Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed and
released by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. It
was officially unveiled in September 2014 following a brief demo at Build 2014.
The first version of the operating system entered a public beta testing process
in October, leading up to its consumer release on July 29, 2015.
Windows 10 introduces what Microsoft described as "universal
apps"; expanding on Metro-style apps, these apps can be designed to run
across multiple Microsoft product families with nearly identical code—including
PCs, tablets, smartphones, embedded systems, Xbox One, Surface Hub and Windows
Holographic. The Windows user interface was revised to handle transitions
between a mouse-oriented interface and a touchscreen-optimized interface based
on available input devices—particularly on 2-in-1 PCs; both interfaces
include an updated Start menu which incorporates elements of Windows 7's
traditional Start menu with the tiles of Windows 8. The first release of
Windows 10 also introduces a virtual desktop system, a window and desktop
management feature called Task View, the Microsoft Edge web browser, support
for fingerprint and face recognition login, new security features for
enterprise environments, and DirectX 12 and WDDM 2.0 to improve the operating
system's graphics capabilities for games.
Microsoft described Windows 10 as an "operating system as a
service" that would receive ongoing updates to its features and
functionality, augmented with the ability for enterprise environments to
receive non-critical updates at a slower pace, or use long-term support
milestones that will only receive critical updates, such as security patches,
over their five-year lifespan of mainstream support. Terry Myerson, executive
vice president of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, argued that the goal
of this model was to reduce fragmentation across the Windows platform, as
Microsoft aimed to have Windows 10 installed on at least one billion devices in
the two to three years following its release.
Windows 10 received mostly positive reviews upon its original release
in July 2015; critics praised Microsoft's decision to downplay user-interface
mechanics introduced by Windows 8 (including the full screen apps and Start
screen) in non-touch environments to provide a desktop-oriented interface in
line with previous versions of Windows, although Windows 10's touch-oriented
user interface mode was panned for containing regressions upon the
touch-oriented interface of Windows 8. Critics also praised the improvements to
Windows 10's bundled software over Windows 8.1, Xbox Live integration, as well
as the functionality and capabilities of Cortana personal assistant and the
replacement of Internet Explorer with Microsoft Edge.
Critics characterized the initial release of Windows 10 in July 2015
as being rushed, citing the incomplete state of some of the operating system's
bundled software (such as the Edge web browser), as well as the stability of
the operating system itself on launch. Windows 10 was also
criticized for limiting how users can control its operation, including limited
controls over the installation of updates on the main consumer-oriented edition
in comparison to previous versions. Privacy concerns were also voiced by
critics and advocates, as the operating system's default settings and certain
features require the transmission of user data to Microsoft or its partners.
Microsoft has also received criticism for how it has distributed Windows 10 to
users of existing versions of Windows, which has included the automatic
downloads of installation files to computers, the recurring display of pop-ups
advertising the upgrade, and allegations of the installation process being
scheduled or initiated automatically without expressed user
consent.
Up to August 2016, Windows 10 usage was increasing, with it then
plateauing, and with previous versions of Windows declining in
their share of total usage as measured by web traffic. The operating system is
running on more than 400 million active devices and has an estimated usage
share of 24.43% on traditional PCs and 12.08% across all platforms (PC,
mobile, tablet, and console).
System requirements :
Processor
1 gigahertz (GHz) or
faster processor or SoC
RAM
1 gigabyte (GB) for
32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
Hard disk space
16 GB for 32-bit OS
20 GB for 64-bit OS
Graphics card
DirectX 9 or later
with WDDM 1.0 driver
Display
800x600
