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

What if 10 fails?

*sarc I was just thinking back to Windows 3.0,95,98,XP,ME, etc. and I used to have a policy, I never even considered upgrading or changing my OS, unless, I had waited at least two years until after it's release. My reasoning was, "that after that amount of time...most of the bugs would have been taken care of, and it would be stable".

Gee, if I do that now, I may run the risk of it being obsolete.

 

That would actually be a fantastic strategy for Microsoft...

if they were trying to get people to use Linux instead of Windows. *Smile

 

I suppose speculation regarding how the upgrade would be implemented will be quite common.

For Windows 8.1 users, upgrading via Windows Update should not pose a problem, but for Windows 7 users, I can't see that method working for activation.
The current product key configuration does not support Windows 7 keys, thus I suspect that it would be like the WMC type upgrade offer. At least we will get new keys for a clean install that way.

 

There will be no obsolete with Windows 10, they said that updates will be free for the life of the device, that means they will have to carry on giving updates forever - no end of life just evolution.

 

Hi there.

Actually Ms are taking a leaf out of Amazons business model here -- they offer kindles now at almost below cost but make up the profit on the e-books they sell.

Services like SKY offer basically FREE Broadband for a decent period or very cheap -- but then recoup the money on people paying for services like SKY SPORTS / SKY MOVIES etc.

While W10 is NOT itself (yet) slated for subscription, Ms probably has ear marked all sorts of possible pay subscription type of content to become available. Office 365 is the most well known but I'm sure others will come along.

Offering a free upgrade is a master stroke for Ms -- a lot of people when doing an upgrade often buy other things as well. Many people upgrading from W7 (especially in a business area) might well go for Office 365 at the same time as they upgrade from W7 - especially if they are still running Office 2003 or even Office 2007.

I'm sure there will be some way of performing a clean install --if people cast their minds back to W7 days there were all sorts of tricks to ensure you managed to get a clean install even from the copy which was an "Update" version for VISTA users.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Absolutely...
All the fancy features demonstrated will most likely not be included in the "upgrade" version.

Stuff like Holo will come at a premium ( like having to pay for Pro-pack for Core and then pay again for WMC add-on for Win 8.1 pro etc.) - at least we have options though.

 

So, what features will be available? How are they going to support the hardware requirements?

 

We don't know yet - all we ahave is this... The next generation of Windows: Windows 10

...statements are a bit vague, but they have committed to supporting installed products for the life-time of the device - so I guess, yes they will support drivers (...if that's your concern)

 

I would hope that the drivers that work in Win7-Win8.1 will also work in Win10. So far I have not run into any issues with my PC and the drivers in Win10TP.

Jeff

 

Ahhh, key words, "for the life of the device" . . .

Remember back when you could put MS Office on a desktop and a laptop? Windows 2013 came out and can only be put on one PC or one laptop.

Could it be that Windows 10 will be tied forever to the first computer it's installed on? That would make sense for the bottom line. And it would end the era of building a new computer and putting Windows 10 on it from the one that had cratered. OEMs are already that way, so it's something to think about.

 

Windows 8/8.1 was OEM only with no retail transferable licenses so this is nothing new.

 

Retail versions are usually way to expensive but come with the ability to use the same media and activation key to install on several computers,
OEM's are cheaper because it's one computer install tied to the motherboard,
Upgrade media is even more complicated to install cleanly without the original upgraded os installed first may hours but the amazing Brink has a reg file to stream line that little snag *Smile

 

My MSDN Windows 8/8.1 product keys are listed as Retail keys?

 

That is probably for ease of use, Windows 8/8.1 was never sold as retail only oem.

 

If the WMC upgrade keys are anything to go by, then yes. The whole EULA thing is too complicated to go into but practically speaking they are not transferable - (phone activation may work but that's not here nor there)

WMC upgrade EULA: