Farewell Windows 10: The ‘final version’ of Windows, finally replaced

I remember 2015 well. Mainly because nobody really liked Windows 8.1 - nor did anybody really miss it. Seeing Microsoft walk back many of their changes was actually a relief. But now, we’re staring down the barrel of Windows 10’s sunset, and things are a little bit different. Instead of excitement for the future, many are being force to ‘upgrade’ to an operating system that they find substantially worse. So as we say farewell to Windows 10, let’s take a look back at what it did right and wrong, and why so many of us don’t want to give it up.

Pre-Windows 10 was Touch Screen Pain

In 2012, Microsoft tried something new with Windows 8. They bet on a future of mobile computing where everybody would have a touch-screen tablet-laptop hybrid-thing, and they designed Windows for this touch-first future. 13 years later, it’s pretty safe to say that they bet wrong.

A year later saw damage control with the release of Windows 8.1. Many mainstay Windows features returned, such as the Start Button, first-class desktop support and other mouse/keyboard control improvements. It was better, but still not great. With an X.1 release, Microsoft could never make the sweeping changes needed to bring Windows back in people’s good books, but two years later they got their chance.

Welcome, Windows 10

2015 finally brought the new version of Windows. But not everything was ... well ... new. A lot was a walk-back from what I’m sure Microsoft calls ‘a bold step into the future of computing before its time’. Some of the hits were:

• The UI reverted to mouse-first. Desktop users rejoiced as things like the charms menu, tablet-adjacent metro apps and the full-screen start menu were removed. No more performing gestures with a mouse!
• The classic-style start menu returned. While some elements from Windows 8 were retained, such as the live tiles, the start menu itself was reverted back to a Windows-7-style popup menu. No more enormous icons or horizontal scrolling!
• Ads began to appear. Users started to notice ads in the start menu, and some third-party apps came pinned by default (I think we all remember seeing Candy Crush appear out of nowhere). Over time, this got worse, and Microsoft starting to advertise their own services like OneDrive and Copilot+ PCs directly in Windows.
• A new kind of application was introduced. The goal of Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps goals were to containerise apps, allow simple cross-platform development, and lock down security. Even through UWPs are gone, many of their features live on WinUI 3.
• The desktop became more useful. With features like the Action Center, Cortana, My People, etc., the Windows desktop became more feature-rich. Some of these - like the Actions Center - have become a mainstay of Windows, where others - like both Cortana and My People - are both long gone.

Don’t get me wrong - Windows 10 was far from perfect. But it did make many solid advancements that we take advantage of today, and on balance, became one of the more popular operating systems.

Moving on to Windows 11

In 2021, Windows 11 was released. And the prophecy once again came true: every second Windows release is good, and that was Windows 10. In face, it took four years plus it’s end-of-life for Windows 11 to finally overtake it in marketshare. And it’s clear to see why.

None of my friends & colleagues wanted Windows 11.
Neither did any of my family.
Neither did I.

Why is Windows 11 So Disliked?

It wasn’t a single thing that made Windows 11 so disliked, but it comes down to the fact that many of the ‘new’ things either are unwanted, negatively affect user experience, or not meaningful enough for users to put up with the drawbacks. Some of these issues are:

• Tracking and privacy: Just like Windows 10 before it, Windows 11 introduced more trackers and ads across the OS. This, combined with the now-mandatory requirement of signing into a Microsoft account, made many frustrated about the ads in the OS they paid for. Others also became wary about how much information they’re handing over to Microsoft.
• Form over function. Windows 11 introduced a modern UI style with smoother animations, but in doing so, they reduced the usability of the interface. For example, they hid important items from the File Explorer right-click menu under “show more options”, and removed functionality from the Control Panel just to add it back to Settings in a different way.
• Upgrade Hurdles with CPUs and TPMs. For many people with older hardware, upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t an option because of the strict hardware support. Some devices that are less than 5 years old aren’t supported purely because of their CPU hasn’t been approved.
• AI, Copilot+ PCs and Windows on ARM. Apple bet big with ARM, and it paid of immensely for them. Microsoft is now trying the same, but instead of focusing on the experience like Apple did, they have focused on AI through Copilot+ PCs. This hasn’t nearly worked out as well for them, with most people sticking with x86 computers.
• ​Unnecessary Upgrade. For so many people, Windows 10 was everything they needed, and the new Windows 11 features don’t bring enough to the table. Nothing Microsoft could offer would make a significant number of people eager to upgrade.

What Now?

On 14th October 2025, we say farewell to Windows 10. After that date, no more free security updates will be coming to your computer. You have a choice to make if you still need a computer:

1. Run the risk of vulnerabilities by sticking with Windows 10. Out of all the options out there, this is by far the least recommended, especially in the long run.
2. Enrol your device in the Extended Support Program. For eligible Windows 10 PCs, you may be able to pay Microsoft a modest fee to continue receiving software updates for a year.
3. Upgrade to Windows 11, potentially needing to buy a new computer if you don’t have an upgrade path. This will give you regular security updates and be the most familiar experience for most people.
4. Move away from Windows, either to MacOS (requiring a new computer) or to Linux (requiring a major in Computer Science). If you only do light browsing, even a Chromebook might work for you.

It’s clear by the stats that a lot of people haven’t moved across. For a lot of consumers, understanding the implications of running an out-of-date operating system might be difficult, but it is such as important thing to consider. Two things are for sure: Microsoft’s move to EOL Windows 10 was not a good decision for consumers, but running a supported operating system gives you the best chance of mitigating vulnerabilities.

​Effects of the Forced Upgrade

For consumers, a forced upgrade is a frustration. Instead of being able to keep on using what you have, you are forced to buy something they don’t want, and in many cases, don’t need. Before pulling the trigger, Microsoft should have weighed the benefits of a forced upgrade against those of the status quo, but it appears they have failed to consider how frustrating the user experience of premature switch is. Now, consumers have to navigate issues that might not have a clear solution:

• Economic. Having to buy new technology is expensive, especially if you need multiple devices or a high-performance computer. To many, these costs are significant and, in their eyes, unwarranted. Without a full understanding of the implications of running out-of-support software, users might choose to unknowingly put their personal data at risk.
• Convenience. Having to migrate to a new computer can be stressful, time consuming and imperfect. For many people, their lives are too busy to be taken up with things like this. Having to shop for a new computer, set it up and transfer everything across isn’t a quick task, and is bound to cause frustrations for those who just don’t have the time.
• Environmental. The push to Windows 11 is single-handedly causing a significant number of devices to become obsolete. For so many, the prospect of switching to another operating system isn’t anywhere near feasible. This will mean that their Windows 10 devices will very likely be left to e-waste. Not only this, but the number of new devices that will be - unnecessarily - produced is much higher. Together, we are in for an environment nightmare, with the only scrap of hope being the ability to recycle the materials from these devices.

Importance of Updates for Businesses

Individuals aren’t the only ones impacted by security vulnerabilities.

In-fact, the Australian Cyber Security Centre Small Businesses report reveals they receive one report of Cyber Crime every 10 minutes, so keeping your business’s technology secure should be your top priority. Your software and servers need to be up-to-date to have the best chance of combatting any attacks. Even though we’ve known about Windows 10’s EOL for a while, many still haven’t switched, and don’t have a plan in-place.

Are you running old software? We can help! At FONSEKA, we take security seriously, and can work with you to keep your software up-to-date and secure in the long run. Reach out to us today to see what we can do for your business!