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Tech Buzz: Time for Windows 10 

 
You may recognize a familiar theme in the coming months; Windows 7 end of life.
 Microsoft will no longer provide security updates for Windows 7 beginning January 14, 2020. So, if your business is still operating on the venerable system, it’s time to upgrade to Windows 10.  

Businesses ask a lot from their retail platforms today. Not only do they handle point of sale transactions and inventory management, the put business data to work. Their features and integrations can help reach out to new shoppers via digital marketing and social media, service regular customers through loyalty and incentive programs, handle industry and governmental compliance and regulations, and automate back office operations such as payroll, benefits and taxes. That means having an operating platform that can handle those chores is vital to any business.    

So is having one that is Payment Card Industry security standards compliant and safe from online intrusion. PCI DSS Requirement 6.1 says businesses that accept electronic payments must: “ensure that all system components and software have the latest vendor-supplied security patches installed” and “deploy critical patches within a month of release.” That means they need to maintain operating systems with the most current software.  
  

There are really two ways to upgrade to Windows 10.       

  • Upgrade devices. New PCs are faster and more agile, and they come with Windows 10 as an operating platform. Microsoft has not sold a computer with Windows 7 since November 2016, so any PC purchased in the last three years likely has Windows 10. Solid computers that can run a retail business cost anywhere from $1,200 to $3,500 each.   
  • Upgrade existing PCs with Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise which features business-grade capabilities and security. 

  
To upgrade to Windows 10, computers must have the following minimum specification:  

  • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC.       
  • RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit.       
  • Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS.       
  • Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.       
  • Display: 800 x 600 resolution or higher  

Computers need at least 8GB of free space to download Windows 10 from Microsoft, but it’s possible to load the software onto a thumb drive or a blank CD to get rolling.  
 

Paladin’s minimum system requirements are on our customer portal. Our storealso offers an array of enterprise-grade PCs that come configured to optimize Paladin and its many valuable features and integrations. Maintaining your business’s retail platform not only ensures you’re compliant with industry standards, but it also simplifies operations, enhances the customer experience, and helps you increase sales.  

 

Brian Bullock

Writer

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