14 DAY TRIAL // The introduction of the new Action Center is probably the most important feature of the new Windows 10 Technical Preview build 9860, but Microsoft has actually implemented many other subtle changes in this fresh version that’s said to be entirely based on customer feedback.
As a result, network connection settings can now be accessed in a completely new window that launches independently from the Charms bar and allows you to make modifications right on the desktop.
The new window is launched whenever you click on the network icon in system tray and you are provided with the typical “Network” screen that was already available in PC settings.
You thus get to change the default configuration of network, proxy, home group, workplace, and other settings, all of which obviously require administrator privileges in order to apply successfully.
First step towards the removal of Charms
Why this feature improvement might not seem too important at first, it’s also a sign that Microsoft is working on removing the Charms bar from the desktop entirely.
The first original build of Windows 10 Technical Preview came with charms integrated directly into Modern apps and the bar was actually disabled from the desktop.
That’s the plan Microsoft is working on, according to sources: make the Charms bar available only on touch devices, thus making the desktop more appropriate for those with a mouse and keyboard.
The Charms bar could go away completely until the final version of Windows 10 arrives to the market and Microsoft itself admitted that it’s working to make some changes in this regard. Build 9860 has no Charms bar and just like it was the case with the first testing version, all charms are integrated into Metro apps.
Full focus on the desktop
With this change, Microsoft is also making the operating system altogether better for desktops computers, where the mouse and keyboard remain the main input method.
Thanks to windowed Metro apps, the PC settings screen can easily be resized, so the network configuration screen perfectly fits the new strategy. Microsoft wants to help PC users make the most of the Modern UI easier, and pushing the network settings screen to a dedicated window could be a way to do that.
More changes, however, could be made in future Windows 10 preview updates, as Microsoft clearly wants to remove all traces of the Modern UI from the desktop and make the whole operating system suitable for use with a mouse and keyboard.
