Windows 10 Review - A clear sky after a storm, possible sprinkles. Part 3 (System functionalities)

System functionalities

Pros

• No more Metro Interface: Microsoft finally removed the hated Metro Interface, or Start Screen, that forced users to flip back and forth between Universal Apps and their desktops. I had already tweaked my laptop to totally bypass it, so this is a no-brainer to me and most Windows users. Totally worthless crap, that now belongs to the past.
• Limited Start Menu: I had bashed one of the latest builds, totally contesting the marketing-inflated statement Microsoft had "brought the Start Menu back". In fact, with Build 10049, Microsoft had gone back to Windows 8, removing any reference to programs, or files folders from it. However, in an earlier build (9841) those references were present. Looks like someone in Redmond has listened to me, because they've brought those features back (no, I don't think they read my blog. I'm not that cocky, but I admit I slammed them down every time I had a chance). My statement is proven by the figures below (the last one shows Windows 10 Official Release).

• Much faster and more reliable: Windows 10 runs circles around all previous Windows versions, especially 8.1. With my older configuration, I often experienced freezes and crashes (though being my laptop relatively new), but so far Windows looks 10 times faster. The effect is yet more dramatic, considering I own a cheap laptop, featuring only 4 GB RAM.
• Better GUI: The presence of File Explorer and All Apps shortcuts in the Start Menu allows user to easily access files and folders, without having to massively recourse to the search functionality. Universal Apps (which I confess to use at least as possible) don't work only full screen by default, i.e. in tablet mode, and have a Close button. The elimination of the Metro Interface is alone worth the upgrade. Snap Assist and Task View allow for a more productive work, making it easier to switch between different applications and desktops. Application switcher (ALT/TAB) now supports multiple desktops, too. The possibility of using keyboard shortcuts to copy/paste commands in and from Command Prompt, even though not life-changing, is surely a plus.
• User-friendlier: Though Windows isn't my main OS, I experienced so far a great amount of frustration every time I needed to utilize my laptop (mostly for school). It was totally unusable and having to flip back and forth between Start Screen and Desktop Mode drove me nuts, until I created a series of shortcuts to do all I needed from desktop. My UX was very poor, my laptop often froze and hung for no apparent reason and, even though it's not a high-end model, performance was too poor, almost comparable to my older 2003 laptop.  The same laptop worked, instead, like a charm every time I ran Mint from USB for my Linux class. After the upgrade, my laptop looks like a totally new computer. I've only experienced a couple of freezes so far, maybe rather due to the insufficient amount of installed RAM than to Windows itself.
• Free for one year:  If you upgrade within July 29, 2016 you can have Windows 10 and all its following updates and upgrades for free. After that deadline, you'll have to pay $140 for the same OS. Doesn't that stink?

Cons

• Non fully featured Start Menu: though it works much better than before, Windows 10 doesn't feature a true Start Menu. It's introduced a different Start Menu with limited functionality, which is better than the Metro Interface, but worse than the old Windows 7-based one. However, I didn't play much with it, so I'm not positive you can't customize it by adding more apps. For sure, you still need to right click for you to access most features, once included as a default.
• Issues with OneDrive: OneDrive stopped syncing and I had to go through an annoying troubleshooting procedure to make it work again. I solved it, but Microsoft could have paid more attention to this issue. For more details: Windows 10 issue no. 1: One Drive won't sync - How to solve it
• Privacy concerns: Cortana and Edge can collect a huge amount of data about Microsoft users and it's easy to guess why Microsoft is pushing this innovation. In fact, Mozilla (creator of Firefox and Thunderbird) has recently lashed out at Microsoft, accusing it to force Windows users to choose Edge browser. Sure thing is that, unlike the past, for you to choose a default browser other than Edge, you need to flip through additional windows (here for more information). Of course, if you're tech-savvy, that doesn't discourage you from doing it (I'd do it on purpose if I were a Microsoft user). Most average users who don't have a clue about it, or don't even bother tweaking their system, will use Edge because they'll end up having no choice.
• Less control on personalized settings: Microsoft plans to do away with traditional Patch Tuesdays by pushing automatic updates to end users, without any chance for them to change this setting. In the earlier Windows versions, you could decide to automatically install updates, to have Windows inform and ask you whether to install available updates, or not to install them at all. With Windows 10, that decision has already been taken for you. Though the underlying reasons are clear and partly commendable, this is a major example of the way Microsoft approaches such problems: treating its users like brainless apes, not able to decide for themselves. That's not only insulting, but dangerous. I envision a big deal of issues with corporate customers, because companies roll scheduled updates at constant deadlines, only after creating trusted images of their systems. Updates in the past have often caused more troubles than the bugs they were supposed to fix. What if an update causes important files to get corrupted or lost? I hope Microsoft has a good legal department, because this allows for a bunch of lawsuits, especially for companies having to comply with regulations such as HIPAA. What's more, we'll be looking at a new instance of the endless hide-and-seek game between Microsoft and its users. Every time you'll get used to a GUI, you'll have to learn everything anew. Are you ready to play? I'm not, I stopped playing this game years ago. 
• Not for any hardware: Older processors (and Windows virtual machines) may have issues
• Only available for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1: if you want to revamp a computer running an earlier Windows version, you should buy at least a Windows 7 license ($119.99 for Windows 7 Home, or $199.99 for Professional) for you to upgrade. At this point, you could install a recent Linux distro and call it a day, enjoying a much better performance without spending a dime.
• Is it really that fast? Windows 10 is very fast, but its speed could be (at the best of my knowledge) more a feeling than a reality. In fact Windows 8.1 was such a mess that anything better implemented could look light-years faster, because of the poor previous experience and not because the new version is actually more respnsive. Microsoft has sure done a great job but, if we talk about real speed, Windows 10 doesn't stand a chance compared with OS X El Capitan. The Public Beta, tested in a virtual machine, outperformed my physical system, because it uses a new graphic technology called Metal (used in iOS), that allows applications to open and run 1.4 times faster. Some lightweight Linux applications reach incredible performance speed, too, more than Windows can ever hope to achieve, because of the way it's structured.

PART 4