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Updated
Windows 10 introduces what Microsoft described as "universal apps"; expanding on Metro-style apps, these apps can be designed to run across multiple Microsoft product families with nearly identical code—including PCs, tablets, smartphones, embedded systems, Xbox One, Surface Hub and Mixed Reality. The Windows user interface was revised to handle transitions between a mouse-oriented interface and a touchscreen-optimized interface based on available input devices—particularly on 2-in-1 PCs; both interfaces include an updated Start menu which incorporates elements of Windows 7's traditional Start menu with the tiles of Windows 8. The first release of Windows 10 also introduces a virtual desktop system, a window and desktop management feature called Task View, the Microsoft Edge web browser, support for fingerprint and face recognition login, new security features for enterprise environments, and DirectX 12 and WDDM 2.0 to improve the operating system's graphics capabilities for games.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Number of games running on Windows is incomparably higher than on other platforms
Pro Compatibility with third-party software
Almost every single program made today has native support for windows, making its software availability the largest on the market.
Pro Linux environment can be embedded so you get both Windows and Linux in a single box
Pro New and faster default web browser
Unlike older iterations of windows, windows 10 has replaced the browser "Internet Explorer" with the newer "edge", a more secure and faster browser, at the cost of lower web page compatibility
Pro Better than all the other Windows versions
It's better than all the previous versions.
Cons
Con Privacy concerns
Microsoft can collect information from your Windows 10 installation, this can be turn off in the settings
Con Proprietary
You are unable to "look behind the scenes" and verify or change code.
Con Expensive
Unlike other free or cheaper alternatives, Windows 10 Home costs 119.99 USD
Con Collects a lot of user data and sends it Microsoft by default
By default Windows 10 gathers information related to contacts, location, calendar and input (text and touch). The process for opting out of all data collection efforts is both time consuming and requires a reasonable amount of technical know-how.
Con Pre-installed bloatware
Unlike earlier iterations of Windows before Windows 8, Windows 10 comes with a pre-installed marketplace, which is essentially an online shop run by Microsoft, OneDrive, a cloud sharing service also run by Microsoft and some large and possibly undesirable games among other things.
Con Lacks polish
Many interface and functionality changes have not been finalized yet, creating an inconsistent user experience. For example, there are both simplified Windows 10 style settings menus as well as Windows 7 style settings menus that can easily create confusion.
Similarly, many of the bundled applications (People, Photos, Groove, Mail, Calendar, etc) lack functionality compared to their counterparts in previous Windows versions.
Con Slightly slower startup times
Windows 10 takes longer to start than older iterations by a few seconds.
Con Tablet mode is a pain to use
The tablet mode of Windows 10 has many issues compared to other major tablet operating systems like Android, for example:
- 1.) In the tablet mode the desktop is replaced by the Windows 10 start menu
- 1.1.) As there is no Desktop there is no proper launcher to start your apps so you always have to open that windows 10 start menu...
- 2.) Virtual keyboard often don't come up automatically(you need to click on the keybord icon near the systray to bring it up)
- 2.1.) If the keyboard is docked and comes up it will lay over the window and if(like here on slant) the entry box is on the bottom of the page it will lay over that box so you have to manually undock the keyboard and move it to any other border which of course breaks other options like scrolling a page etc.
- 2.2.) Virtual keyboard and virtual touchpad have no customization options so you can't make them bigger or smaller etc.
Con Has too many different settings menus
Very hard to find the setting you are looking for, because there are at least 3 commonly used settings panels.
Con Automatic update sharing
Windows 10 automatically uses your Internet connection to upload Windows and app updates to other Windows 10 PCs, this however, can be changed in the settings.
Recommendations
Comments
Flagged Pros + Cons
Pro DirectX 12
The newest version of Microsoft’s DirectX application programming interface, which handles visual and other multimedia tasks on Windows-based systems.
Con Audio system has bugs
Low USB microphone recording volume (AT2020) - Windows 10, for instance.
Pro Frequent feature updates
2 feature updates a years brings lots of features and improvements. (Creators, April 2018 etc.)