Windows 10 Vs. Windows 8: 10 Differences

Microsoft, the leader in the PC operating system market in the 1990s and early 2000s, has been facing stiff competition from open source Linux and Apple's Mac OS X over the years, as well as from the megatrend of workers relying on an array of mobile devices, such as smartphones, and moving away from traditional desktops.

To compete, Microsoft is preparing to deliver a new OS, jumping from Windows 8 to Windows 10. This new and improved OS, which Redmond is expected to release later this year, is built from a blend of existing and old operating systems. Windows 10 offers features that Microsoft is promising will provide its users with seamless integration across all device platforms.

Microsoft has gone back to the old days with the inclusion of the Start menu, which was missing from Windows 8. Another significant boost is that the company plans to include the personal digital assistant Cortana in the desktop version.

[Read more about Windows 10.]

The other big news is the inclusion of a new browser, code-named Spartan.

Here are a few new features and improvements over Windows 8 that IT managers, administrators, and even some CIOs may find interesting in Windows 10, especially when compared to the previous version of the OS:

New features in Windows 10:

Improvements:

With Windows 10 in preview, and Microsoft and its users testing the new operating system, InformationWeek is looking at the differences between Windows 8 -- which has struggled to find a market in much the same way that Windows Vista did -- and Windows 10, which Microsoft (as well as the entire PC industry) is betting on to reinvigorate the market. Here's a look at the key differences between the two operating systems, as well as things all levels of IT should know to help make decisions about and prepare for an upgrade down the line.

Microsoft Windows 10 enables users to have a seamless experience regardless of the device used. A new feature called "One" changes the Web layout of Microsoft programs according to the usage of the device. It automatically adjusts display and layout, providing a tablet-friendly experience with bigger icons when appropriate, a smartphone-friendly experience for smaller screens, and a traditional experience for desktop, oriented for keyboard and mouse use. This feature makes Windows 10 more intelligent in detecting and responding when users switch a 2-in-1 device -- like Microsoft Surface -- between tablet and laptop modes.

Windows 10 gives users a Start menu that looks similar to pre-Windows 8 versions of Windows. The Start button is available in the taskbar at the bottom or the top-left corner of the screen, depending on the taskbar orientation the user chooses. Windows 10 combines the look and feel of Windows 7 and Windows 8 for the new Start menu, which includes a list of the most-frequently used apps stacked on the left, next to a column with Live Tiles serving up news bites and social network updates. This Start menu will allow users to access or pin apps, contacts, and websites, and to search content.

Microsoft unveiled its new Web browser, code-named Spartan, in January. The browser is designed for smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Windows 10 will offer options for Spartan as well as IE 11. Spartan allows users to annotate Web pages by touchscreen and pen devices or by keyboard. It offers easy-to-share social annotations, built-in support for PDF documents, and a special reading mode that displays available online content in a simplified layout and downloads articles for offline reading later. Spartan integrates with Microsoft's personal digital assistant, Cortana, to make search operations faster.

Like Linux operating systems and Apple's Mac OS X, Microsoft has introduced built-in multiple desktops -- virtual desktops -- with Windows 10. The feature will allow users to create and customize different desktops for different operations. For example, a Windows 10 user could create two desktops: one for work, with all his or her productivity applications and data, and another for entertainment, with multimedia files, games, social apps, music, and personal data. This multiple-desktop feature allows a user to easily add new desktops and provides faster switching between apps and desktops. Additionally, applications can be moved from one desktop to another by right-clicking on the app in the taskbar.

Microsoft Cortana, a personal digital assistant -- similar to Apple's Siri and Android's Google Now -- that was developed for Windows Phone last year, is now available for Windows 10 desktops and tablets. Integrating Cortana with desktops will help users by listening, learning, and serving up related information that Cortana thinks would be useful. The end-user interaction with Cortana is as simple as giving a command to the system. The user can give voice or typed commands for operations such as placing calls, scheduling reminders, and initializing applications on devices.

Windows 10 provides a unified app store for PCs and mobile devices with touchscreens up to 85 inches. This enables developers to create a single app that will run across all Windows devices including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Microsoft is also going to enhance users' purchasing options in the app store by allowing bulk app purchases based on existing organizational identity. Microsoft will allow the Windows 10 app store to be customized for large enterprises based on employees' requirements. This customization will enable enterprises to include both public and in-house apps in their customized app stores.

Windows 10 comes with a new, unified menu for commonly used Control Panel and Settings features. The new Settings menu is built with a clean design and easy-to-use options. The Windows 10 Settings menu has an improved Action Center that provides more toggle options to turn on and off WiFi, airplane mode, VPN, tablet mode, and other items. This menu also gives users an option to navigate to additional settings, and it includes system notifications that sync across devices. For example, if a notification has been dismissed on a mobile device, then it will not have to be dismissed again on a PC, and vice versa.

With Windows 10, Microsoft has introduced a new feature to simplify shuffling between applications across different desktops. Unlike earlier versions of the Windows operating systems, Windows 10 has added a dedicated button for Task View in the task bar. Using ALT + Tab key will give a consolidated view of all open windows across all desktops. Users can then switch among all open desktops with Win + Ctrl and left or right arrow keys.

File Explorer has been revised in Windows 10. The title bar and borders of the File Explorer window have been streamlined. Unlike the bulky bordered window previously in place, the minimize, maximize, and close buttons have been downsized. The icons on the desktop have a new look with fresh designs, making them flatter and brighter.

Microsoft Windows 10 delivers a seamless user experience across all devices through a single operating system, providing an intuitive start by combining the Windows 7 Start menu with the look and feel of Windows 8.1. It also offers multiple desktops, Cortana for desktop, a unified app store across all devices, and a new Web browser, Spartan. Finally, Windows 10 improves operations through updates to Command Prompt, system settings, File Explorer, and icons.

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