Living with S Mode: First Steps (Premium)

One of the maxims about cloud computing is that you need to learn to let go: People who are stuck in the past, whether its for general file storage, music or video services, or whatever, need to learn to accept the fact that this new thing isn't going to be exactly the same as what they used to use. It will be better in important ways; after all, that's why we make these changes. But there will be some features, some functionality, that disappear in the process. And letting go of them can be hard.

(This is, of course, the whole point behind the "embrace change" mantra. But like all advice, it's easier to give than it is to receive.)

When you think about it, Windows 10 in S mode really is like cloud computing. (Though, no, this does not explain why it was first called Windows 10 Cloud.) That is, it offers advantages over the thing that it seeks to replace, but it also comes with some missing features that many will have trouble getting past. To embrace the future that is Windows 10 in S mode, then, we need to learn to let go. If we can't, if the missing features are too important, we can simply go back to what we were using before.

On that note, I've begun my newest push to use Windows 10 in S mode regularly. Because I am a writer, I decided that examining how I might put words to pixels in this system would be an interesting place to start.

And I did a ton of writing this past weekend, though you probably didn't see most of it: I was working on the Windows 10 Field Guide basically all day Saturday and Sunday since my wife and daughter were away. That writing must happen in Windows 10 Pro for a variety of reasons. But everything I’m writing about for the book is tested against Windows 10 S, and I use Windows 10 S for almost all of the screenshots for this new edition of the book.

I also spent time working directly in Windows 10 in S mode. Just not in the book.

And while it's still a little too easy to complain about the lack of high-quality apps in Windows 10 in S mode, the inclusion of Microsoft Office in the Store closes the gap nicely. I'm guessing that Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) could play a big role in closing it even further. Perhaps entirely, in my case: Many of the apps I miss using with Windows 10 in S mode are web apps. And in other cases, there are better web app alternatives to the apps I prefer and use than there are Store app alternatives.

A high-quality Markdown editor is a great example.

"Needing" a Markdown editor is, of course, unusual. (I do, in fact, need one to write the book as our publishing system relies on it. So, it's easier for me to stick to one editor for everything rather than use MarkdownPad for the book and Word for everything else.) I'm not going to hold that against S mode, even though it's also a great example of how this thing has been failing us all on the micro level since it was announced last year: It's just a different fail for everyone.

And the reason I'm not going to h...

Gain unlimited access to Premium articles.

With technology shaping our everyday lives, how could we not dig deeper?

Thurrott Premium delivers an honest and thorough perspective about the technologies we use and rely on everyday. Discover deeper content as a Premium member.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC