ever exist. Any updates and upgrades will just be to windows 10 and not another operating system.

What is your favorite Operating System? I learned to computer on Windows 95, I loved XP, Windows 7 was very good and user friendly, and Windows 10 works better and has incorporated the good features of Windows past (yes, including Windows 8).

Windows 10 Features

There are a lot of technical improvements to Windows 10 including intelligent security, smart compatibility, rolling upgrades, and easy manageability for your admins. All that is to say the average user may not notice the most significant changes. What they will notice are the user interface changes.

Start Menu

If you are one of the people who used and liked Windows 8, Windows 10 has just the thing for you. Their updated start menu allows for you to organize applications much like the Windows 8 interface. And it still comes with Candy Crush. Score!

Cortana Search Bar

In most previous versions of Windows, the search function was within the start menu. In Windows 10 the search bar is pinned to your taskbar. It also allows you to search using Cortana voice commands. Tap the microphone icon and ask your question out loud. Cortana will search your computer and the internet for the answer. (This only works if you have a microphone. Standard laptops come with one built-in, but if you have a desktop you will need a mic to use this functionality.)

And the internet? That’s new! Yep, in the past your search functionality was only for your local computer. Now your search results will include relevant web results. I still primarily use Google though (sorry not sorry).

Microsoft Edge

Not necessarily a Windows 10 exclusive but the new browser, Edge, is meant to dethrone Internet Explorer for casual browsing. It works fine, but its release is a little late in the game. Most people I know are loyal to either Firefox or Chrome at this point.

This meme will no longer be relevant but update to “Edge” and it can remain a classic.

Action Center and Notifications

In the lower right-hand corner of your screen is the action center. Just click the word bubble icon to open action center and/or view your computer notifications. This area has a lot of options for your computer such as brightness adjustments and turning on airplane mode. My computer is a two in one laptop, so I often go here to turn on tablet mode.

All in one convenient space that stays hidden until needed.

Subscription Model

If you heard anyone remark that all software is going to a subscription-based model, they are not far off. Right now, you can still get Windows 10 as a one-time purchase. However, the rolling upgrades (that in the past might have been called Windows 11) will not be included. The subscription model will end up costing more in the long run but will prevent you from having to do costly and potentially jarring upgrades in the future. Plus, as someone who has built her own PC not having to drop over $200 at once can be an appealing option.

Just as in this complimentary meme, there will be no real upgrades with the subscription service.

That’s it?

Well no, of course not. There are many new minor functionality changes, major backend changes (seriously the security upgrades could be their own article), and future improvements that I didn’t cover. My advice, when you upgrade you should spend a little time exploring and figuring what you like about this new Operating System. You may as well, you’ll be using it FOREVER.

One more reminder that extended support for Windows 7 will end in January 2020. Contact your IT service provider to get your computer fleet upgraded to Windows 10.

Also, Microsoft, please bring back Space Pinball. Thanks.