The arrival last year of Windows 11 has prompted a lot of Windows users to think about upgrades — and what can actually meet their technology needs. Some thoughts on what works and what doesn’t.
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.) 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.
