About 2,500 years ago, Greek philosopher Heraclitus was quoted as
saying, “The only thing that is constant is change.” I think he'd double
down on that statement if he were alive today and saw how fast
technology moves.I bring this up because Microsoft is set to roll out Windows 10 in just over a month, on July 29. To persuade people to upgrade, Microsoft is offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade if you have Windows 7 or 8.1. Windows 8 users will need to upgrade to 8.1 first, but that's also free.
However, there are still quite a few people who remember the problems with upgrading to Windows Vista and Windows 8, from hardware compatibility problems to ending up with a buggy operating system. I don't blame them for wondering if upgrading to Windows 10 is a smart move, and if Windows 10 is just change for the sake of change.
And it's true, there are some situation where upgrading to Windows 10 might not be the best idea. Let's take a look at a few scenarios where you should and shouldn't upgrade.
When you should upgrade
If you hate Windows 8
OK, I know I'm starting this off with a negative one, but there are a lot of people, many in my audience included, who can't stand Windows 8. From the lack of a Start button to the confusing way apps work to additions meant for touch that don't work well with mouse and keyboard, it's a mess.Windows 10 fixes those problems with the return of the Start button and Start menu, although it has a bit of an upgrade. Apps are going to run in "windows" mode like regular programs.
On desktops and laptops, Windows 10 won't have any of the touch elements active and works more like Windows 7. Learn more about Windows 10's features that make it better than Windows 8.
If you want better performance
Because Windows 8's interface was so bad, most people overlooked that fact that under the hood Windows 8 is actually a fantastic operating system. It's faster, cleaner, more secure and has better support for newer hardware than even Windows 7.Windows 10 takes that up another level with even more performance optimization, so it should run better than 7 or 8 on whatever computer you put it on. It also has a newer, faster and more secure browser to replace Internet Explorer, and DirectX 12 for a better gaming experience.
You're buying a new computer
If your computer is more than five years old and you've been thinking about upgrading, you have a choice to make. You can buy one of the few remaining Windows 7 machines on the market; you can grit your teeth and grab one with Windows 8.1 and suffer with it for a few months; or you can wait and buy a system with Windows 10 pre-installed.I still love Windows 7, and Microsoft is providing security updates until 2020, so if you want to keep using it on a computer you already have, that's fine. However, once Windows 10 comes out I wouldn't buy a computer with Windows 7 pre-installed.
A Windows 7 machine isn't going to have the latest hardware options. So even if you upgrade to Windows 10 later, you won't see all the benefit Windows 10 can provide.
And I wouldn't recommend buying a Windows 8 machine either. You'll have to deal with learning its interface just to use it for a month, and then you have to switch to Windows 10. If you're upgrading from Vista (or even XP), it's best to just deal with one new operating system at a time.
Even though Windows 10 is close to older styles of Windows, it's still going to take a little getting used to. So, save yourself some hassle.
One word of caution
I know there are plenty of people who are going to want to upgrade to Windows 10 the second it arrives. However, for most computer users I recommend waiting a few months.Fortunately, the free upgrade offer is good for a year after Windows 10 comes out. There's time to let Microsoft release some updates and smooth out some wrinkles before you make the jump.
When you shouldn't upgrade
Your computer is running Vista
If your computer is running Vista, then it's probably more than five years old. While Windows 10 will run faster than Vista on the same hardware, Windows 10 is really designed to take advantage of newer computer parts like motherboards with UEFI and solid-state hard drives.Also, Vista users don't get the free upgrade, so you'll be spending $100 or so for the Windows 10 upgrade. If you buy a new computer, part of that cost is subsidized in the overall computer price.
Not only that, Microsoft is going to be focusing on smooth in-place upgrading for Windows 7 and 8. Your upgrade from Vista might have some hiccups. In short, you're really better off buying a newer computer with Windows 10 already installed and transferring your programs and information.
You need features Windows 10 doesn't have
Windows 10 has some nice new features, but it's also going to drop some features you might use. For example, if your home entertainment uses Microsoft's Media Center program, then you won't want to upgrade. Here are six more features that Windows 10 users will have to live without.Most of these features aren't deal breakers for the average user, but you should know what they are just in case.
Your computer has old peripherals
Every time Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, a lot of older hardware doesn't make the cut. Older scanners, printers, digital cameras and other add-ons might not get updated drivers.Thanks to USB connections and universal drivers, this isn't such a worry for anything you bought within the last five years. However, if you have something that's 10 years old, then it's a risk.
A good rule to follow is if it works in Windows 8 then it should work in 10. Windows 7 is a little iffier, but you should usually be OK. If you haven't tried it with any Windows newer than Vista, however, you could be out of luck.
Head online and see if anyone using your model has tried it on newer systems. That can tell you if there's going to be a problem before you upgrade.
Again, this might be a situation where you want to buy a new computer with Windows 10 and keep your old computer around to work with your older hardware. On the other hand, most of the older hardware you have can probably be replaced with a new inexpensive model that works just as well.
