Windows 10: Microsoft: Windows 10 will not be sold as a subscription

I'd agree with all of that and would add:

6: I want what is generally called a "retail" disc (or maybe ISO) that can be reinstalled repeatedly on different hardware in the future, with the understanding that it's one PC at a time. "Retail" as we've always used the term to distinguish from "OEM".

 

This announcement of the free upgrades leaves me wondering, why do it?

If their goal is to get as many people as possible to leave Windows 7 and 8.1, this only makes some sense because as long as their are people with Windows 7 or 8.1 licenses MS will still have to make updates for them and software developers will need (to some extent) to make software to work with the legacy OS's. If it were possible to exchange all 7 and 8.1 for 10, then that would be a game changer.

So MS is sacrificing perhaps billions of dollars by giving us this upgrade and other than good will, what are they getting?

Since corporations exist to make money this leaves me perplexed.

 

I'd agree with all of that and would add:

6: I want what is generally called a "retail" disc (or maybe ISO) that can be reinstalled repeatedly on different hardware in the future, with the understanding that it's one PC at a time. "Retail" as we've always used to term to distinguish from "OEM". My MSDN ISO's will use OEM keys and Retail keys. There isn't a separate OEM ISO and Retail ISO like in the past. My MSDN keys are listed as Retail keys. My MSDN ISO's will also use OEM embedded keys automatically. The one DVD does both now. This download will also use OEM and Retail 8.0 and 8.1 keys , Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help. Times they are a changing.

 

I am concerned about upgrading from w7 oem/oem pre-installed vlk to w10 and lose my ability to remove 10 and restore windows 7.

 

It's a limited time offer. After that one year goes buy you pay to get Windows 10. For one thing it's good PR wise. Also if you can get Windows 7 users hooked on Windows 10, maybe they'll buy into Windows 11 or 12 etc.

 

Windows 7 factory OEM installs activate against a SLIC table in the BIOS, they do not activate online. They also use a master OEM key so Microsoft cannot block that key. If they do every PC of that make and model will get blocked. They would all simultaneously get a "your software is not genuine" message. That being said, you would need to use custom branded OEM provided install media to reproduce the factory OEM install.

All that being said, unless you have done a clean install yourself, the product code on the COA sticker has never been used. You could reinstall Windows 7 with that code with no issues other than maybe having to do a phone activation. Any time I have used one of those codes that's what I have had to do.

 

It's a limited time offer. After that one year goes buy you pay to get Windows 10. For one thing it's good PR wise. Also if you can get Windows 7 users hooked on Windows 10, maybe they'll buy into Windows 11 or 12 etc. alphanumeric,
I did see some of the broadcast. One of the people in the broadcast mention no version numbers for anything after windows 10? How is that going to work? Does that mean windows 10 forever?

 

It's a limited time offer. After that one year goes buy you pay to get Windows 10. For one thing it's good PR wise. Also if you can get Windows 7 users hooked on Windows 10, maybe they'll buy into Windows 11 or 12 etc. ,
I did see some of the broadcast. One of the people in the broadcast mention no version numbers for anything after windows 10? How is that going to work? Does that mean windows 10 forever? Ask me that again tomorrow. I'm just now watching it again as I had major issues with skipping, stopping, buffering, the first time around and missed a great deal of it. I can't answer that at this time. I will try to answer it at a latter date though.

 

Ah crap, even watching it Webcast On Demand its freezing? WTF? I give up! @groze, sorry I don't know the answer to that question. I'm *Mad at this point.

 

I'd agree with all of that and would add:

6: I want what is generally called a "retail" disc (or maybe ISO) that can be reinstalled repeatedly on different hardware in the future, with the understanding that it's one PC at a time. "Retail" as we've always used the term to distinguish from "OEM". When Windows 8 came out, the upgrade was not expensive, maybe about $40 to download the ISO and get a key. There were various requirements regarding earlier versions. These were legal rather than technical and you could do a clean install if you wanted to.

Lets hope W10 will be similar.

 

Try Firefox


I really don't get what he meant by windows as one of the largest internet services on the planet and just like other internet services what version are you running will cease to make sense

 

I'd wager similar to the OS X scheme - 10 will stay the major version number, and instead increments on minor and build numbers going forward as a possibility.

 

You know there is a way they can make money this way. You get the base windows 10 for free, but if you want some extra features you pay extra.

 

Yep like OneDrive, Bing and Office just to name a few.

 

Yep like OneDrive, Bing and Office just to name a few. I don't think Bing will cost, as it's always been free. We already have a subscription for Office. I don't know why they would charge for One Drive, when 8.1 uses it now.