Harris Mark. - Windows 10: The Complete Beginners User Guide

Microsoft Windows has a cherished history of 29 years ongoing from Windows 1 to 10. Over these years we have seen grand technological development and improvements, whilst keeping some of our favorite classic features. Today, the look of Windows is much different from what it was at the onset, a nod to what is technologically capable right now. Here are some facts:

• November 1985 saw the release of Windows 1. This was Microsofts first attempt at a graphical user interface. The founder Bill Gates ran on top of the MS DOS which was mainly an interface on-command line, similar to what you experience when using Command Prompt. That was dependent strongly on the mouse.
• 2 years later saw the arrival of Windows 2. This brought in the maximizing and minimizing of window panels, the advent of the Control Panel, and also the introduction of public favorite; Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Windows 3 supported a Hard Drive system. Moreover, it ran MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk-Operating-Sytem), supporting 256 colors and thus brining a more vibrant operating system.
• In 1992, Windows 3.1 made improvements on its publishing capabilities, as well as introducing a Microsoft classic; Minesweeper. It required 1mb of RAM to run, a hefty amount at the time.
• In 1995 Microsoft released what most recognize as the classic Windows look Windows 95 a system that brought the Start Button and the Start Menu. The concept of plug and play was also brought in and this operating system had Drivers for the first time to make it work. MS DOS still played a major role in running elements and programs. Later in the same year, Internet Explorer also made its debut.
• There were gradual improvements over the years, but it wasnt until the release of Windows 8 that saw a complete overhaul visually to the Operating System. Windows 8 closely resembled a smartphone or tablet layout, and it received mix reviews. However, Windows 10 has taken the best of both worlds, having the performance capabilities of Windows 8, with the features of much-loved Windows 7.

With Windows 10, Microsoft was looking to upgrade from the failures of the Windows 8 platform. The general improvements on this new platform include the user interface, the access control, the protection of identity, APIs (Application Program Interface) that allows the building of third-party apps by developers to run on a vast range of devices.

These are all welcome upgrades on the earlier Windows 8 platform. Manageability and security have been greatly improved and the return of the Start Menu is a (much-needed) welcome change. The Windows 10 system also sees improvement for touch devices. Windows 8 had trouble running effectively on touch devices due to its different optimization user-interface, as well as the lack of usual features such as the Start Button/Menu.

Windows 10 now focuses on the values that the customers never found in their experience with Windows 8. With Windows 10, Microsoft has tackled the interface issues to get things right and now the traditional desktop looks like that of Windows 7 in many ways. The interface is more intuitive and adaptive in the sense of being able to detect the device being used for its operation and adjust to it accordingly. It should be more seamless and straightforward to use, that way.

Windows 10 has also greatly improved its security features. It has a 2 factor authentication to go beyond the single password method which has proved vulnerable. The Windows 10 also has a DLP (Data Loss Prevention), and all data has to be encrypted on mobile and desktop devices. It also has VPN control for general data protection. Any third-party commercial app will contain APIs and unified codes for running them safely in Windows.