Why I believe giving Win 9 to Win 7 users for free is smart

12Danny123

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Hey Guys we seen a lot of rumours about Windows Threshold, the future of Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox. But there are questions to be asked.

First

Should Windows 7 users get Windows 9 for free like Windows 8.1 users?

I think yes they should. Look we know that Windows 7 is MASSIVE success. With Windows 9 coming out and getting Windows 7 users to upgrade, Windows 9 WILL become an instant success, Windows 7 has 500-600 million users and Windows 8.1/8 has 200 million users. combine that that's already 800 million users with new devices gaining. Note that MS is pushing universal apps. Meaning one app to code on all devices. If Windows 9 gets the user base and the universal apps, then the developers can use that code to port it to Windows Phone, meaning WP gets the apps at the same time with Windows 9 and possibly Xbox. It's leveraging the desktop monopoly that MS has. To Windows phone and Windows 8/9/RT tablets and Xbox. VERY smart.

So what is your opinion

EDIT: I also think that Microsoft should make touch screen and Hybrid devices a requirement for Windows 9.
 

hotphil

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I'm not sure giving products away for free is a good business model.
A converged ecosystem would be good thing. Something good is what consumers would/should pay for.
And touchscreen compatibility isn't always desirable. They might make it a requirement for invented categories like "Ultrabook" but not for all deployments.
 

12Danny123

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I'm not sure giving products away for free is a good business model.
A converged ecosystem would be good thing. Something good is what consumers would/should pay for.
And touchscreen compatibility isn't always desirable. They might make it a requirement for invented categories like "Ultrabook" but not for all deployments.

Still I believe that Microsoft will pay it of by Store advertisements etc, or even Services tie in.
 

etphoto

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I think if the Windows 7 people really want the "apps work on all devices" they will upgrade to 9. Personally, I don't really care if my WP apps work on my desktop or not.


Sent from my DX4860 using Tapatalk
 

Xellsama

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It's definitely smart in terms of market adoption. But I'm wondering where the money will come from in the future for MS. Office is big, yes, but companies stay on one version way longer than MS want them to, so the revenue cycle from that is going to be long. I don't know how much revenue OneDrive is pulling in for them, average consumers won't need that much space and they are already giving 15GB (+3 if you use camera roll) for free. Are they really waiting for Bing to pick up pace? Or are they waiting for their hardwares, Xbox, Surface and Lumias, to start making more money? If the latter they really need to start picking up steam, they are improving now but not enough to become a serious contender for the 2nd place. Perhaps they are making enough money on the Enterprise front with all the servers and support.
 

AG VK

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a) MS will not, repeat not, give Win9 away. It would be too much of an impact on their second most important revenue stream

and b) mandating touchscreens and/or hybrids would be an even worse decision because the OEMs will say ****-you and so will many users.
 

Guzzler3

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Personally I think $10-$20 for W7 users upgrading to W9 would be appropriate.

W8.x users, free upgrade.

XP users... $40, but if and only if they run a hardware compatibility tool on they system and it meets a good hardware requirement. Then it's an upgrade only, where it forces them create a MS account, copies all their personal files to OneDrive (temporary suspension of space limits) and allow them to verify it got all their files. Then warns them, that 'HEY!!! Are you SURE everything you wanted to keep is up on OneDrive? 'Cause we are going nuclear and wiping clean your hard drive.' After, it copies the files back down from OneDrive to their appropriate locations (Documents, Pictures, Video, etc.) and cleans out the OneDrive (turning on the space limitations).

Just an idea ;0
 

David P2

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a) MS will not, repeat not, give Win9 away. It would be too much of an impact on their second most important revenue stream

and b) mandating touchscreens and/or hybrids would be an even worse decision because the OEMs will say ****-you and so will many users.

Could be one reason they are bumping up the price of Office 365 subscriptions next month. And as 365 is more cloud based users will always have the current version without having to lift a finger. Also bear in mind they are thinking of offering the upgrade for free... there will still be a retail/OEM version to make money from for those who don't have a qualifying upgrade (ie are using Vista or lower), or are building a clean system.

I totally agree - making touchscreens the priority is what shot themselves in the foot with Windows 8 in the first place. Making hybrids a priority would be just as bad - the only reason they have come up with this idea is so they don't repeat the XP situation in which they are keeping it alive (for a price) long after it's support lifecycle ended. Making those mandatory would just mean people would carry on using the earlier versions and Windows 9 would be a waste of time and resources.
 

WanderingTraveler

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a) MS will not, repeat not, give Win9 away. It would be too much of an impact on their second most important revenue stream

and b) mandating touchscreens and/or hybrids would be an even worse decision because the OEMs will say ****-you and so will many users.
Whoa there. Rumors circulating point to the Start Menu coming back.

And, how do you think that affects your assumption of touch-only Windows?

Yeah, that's right: it goes out the window.
 

unstoppablekem

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Hey Guys we seen a lot of rumours about Windows Threshold, the future of Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox. But there are questions to be asked.

First

Should Windows 7 users get Windows 9 for free like Windows 8.1 users?

