Windows 10 is here. You’ve seen some of its best new features, even heard what it’s like to use every day. But you might be wondering if you should upgrade. For some, it’s free, a great update, and a foregone conclusion. For others it’s better to wait, or think about other options.

You’d think upgrading would be a done deal, considering that Windows 10 is a free upgrade for so many people. But not so fast! We learned from past OS X upgrades that free doesn’t always mean “good,” and with something as serious as a Windows uplift, you should still think about whether that upgrade is right for you before you click “Begin Install.”

Remember: If You Qualify For a Free Upgrade, You Have a Whole Year to Redeem It

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Microsoft is promising a fairly painless upgrade path to Windows 10, provided users have been keeping their existing versions up to date.

If you’re running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 S14 (that’s the “Windows 8.1 Update” from last April), you’ll be able to get Windows 10 straight from the Control Panel’s Windows Update utility. In other words, you won’t have to mess around with installation disks, and all your files and programs will remain intact.

Your data won’t be erased if you’re running an older version of Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, but you’ll have to download an ISO and create an installation disk. It’s just a little more of a hassle. [Read more…]