Microsoft will launch its latest operating system in 2015, with the unavailing of Windows 10. This latest version of the corporation’s flagship software comes hot on the heels of Windows 8 being generally considered something of a disaster. Thus, this is an extremely significant release for Microsoft, and one that it will be hoping receives much greater critical acclaim and less opprobrium than its previous effort.
Windows 10 is also being launched into a climate in which Apple is providing a serious challenge to the dominance of PCs. Windows still remains by far the most popular operating system on the planet, and is almost ubiquitous in commerce. But as computing becomes a more commonplace part of everyday life, so more consumers are viewing the relatively hefty price tag of Macs as no barrier to purchase. This means that Apple desktop computers about becoming a serious alternative to PCs for the first time in computing history.
The Apple operating system OS X has been considered to be a jewel in the crown of the Apple operation for sometime. The most recent version of this package was released in October of this year, so how will Windows 10 compare to this Apple operating system when it is released?
Windows 10 vs OS X Yosemite
Price
OS X Yosemite comes completely free with Apple desktops and MacBooks, whereas the pricing structure for Windows 10 has not yet been revealed by Microsoft. But the software giant has implied that Windows 10 is unlikely to be free of charge as had been speculated in some quarters. So this is something to bear in mind when comparing the merits of the two platforms.
Desktop
The desktop of the Apple offering has been significantly overhauled in appearance, but the feature set of OS X Yosemite is largely akin to previous versions. From the Dock section of OS X Yosemite it is possible to load applications and open files, while Mission Control enables you to flick between open documents and apps, and Spaces enables additional desktops to be created.
OS X Yosemite runs as slickly and harmoniously as previous versions of the software and provides an outstandingly intuitive package.
Windows has some work to do to catch up after the Windows 8 operating system was considered one of the most poorly organized and confusing in the history of the software. However, the reinstatement of the Start menu in Windows 10 is a step in the right direction, but it is evident that Microsoft has put a lot of thought into creating a platform which works well across numerous device types.
Task View vs Mission Control
OS X Yosemite takes a further step towards the Apple goal of enabling applications to run either as traditional software or full-screen manifestations. To achieve this, Apple has altered the maximize button to effectively present a full-screen option. Working in full-screen mode can be useful for those utilizing devices with smaller screens.
Windows 10 has apparently imitated this functionality in order to make it easier for users to accept using Metro apps. This new feature will be called Task View, and enables you to switch between any applications that run in full-screen mode. Critics have suggested that it is an inelegant solution compares to that of OS X Yosemite, while it could be asserted that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But in general terms, this should nevertheless be a welcome piece of functionality for Windows users.
Search Facility
The ability to search for files and folders has been a much praised aspect of OS X for many years, and OS X Yosemite is no exception to this rule. The software is able to identify not only files that share a filename with the keyword, but also all files that contain the keyword, in a matter of seconds. It really is an extremely efficient piece of functionality, and immediately impresses those who have recently switched from a PC to a Mac.
Windows has attempted to deliver this feature for some time, but previous versions of the software have become less efficient in this regard as the hard drive of the device becomes more cluttered. Additionally, Windows’ search function sometimes struggles to locate objects when large amounts of files of folders are moved around. Windows 10 will need to improve on the quality of this feature.
Continuity
One of the most praised aspects of OS X Yosemite is the ability to share files between desktop computers and iOS devices such as iPhones via the Airdrop function. Not only is this extremely convenient for those who already own Apple devices, but it is also a persuasive reason to purchase Apple smartphones and tablets in the first place. By comparison, Windows currently has no such functionality, and there has been no word that this will be implemented in Windows 10.
iCloud vs OneDrive
Microsoft has had to acknowledge that we are now in the era of the cloud, and delivering cloud functionality will be a key part of any operating system going forward. OS X Yosemite is optimized to ensure that the cloud is at the very heart of its operations. iCloud works as a kind of Dropbox clone in Yosemite, and its feature set ensures data security by enabling datasets to be effectively ‘walled off’.
OneDrive is available on the vast majority of computing platforms, and will be the default file save location in Windows 10. However, OneDrive has received a lukewarm reception owing to the fact that its approach is significantly less secure than that of OS X Yosemite. It would benefit Microsoft to improve this in the forthcoming Windows 10.
Verdict
It is difficult to look at every feature and function of Windows and OS X in a single article, but the general feeling is that Microsoft is certainly playing catch-up with Apple in its Windows 10 release. OS X Yosemite has rightly earned a reputation as being the most intuitive operating system available, and it is already on the market as opposed to Windows 10 which will arrive in six months at the earliest.
When you figure in the fact that Microsoft will also expect you to pay for Windows 10 then it is clear that the corporation has a lot of hard work to do in the coming months to really convince consumers that this represents a good deal.