I think yes they should. Look we know that Windows 7 is MASSIVE success. With Windows 9 coming out and getting Windows 7 users to upgrade, Windows 9 WILL become an instant success, Windows 7 has 500-600 million users and Windows 8.1/8 has 200 million users. combine that that's already 800 million users with new devices gaining. Note that MS is pushing universal apps. Meaning one app to code on all devices. If Windows 9 gets the user base and the universal apps, then the developers can use that code to port it to Windows Phone, meaning WP gets the apps at the same time with Windows 9 and possibly Xbox. It's leveraging the desktop monopoly that MS has. To Windows phone and Windows 8/9/RT tablets and Xbox. VERY smart.

So what is your opinion

EDIT: I also think that Microsoft should make touch screen and Hybrid devices a requirement for Windows 9.

I agree. This should be a free update for everyone. Apple even did that for Snow Leopard users ALL THE WAY to Mavericks. First it was cheap updates, then cheaper, then free.

Windows 9 may be big, but if Microsoft wants its old customers back and/or wants its current customers to stay, they have to do it.
 

12Danny123

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I agree. This should be a free update for everyone. Apple even did that for Snow Leopard users ALL THE WAY to Mavericks. First it was cheap updates, then cheaper, then free.

Windows 9 may be big, but if Microsoft wants its old customers back and/or wants its current customers to stay, they have to do it.
Agreed. Note that MS doesn't make much money on upgrades. So I don't see why they can't make it free.
 

Jas00555

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Agreed. Note that MS doesn't make much money on upgrades. So I don't see why they can't make it free.

They don't make much money on upgrades because they charge a lot of money to do it. Consumers just decide that it's easier and cheaper to wait for a new computer that'll come with the newest Windows. If they gave it away, it would probably cost them a lot of money because people would download that, plus it could eat into their OEM's sales.
 

Jas00555

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Personally, I don't think they'll give it away for free... Yet. I've said this multiple times and Ed Bott agrees with me, but I think that soon Windows will have a business version and a consumer version similar to how Ubuntu has a regular version and a LTE (long term edition) version where the consumer version gets updated yearly and the business version is updated once every couple of years. I imagine as Bing grows (and it'll thankfully be profitable soon), the Windows Store is able to make them revenue, and Office 365 and Azure soar, they'll be able to subsidize the consumer version of Windows, but they'll still charge for the business version.

They'll probably give Windows 9 to Windows 8 users, but I will be shocked if they give it away to Windows 7 users.
 

12Danny123

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Personally, I don't think they'll give it away for free... Yet. I've said this multiple times and Ed Bott agrees with me, but I think that soon Windows will have a business version and a consumer version similar to how Ubuntu has a regular version and a LTE (long term edition) version where the consumer version gets updated yearly and the business version is updated once every couple of years. I imagine as Bing grows (and it'll thankfully be profitable soon), the Windows Store is able to make them revenue, and Office 365 and Azure soar, they'll be able to subsidize the consumer version of Windows, but they'll still charge for the business version.

They'll probably give Windows 9 to Windows 8 users, but I will be shocked if they give it away to Windows 7 users.
True that. I would think that MS will make hybrid 2 in ones a requirement for OEMs. It'll basically force their way it the. Tablet market
 
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After reading every argument in here, I come to think that Microsoft will do just like they did with Windows 8, but reducing the price ticket.

Windows 8/8.1 to 9 - 40 bucks

Windows 7 to 9 - 60 bucks

Windows Vista and XP - 100 bucks


Or something like that, I'm not familiar with the Windows prices
 

Studio384

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I'm not sure if they will. However, giving Windows 9 away for free to Windows 7 users will make a huge point towards others and it will enlarge the platforms userbase drasticaly. For the long run, it would be the good thing to do, because it would certainly attract developers to develop for Windows 9s WinRT platform, and thus, Windows Phone and Xbox.
 

12Danny123

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I'm not sure if they will. However, giving Windows 9 away for free to Windows 7 users will make a huge point towards others and it will enlarge the platforms userbase drasticaly. For the long run, it would be the good thing to do, because it would certainly attract developers to develop for Windows 9s WinRT platform, and thus, Windows Phone and Xbox.

I agree, giving it to Windows 7 users as well as Windows 8.1/8 users will enlarge the user base massively. Note I find it likely for what you are saying because MS is a company that thinks long term wise, I think this is one of the steps getting into mobile
 

Crumble Shake

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I think the most compelling argument for this and why they should've done it from the start is that people are very, very dubious of Windows 8 and will be of any future releases. They don't want to spend money on something everyone's telling them they're not gonna like. If it's offered for free, people will try it, realize that it's not that bad, and use it. In the long run, Microsoft will make money out of the app store, and those who upgrade and like it will be more likely to buy future devices, so MS makes money out of its OEMs. There's more to gain than lose at this point.
 

RajeevT

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Windows 8/8.1 to 9 - 40 bucks
Windows 7 to 9 - 60 bucks
Windows Vista and XP - 100 bucks
I thought the limited period $14.99 offer to upgrade from Win7 was awesome.

If it's offered for free, people will try it, realize that it's not that bad, and use it.
Remind us again how much of a marketshare Linux has on desktops? If Win9 turns out to be crap hardly anyone will care if it's free.

You also have to remember that once they go down the free route, they can't go back to charging without riots breaking out. It's not a decision lightly taken. If they do it (and I don't think they will, not yet at least), they better have a damn good plan for making up the shortfall from somewhere else. Just the revenue from apps isn't going to cut it.
 

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