Why You Should Not Download Microsoft’s Windows 10 Preview (And Why You Should)
Microsoft’s Windows 10 won’t be available until this fall, but you can already get an early look at the operating system by downloading Microsoft’s free Windows 10 Technical Preview.
But before you install what is essentially a beta release of Windows 10 on your computer, you’ll want to weigh the benefits of doing this against a few important downsides.
Why you shouldn’t download the Windows 10 Preview
1. Bugs, bugs, and more bugs
The Windows 10 Technical Preview is just that, a preview of what Windows 10 will be like when it is finally released later this year. And like any software preview, the Windows 10 Technical Preview is rife with bugs and glitches.
There are performance issues, visual distortions, and compatibility problems that could negatively impact your PC, your data files, and your sanity. Things like printers, scanners, and a host of other accessories likely won’t work with your computer after installing the preview, and there’s a chance that the operating system (OS) just won’t work well enough for your needs.
So if you only have one PC and aren’t absolutely dying to try the Windows 10 preview, save yourself the headache, and wait for the final version of the OS. Or, if you’re really conservative, then update your system after the first release.
2. Not all of the cool features Microsoft announced are live yet
When Microsoft showed us Windows 10 at its Jan. 21 event, the tech giant gave us a look at some pretty slick features, including cross-platform game support, a new Web browser code-named Spartan, and a virtual world capability called Windows Holographic.
Unfortunately, the current technical preview doesn’t include these features. That’s because the Windows 10 preview isn’t finished. It’s still being built, and there are holes in it.
So if you want to play with all of the Windows 10 features Microsoft touted in its announcements, you’re better off just waiting for the operating system’s final release this fall.
Why you should install the Windows 10 Preview
1. It’s not Windows 8!
If you’ve been holding off on upgrading your PC from Windows XP or Windows 7 to Windows 8, and you’re finally ready for something new, then the Windows 10 Preview might be worth checking out.
The operating system borrows some of the best elements of Windows 7, with a dose of the good bits from Windows 8. (Yes, there are some.)
If you’re the curious type and want to see for yourself whether Windows 10 lives up to the hype and the media reports that it has fixed what Windows 8 broke, you’ll want to download the technical preview.
2. You’re a tablet user, and you want to try the new Continuum mode
Windows 10’s Continuum mode is essentially Microsoft’s way of reconciling the different worlds of Windows 8 Live Tile and desktop interfaces.
The feature works by recognizing when you remove, or add, a keyboard from a tablet Windows computer. It offers to switch you between desktop and tile mode… but it doesn’t do this until you confirm the selection, so it shouldn’t surprise you with an unwanted user interface change.
The same basic process works for two-in-one devices like Lenovo’s Yoga series laptops, which can switch between laptop and tablet mode when you fold and unfold their keyboards. It’s pretty helpful and way better than how you switch into and out of desktop mode on the tile-centric Windows 8.
3. You’re lonely and want to talk to your computer
Cortana, Microsoft’s Siri-like, digital voice assistant, is coming to your PC as part of Windows 10. And just like Siri, you can use your voice to ask Cortana questions and issue certain commands.
Cortana also comes programmed with a sense of humor, so she’ll occasionally hit you with a joke or two.
4. You want to make Windows 10 a better product
When you sign up to download the Windows 10 Technical Preview, you basically become a Microsoft beta tester.
That means the tech giant will take into account any positive or negative interactions you have with the OS and could use them to implement changes to the final version of Windows 10. In other words, by downloading and using Windows 10, you’re actually helping Microsoft create a better final product.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+.
