My Computerworld colleague Steven Vaughan-Nichols last month opined that Windows 11 will be the end of the old-school Windows desktop and argued that Windows 11 is a pointless upgrade. While I agree that Windows 11 leaves me wondering exactly why I need to upgrade to it, I’m not sure it marks the end of desktops. (It might play a role in piquing interest in tablets, however — more about that below.)
In fact, we may already be seeing Windows 10 as the last of the old-school desktop operating systems.
Along with nearly every other business, small and large, I’m struggling with the high cost of upgrading to Windows 11. (I’m not talking about the software; it’s the hardware mandate of TPM chip and processor that’s going to be my biggest blocker to upgrading since I must purchase new hardware if I want the bulk of my office to upgrade.) Even at home, I only have one machine — Microsoft’s recent Surface Pro 7 — that can handle the upgrade. My other computers — another laptop and a home-built desktop – can’t make the jump, nor do I want to use workarounds to get around the security requirements.
Given that software vendors are still dragging their feet in offering updates for Windows 11 — case in point, Sage Accounting software doesn’t appear to officially support Windows 11 — it’s not surprise that at the six-month mark there’s still not a huge push to migrate to 11.
Side note: When I use Windows 11, the newly centered menu isn’t a major problem. I’ve purposely left it in the center to see how it affects my routines, from the changes to the task bar to the menu system. I’ve found that after years of clicking on the left-hand side of the screen to start a menu option or shut down the computer, it clearly will take some time for my brain to be retrained if I plan to keep it this way. For those for whom this is a major issue, there are a number of third-party tools and workarounds to move that menu and make…
