Windows 10: Microsoft's big decision: Who gets a free upgrade to Win10

The alternative to volunteers testing the pre-versions is paying customers to find the bugs later. There are just too many possible configurations and permutations to test, that no software company would be able to cover the whole spectrum. For that it is good that a million people (or more) out there give it a shot before the final product is released.

 

Volunteers work for their own satisfaction to do something positive, I did a lot of that and still doing what I can and most of the time I'm rewarded, a smile of a child makes it more than enough and heck of more precious than any money. But M$ certainly does not fit in that category. This time they went way out of their way to ask for it. Indications are that MS may do that even more in the future and without offering any incentive, it's almost guaranteed that testing this way will diminish and be left only to the curiosity.

 

Very true but there would be even more of testers and less of ones that gave up in advance if there was a chance of getting something expensive for free or at least be offered with substantial savings. I know that for myself, had to do it a lot with my machines and products they manufactured. I always had some brake pads and rotors we were making set aside and given free to friends and people I knew to install on their cars with a provision to give them back when they are changed again so I can see results and number of miles they made using hem. No artificial testing on machines could do such accurate results for use in various environments. Our products were cheaper than Windows but we still mad a good profit and because of being able to make a better product we still made handsome profit that far surpassed loss of revenue on those parts. Just a good business practice. Those, being brake parts, had potentially much greater impact on people's lives than Windows could.

 

I dont mind testing FOR FREE, anyone who downloads a beta and replies to the originater does it for free.

But this is far removed from who gets a >>>free complete OS<<<.

Ive got XP, Vista,7 and 8 versions, on different pc's.
Even testing using an old 32bit I cant see a free upgrade coming my way.

Roy

 

Very true but there would be even more of testers and less of ones that gave up in advance if there was a chance of getting something expensive for free or at least be offered with substantial savings. I know that for myself, had to do it a lot with my machines and products they manufactured. I always had some brake pads and rotors we were making set aside and given free to friends and people I knew to install on their cars with a provision to give them back when they are changed again so I can see results and number of miles they made using hem. No artificial testing on machines could do such accurate results for use in various environments. Our products were cheaper than Windows but we still mad a good profit and because of being able to make a better product we still made handsome profit that far surpassed loss of revenue on those parts. Just a good business practice. Those, being brake parts, had potentially much greater impact on people's lives than Windows could. CountMike,
I agree with you for the most of it. However, are you comparing apples to oranges? I never knew an operating system that would kill or physically injury someone but a faulty brake could.


Side note, I didn't know companies had to pretest brakes. Isn't that risky?

 

How about the OS hospitals use it has the risk of death or injury.

 

Very true but there would be even more of testers and less of ones that gave up in advance if there was a chance of getting something expensive for free or at least be offered with substantial savings. I know that for myself, had to do it a lot with my machines and products they manufactured. I always had some brake pads and rotors we were making set aside and given free to friends and people I knew to install on their cars with a provision to give them back when they are changed again so I can see results and number of miles they made using hem. No artificial testing on machines could do such accurate results for use in various environments. Our products were cheaper than Windows but we still mad a good profit and because of being able to make a better product we still made handsome profit that far surpassed loss of revenue on those parts. Just a good business practice. Those, being brake parts, had potentially much greater impact on people's lives than Windows could. ,
I agree with you for the most of it. However, are you comparing apples to oranges? I never knew an operating system that would kill or physically injury someone but a faulty brake could.


Side note, I didn't know companies had to pretest brakes. Isn't that risky?
Machines test brakes before production, we had in factory too but parts were certified in specialized institutes, one of them was all the way in Liberty Mo. but they did not test for longevity, that's why we were giving them to test even more in real conditions during production. Those were already certified safe products. I personally tested them on my vehicles and a stock car me and my friends were running,from prototype stage. What I'm trying to say that real life testing can pay back in many ways, in product reliability and it's betterment. I's really miniscule price to pay to be recognized as good manufacturer, returns can be in more ways than one can imagine. I was even introduced and recognized by Lee Iacocca at a Las Vegas SEMA show for that when our company was presenting our products.
And no, those are not apples and oranges, a product is a product, properly made, tested and by testing improved it's much better sold and marketed and even more important when you record gets spotty. (Vista, first W8 and few more that people would not let MS forget about).

 

How about the OS hospitals use it has the risk of death or injury. How about smart cars ? Smart fridges failing to tell you that you are lo on beer ? That would be disaster !

 

CountMike, thank you for explaining that in more detail.

 

If those brake pads did not function, they could have had an impact on people in the true sense of the word.

 

If those brake pads did not function, they could have had an impact on people in the true sense of the word. Our company's motto (I coined it) was: "A car does not have to go fast but has to stop"

 

Simple, don't test anymore. MS didn't force you to test anything.

 

Simple, don't test anymore. MS didn't force you to test anything. Why shouldn't I ? Did same for all other windows but after all those years I think I'm entitled to some recognition. Heck, even my grocer gives me discount for shopping there many years.

 

Simple, don't test anymore. MS didn't force you to test anything. Why shouldn't I ? Did same for all other windows but after all those years I think I'm entitled to some recognition. Heck, even my grocer gives me discount for shopping there many years. .. On one had you want something for testing Win10 and other things in the future but you volunteer to do the testing and MS doesn't owe you anything, like the other 1+ million. Yes, MS asked for testers,, so?? Did MS ever indicate that there was going to be a reward for testing Win10?? I for one never saw any and I didn't expect any when I voluntarily signed up to test Win10TP. What did you expect??



Jeff

 

Simple, don't test anymore. MS didn't force you to test anything. Why shouldn't I ? Did same for all other windows but after all those years I think I'm entitled to some recognition. Heck, even my grocer gives me discount for shopping there many years. Then stop complaining about how you may not get a copy of Win10. Not many if any others are going to get a free copy for testing this OS and I for one am just fine with MS for not giving me a free copy. Just what kind of incentive do you want MS to provide you with in the future or now?? I'm not complaining, just stating my position on it. I'm not asking for a life time free M$ club gold membership, one token of appreciation for my and other people testing would be nice. I suppose you would insist on paying for windows even if they gave them away for free ?