Home Latest News The best and worst Windows changes in the last decade

The best and worst Windows changes in the last decade

Over the past decade, Windows has undergone several major changes – some have had great success and some have had almost disastrous consequences.

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Since its introduction in the 1980s, Microsoft Windows has undergone numerous changes and iterations. Initially, just a graphical user interface for MS-DOS, Windows eventually evolved into a fully-fledged, stand-alone operating system with Windows 95. After many more changes over the decades, the operating system changed to its current form, Microsoft Windows 10 and embraced a mobile, first cloud-connected world of devices.

Over the past decade, which extends from the end of 2009 to the beginning of 2020, the Windows operating system has undergone several major changes – some have achieved great success and some have had almost disastrous consequences. By 2020, Windows has been transformed from one of Microsoft’s proverbial cash cows to what is essentially a loss leader for other, more lucrative products and services.

The transformative journey of the Windows operating system can be told by looking at some of the best and worst changes that have been made in the last decade.

SEE: Cheatsheet: Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (free PDF) (TechRepublic Premium)

Best and worst Windows changes in the last decade

Determining whether a change in the last decade is the best or the worst is naturally a subjective exercise. However, the subjective choices made here often have the support of a majority of technology experts and users. If you attach great importance to your best and worst changes and we were unable to list them here, please add them to the discussion below.

Determining whether a change in the last decade is the best or the worst is by nature a subjective exercise; however, the subjective choices made here often have the support of a majority of technology experts and users. If you attach great importance to your choices for the best and worst changes and we were unable to list them here, please add them to the discussion below. Best Windows changes of the decade

Windows 7

At the end of 2009, Microsoft released a new version of its operating system, Windows 7. In general, this was good news for users struggling with the peculiarities of Windows Vista and the security issues of Windows XP. For a user interface, Windows 7 had the desktop metaphor and a Start button with a drop-down menu.

Satisfied users of Windows XP were slowly switching to Windows 7, but eventually the use of XP dropped and Windows 7 became one of the most popular versions of the Microsoft operating system. Windows Vista users and unsatisfied Windows XP users, on the other hand, have quickly and effortlessly purchased Windows 7 licenses and bought more than 100 million copies in less than six months – one of the most successful versions of Windows ever.

Windows 10

In July 2015, Microsoft released Windows 10 and skipped Windows 9 in an attempt to create a clean slate for the operating system. With the explicit approval of the new CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has also adopted an interesting new model for its Windows operating system.

During one year after the release, everyone could upgrade for free from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10. After the upgrade to Windows 10, the operating system would receive periodic patches and updates to keep it current. Windows 10 is essentially the latest Windows version. According to Microsoft there will never be a Windows 11 or 12, etc. There will never be a new Windows version that everyone will have to buy to stay up to date.

Windows 10 gives the operating system a modern look with simple but solid built-in applications for basic user activities such as e-mail, calendars and web browsing with Edge. The promise of constant and continuous function and security updates means that the operating system remains part of a user’s experience for a long time. It also means that users will remain part of the Microsoft ecosystem for a long time to come.

SEE: More from our Decade in Review series (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Microsoft Edge

Long before the start of the decade in 2009, the internet became a pervasive part of our daily personal life. Long before the start of the decade in 2009, the internet became a pervasive part of our daily personal and business lives. Until July 2015, the standard browser for Windows computers was Internet Explorer, with a long history dating back to Windows 95. With the release of Windows 10, Edge became the new standard browser.

Edge marked a new start for a Microsoft-developed browser and contained more support for general web developers and application standards than its predecessor. Internet Explorer is quickly faded into virtual obscurity, with users using Edge or choosing one of the other third-party web browsers instead of IE.

Security functions

Unfortunately, the internet is a dangerous place. Malware, viruses, worms, ransomware and people with criminal intentions attack our computers every day and every day. To combat these cyber attacks, the operating system must have robust protections that are regularly updated.

With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft has switched to a more comprehensive package of firewalls and anti-malware protection. With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft went one step further and integrated more security protocols into the heart of the operating system. Windows 10 is perhaps the safest version of Windows ever released and is supported by regular automatic security protocol updates.

Worst Windows changes of the decade

Windows 7

Although Windows 7 itself was one of the better changes to the operating system, it had a few issues that needed to be mentioned in the worst changes section. Indeed, there were far too many versions. Available versions were Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate. The multitude of available versions was confusing for just about everyone.

Windows 8

In 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8 as a way to assert its claim to the tablet craze at that time. Windows 8 included a Start Menu button that opened an overlay of “live” tiles instead of a menu with clickable items and icons on a desktop. Although the idea of ​​creating a tablet-friendly user interface was entirely logical in theory, the inclusion of that interface on any non-tablet device was mocked and called contempt. Users loved the desktop metaphor and were not willing to give up without a struggle. The general consensus is that Windows 8 did not meet expectations.

SEE: The biggest Microsoft flops of the decade (TechRepublic)

Internet Explorer

As the standard web browser associated with Microsoft since Windows 95, Internet Explorer has built a reputation for non-standard behavior in combination with many security issues. Until 2015 and the release of Windows 10 and the Edge browser, Internet Explorer was considered banned by users with even a little technical knowledge. IE was, and still is in some circles, the web browser that avoids everyone at all costs and easily qualifies as one of the worst features of the Windows operating system in the last decade.

Cortana

Microsoft

Another feature that many users have embraced over the past decade for their mobile devices is the digital assistant. The idea is that it is easier to “talk” with your mobile device than thumb-type instructions.

However, Microsoft’s attempt to bring this functionality to the Windows 10 operating system with the Cortana digital assistant has not caught most users. In many ways, talking to your PC instead of using the combination of keyboard and mouse has proven to be much more inefficient and, for all purposes, useless.

Future development in the field of artificial intelligence and a recent focus on Cortana as a business digital assistant can turn the function from the worst to the best part, but that seems to be free for years at the moment.

Windows Mobile and phones

Since mobile devices became a primary focus for operating system developers, Microsoft tried to enter the market with Windows Phones with Windows Mobile. Although the telephone hardware was adequate and the operating system functional, neither the device nor the operating system resonated with the consumer. In 2019, Microsoft capitulated and announced that Windows phones would no longer be supported after the end of the year.

Security Despite Microsoft’s efforts, there are still many security issues found in the different versions of the Windows operating system that were released over the course of the decade. And although Windows 10 has made great progress in offering security protection, vulnerabilities still pose a daily threat.

At the other extreme, many PCs are still running Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8, although Microsoft no longer supports these versions with security updates. The predictable and unfortunate result is a burst of ransomware attacks, billions of dollars lost in ransom and productivity, and many embarrassing headlines for the attacked companies.

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