Windows 10: Microsoft may do the unthinkable to make you dump XP, Vista and Windows 7

I agree in principle with you but all this talk about free updates is coming from inside MS per Mary Jo Foley's "sources" and she does seem to have good "sources" . She mentioned it again just 2 days ago in this article. In Louisiana we call it lagniappe.
Windows 'Threshold' and cadence: How fast is too fast? | ZDNet

Jim *Cool

 

The trouble with a "free" software, from a commercial entity, is that it is likely to use ads to pay for it.

Another option is that it could be a "crippled" version, with additional features available as DLC (for an actual charge).
This could be a better option, depending on how "crippled" the free software is (and how much the additional features cost).

 

You mean like M$ does in Windows 8 (Bing, One drive, Windows store and Metro for tablets.)

 

Bing is a search engine just like Google or others. Of course there’s ads if using it in a browser. If using the search feature powered by Bing within 8.1, there are no ads.

Absolutely no ads in OneDrive.

In the Store they advertise, well, apps and only apps. *Wink

If you mean “Metro for tablets” as Store apps > There are no ads in the paid-for apps, but there are in most of the free ones. Most times there is a "Pro" version offered where there are no ads.

I have to ask > Have you used it enough to know?

 

Thanks. . .very well stated. . .*Smile

 

Help, could someone please explain this please. . .*Smile Ummm, which part the....

The only am always

OR the...

happy is they don't do always

*Wink

 

Thanks for the attempt to explain, albeit I don't do text, nor do I understand it. I am still in the dark as to the meaning. . .*Redface

 

I think we may all remain in the dark on that one *Rolleyes

 

Agree. A lot of these older MoBo's won't support it. It depends on RAM being DIMMs or SIMMs, but I've heard it'll run on as low as 512MBs. Probably not very fast, but it'll run.

The main peripheral is the CPU. First thing is it needs at least 1GHz frequency. The real crusher is support for PAE, NX, and SSE2.

System requirements - Microsoft Windows

What are PAE, NX, and SSE2? - Windows Help

Then, of course there's video support. Perhaps a new MoBo if one can find one to fit the case. A little cost savings if one is savvy enough.

Hardware today is far less expensive than in XP days. Keeping in mind the inflation ratio. Popular hot sellers such as the convertibles will be more expensive. Other freshly introduced products as well.

I'm not sure what 9 will demand, but I don't think it'll be any more resources than 8.1. In fact, I think it'll be less. They slimmed 8 down by omitting the candy, but added other features, so it ended up being a little slimmer. There's still a little bit of Aero in 8 which they might omit in 9. My thinking is along the lines that 9 will have far more Modern/Metro, if not all, save the Desktop app/portal perhaps.

Have you ever noticed the Aero wave that the Start Flag makes when the mouse pointer is over it initially? Kind of like a wave goodbye. *Tongue