Windows 10 is about to be gone soon

Windows 10 is reaching EOL (end of life) on October 14 this year¹. The problem is, it still represents over 50% of the total desktop market share ² - and that includes other Windows Versions, macOS, Linux and others. Companies are being slow and careful about migrating due to not just hardware issues, but making sure their configurations and software work properly, as performing upgrades on scale and with minimal interventions and productivity breaks is a goal for any IT department, and they have been burned before ³. Running an unsupported OS is a massive security risk, unless it’s not connected to any network, so there are some choices that need to be made.

Windows 11

Windows 11 has been out for nearly 4 years now. However, it’s the first Windows since Vista that significantly increased hardware requirements. And despite Microsoft chasing trends, there haven’t been a lot of very visible improvements since then for regular user experience, if we don’t count chasing trends such as integrated Cortana and Copilot. However, performance impact and software bloat have been visible, as well as forcing Microsoft accounts for login on most personal editions, and advertising and telemetry in some Windows editions ⁴. However, if we look at the previous “failed” versions of Windows in the market - such as Windows ME, Vista, and 8 - there had been a clear successor to migrate to before previous version was EOL (XP, 7 and 10 respectively). This is not currently the case, as the successor to Windows 11 is nowhere in sight, and Windows 10 EOL is approaching.

Alternatives

Windows has been on a slow decline for a decade ². The drop in popularity has been mainly exploited by macOS - and partially by Linux and ChromeOS. Since macOS and ChromeOS require their own special hardware, the data suggests that a lot of users are simply replacing their old devices with Macbooks and Chromebooks. Linux desktop in particular has nearly quadrupled over the past decade - but going from ~1% to ~4% doesn’t make it a significant market force at this point. “Year of the Linux Desktop” has been a meme since the beginning of the millenium, and we haven’t seen it yet - but this could be a year of the linux desktop for you. Or not.

Depending on who you ask, Linux has either been ready for mainstream desktop use, or it will never be ready ⁵. It’s up to you to examine your needs, and check if there’s any incompatible applications that you simply have to run. The state of Linux on desktop is far better today, with some previous issues resolved, including Office (available on web) and games (Proton does a great job), but there are still some instances when one might need to use software not available on Linux. However, despite that, one case where it should absolutely be considered - and prioritized - is if you’re a Windows user with a PC too old to run Windows 11. There are some hacks that allow them to run Windows 11 still, but they’re getting patched, and I would not suggest running an OS in an unsupported state where it might get issues you won’t have elsewhere. Nobody should run old versions of Windows past their expiry date.

Conclusion

People are inherently resistant to the change, which is why they tend to stick with what they know - whether it’s the OS family or a specific version. The data ² suggests Windows 11 will end up replacing Windows 10 as the most used OS in the world. It will cannibalize 10, just like 10 cannibalized old 8, 7, and leftover XP installations. Whether you like it or not, it will happen. Windows share will drop, but not by a lot in the short or medium term. If you’re having a corporate device with Windows 10, expect it to be upgraded to Windows 11 (or replaced). But if you’re still using Windows 10 on your personal device, you should make your choice in the next few months - don’t let October 14 catch you unaware.

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