Windows 10 upgrade to be 'free' for one year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30924022

by secfirstmd • 12 years ago

146 73 12 years ago

bbc.co.uk

jedberg• 12 years ago

It's not the price of Windows that was keeping people from adopting Windows 8. It's the irrelevancy and the fact that corporations don't see the ROI. The time it would take to upgrade their company isn't worth the gains, which are minimal.

Unless Windows 10 proves to be a massive improvement in performance or usability, I suspect it's uptake will be just as anemic, free or not.

iza• 12 years ago

What prevented companies from updating was the bastardized UI requiring retraining and extra IT support. I don't think Windows 10 necessarily needs a huge improvement. Companies will either update when they upgrade the physical computers and the new ones happen to come with Windows 10, or when some crucial piece of software drops support for 7. They won't actively avoid 10 or downgrade like some did for 8.

colechristensen2• 12 years ago

All Windows 10 needs is the option to make the UI look and behave the same as Windows 95 to 7. Do that, and the enterprise world will adopt it.

epochwolf• 12 years ago

I would have upgraded several of my machines to Windows 8 if it wasn't for the price. I already have a bunch of Windows 7 licenses.

abandonliberty• 12 years ago

I got an 8 upgrade when offered it for 20$. It was worth the price.

cwyers• 12 years ago

Microsoft has always had seperate enterprise and consumer pricing for Windows. This is an announcement about consumer pricing. So... consumer pricing won't affect enterprise adoption. We already knew that, though.

bad_user• 12 years ago

Users in general don't upgrade unless forced, because non-technical folks are conservative. All of Microsoft's competition have encouraged (free) updates in one way or another, with much less regard towards backwards compatibility. This also creates expectations for developers, assuming that a majority will upgrade in a timely manner, therefore users feel compelled to upgrade otherwise their favorite apps may stop being supported for their current OS.

Microsoft's biggest enemy is the old Microsoft that took years to update Windows XP and IExplorer 6. And then Vista happened, which brought no improvements, except a flawed and annoying security model, bloat and instability. And do I even need to rant on 8.0? So it's no wonder that users lost their appetite for updates.

However, I believe there is serious room for improvement in how we use our computers, especially our PCs. However that line on a single OS for all devices doesn't sound good to me, because there are fundamental differences between the devices in question and I hope that Microsoft will do more than marketing gimmicks and interfaces meant for tablets being shown on large screens that have keyboards.

yuhong• 12 years ago

Vista bought no improvements? BTW, I think always notify for UAC is a better idea anyway.

moskie• 12 years ago

Even if price wasn't the main problem that prevented adoption, it's the problem with the easiest and most obvious solution: make it free. So it's a good thing they addressed it.

fit2rule3• 12 years ago

I haven't used Windows in 10+ years, so I've got some questions for those who are smarter than me on the subject of Windows:

Does it come with package management yet? Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days? Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?

Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment? Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?

Is all of this onboard, or does some/most of it require the involvement of a 3rd-party add-on? If its not onboard, can I validate that 3rd-party with signed keys? Is there an onboard key agent that will make this possible?

Is there an easy way to get a compiler onboard without requiring registration and so on, or does it ship with development tools already set up and configured? Are these tools usable without requiring GUI involvement - i.e. remotely?

These are earnest questions, I honestly don't know. If the majority of the answers are in the affirmative, then I'll give Windows 10 a try - it would make a nice change from what I've gotten used to with my Linux machine.

mavhc• 12 years ago

Does it come with package management yet?

Not really

Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days?

Yes, it just stores every version on the drive, seems to work

Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?

For free? not easily.

Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment?

Powershell does a lot more on this front

Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?

Considering Windows Server Core still has a GUI? no.

does it ship with development tools already set up and configured?

greggyb2• 12 years ago

I can answer a few:

Package management: Yes[0]

DLLs: Do not know

Local Repository: Seems to be a part of package management based on things I've seen

Command line/scripting: Powershell has been around for a while now and is quite good, but a very different idiom than UNIX shell[1].

Disable GUI: Don't believe so, but can't say for sure

Onboard: The above is all native

Easy compiler: unsure.

[0]http://www.howtogeek.com/200334/windows-10-includes-a-linux-...

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_PowerShell

Amezarak• 12 years ago

Does it come with package management yet?

