So Windows 10 cost??

[QwarkDreams]

I'm not tied into certain software's. So for me if windows went to a sub model I would move to Linux in a heartbeat. It's why I gave up on adobe.

Yes, you would. And many others too. But there are lots of people that don't want to or aren't "advanced users" who just switch to a different OS like it's no big deal. What about older people? People who are depending on software that is only available for Windows? (and aren't capable of using a VM)

Windows 8 - with its minimalistic design - was dumbed down on the surface so more people would be interested in using it. The fear of "oh my god! what if I press the wrong button?" was taken away (much like with the simplicity of iOS). Do you really think the people who were targeted as the demographic for Windows 8 are savvy enough to just switch OS? Some of them might not even know that there are other OS besides Windows.

 

[xtremez]

I think basically it's trying to get people to migrate to 10 within a year. So it's like "Moving Sale" for free guys. However, if you buy a new Desktop or Laptop or any Windows device already on 10, it's supported life-time.

 

[warezjack]

I think Microsoft played a dumb move by mentioning "free for a year", even advanced OS like android and IOS are free to upgrade. Even if Microsoft offers some useful features, they will be extinct before they know it as people will begin to switch for wp10 to android as it is the only good option in affordable race and google is sending OTA updates so they are good choice for OS now

 

[QwarkDreams]

I think Microsoft played a dumb move by mentioning "free for a year", even advanced OS like android and IOS are free to upgrade. Even if Microsoft offers some useful features, they will be extinct before they know it as people will begin to switch for wp10 to android as it is the only good option in affordable race and google is sending OTA updates so they are good choice for OS now

You can't compare Android and iOS with Windows for PCs.
If you want a new OS version for your smartphone after the end of its update-cycle you'll have to buy a new phone (I'm not talking Jailbreak and Custom Roms into consideration here).
If your version of Windows doesn't get any updates you just buy a copy of a newer version. You usually don't buy a whole new PC because the OS is outdated.

The whole "we call all our operating systems - regardless if it's on a phone, console, tablet or PC - Windows 10" is the dumb move. It confuses people.
It may be nice to think that everything runs on the same OS (that's tailored to it) but that will not work as smoothly as MS might think.

Regarding my last sentence: no, I don't work for Microsoft, and no, I am no software developer. I don't know to program an OS. But at this point I don't assume that MS thinks they know what they're doing. Too many wrong decisions in the past, too often been disappointed.

 

[bijak_riyandi]

I think Microsoft played a dumb move by mentioning "free for a year", even advanced OS like android and IOS are free to upgrade. Even if Microsoft offers some useful features, they will be extinct before they know it as people will begin to switch for wp10 to android as it is the only good option in affordable race and google is sending OTA updates so they are good choice for OS now

It's just a bad choice of words considering that they meant to say "upgrades are free if you do it within a year after the Windows 10 release and you'll have to pay if you do it later" instead of "upgrades are free for a year then you'll have to subscribe afterwards"

They definitely didn't see this misunderstanding coming...

 

[JamesDax]

smdh at this thread.

 

[QwarkDreams]

It's just a bad choice of words considering that they meant to say "upgrades are free if you do it within a year after the Windows 10 release and you'll have to pay if you do it later" instead of "upgrades are free for a year then you'll have to subscribe afterwards"

They definitely didn't see this misunderstanding coming...

Still a bit confusing, especially on the Windows 10 for phones part. Why would they even say that the upgrade to Windows 10 on phones will be free? It's a phone, there have - afair - never been costs involved for upgrading (unless you need to buy a new phone to get that OS update, like with Windows Phone 7).

And regardless of who one interprets the statement, it still doesn't mean that there won't be a subscription system coming. The sentence "...in fact with Windows 10 we think of Windows as a service" could be seen as a hint.

 

[Daniel Olsen]

Guys guys guys guys guys ..... Too much confusion. What they are saying is that for the first year that Windows 10 is out, the price is $0 if you are upgrading from 7 or 8.1. AFTER one year is over, then the price is $X for anyone WHO HAS NOT YET gotten Windows 10.

A lot of people are thinking that they meant one year like a free trial.

 

[Conan143]

I have a windows 8.1 pro retail key so i will be automatically qualified for windows 10 upgrade if i do it in the first year. So my question is

What if i wanted to reset the PC for clean installation after a year
1. Will the 8.1 key works as it did in the first year or as one year passed out for free upgrade do i have to buy ?
2. To make it work do i need to go back to windows 8.1 pro and then upgrade ?
3. Once i upgrade my PC to windows 10 via 8.1 pro key will it forever linked to 10 so i can use whenever i want to reset ?

I think no one knows how it will turn out after the first year. But if u know care to answer !

