Windows 10 Pros And Cons For The Channel

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With Windows 10, Microsoft is trying to right the wrongs of Windows 8. And it has. Windows 10 bridges the gap between the traditional PC running Windows 7 and the world of touch-based tablets, something that Windows 8 was never able to accomplish.

But while Windows 10 may win over the critics,can it win over the channel? We spoke to a number of Microsoft partners and here are their Windows 10 Pros and Cons.

PRO:

Windows 10’s marquee features are the return of the Start menu, a massively improved user interface, Microsoft’s personal assistant Cortana -- and the fact that it’s free. But the one feature that partners like most is security. With Windows 10, Microsoft has added advanced zero-day prevention tools such as Device Guard, password management called Windows Hello, and the ability for IT managers to encrypt corporate apps, emails and data.

CON:

While Microsoft always downplays hardware incompatibility, any OS brings system admins face to face with the ultimate question: "What copier, scanner, printer and peripheral will not work with my new OS?"

While the OS is just launching now, there already are a number of postings popping up in user groups regarding some AMD graphics cards, specific CPU models and some printers not supporting Windows 10. The same concerns apply to porting Windows 7 or Windows 8 apps to Windows 10 -- if we port it, will it work?

PRO:

Windows 10 doesn't represent a huge new revenue opportunity for partners, but rather a catalyst for growth related to cloud services. Windows 10, partners say, will have a ripple effect driving associated sales. Out of the box, Windows 10 is ready for a host of Azure services such as Azure Active Directory -- which can drive new lines of business such as virtual desktop infrastructure, selling Office 365 licenses, building out private clouds and configuring disaster recovery over a network.

CON:

Microsoft caused an outcry with the way it said it will deliver Windows 10 security, software and driver updates to PCs. It said Windows 10 Home users can’t block updates and new features from being delivered. Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users will have limited control over updates under a program called Windows Update for Business.

That control is important to businesses or they could risk an untested patch conflicting with a carefully configured Windows environment.

Under the Windows Update for Business, software updates will be delivered via distribution rings -- fast, normal or slow.Microsoft has been less than clearon how exactly companies can or cannot block updates. Microsoft last told CRN that security updates could only be delayed.

PUBLISHED JULY 28, 2015