No. There is the Windows Store (all or most Metro apps, GUI) and things like NuGet for Visual Studio, but that's not what you're looking for. There are third-party solutions.

[EDIT: See sibling comments; W10 adds one.]

Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days?

DLL Hell is no longer a concern. It's not a matter of avoiding it, it won't happen except perhaps in very unusual edge cases I'm not familiar with.

Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?

You can do this. This is one reason Windows is so big in enterprise.

Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment?

Yes.

Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?

In Server 2012 onwards, the GUI is optional.

If its not onboard, can I validate that 3rd-party with signed keys? Is there an onboard key agent that will make this possible?

I am not 100% on what you want, but yes, Windows executables are commonly signed and that is integrated with the OS.

Is there an easy way to get a compiler onboard without requiring registration and so on, or does it ship with development tools already set up and configured?

Windows does not ship with a compiler or other developer tools installed. You can install Visual Studio 2013 Community Edition, which has all the features of Professional Edition, for free and without registration (afaik - I'm doing it right now, so if I'm wrong, I'll edit). You can of course install all the free-software development tools you want. Most tools support Windows reasonably well.

Are these tools usable without requiring GUI involvement - i.e. remotely?

Yes, although most people don't do so. I've only fiddled around. I've heard that manually fiddling with msbuild is actually more pleasant than using the GUI.

rasz_pl4• 12 years ago

Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days?

DLL hell was replaced by >20GB WinSxS directory. Every version of every single DLL, regardless if you ever used or will use one. Stored forever, with no usage stats, no mechanism of trimming, no archive option for never used ones. Introduced just in time to fill ~$40 worth of SSD with data that will NEVER EVER be read again.

Someone12344• 12 years ago

The upgrade isn't "free" for most companies, kinda.

If they're a small business and use OEM installed copies of Windows and those OEM copies are Pro or lower then, yes, they get a free upgrade.

If it comes with Enterprise OEM they won't get the upgrade, and if they are on a volume licence (which most companies, even medium sized are) then they won't get a free upgrade and will instead need Software Assurance (subscription upgrades).

Many companies upgrade because of non-obvious benefits, namely how newer versions of Windows ineract with Active Directory, WDS, WUS, and similar. Every version of Windows comes with new and sometimes impressive enterprise features that consumers just rarely notice.

For example, go here[0] and look at the Enterprise column. It is these types of things that are what gets enterprise excited, not how pretty alt-tab looks or if it has Cortana.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions

cheshire137• 12 years ago

The price is what was keeping me from upgrading my personal PC running Windows 7.

overgard• 12 years ago

I think most companies like to be up to date as long as the move is at least lateral. I think the problem with windows 8 was that it was largely seen as a downgrade. Nobody really liked the new features or wanted them. If Windows 10 isn't worse than Windows 7, I think people will upgrade.

kemayo• 12 years ago

I wonder if they'll let the (vast number of) pirated versions of Windows 7/8 participate in the free upgrade program. It'd be an interesting change to the dynamic of Windows.

secfirstmd• 12 years ago

Especially in emerging world markets, where it's often impossible to buy a legitimate copy of Win 7/8 even when you want to.

mmebane• 12 years ago

I would be a bit surprised if they did. The $14.99 Win7 -> Win8 upgrade they offered for a while required validation of your old product key. Still, MS has changed quite a bit in the last few years, so it's hard to say.

ckarmann• 12 years ago

I doubt it, but anyway if you pirated your Windows 7, you can pirate your Windows 10 too...

MrGuyUser• 12 years ago

Windows 10 looks pretty awesome. And if you like me down graded to an android phone from a pretty good old windows 7.8 phone you'll realize that the voice recognition stuff on android hardly works. I use a nexus 4 which is too new to change again, but I hate that I can't reply to texts with the headset. Yeah I know there is probably an app out there and probably a mode. I didn't figure it out. Win 7.8 phone did it automatically and switches off when you turned the headset off. So the Cortana feature looks even more amazing to me. One note that I've realized the voice rec on the latest version of Android works acutally pretty good now. It's been like 4 years. And still doesn't work great with the headset. All apps on android are scary since they want all kinds of access to contacts, messages, phone. Oh boy, I can't install anything because I'm too afraid of what it might do with that access. I only really trust the native stuff.

