Windows 10
The new client operating system of Microsoft "Windows 10" was launched on 29th July 2015. Lets have a closer look on this new operating system and lets see whats stored for us
As we discuss the new features in this post, you will realize that Windows 10 is certainly not of the same league as that of Windows 7 or even Windows 8. Lots of futuristic planning has been done while designing this code. Features like "Hello", "Virtual Desktops" and "Cortana" are certainly way beyond its time.
For features like "Credential Providers" and "LSA Isolation", we will have a separate post for them a they need to be discussed in detail
The Start Screen and the Start Button
The Start Screen and the Start Button vanished in Windows 8 for a short while before the start button made a comeback in Windows 8.1. So was the customer`s not ready for this change. I say it the technology which wasn't ready. Microsoft wanted to create an operating system that can work on a computer, tablet o even on a phone. But then, what matters was the market share these devices and in particular with Microsoft operating system installed (And not Android) had at that time. And secondly, how many of us have a touch screen computer. Ideally, Microsoft has created an operating system keeping in mind the latest technologies and trends but unfortunately the world was not ready for this change. So Microsoft brought back the Start Button in Windows 8.1 (Even though the button was only to "Toggle" between the desktop screen and the App Screen) but still the main desktop screen was missing. The App Screen was again introduced thinking of mobile devices as it was useless for a person to have a desktop screen on a tablet or on a mobile.
With Windows 10, Microsoft played safe and smartly. They got the Start Button back with Full Functionality (As which use to have in Windows 7). Not only it displays the old Application Bar but also it displays the new App Tiles.
The default screen is set to the old Desktop Screen. Along with, they have now introduced a "Tablet Mode" which once set will give you the same "App Screen" by default when you log on to the operating system.
This is the Default Desktop Screen
So once you click on Start button on left bottom corner, On left pane, it will display the Applications/Most Used/ Recently Used/Explorer/Settings/Documents options (Windows 7) where as on the Right Pane it will list all the Application Tiles (Windows 8)
And you can expand this window as well to make it full screen
All Apps
Clicking on the Start Button gives you an option of "All Apps"
Clicking on "All Apps" will list all the applications in Alphabetical Order.. Cool Feature
Settings
Lets have look at the "Settings Option"
The Settings Screen is Really Cool.... Quite Simplified...
Spartan / Microsoft Edge
Here is "Spartan"... Quite Famous before its Launched... Not because of its features but because it was rumored that Spartan has put Internet Explorer off the shelf which means it was to replace Internet Explore... And yes it was a rumor.. Our very own Internet Explore is still alive in Windows 10
"Project Spartan is called Microsoft Edge in this build"
Microsoft Edge, formerly known as Project Spartan. So don't get confused with Spartan, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer 11
Our very own Internet Explorer 11. But yes, the features of Spartan / Microsoft Edge will surely make you move from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge
File Explorer
There is nothing much to talk about File Explorer but one thing I would like to show here. Once you click on File Explorer, it will directly take you to "Quick Access" instead of the normal File Explorer where you use to have all the drives listed
Although, this default behavior can be changed
Folder Options -> General -> "Open File Explorer To" -> Quick Access / This PC
And now when we click on File Explorer, it opens up the "This PC" view listing drives and folders
Right Click on Start and you have all these options (Same as Windows 8.1)
Cortana
Windows Help have got Voice Now...
Next to the Windows Button, you will find a Search Icon. Click on that Search Icon and Cortana will Greet you :)
Sign in with you Hotmail Account and the Assistant (Cortana) is ready to help you with the command which you will provide...
Cortana will search your computer and the web as well to give you the best possible results. And Yes, It works quite accurately...
So out of curiosity, I logged in with my Hotmail Account and see what happened
I said "Open Notepad"
Honestly, I am not sure what do I need to say for the Cortana to open the notepad application as it too me to the web and searched for "Open Notepad"... Still... The functionality is not that bad...
In case you didn't like Cortana Voice (Which I doubt), then you can disable it.
You have the following options:-
- Disable Search Completely
- Disable the Search Icon
- Disable the Search Box
Advance Boot Option
To boot the machine in Advance Boot Option, you need to go to the "Settings" -> "Update and Security" -> "Advance Start Up"
Moving Installed Applications
Just like in your Android phone where you can move applications from internal memory to external SD Card, likewise, in Windows 10 you can move the installed applications from one drive to another
System -> "Installed Apps"
Move the Application to "E Drive"
Default Storage
Again, just as in mobile phone, you can choose the default storage (Internal / SD Card), in Windows 10 as well you can choose the "Default" Storage where all the data will be stored
System -> Storage
Once done, New Folders for your Data (Profile Name - Sumit Sethi) and Applications (WindowsApps) will be created in the E Drive
Credential Providers
New Credential Providers have been added. We will discuss this in detail in another post
We can exclude credentials providers as well
Virtual Desktop
Remember the days when we did not had tab option in internet explorer / chrome. There would have been 10-15 internet tabs opened on the Taskbar and the clicking on each tab to find out the required internet explorer page... Tabbed option made it easy for us to Group different pages into one
Groups be it in Internet Explorer / Chrome or on Whatsapp / Facebook are always helpful
Similarly, grouping different applications on the Desktop will also be quite helpful and that is why Microsoft has now introduced the concept of "Virtual Desktop" in Windows 10
In Windows 10 you can create different Virtual Desktop and the Group different Applications in different Virtual Desktops
Like, you can open your official applications in one virtual desktop while your personal Email and Facebook in another virtual desktop
Win + CTRL + LEFT/RIGHT: Switch to previous or next desktop
Win + CTRL + D: Create a new desktop
Win + CTRL + F4: Close the current desktop
Win + TAB: Launch task view
To create a Virtual Desktop, Click on "Task View" on the TaskBar. Once done, you will see a + sign at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Click on the + sign to create a new virtual desktop
For now, I have created three virtual desktops
Click on "Desktop 2" to start using this desktop. Lets create a "Notepad" in this Virtual Desktop
Create a "Folder" on "Desktop 3"
You can move the applications from one virtual desktop to another
Simply right click on the application and select Move
The "Notepad" application which was on Desktop 2 is now on Desktop 3
Closing a Virtual Desktop Session is simple... Click on the Red X and the session will be closed
Do remember the fact that the Virtual Desktops remain active even if you log off or reboot your machines. The applications will be closed (of course), however, the virtual desktops will remain
Now we are left with Virtual Desktop 1 and Virtual Desktop 2 (Desktop 2 was closed and Desktop 3 got renamed to Desktop 2)
Now we have a Notepad and a Folder in Desktop 2. Lets close Desktop 2
The applications which were in Desktop 2 were moved to Desktop 1 (Automatically)
Copy & Paste in Command Prompt (Ctrl C & Ctrl V)
Finally we now have Copy and Paste feature in the command prompt, I mean Ctrl C and Ctrl V
Folder Fonts
Some new colorful fonts for the folders
Tablet Mode
As discussed about the Start Screen in the beginning on this blog, Microsoft have not completely done away with the Start Screen of Windows 8. We can still enable the same Start Screen with Apps if we want instead of the default Desktop Screen
System -> Tablet Mode
When Sign In :
- Immediately enter Tablet Mode
- Take me to the desktop
- Keep the mode I was in previously
So the moment I logged in this time, I got the apps window instead of the default desktop
