Being involved in IT, there are a number of questions that come up regularly when talking with customers. This has applied to past versions too, but since we are currently in the ‘Windows 10 era’, I thought I should make some brief and simple notes about this operating system. If you have not yet upgraded or are considering it at this very moment here are a few points to take into account:

• Check the minimum requirements set out by Microsoft (a quick internet search should take you straight to a suitable page – for example here)
• If you like the Windows 8 layout and style, you may miss some of it by upgrading to Windows 10, since it re-introduces some of the ‘feel’ of Windows 7
• Double-check that your graphics card is supported by Windows 10 (check the manufacturer website for drivers and information). There are a number of issues and pitfalls when it comes to display resolution and settings under Windows 10

As a rule of thumb, if you are considering upgrading from Windows 7 to 10, you may be better off sticking with Windows 7 if your system is fairly dated (i.e. more than 5 years old) or is only ‘borderline’ on meeting the minimum requirements. On the other hand, if you have a fairly modern system, you may find Windows 10 to be a breath of fresh air. The operating system introduces more support for touch screen devices among other things.

Now that Microsoft have released many of the initial fixes, most home users should find upgrading far less daunting than when it was initially launched. However, when considering introducing this new operating system on a larger scale, such as an office environment where specific software or hardware are used on a day-to-day basis, system administrators should be more careful, and ensure thorough testing has been carried out ahead of any upgrades.