What I wonder is how they plan to monetize free windows 10 as a service. I'm not going to be happy if I find it's another yearly fee like Office 365. I searched forever to find a legit activatable copy of office 2010 to avoid that.

sliverstorm• 12 years ago

Supposedly the big money has never been in Windows licenses. For example, Office is a big money-maker for them. So it is in their interests to have everyone run Windows, even if they don't get license revenue.

Hearsay though.

kryptiskt• 12 years ago

Windows licenses is a big money maker, but nearly all of it comes from OEM installations and enterprise customers. Few people shell out for upgrading their old computer, they tend to run what came installed on it.

7952• 12 years ago

They should just merge the consumer versions of windows and office together. Cut the subscription plan and make it reasonably expensive even for OEMs. This would let them differentiate themselves from Chrome OS and retain all their old Office customers.

dragonwriter• 12 years ago

What I wonder is how they plan to monetize free windows 10 as a service.

I've seen no reports of free Windows 10 at all, just free upgrades in the first year of release from older Windows versions (so that Windows 10 rapidly builds an install base, rapidly becomes a target for developers, and therefore becomes more attractive as a new purchase due to the software built for it.)

Narishma• 12 years ago

Does it mean that if you do the free upgrade, once the year is over you'll have to pay to continue using it? Or does it mean instead that the upgrade will be free for the first year, and if you want to upgrade after that it'll cost you?

kyriakos• 12 years ago

From what I understood from the video it means you get the chance to upgrade within a year of release. They also said you'll be receiving automated updates for the supported life time of the device (whatever that means)

BigChiefSmokem2• 12 years ago

Sounds more like a year long trial period as you never seem to quite own the "free" copy.

Not exactly what loyal Windows 7 and 8 users would have wanted (a real free lifetime copy), but a genuine step in the right direction.

Someone12344• 12 years ago

They've done a really poor job of communicating that.

The free upgrade for one year thing is fairly cut and dry. However what they meant by that "we'll support updates for the lifetime of the device" is completely meaningless and confusing. As opposed to what they've been doing until now..?

Also they keep on talking about "Windows as a service" with zero clarification on what that means. Is Windows becoming a paid subscription? Is that just meaningless marketing speak?

I'll say this, Microsoft has a bad track record of making these events 50% longer than they should be and filing in the gaps with marketing department nonsense that doesn't mean anything. There were some bits of that that were simply cringe and or a huge time waster.

Some fruit-named company do these presentations better. They're still better than Google however...

joshstrange• 12 years ago

Can someone explain why it would only be free for the first year? To spur adoption? It just seems like more trouble than it's worth to start charging people for it sometime in the future.

BigChiefSmokem2• 12 years ago

Ever since Amazon Web Services nothing has ever been the same. Maybe one day we'll all go back to actually "owning" the software we buy instead of just timed licenses and logins.

mhurron• 12 years ago

You haven't owned software for a while, long before anyone every thought of AWS.

Remember XP having to be re-authorized if you changed too much hardware? It was before then too.

greggyb2• 12 years ago

For 1 year from release it is free to migrate from 7/8 -> 10.

After 1 year from release you must pay to migrate from 7/8 -> 10.

Regardless of when you migrate, system upgrades are included for the lifetime of the device.

This is a push to get everyone onto the new platform and jumpstart the ecosystem.

jjcm• 12 years ago

A forcing function to get people to move to it quickly. Microsoft traditionally has had trouble in getting people to adopt new versions of their software (IE6 ring a bell? XP still has an 18% market share worldwide, despite being 13 years old). This will hopefully make people adopt it quicker.

devindotcom2• 12 years ago

Guys arguing about what "free for a year" means, be aware they DID specify this and if you think they haven't communicated it, you probably weren't there!

"For the first year after Windows 10 is available, we will be making available a free upgrade to Windows 10 for all devices running Windows 8.1. Once a device is upgraded to Windows 10, we'll be keeping it current for the supported lifetime for the device."

If that's not clear enough for you, I don't know what to say! Furthermore the actual public awareness campaign hasn't started (this announcement came two hours ago, remember) so chill out for a second before calling something a poor job of communicating. They have a limited time to show off a huge amount of features including a goddamn top-secret holographic VR helmet, plus the details on the release aren't even ironed out yet, so if they didn't spend an extra five minutes drilling down on the release strategy (8 months away at this point) you're going to have to forgive them.

