5 Surprising Facts About Windows 10

Posted on Monday, October 14 2019 @ 13:07 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Here’s the thing about Windows 10: It’s an operating system. Unless you’re really into computers and whatnot, chances are you’ll think of the software that makes your computer go in the same way that you think about a pen. It’s useful, it gets the job done, but ultimately it’s nothing you’d tell your great Aunt Geraldine about over Sunday lunch.

But just as pens can be interesting (if you don’t believe me, look at the cool ninja-level tactical pens you’ll find through Damsel In Defense), Windows 10 does have some odd noteworthy nooks and crannies — if you know where to look.

Here are five features of Windows 10 which, while not necessarily worthy of Great Aunt Geraldine’s valuable time and limited hearing, are nevertheless at least quasi-noteworthy.

W10

1. Get the Old School Start Menu Back
OK change is going to happen. Operating systems will continue to pursue the elusive rainbow-hooved unicorn of ultra-efficiency, and somewhere along the way certain features will be lost. But damn it, the old-school Start Menu was taken from us in its prime!

What if you could have it back? Well, you (kind of) can, if you right click the Windows icon, you’ll get that familiar textual jump menu with all those popular bits and bobs (including Search and Run) for which the Start menu was known and loved.

Is it the same Start bar as the glorious everything-button of yesteryear? No. Does its presence at least soften the blow of Windows 10’s stark new interface? For many, the answer will be a grudging nod of resigned acquiescence.

2. It’s The Gesture That Counts
Once upon a time, you got things done by pressing buttons. Then touch pads came along, and gestures ruled the world. Why tap a boring combination of keys or mess about with a flinging flanging mouse when a simple magical gesture can do all the heavy lifting for you?

Need to zoom in a bit? Pinch your touchscreen and watch that picture grow before your eyes as if by magic. Want to see what tasks you have floating in your computer’s number-crunching innards? Just swipe three fingers up (any fingers will do, but it’s easy if they’re all next to one another) and bam — welcome to task view.

Gestures straight up make life easier, and they bring Windows 10 PCs further inline with touchscreen devices. Win win.

3. Snap and Shake, Baby!
If you’re a bit OCD about your window-sizing, this next one’s going to save you a whole lot of mildly embarrassing angst. Why mess about for minutes with your mouse perfectly lining up your app windows when all you have to do is drag an app into a corner of your screen?

Instantly your window will pop with perfect precision into your screen’s edges. It’s a thing of beauty. The only downside is you’ll have to find another way to procrastinate before getting to work.

Then there’s the shake. This maneuver is another great way for bringing an extra dollop of peace into your life. Here’s how it works. Grab a screen you want to focus on with your mouse and give it a little shake. Instantly all the other windows will minimize into blissful irrelevance. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if your tasks are piling up, this is a simple and efficient way to get all those unwanted distractions out of your face, quick smart.

4. Finally, Some Peace and Quiet
While we’re on the theme of making your life a bit more manageable, check out Focus Assist — which you’ll find under system settings. This mode lets you define hours you want the world to leave you alone. Instantly, the endless cacophony of incoming texts, emails and system alerts will be swept aside for you to deal with later.

Your computer will become a serene place — a Shangri La of solitude in which you have one thing, and one thing only, to do. This option is fantastic for writers and coders who absolutely need uninterrupted time during their working day.

5. Pummel Background Apps Into Submission
The vast majority of processing your computer does is stuff you can’t see. Our computers are filled with background apps busily whirring away in the background. Most of the time this isn’t that big a deal, but if you begin to notice your processor struggling, it might be time to pop the hood and see what apps are demanding so much of your computer’s precious number-crunching grunt.

Just go into Settings, select Privacy and then Background Apps. Voila. You’ll find a complete list of installed software. You now have the raw, majestic power to decide if any of them should be temporarily or permanently disabled.

This is especially handy if you do a lot of work off batteries, or if you’re out and about grabbing your data from a public WiFi hotspot. Shutting all that extraneous stuff down will make your computer run leaner and meaner.

Windows 10 is the product of years in the relentless pursuit of productivity and efficiency. It isn’t perfect; nor is it particularly interesting for most folks, who just want to get their work done and move on with their lives. But these little juicy tricks may well make your computing life just a tad more efficient.