RSMUS.comWindows 10 sounds amazing, and in fact it is. Microsoft has made notable gains with Windows 10, but that doesn’t come without the usual setbacks associated with adopting a new operating system fresh off the presses. One key thing to note is that many of the Enterprise features are not available yet in Windows 10 (and likely won’t be until Q4 of 2015, as Microsoft has stated that it doesn’t expect Enterprise adoption to pick up until Q1 of 2016.
Cumulative Updates
One of these key areas of contention is how Microsoft has changed its approach to applying patches; whether they concern patches, hotfixes, or feature updates. In the past, Microsoft released its updates one by one; allowing you to selectively choose which updates you did, and did not wish to apply to your system. This is no longer the case with Windows 10, and Microsoft has stated that it does not intend to deviate from its course. With Windows 10, single patches are a thing of the past. Now we have “Cumulative Updates”. Cumulative Updates (CUs) are, simply put, an unnecessary point of frustration for users. If a device experiences an issue with a Cumulative Update, say because a newly added feature, the user will be forced to roll back to the previous update, sacrificing any beneficial patches that may have improved their experience.
To exacerbate this matter – Microsoft has completely stopped detailing the contents of these updates. A prime example of this is the latest update, which is being called CU 7 for short. Viewing the KB article for this Cumulative update leaves one confused while viewing the cryptic description of “This update includes improvements to enhance the functionality of Windows 10.”
This is, of course, thankfully not an issue for businesses that deploy only Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise versions.
Your Software or Hardware is Out of Date.
A notable, and understandable concern for many businesses is whether or not their current hardware and/or software is compatible with Windows 10. Most major software developers have already released Windows 10 compatible versions of their software for download, and the only surefire way to see if it’s available is to check with the developer to see if anything has been produced to support Windows 10. This is, of course, not likely to be plausible if you’re running a Windows XP machine with proprietary software designed for a dying OS. For hardware it really just comes down to if the manufacturer has supplied supported drivers. This is where Windows usually has the greatest growing pains when releasing a new OS, as it has no control over the production speed of these third party companies. Once again the only true way to ensure that your devices will work is to check the manufacturer’s website for updated device drivers.
Bugs Bugs Bugs.
The one thing we can all count on is to experience technical issues with brand new software. Early adopters usually act as guinea pigs on one level or another, and may run into numerous issues while migrating to a new operating system; all while Microsoft works out the bugs. Businesses usually know this already, and forgo jumping into a new software version until these kinks have been worked out by the developer. This is a practical train of thought as well, why risk switching, and rendering a vital piece of software or hardware inoperable, when everything is functioning optimally now?
The bottom line
- Windows 10 is a relatively hassle-free upgrade when coming from Windows 8/8.1, but your mileage may very if you venture into older versions of Windows. Check your device manufacturer, and software developer’s websites for details on compatibility with Windows 10.
- Always check to ensure that all of your required hardware and software is compatible with Windows 10.
- Not all Enterprise level features are currently included in Windows 10, and are slated for release beginning in late 2015 to early 2016.
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