Windows 10: Exactly what is MS trying to say when they offer me Win 10?

If this has been asked before I apologize, I didn't see any threads that relate to the question.

The icon in the tooltray says that I have until July 29th to get Win 10... what happened to the 1 year deal? I was under the impression that 10 would be free for a year, and you had a year to decide to get it or not, after that you have to buy it. So the July 29th thing puzzles me.

Can I reserve a copy of 10 and put it on a spare HD to register it when I want to, or must I install it and use it as soon as I get it? Or put it on a spare drive, register it and then not continue to use it?

I think that's all I have, thanks to all in advance!

PRR

:)

 

Why can't MS call when they say they will?

MS called ONCE, I didn't answer, a few days later, I get an email about "several attempts to contact me were made" ...lies!

Set up a phone call time...They didn't call.

Can't chat...

Don't have an hour to wait for "Call me as soon as possible"

 

How do I send web page links from the Edge browser?

When you say "MS Outlook" what exactly do you mean by that?

Do you mean the Win 10 Mail App, or Outlook component of MS Office, or Outlook in a web browser?

How do you access your email?

 

They are not saying you have until July 29th... they are saying you can get it as early as July 29th. Yes, you can put off installing it if you want. All of these things have been addressed in multiple posts.

But what MS is REALLY saying is...

'resistance is futile, you will be assimilated'...

 

Well I'm trying my best to modulate the shield frequencies, that's working for now...

Thanks for the input!

PRR

 

MS has big plans with Windows 10:
1. It has a store front for games and such. I expect MS will offer "exclusivity deals" to game developers, and those games will be exclusive to Xbox One+MS Store+possibly Windows Phones. Right now, Devs know they are giving up lots of money to be exclusive JUST to the Xbox One, but if they can release to PC as well (even if just on the MS Store), then MS can entice more devs to their ecosystem, and thus make money off PC sales as well.

2. Win10 will have an Apple-like ecosystem, where purchases made basically bind the user to their ecosystem, as one can't install Mac or Linux and still access their MS Store purchases. Also gives MS more control over their users, as they could (theoretically) disable all MS Store purchases on expired OSes (forcing people to upgrade Windows if they wanna keep using their MS Store stuff)

ps: Reason upgrade to Win10 is free is because MS needs a high adoption rate to convince Devs to use DX12 and to get exclusivity deals with their MS Storefront. Devs won't agree to that unless Win10 has an enormous adoption rate.

 

I hadn't thought of that aspect of it, but that does sound logical.

I'm actually surprised, at some of the misconceptions about the FREE Windows 10 offer. It seemed pretty straight forward to me!
But then, English is my first and ONLY language. Although I've mastered a few words in Klingon. (mostly the cuss words) *Smile

Sometime after the 29th of July, when MS releases Windows 10 to the world, they will start downloading it to those who want it, via the standard Windows Update process. What's so confusing about that? Seems pretty simple to me. Eh?

But as I do before getting any downloads that might alter, or damage, my OS, I'm going to have a Clone of my HD as it is before the upgrade to Windows 10, so if it goes south or I just don't like it, I can easily revert back to my original Windows 8.1 Pro, with no ill effects.
It is with that thought in mind, that I've installed a second 1TB, SATA III, hard drive in my desktop system, to act as a backup drive.

I thought MS was also very open, that the upgrade would be ours to keep and use, FOREVER. I don't see any ambiguity in that statement. Eh?
Clicking on the little white Windows symbol in the System Tray, opens a window with a 1, 2, 3, where three says "After it's installed, Windows 10 is all yours". I don't see that in any way confusing. Eh?

I'd post a picture of that notification window, but I can't seem to get into Photo-bucket at this time.

Cheers mates!
*Cool

 

Also, if 1 billion devices (which I read somewhere is Microsoft's target) are running Win10, and are capable of running 'Universal Apps', then encouraging developers will mean the Store has a good choice for Windows Phone users, and increase Microsoft's market share in the 'phone market. I think that's what they're hoping, anyway.

 

It's not a new marketing strategy, to give away a little on the front end, to gain a whole lot on the back end.

Like in the restaurant where I grew up, , , we'd give free coffee to truckers, and quite often those guys would order a T-Bone steak dinner. So the free coffee really paid off in the long run.
Sounds like maybe MS is thinking the same way. It will cost them almost nothing per user, to give us a FREE shot at Windows 10.

I can hardly wait. I've done about all I can do with 10130/64.

Cheers mates!
*Cool

 

I believe this business strategy was pioneered by Gillette back in the 50's (maybe 40's?) - you give away the razor (i.e., blade holder), and sell blades forever. When I first started shaving, it was with a nice steel Gillette razor with Gillette double-edged blades. Anyway, it worked great until disposable razors came along...

 

I think the current pricing for Microsoft Office nicely demonstrates the point. The pricing for Office 2007 which allowed three installs was much more reasonable.

 

In direct opposition to warnings from MS and Forum Admins, many users have installed Windows 10 Preview, right over the top of their everyday (Main) OS, and the die is cast. Either they will have to stay with Windows 10, or RE-Install their original OS, providing they have it on an install disk.

The same thing happened when we were testing Windows 8. Every day someone would come on the forum asking "How can I get my Windows 7 back?" Microsoft had already told them, that there is NO return policy.

But I've been doing this stuff for enough years, to know that I will never put anything on top of my working OS, without a pre-determined exit strategy. I've been offered Windows 10 for free, when it's released on July 29.





But before I install that upgrade, I'll have my existing OS (Windows 8.1 Pro) cloned to another 1TB hard drive, so if the upgrade goes bad, or I just don't like it, I can go right back to Windows 8.1 like as if nothing ever happened.
Happiness is knowing that you can easily get out of a bad situation. Eh?

Cheers Mates!
*Cool

 

Another good analogy is a FREE printer (with any qualified purchase). But of course you need to buy those golden ink where all the profit comes from.

Going back to the topic, why would MS say you have until July 29? That's only the beginning of 1 year free upgrade. Those little reservation icons are just like "pre-ordering" if you want to be one of the firsts to get it.

 

In my case, I have 2 off-the-shelf PCs. I immediately clone it into an SSD and keep the original as a back-up. And just use the rest of the space on that hard drive as storage.

 

After you've reserved a copy you will have the option (on or after July 29) to do an "in place upgrade" of your current OS. That means your data and all of your installed apps and settings (for the most part) remain intact. You can't install it to a spare drive separate from your current OS installation. As others have said if you want to preserve your current OS so you have the option to revert to it you will want to make a backup image before running the upgrade to 10.