Windows 10: How good will it be?

With the new version, Microsoft attempts to give its customers the best of both worlds: The good things of Windows 7 along with the hits of Windows 8.

There is a joke among long-time Windows users: Every even-numbered version of Windows is a dud.

Let me explain -- Windows XP was version 5, Vista 6, Windows 7 was, well, 7 and Windows 8 (or 8.1 if you will) is 8. We need not explain further.

But Microsoft seems hell-bent on proving this wrong -- no wonder they’ve named the latest iteration (to be released in mid-2015) Windows 10 (now if one goes by sequence, it should have been named Windows 9).

With the new version, Microsoft attempts to give its customers the best of both worlds: The good things of Windows 7 along with the hits of Windows 8.

Clicking on the Start menu (in the technical preview) brings one face to face with this philosophy.

The old, familiar folder-based start menu of Windows 7 coexists with the Live Tiles (containing useful updates) of Windows 8. 

Another feature of interest is the presence of virtual desktops, something which is a given for Linux and Mac users.

Till now, one had to invest in third-party tools to customise a desktop each for work, entertainment, gaming, etc -- and toggle them according to convenience. But with Windows 8, the process is built-in.

Also of interest, for the geeks among you, is the fact that not only does Windows 10 support command prompt, it also has a task view button on the taskbar to know what all programs are running at one glance.

Before the operating system hits the shelves, we’ll be doing a full-fledged review of the preview.

MICROSOFT’S SPARTAN FOR THE BROWSER BATTLE

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has been around for 19 years now -- the latest release being the Internet Explorer 11.

With the Windows 10 operating system all set to enter the fray by mid-2015, there were talks of Microsoft redesigning the Internet Explorer, making it more adept at tackling the challenges posed by the likes of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple’s Safari.

However, according to recent reports trending on the internet, Microsoft is not only planning to have a relook at the Internet Explorer but introduce a new browser altogether.

The sources cited in the reports said that the software giant was working on a new browser, code named 'Spartan'.

While Spartan is not expected to replace the Internet Explorer, the former is expected to be more lighter and flexible.

Both the browsers could be available with Windows 10, as and when the latest installment of the operating system is rolled out.

Reports also indicate that apart from being available on both the desktop and mobile platforms, Spartan could be built and designed on similar lines as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

The browser could also make its maiden entry on platforms such as Android and Apple’s iOS.

Also “Spartan” seems to be just the code name and people in the tech fraternity are unsure as to what Microsoft will ultimately call the new browser.

The introduction of a new browser could mean that Microsoft has finally flexed its muscles to face growing competition from rivals like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.