 

[WPBlox1989]

Man, I hope this free upgrade offer reaches the Microsoft websites of other regions such as MS Singapore's website as that sign-up page is in the US website and may not cover all regions.

 

[Harrie-S]

Man, I hope this free upgrade offer reaches the Microsoft websites of other regions such as MS Singapore's website as that sign-up page is in the US website and may not cover all regions.

Do not worry it will.

 

[mjperry51]

I have a windows 8.1 pro retail key so i will be automatically qualified for windows 10 upgrade if i do it in the first year. So my question is

What if i wanted to reset the PC for clean installation after a year
1. Will the 8.1 key works as it did in the first year or as one year passed out for free upgrade do i have to buy ?
2. To make it work do i need to go back to windows 8.1 pro and then upgrade ?
3. Once i upgrade my PC to windows 10 via 8.1 pro key will it forever linked to 10 so i can use whenever i want to reset ?

I think no one knows how it will turn out after the first year. But if u know care to answer !

There's nothing to prevent MS from providing a W10 installation key that will facilitate a re-installation. You could enter your W10 key, and them they could confirm with your W7/8 key. . .

 

[Jas00555]

I have a windows 8.1 pro retail key so i will be automatically qualified for windows 10 upgrade if i do it in the first year. So my question is

What if i wanted to reset the PC for clean installation after a year
1. Will the 8.1 key works as it did in the first year or as one year passed out for free upgrade do i have to buy ?
2. To make it work do i need to go back to windows 8.1 pro and then upgrade ?
3. Once i upgrade my PC to windows 10 via 8.1 pro key will it forever linked to 10 so i can use whenever i want to reset ?

I think no one knows how it will turn out after the first year. But if u know care to answer !

Microsoft already does precisely this thing today. If you've got a Windows 8 key, you're able to go online, type in that key and get get an .ISO for 8.1. I obviously don't know, but I'm assuming it'll work in the exact same way.

 

[Conan143]

If the 8.1 key works to get an online Windows 10 ISO then its fine

 

[jomarr]

I'm buying this as a standalone. Hopefully the price wouldn't be much! Either way, two please!

 

[envio]

I have a windows 8.1 pro retail key so i will be automatically qualified for windows 10 upgrade if i do it in the first year. So my question is

What if i wanted to reset the PC for clean installation after a year
1. Will the 8.1 key works as it did in the first year or as one year passed out for free upgrade do i have to buy ?
2. To make it work do i need to go back to windows 8.1 pro and then upgrade ?
3. Once i upgrade my PC to windows 10 via 8.1 pro key will it forever linked to 10 so i can use whenever i want to reset ?

I think no one knows how it will turn out after the first year. But if u know care to answer !

The keys will be independent. Your Window 8.1 license is your qualifying product to obtain your free upgrade to Windows 10. However, if you choose to clean install Windows 10 as thousands of people will do on existing hardware, that will also be ok. The key won't suddenly invalidate after 1 year and neither will your Windows 8.1 key after you upgrade.

 

[Squachy]

Holy how is this so confusing to people? They didn't change the upgrade model at all. Everything had been the same as it always been since way back when. You always had to buy a full or upgrade copy of windows when you wanted a new version. Full copy allowed you to install from scratch. Upgrade copy I think needed a previous install before you could install it (I think there were ways to trick it into doing a full install though). And in each case you always got a new key code to use. When 8.0 came out they had a discount to upgrade for a limited time. With 10 the upgrade is free for a year. And in both cases once the "sale" period is up it goes back to whatever the full price of an upgrade is. There's no subscription model for the OS itself. As long as you had a window key, you can install whatever copy of windows it's associated with whenever you want. I don't know if you have to install upgrade copies in sequence though (if installing fresh). But that's something I never knew.

 

[daredevildan]

I don't see how FREE UPGRADE is being so overanalyzed and misunderstood. In the past, all new Windows versions were paid and now if you have Windows 7 or higher you get a free path to Windows 10 which is a good thing because it'll get it on as many systems as possible. Even when MS went from 7 to 8 they had the limited time reduced price upgrade but even at 30 bucks that seemed a bit much and now they're saying it's free. I also didn't hear anywhere that Windows was going to be a subscription service so not sure where that came from either. Free upgrade. Don't read too much into that.

 

[tangledW]

Many have already answered this, but many continue with falsities.

Windows 10 free for a year, means that YOU HAVE ONE YEAR TO UPGRADE FROM WINDOWS 7 & 8 FOR FREE. IF YOU WAIT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO UPGRADE YOUR EXISTING HARDWARE, YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. There is no subscription fee, you are not "renting" the OS.

New devices will come with the new OS, just as always.

 

[Giffdev]

here's the official blog post, with clarity around pricing and the free upgrade
The next generation of Windows: Windows 10