14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 10 Preview is available as a stand-alone release as part of the Windows Insider Program, but users can also get it with direct download links which can also be found at Softpedia.
It appears, however, that Microsoft wants to make it available to more people, and Windows 7 users are now reporting that Windows 10 Technical Preview also shows up on their Windows Update screen.
As WinSuperSite writes, it’s only happening for users who are registered for the Windows Insider Program, and installation is performed automatically, once they select it in Windows Update.
Needless to say, Windows Technical Preview is available for Windows 7 users as an optional download, so unless you manually select it in Windows Update, you won’t get it.
Designed for Windows 7 users
Microsoft’s decision to offer the Technical Preview to Windows 7 users is somehow understandable given the fact that Redmond designed the new OS version in a way that would better tackle the needs of users running older builds of its operating system.
During the September 30 event, Microsoft’s executives, including Terry Myerson and Joe Belfiore, tried to emphasize that Windows 10 was an improved version of Windows 7, offering a fully featured desktop with options such as a Start menu and an integrated search.
“It gives the familiarity of Windows 7 with some of the elements of Windows 8,” Belfiore said during the event.
“We have a massive amount of users who know Windows 7 well, and Windows 8 users who know touch well. We need something that works for both,” he added. “We're looking to find the balance, so that all the Windows 7 users get a familiar experience on the devices they already have.”
Windows 10 fixes the annoyances of Windows 8
Even though it’s built to improve the experience that users get on the Windows 7 desktop, the new Windows 10 also includes features that are supposed to help fix some of the annoyances in Windows 8.
The return of the Start menu is living proof that Microsoft learned from its own mistakes and tried to make the desktop more appropriate for a mouse and keyboard, while also planning to make the Modern UI better on touch-capable devices.
Windows 10 is expected to come with several new features in addition to those introduced in the preview, but Microsoft isn’t willing to share more details at this point, as some are still under development as we speak.