What is windows 10? Can anyone clear the doubts?

[abhiFT]

This OS is too different from the rest of the predecessors. This windows feels more different and is different from win 7. I will ask my doubts in sections so people can explain me the whats and whys and hows, examples would be a lot better.

Me: I am using Windows phone 10 and win 7 on my Dell laptop.

Question 1: What is the thing with the apps? The apps in win 10 is different. We now have apps for reddit and facebook and twitter and whatnot. But how this is different than accessing them via a browser, and what are the advantages of this over the browser?

Question 2: What is UWP? How this thing is different from the non-uwp apps except for same feel and look? Does it serve any real purpose?

Question 3: What is continuum? What is the purpose of plugging your phone into computer?

Can someone explain me those things with examples?

 

[N_LaRUE]

Since you're jumping from Win7 to W10 I can see why you feel it's a big jump. Had you gone from W8 to W10 it wouldn't seem so odd.

In general W10 is not significantly different than W7 aside from it being a lot more optimised and having Cortana (if it's available in your country). It has also incorporated the 'tiles' into the Start menu.

Question 1: What is the thing with the apps? The apps in win 10 is different. We now have apps for reddit and facebook and twitter and whatnot. But how this is different than accessing them via a browser, and what are the advantages of this over the browser?

These apps you are pointing out are similar to an app on a mobile platform. Some of these are UWP (See below) and in general some people use them, some don't. It's entirely up to you. That's all.

Question 2: What is UWP? How this thing is different from the non-uwp apps except for same feel and look? Does it serve any real purpose?

UWP is basically MS strategy for getting apps on all it's platforms, mobile, Surface, Xbox and PC. That's it's real purpose. They also help with the Continuum experience. A UWP app works on all platforms.

Question 3: What is continuum? What is the purpose of plugging your phone into computer?

Here is the Windows Central section on Continuum.

Continuum | Windows Central

It's not really about plugging your phone into your computer but you can do that if you wish for file transfer and so on. It's about the ability to 'continue' your experience from a small screen or tablet to a larger screen using keyboard and mouse.

This is where UWP apps work best because they can move between a mobile screen to a PC size screen.

If you were fully into Windows ecosystem you could use UWP apps and it might make more sense then.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ryujingt3]

Windows 10 is basically an amalgamation of a desktop OS (like Windows 7) with Microsoft's idea of a mobile OS. Since Windows 8 was a failure (I liked it) because nobody wanted the mobile experience on a desktop Windows 10 meets everyone halfway. Coming from Windows 7 you'll never need Continuum and UWP apps will be useless too, more or less. You can still run all the same Windows 7 apps just like before and it will be fine.