Posted on 06/01/2015 12:09:57 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Microsoft has a grand plan to get its next operating system, Windows 10, running on 1 billion devices in three years -- by giving it away for free. Well, sort of.
The software, which Microsoft announced Monday will begin rolling out July 29, is a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PC and tablet users. For computers, those two versions power 74.1 percent of all PCs, according to NetMarketShare.
For everyone else, it's the same pricing as Windows 8, the company confirmed to CNET on Monday. A copy of Windows 10 Home will run $119, while Windows 10 Pro will cost $199. For those who wish to upgrade from the Home edition to the Pro edition, a Windows 10 Pro Pack will cost $99.
Microsoft may have given the impression it was making a critical pricing change to its flagship operating system when it announced in January that, like competitor Apple, it would offer an upgrade free of charge. However, the company has been transparent from the beginning that the upgrade is only eligible for one year, until July 29, 2016, and has said at various points in the past few months that pricing for single licenses would stay on par with previous releases. Now, there is the possibility that future versions of Windows may follow this same path, meaning Microsoft may never go fully free with its OS.
Microsoft says copies of the software will be available online and in stores. Retailer Newegg, which appeared to have leaked pricing and release date information this past weekend, still has pages for Windows 10 Home and Pro live on its website, although its pricing says $110 for Home and $150 for Pro and is not updated to reflect Microsoft's confirmed pricing.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnet.com ...
SOURCE:
http://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-reserve-your-free-copy-of-windows-10/
How can you now reserve your free copy of Windows 10?
First, you must be running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1, and you must have installed a March the Windows update dubbed KB3035583, according to blog site VentureBeat. That update will already be on your PC as long as you have Automated Updates enabled.
Peek at your Windows system tray in the lower right corner, and you should see a new icon displaying the Windows logo. Hover over it, and the popup messages says: “Get Windows 10.”
Click that icon, and up pops a window that explains how the free upgrade works. Once it’s available, Windows 10 will automatically download onto your PC. You’ll receive a notification after the download is complete so that you can choose an appropriate time to install it.
You can scroll through the various screens of the Get Windows 10 window to read more about the new OS.
When you’re done, simply click the button to reserve your free upgrade.
The reservation screen asks for your email address so you can receive the notification. Enter your email address and click the Send confirmation button. You can now close the Get Windows 10 window.
Should you change your mind and wish to cancel the reservation, just click the Get Windows 10 icon again.
Click the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner to display the menu and click the link for View confirmation.
Then click the link to Cancel reservation and click the button for Cancel reservation to confirm your choice.
this link came across the wires this morning:
http://gizmodo.com/why-yes-that-creepy-icon-is-your-free-copy-of-window-1708121347
which led to:
http://gizmodo.com/windows-10-is-a-free-upgrade-for-the-first-year-1680771504
my understanding is that msft wants to get everyone on the same windows... as this will be the last windows. from this point on, it’ll be a service (home users will be on win10 where corp users will be on whatever the latest thing the services provide)
Thanks. For later.
Just signed up for my free upgrade...
Seems like I read that the ‘free’ upgrade would expire in about 1 year. At that time, all who upgraded would have to purchase in order to continue using Win10.
==
In related, what all does Win10 break: printer drivers, scanner drivers, software, etc?
I already know that IE 10 and later ‘breaks’ the old tabbed browser I use for FR. But, I have read that IE will no longer be the Windows main browser.
I also read that Windows Media Center will be gone. Of course I have some video related software that depends on WMC. I assume the upgrade will kill them.
What else do you get? Well I’m glad you asked – here’s a quick look at the highlights:
Microsoft Edge: The successor to Internet Explorer, designed around minimalism and collaboration tools, plus with Cortana integration.
Word, Excel and PowerPoint built in.
Xbox Live and Xbox app for doing things like recording gameplay, interacting with your Xbox friends and also streaming Xbox games to the desktop.
Windows Continuum, which lets you smoothly jump between multiple Windows 10 devices, and which lets you use your phones like a PC with external input accessories.
Windows Hello, a new login method that uses face, iris or fingerprint recognition to log you in without a password, depending on hardware support.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/01/windows-10-is-available-july-29/#.wjmr6d:jBfW
ROTFL I'm not letting it near any of my computers.
As opposed to Linux, which has been a free install and free upgrades, for over 20 years.
I'm a bit confused since this morning an icon appeared on the lower right of my screen, and if I put my cursor over it it says "Get Windows 10".
I'm nowhere near ready to embark on a major upgrade right now.
For those of us who see no real reason to upgrade, can we expect Microsoft to suddenly decide that they are not going to service/update or protect Windows 7 anymore?
I am not a fan as I liked Windows XP pro much better then 7 and 8 plus 8.1 sucks. The Gov was using XP for TS sites. That was up until a few years back.
Just did it. Thanks!
bump for later
This is a smart move by Microsoft as when the venerable Windows XP was retired millions of users (including me)did not rush out and buy the upgrade. Too bad Microsoft is soon to retire Windows 7 as I find it the best Windows platform yet.
They best get to work on a truly compelling reason to buy or install it, other than to rescue the poor Win 8 victims from their misery.
Windows 8 people could have updated to 8.1 long ago.
8.1 is just fine.
I don’t see anything about Outlook???
Limping along with Windows 8.1 with a shell application.
I trust no one.
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