Windows 8 Upgrade Details

[ViRGE]

ZDNet has published a short article discussing the various ways and restrictions on upgrading to Windows 8. None of this has been confirmed by MS, but it comes from trusted sources and is what everyone has been expecting anyhow since it's the same way that Windows 7 was handled.

Windows 7 users can do a full in-place upgrade to Windows 8, either jumping to the same edition of Windows or to a higher edition. So Win7 Home users can go to Win8 or Win8 Pro, and Win7 Pro/Ultimate users can go to Win8 Pro.

Windows Vista and Windows XP users qualify for an upgrade, but they won't be able do to an in-place upgrade. So installing Windows 8 over those OSes will only maintain the user accounts and data; the system and all applications will not carry over.

 

[Dominato3r]

The Windows 8 upgrade will cost $40, all the way back for people still on XP

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/...07/02/upgrade-to-windows-8-pro-for-39-99.aspx

 

[Soccerman06]

So w7 price drop inc?

 

[ViRGE]

So w7 price drop inc?

No, this is just a pre-order promotion. It's very similar to the $50 Win7HP deal Microsoft offered in 2009, except that this deal will run until next year as opposed to only a 2 week period.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The Windows 8 upgrade will cost $40, all the way back for people still on XP

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/...07/02/upgrade-to-windows-8-pro-for-39-99.aspx

Sounds like they know they have a steaming turd on their hands, and will do anything to get people to upgrade to it. I know I won't be fooled.

 

[Soccerman06]

No, this is just a pre-order promotion. It's very similar to the $50 Win7HP deal Microsoft offered in 2009, except that this deal will run until next year as opposed to only a 2 week period.

Bleh, Id rather just have w7, hopefully the price drops a decent amount.

 

[ViRGE]

Bleh, Id rather just have w7, hopefully the price drops a decent amount.

Since the deal is for Windows 8 Pro, you can exercise your downgrade rights and install Windows 7 Pro instead. So it's also a $40 Windows 7 upgrade promotion.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

You sure that's going to fly? Previous downgrade rights seemed to be limited to OEM pre-installs:
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/pages/downgrade_rights.aspx
With MS's push of Metro I doubly doubt the will allow it.

 

[pcgeek11]

Metro Blows.

 

[dagamer34]

It's actually not that much different from the 3-pack $150 Windows 7 Home Premium deal, except you can buy individual copies.

Those who were going to skip Windows 8 will continue to do so, but those on the fence may buy it anyway because it's so cheap.

I'm just glad it'll be digitally distributed. Makes things a lot easier.

 

[dagamer34]

Metro Blows.

Way to contribute to the conversation there. *rolls eyes*

Since the deal is for Windows 8 Pro, you can exercise your downgrade rights and install Windows 7 Pro instead. So it's also a $40 Windows 7 upgrade promotion.

Downgrade rights are only offered to customers with service level agreements (SLAs), not individuals.

 

[denis280]

I like Windows 7.i Don't know if windows 8 will last.remember windows ME

 

[stevech]

let's talk about how much MS wants to pay me to eat their dogfood.

 

[lifeblood]

For $40 I'll buy one, then throw it in the drawer and forget about it unless I need it for some reason (like upgrading to Win9).

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

It's actually not that much different from the 3-pack $150 Windows 7 Home Premium deal, except you can buy individual copies.

Those who were going to skip Windows 8 will continue to do so, but those on the fence may buy it anyway because it's so cheap.

I'm just glad it'll be digitally distributed. Makes things a lot easier.

If they make this so cheap and easy that people jump into Win8 upgrades without knowing exactly what they're getting into MS is going to have an even bigger mess on their hands.

 

[piasabird]

I might upgrade my Vista Box. I will have to read up on it. I dont know what is possible because my Vista box is 32 bit.

 

[NetGuySC]

I just loaded and deleted the preview version of win 8.
I have always been a widows fanboy, but damn, i hope I'm wrong but I think windows 8 will be a trainwreck.

 

[Chadder007]

In a way its decent, but just for tablets. It's absolutely horrible for multitasking on a desktop, especially with multimonitor.

 

[Matt1970]

I don't see anything in windows 8 that would make me want to upgrade.

 

[lopri]

Are they really going to force metro without an option to disable it? I've tried the release preview and I do like the desktop performance (network performance improved as well) but NOT THE FREAKING METRO.

 

[ViRGE]

Are they really going to force metro without an option to disable it?

Yes. Developers won't develop for Metro if users can opt out of using it.

 

[lopri]

I don't know.. I think they're making a mistake. iOS/OS X's success was not exactly due to forced adoptions. (and MS' own attempts at forced adoption have a terribly unsuccesful history)

Here is a hoping at least someone will come up with a workaround. That has been the biggest strength of Windows, anyway.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Windows 8, is Microsoft's version of IBM's MicroChannel architecture. Remember, the new bus standard introduced by the market leader, that went absolutely no-where, because the rest of the industry hated it?

I cannot see any competent business ever adopting Win8.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I was thinking of getting the upgrade only to move away from Vista on my wife's laptop. For $40, it's a no brainer compared to freakin vista. I'd try linux on it but it's my wife's laptop and it'd be a nightmare trying to explain stuff to her. And I'm not linux savvy anyways...

Edit: Anyone know how W8 would run on a laptop? Can I duel boot the beta or prerelease from the laptop?

 

[dagamer34]

If they make this so cheap and easy that people jump into Win8 upgrades without knowing exactly what they're getting into MS is going to have an even bigger mess on their hands.

The average person on the internet visits the following 3 sites the most: Google, Facebook, and YouTube. I'd argue that 2 of those 3 would be better as Metro apps than websites (especially Facebook because it's terribly messy). That's why Windows 8 will succeed, even on desktops/laptops.

Or lets take eBay, 23rd most popular site according to Alexa.com. It looks far better as a Metro app than a website: http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2011/12/windows_8_ebay.jpg

I admit there will be a large group of people, particularly tech geeks that will hate Metro. Just plain hate it. They won't like it. They want their desktop apps. They want Microsoft to die in a pit of fire in hell. Guess what? Windows 7 or Linux will run just fine for you. But just because you don't want to use Windows 8 doesn't mean it will fail. Similar things were said about Vista and Microsoft still made a TON of money (anyone who calls that product a failure out of spite seems to forget that companies only care about money, not public perception).