McGlockenshire• 12 years ago

Here's the smallprint from the page on their current Windows 10 promo site[1]:

It is our intent that most of these devices will qualify, but some hardware/software requirements apply and feature availability may vary by device. Devices must be connected to the internet and have Windows Update enabled. ISP fees may apply. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update required. Some editions are excluded: Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, and Windows RT/RT 8.1. Active Software Assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise outside of this offer. We will be sharing more information and additional offer terms in coming months.

1: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/about

devindotcom2• 12 years ago

No RT! That's harsh, but the truth is dropping RT like a bad habit is the best thing they could do. Sucks for anyone who bought a copy on a cheap tablet, though.

JeremyNT2• 12 years ago

we'll be keeping it current for the supported lifetime for the device.

My question is: what exactly is the "supported lifetime for the device?"

Is this "supported lifetime" defined by the manufacturer's warranty? The original OS date of installation? Something else?

colechristensen2• 12 years ago

You're thinking too hard.

It means if you install Windows 10 during the free period, it will be as if you bought a normal Windows license.

jtgeibel2• 12 years ago

The part that confuses me, and that I hope they sufficiently clarify, is that I run my (rarely used) copy of Windows in a VM. So I can move that VM from one machine to another as I upgrade my hardware. This seems to route around their "supported lifetime for the device" language, as they are most likely relying on eventual hardware obsolescence and continued income from OEM installs. But in a sense I'm evading that by moving the VM from one laptop with Linux pre-installed to another.

As far as I am aware, installing Windows in a VM has always been allowed by their license (although they tried to limit this in some way in the past and eventually backtracked, around the time of Vista if I recall). Will they attempt to return to such restrictions, or simply write people like me off as an extremely small portion of their install base from which they do not expect to extract further revenue?

STRiDEX• 12 years ago

Take a snapshot of the VM and reset it to that point when the free trial period expires. They have you do this with their official VM's for IE testing.

rasz_pl4• 12 years ago

Clippy: I heard no one likes our phone OS, so we are going to put it on your desktop for FREE, arent you glad? Metro squares for everyone!

Gmo• 12 years ago

Actually, a lot of people who have an WP 8 phone do like the OS a lot.

I know I do at least.

copperx• 12 years ago

I doubt the OS was ever an issue.

The issue was the lack of applications for the OS.

thought_alarm• 12 years ago

I don't think this free upgrade is much of a shock.

People who bought a Windows XP machine in 2001 enjoyed 6+ years of free OS upgrades from Microsoft. Likewise, people who buy a Mac enjoy 5+ years of free OS upgrades from Apple.

If Microsoft wants to shift into a yearly release cycle and they don't give away the updates to their existing customers then they're essentially charging for service packs, which won't fly.

talmand3• 12 years ago

It's not a shock but it's outside the norm for Microsoft. Typically you do not get free upgrades from one version of Windows to the next.

You can free updates to your current version. But never a free upgrade to the next major version.

WinXP users enjoyed six plus years of free updates to WinXP.

I don't see this type of release from Microsoft changing their update/upgrade model. They're just doing it as a means to push the user base harder to transition and possibly as a small admittance of the screw-up over Win8.

Apple, on the other hand, went from cheap upgrades to free upgrades over the last few versions of OS X. It's not the same thing as Microsoft's release pattern.

jeeva• 12 years ago

Let's be a little honest, though - this is a spectacular rebrand for 8.2, along with large user-visible changes (not forcing Metro) and some cool backend stuff. A lot of this stuff was originally going to be in the second service pack for 8.1, if I remember correctly (most distinctively, the start menu returning).

They've said themselves that they needed to get away from the stigma that is associated with 8.* - and that's great. Charging for it would be a bit harsh.

z3t4• 12 years ago

Probably they are changing business plan to take 25-30% of each app ever sold for the OS instead of just charging for the OS itself.

Finally, you do not have to port your app to all devices.

And hopefully you, as a user will be able to control how much access each app has to the computer.

Imagine buying a new smart-phone with lets say Android, then you install Windows 10 on it instead and everything just works.

The only problem I see is that they need to make the SDK easier for me to start making native apps instead of web apps. Especially the UI part.

Windows 10 upgrade to be 'free' for one year

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