Mr. Modem sizes up Windows 10

As a beta tester for Windows 10, I was able to obtain one of the first commercial release versions back on its July 29th release date. (Kindly hold your applause). I have been using it daily ever since. Here are some of my initial impressions of Microsoft’s latest operating system.

Right off the bat, kudos to Microsoft for the long-awaited return of the Start menu. Microsoft’s bone-headed decision to remove Start when it launched Windows 8 was not well received. The company tried to resurrect it in Windows 8.1, but that was more symbolic than truly useful. It’s a new day with Windows 10. The new Start blends the Windows 7 style launch pad for apps, tools and settings with the very different “live-tile” interface of Windows 8 and 8.1.

In Windows 10 you will find all your apps and settings along the left side of the new Start menu, including recently downloaded apps. The live tiles that appear on the right side, revealing useful tidbits like the weather, calendar appointments, email and more, can be resized and are customizable.

Win 10 can also help you be more productive. As one example, you can easily snap up to four apps in place on the screen and see all open tasks in a single screen. This is particularly useful with a large monitor. When you are ready to shut down your Windows 10 computer, the onscreen power button has conveniently been moved to the Start menu for fast and easy access.

Security has also been beefed up in Windows 10 through the introduction of Windows Hello, which is a biometrics-based password solution. What all that highfalutin language means is that it uses part of your body to identify you, so you won’t have to remember traditional log-in information. Windows Hello will remember you based on your face, eyes (iris), and/or fingerprint. This technology has a Mission: Impossible feel to it.

Also new is Cortana, Windows 10’s digital assistant. Cortana is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri and Google Now. It works quite well. You can quickly summon Cortana by saying, “Hey, Cortana.” You can also type requests for Cortana in a Search field on the Taskbar. If you summon Cortana by typing, she remains silent. Cortana will only speak when spoken to. Cortana can retrieve news, weather, stock prices and many other items based on the kind of things that are of interest to you.

Windows 10 also introduces Microsoft’s new Edge browser, created to replace the venerable Internet Explorer. Edge has a clean, modern look and incorporates many features available on rival browsers, which is to be expected, since most browsers pretty much do the same thing.

As good as it is, Windows 10 isn’t perfect — which is to be expected with anything this complex and new. The good news is that Microsoft continues to deliver updates and will continue to provide updates in the future to squash bugs and banish gremlins and other evil critters that appear from time to time.

Even though this is just a mini review of Windows 10, all things considered, I’m giving it a double “thumbs up” at this juncture. Overall, it’s a winner. Despite some rough edges, there will be updates and patches galore coming in the next few months. That said, for the typical computer user who wants everything to work properly, I recommend holding off for a little while before moving to Windows 10.

I suspect that by early next year most of the bugs, glitches and incompatibilities will have been identified and resolved. By then, if you’re contemplating the purchase of a new computer, I say “Go for it.”

In addition to Windows 10’s on-board Help (F1), you can find a plethora of Windows 10 tutorials online, including lots of YouTube “how to” videos, so help is always close at hand.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Mr. Modem sizes up Windows 10."