Upgrading to a new operating system can seem daunting, especially with the likelihood of software incompatibilities, so should businesses upgrade to Windows 10?
One of the main arguments for upgrading is that Microsoft will be withdrawing support for Windows 7 in 2020, so the sooner your business upgrades, the safer it will be in terms of continued support. The good news is that Windows 10 will be Microsoft’s last planned full operating system upgrade, with all future improvements delivered as small, incremental updates through ‘Windows-as-a-service’. This should mean that update upheaval will be a thing of the past once you have upgraded to Windows 10.
Another argument in favour is that Windows 10 is more secure than previous versions, with some security vendors claiming it is twice as safe as Windows 7. This is a key consideration, especially with the tougher General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regime, which can impose stiff fines for data breaches. It is also important for the protection of businesses themselves. In 2017, many NHS Trusts were hit by ransomware specifically because they were still running Windows XP – apparently, 90% of trusts had not upgraded from XP, even though it was 16 years old. Running the latest version of the operating system is a no brainer when considering security.
User experience is much improved in Windows 10 with a return to the feel of Windows 7, after much user dissatisfaction with Windows 8, plus many useful new features. These include unifying the user experience across devices, whether using a desktop or mobile, as well as Timeline, which enables a user to pick up from where they left off working when switching from one device to another. There are many additional security features to detect and remove malware before it has a chance to install plus improved privacy transparency, giving users more control over what data is collected by and shared with applications.
These improvements must be weighed against the disruption of installing a new operating system, which will lead to inevitable incompatibilities and glitches. It will also require a certain amount of IT support and user training to take advantage of new features.
However, Microsoft is keen to migrate all users and while it is still possible to upgrade from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for free, there is likely to be an upgrade charge after support for Windows 7 is withdrawn, adding to any existing cost of upgrading.
If you want a full rundown on the new features in Windows 10, FX7 Solutions will be glad to go through them with you and even demonstrate them in action so you can see how Windows 10 works.
Considering the improvement to the user experience, which should improve productivity, as well as the improvements to security and future upgrades, it seems now is the right time to make the move to Windows 10.
