Windows 10 Installs Hosted on the Cloud?
While cloud software isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s hardly a solution one thinks of when considering an operating system install. Installing an OS usually required having a physical copy. Whether that copy was on a USB drive or traditional media didn’t matter, but the installation file for the OS needed to be located somewhere. With Windows’ latest iteration, however, computer users can finally install their OS from the cloud. Users report that the most recent Windows 10 Insider Build Preview offers a “Download Windows” choice when deciding to reset your PC.
Downloaded versions of windows have the downside that hotfixes are not applied automatically. Any updates that came out after a particular installation edition need to be downloaded and added to the system before windows will allow the user into the desktop. Many power users have gotten past this by getting specially made “slipstream” disks that include the latest patches and updates. Most regular users who attempt to do an install themselves, on the other hand, may find their process taking much longer thanks to the sheer volume of updates available.
Cloud Version Long Overdue
Downloading a copy of windows from the cloud offers a convenient way for users who find themselves the victim of a malicious attack to recover their system functionality. However, as with a regular Windows 10 installation, formatting is necessary, and this may lead to a complete loss of data from the disk. Cloud versions can potentially be kept updated through regular patches being included in the downloadable version, making the lives of techs doing multiple installs a lot easier.
A Stab at Piracy?
The modern world sees many users willing to pay for convenience and peace of mind. Microsoft’s push towards a cloud version for windows can be seen as an attempt to control the level of piracy of the operating system. Because of its widespread use in both home machines and offices, Windows 10 is one of the most pirated pieces of software in the world. Microsoft may think it can convert customers to a legitimate version of the software by making it easy to obtain in the user’s time of need.
