A Simple Introduction to Windows 10

Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system created by Microsoft as a part of the Windows NT family. Microsoft released Windows 10 as a follow-up version of Windows 8.1 in July 2015.

Microsoft is trying to use Windows 10 as a unified operating system for a variety of different devices, including PCs, phones and video consoles.

Some Features about Windows 10

Features of Windows 10 include the return of the Start menu, a new browser, Edge, which replaces the longtime standard Internet Explorer, a new inclusion Cortana which is a virtual assistant analogous to Apple’s Siri, and more.

Start Menu

If you are using Windows 8 and hate its full-screen Start interface, you’re in luck with Windows 10: just like the good old days, the new Start menu locates on the left side of the screen.

And if you liked Windows 8’s approach, it can still satisfy you: you can still access Live Tiles and the touch-centric Metro interface from a panel on the right side of the Start Menu.

Task View

There’s a button that lives on the taskbar which is called Task View. Click it, and you can get a quick look at all of your open files, windows, and desktops… in one word, it will display all open windows and allow you to switch between them, or switch between multiple workspaces.

Cortana

Windows 10 incorporates Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant, Cortana, which supports both text and voice input. Say “Hey, Cortana” after turning on the voice recognition feature and you can issue commands on your PC (personal computer).

Cortana which was first introduced with Windows Phone 8.1, and many of its features are a direct carryover from Windows Phone, including integration with Bing, setting reminders, notebook features for managing personal information, and searching for files, playing music, launching apps, and sending emails. Cortana is set as a universal search box located between the Start and Task View.

Microsoft Edge

If you ask that is Internet Explorer still around, the answer will be no and yes. Why? Because debuted Internet Explorer is replaced by the brand-new Microsoft Edge which is set as the default web browser in Windows 10. Internet Explorer is still a part of Windows for compatibility reasons.

Edge includes tools like Web Note, which allows you to markup websites (for example: click the button, and you’ll be able to annotate what you’re looking at and share your notes through email, or through OneNote), and Reading View, which allows you to view certain websites without the clutter of ads. The browser integrates directly with Cortana.

Windows 10 Update

Do you know what Windows came before Windows 10? It’s Windows 8.1.

Then what version of Windows will come after Windows 10? There is no other Windows after Windows 10. Microsoft has announced that it will permanently update Windows 10 instead of releasing a new operating system as a successor. Windows 10 continues to receive new versions, and users do not have to pay extra.

In a 2015 blog post, Microsoft’s Terry Myerson explained that Windows is transitioning to a service model. The company will update Windows 10 on the second Tuesday of each month, with major updates released in April and October of each year instead of moving towards “Windows 11”. For example, in 2018, Microsoft released the Anniversary Update in April and the Creators Update in October.

The mainstream version of Windows 10 is marked as YYMM version, YY for the release year and MM for the release month. For example, the latest mainstream version of Windows 10 is version 1809.

For you who are running Windows 7 or Windows 8, Windows 10 only supports free upgrades at the first year after its releasing. Now, you technically need to shell out $119 for the regular edition of Windows 10 and $199 for the Pro flavor if you want to upgrade it.