The software will work across all Windows-powered devices for the first
time, and sees the Start menu reintroduced, Internet Explorer scrapped, and a
voice-activated assistant called Cortana introduced.
Sky's Technology Correspondent Tom Cheshire said: "Windows 10 is a
lot more like the Windows everyone knows. More people were using the (no longer
supported) Windows XP than were using Windows 8.
"That operating system was all over the place - Microsoft's head
was turned by the explosion in smartphone use, and didn't really make a proper
desktop OS, instead opting for a colourful horror of tiles.
"So with Windows 10, the Start menu is reinstated. But it's a
decent experience on mobile devices - it's not an operating system built
exclusively with them in mind, it just works well on smartphones and tablets.
"Some users are reporting bugs at this stage, so it might be worth
holding off before an upgrade. But the final version of Windows - future upgrades
will be delivered on a rolling basis - puts Microsoft in a much stronger
position for the future. "
The Verge praised the reintroduction of the Start menu, saying:
"You can pin both modern and traditional apps to the Start menu, and
there's easy access to settings, shutdown or restart, and a list of most-used
apps complete with handy jump lists for apps like Word that handle files.
"This mix of features feels like the best approach for bringing the
Start menu back, and you can resize it freely to customise it further."
Microsoft News said the Internet Explorer replacement - called Edge -
was good but not quite polished yet: "Unlike Internet Explorer, Microsoft
Edge isn't stable – the browser crashes pretty often, and you'll see that the
browser freezes every now and then. However, other than random crashes, you'll
hardly find any other annoying issues."
ZDNet likes Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana, which has made
the leap from the smartphone to the desktop: "The company brings
Cortana to the desktop, and this is one of the best moves by Microsoft.
"It has made search a lot more discoverable for average users by
embedding a very visible Cortana bar right next to the Start button."
Most of the niggles and glitches that used to frustrate users have now
been ironed out, said Yahoo's tech team: "Windows 10 is coherent. It makes
sense. Its design no longer leaves you pounding your forehead on your desk.
"You really are going to love Windows 10. You'll almost certainly
want to upgrade your computers to it, especially since it's free. If you're a
PC veteran, then you'll recognise Windows 10: It's pretty much Windows 7, with
Cortana, nicer typography, and a few new features."
Gizmodo said the operating system makes more sense then its
predecessors: "I've already decided I won't be going back to Windows 8.
"I vastly prefer Windows 10's user interface. It just makes so much
more sense than Windows 8 ever did. I absolutely adore the new multitasking
features."
And Cnet said there's no need to wait to upgrade, which was the case
with previous editions of Windows: "The upshot is that computer owners
upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 8 (and presumably Windows 7) should expect
to get the same level of performance out of their machines that they do now,
and should also expect to make the transition smoothly, without losing access
to data, files, applications or otherwise crippling their PCs.
"In previous Windows OS cycles, this was not always the case, and
our recommendation in the past has been to wait until you buy a new computer to
get the newest version of Windows. For Windows 10, based on our testing to
date, that caveat is no longer required."
But Re/code urged caution until bugs are fixed: "I regard Windows 10
as a solid, evolutionary operating system that's likely to be a good bet for
people who like Windows. But don't upgrade until more of the bugs have been
worked out."