Windows 11 Update
If you are using a computer with Windows 10 you have probably seen Microsoft promote upgrading to Windows 11 with messages that look like this.
At Electronic Office, our message to clients is: be patient. It’s not an exciting answer, but there are good reasons. Here are the top three:
- Windows 10 is secure. Microsoft will support Windows 10 until October of 2025. This OS is battle tested against hackers. The likelihood of a serious security vulnerability emerging during the window when MSFT is supporting the OS is very low.
- Hardware and Software compatibility.
- Aging hardware might not do well with an upgrade to the operating system. Every device in the company’s network needs to be vetted before Windows 11 is installed. Unwinding a failed install because the hardware is not compatible is an unforced error that can be costly.
- 3rd party software and app developers are caught in the middle. They need to upgrade their products and test them with Windows 11 while making sure that they keep working smoothly with Windows 10. Early adopters of Windows 11 are signing up to help catch the bugs that inevitably surface during this time.
- Employee Learning Curve. Windows 11 will eventually be embraced by all employees and the benefits will be valuable. Windows 11 improves productivity and anticipates more complex hybrid work environments. However, there is a transition period that can leave employees frustrated. Employee training and transition support will improve as we get closer to Windows 10 end-of-life. It’s better to train employees after early adopters have uncovered the bugs and developers have fixed them.
Important versus Urgent
Readers of EO Advisor and clients of Electronic Office know that we press hard for moving quickly when it comes to security patches and replacing hardware and software products reaching their end-of-life.
For example, any company that is still using Microsoft Server 2012 is facing an end-of-life in October of this year. Cybercriminals are looking forward to targeting companies with MS 2012 after Microsoft stops creating security patches. That’s an urgent situation.
Windows 11 is important but not urgent. It will be smart to upgrade when your company is ready and the bugs are sorted out. When the time is right, EO Advisor will be writing about the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11. Right now, the benefits of being patient and sticking with Windows 10, outweigh the benefits of being an early adopter and rushing out to upgrade.
