Windows 10 free for all Windows 8.1 and 7 users for first year after release

[Chiefcrowe]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...indows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year

I wonder if this means you can download it within that 1 year window and install it later, or that you would have to install it within that 1 year? Also, is this an OS upgrade only or can you wipe out your current system and install fresh?

 

[Elixer]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...indows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year

I wonder if this means you can download it within that 1 year window and install it later, or that you would have to install it within that 1 year? Also, is this an OS upgrade only or can you wipe out your current system and install fresh?

If it is anything like the past, then win 7 owners need to clean install, and win 8.x will have in-place upgrade.

They really, really don't want people to use win 7/8.x it seems.

Hmm.

Myerson also said that Windows 10 is so much more than a free, one-time upgrade. With Windows 10, we think of Windows as a service, he said, adding that the OS "redefines the relationship between us and our customers.

Subscription model ?

 

[QuantumPion]

woo hoo

 

[mikeymikec]

Subscription model ?

That's what I worry about. A less likely reason for MS's generosity is that they're hoping to get people enthused about a new Windows release and bury the bad mojo of Win8x.

However, if MS stops doing the whole "every Windows release has to do something major to Windows" in order to try and drum up sales, then perhaps Windows will be steadily developed (evolution in a software sense), bug-fixed, performance-tweaked, etc, rather than any new dumb UI ideas.

 

[Mem]

That's what I worry about. A less likely reason for MS's generosity is that they're hoping to get people enthused about a new Windows release and bury the bad mojo of Win8x.

However, if MS stops doing the whole "every Windows release has to do something major to Windows" in order to try and drum up sales, then perhaps Windows will be steadily developed (evolution in a software sense), bug-fixed, performance-tweaked, etc, rather than any new dumb UI ideas.

I hope it does not go sub based,I'll drop Windows and go to Linux for good,can then do all my gaming on a console ie PS4 or something like that.

They were not clear on what happens after Win10 after first year etc..

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I don't think it will go subscription although I guess that could be an option coming up? They may let you get a regular license and also opt to subscribe if you want to. In the article it does say once you upgrade to 10 it will be supported for the life of the device.

I know that a lot of companies don't like the subscription fee for office365 so they still would rather get the standalone office license.

I hope it does not go sub based,I'll drop Windows and go to Linux for good,can then do all my gaming on a console ie PS4 or something like that.

They were not clear on what happens after Win10 after first year etc..

 

[Ketchup]

If it is anything like the past, then win 7 owners need to clean install, and win 8.x will have in-place upgrade.

They really, really don't want people to use win 7/8.x it seems.

Hmm.

Subscription model ?

Hopefully they at least start it out like Office and offer the option. I have seen a few people here who think it would be a good idea.

The only thing I worry about is this: with the eccentricities involved in installing an OS (not to mention the wide range of people that would be doing so), can Microsoft pull off offering both with the same OS?

And I don't see the subscription model going to retail PC's. People would go ballistic!

 

[blastingcap]

Say you have win7 and you do the win10 upgrade.

If you need to reinstall windows after the year is up, are you stuck at 7 again?

 

[Aikouka]

This just came in from the Q&A:
Q: "What will happen after the first year of free updates for W7/W8?"
A: "We haven't decided yet."

 

[Eug]

This is interesting, but the two things that worry me are:

1) Subscription model? I hope not.

2) Drivers. I don't have Windows 8 drivers/software for the extra features on my laptop, much less Windows 10 drivers/software. (eg. Custom icons for on screen display for dedicated buttons to toggle on/off Bluetooth and WiFi. Also, custom on screen icons for volume control.)

Also VPN for me because my VPN interface requires IE 10 or earlier. And my media playback software is Windows 7, although that could be fixed with $ for new media playback software.

 

[Mem]

This just came in from the Q&A:
Q: "What will happen after the first year of free updates for W7/W8?"
A: "We haven't decided yet."

That's why I said

They were not clear on what happens after Win10 after first year etc..

.

I hope they do the right thing.

 

[Lifted]

Say you have win7 and you do the win10 upgrade.

If you need to reinstall windows after the year is up, are you stuck at 7 again?

"We haven't decided yet." ()

 

[escrow4]

About time. 3 Windows + 3 Office licences continuously updated, no need to reinstall I'd sign up Day One.

 

[Elixer]

This just came in from the Q&A:
Q: "What will happen after the first year of free updates for W7/W8?"
A: "We haven't decided yet."

People would load back their old OS, that is what would happen if they did do a subscription fee after the 1st year.

Unless the fee is very small in the $5-15 range for 10.1.
However, base 10 should be free IMO.

 

[steelodon]

Yes! This might be a great idea.

 

[pauldun170]

Sweet.
Looks like I need to start planning.
Would upgrade 3 physical Win7 pro installs and one Win7Pro VM.
Then I'd re-use those win 7 pro licenses on some of my Vista VM's.
Be a good time to reorganize a lot of crap.

 

[quikah]

Then I'd re-use those win 7 pro licenses on some of my Vista VM's.

I am going to guess that this would not be allowed. The Win7 license is being changed to a Win10 license.

 

[pauldun170]

I am going to guess that this would not be allowed. The Win7 license is being changed to a Win10 license.

I'm fine with that if thats the case. Not really using those Vista VMs anymore. Upgrading them would be pointless. Just might send those VMs to the archive

 

[mrjminer]

Looks like it's time to get off 7.

Need me some Hyper-V!

 

[lupi]

Be nice if they have some web portal where you could just enter keys and get upgrades without having to go through complete install. Have 2 8 and 4 7 keys, and would be much easier without having to go through the install process right away just to get them all done.

 

[Chocu1a]

Say you have win7 and you do the win10 upgrade.

If you need to reinstall windows after the year is up, are you stuck at 7 again?

I would imagine they would give you a key for Windows 10, which would be valid no matter what.

 

[sourceninja]

...

 

[Charlie98]

And I don't see the subscription model going to retail PC's. People would go ballistic!

Not at all... For Mr & Mrs General PC User, if that's how it comes unwrapped, they will just punch in their CC# and forget about it.

Personally, I don't like subscription anything on something like this, but I am an old fuddy-duddy.

I'll roll my single W8.1 machine up to 10 to see how it works out... but I'll probably keep everything else at W7.

 

[Elixer]

Microsoft also intends to protect user identities by storing user access tokens in a secure container that runs on top of Hyper-V technology, isolated from the rest of the OS. Windows 10 will also offer a data loss prevention solution that will allow users to separate their corporate personae from their non-work ones.


How will that work with VDI or vmware??

Hmm, and if the CPU don't support virtualization then what ?

 

[razel]

With the way Win 8 eco-system is best used between devices and how Win 10 is being designed to run as a all-in-one OS, it's MS best move to keep the OS free, but pay for it's services such as Office/OneDrive (larger space)/Skype on a subscription.

We currently do not pay for updates to Android or IOS, but we certainly pay for the apps/media/games for it. Other than video streaming services, I can't think of any service off the top of my head that I would pay for that's exclusive to Android/IOS, but on Win tablet, I'm sure businesses/university students will pay for Office subscriptions.

What's ironic though is how complete the free web version of OneDrive is with Word and Excel documents. Put your .doc and .xls on it and it will open on your browser looking like Word/Excel with a decent set of features. The only downside is the latency, but it sure gets the job done for those who don't use it everyday.