English: The free logo of Microsoft Windows of simple shapes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Posted on 05/13/2015 5:29:58 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Free may be good when it comes to some things but until recently, I always thought free and OS were not synonymous with quality, unless you were talking about the poor variety.
I gave Apple some grief awhile back when it made its operating system, OS X Mavericks free to download and use. Most of my criticism was directed at how we, the consumers, became Apple’s primary software testers. I also spoke harshly with respect to the degrading quality of the system software releases that could be expected, given the fact it was free.
Now Microsoft has come up with a twist to the free OS game with the recent announcement that Windows 10 will be available for free to Windows 7 and 8 users provided they download it within a year’s time of it first being available to do so.
I am intrigued by this offer and will bite on both my ancient HP Compaq desktop smartly running Windows 8.1 and my not nearly as ancient Asus laptop with Windows 7 as long as both adequately meet hardware demands of Windows 10.
I think Microsoft’s free OS ploy is even better than Apple’s was back in the day.
Apple had a mature version of Mountain Lion and it is still available today for $19.99. In order to get a free OS from Apple you had to be sure your Mac had enough beef to handle the increased demands of Mavericks. Plus there were file sharing networking issues with Mavericks (that still exist today) that troubled users and prevented many Mac owners from taking the free upgrade plunge. Apple’s current OS X Yosemite is also plagued with networking and other bugs that while reported by various users to Apple, remain unresolved. Apple to date, has not done a terrific job of addressing reported bugs.
Microsoft has been relying on its beta testers for Windows 10 and so far results have been good. There has also been word that Microsoft won’t be naming the OS released subsequent to Windows 10, Windows 11 or some such other incrementally numbered name. Supposedly, 10 will be the last numbered version of Windows and it’ll just be improved with updates. If it works, and its features satisfy the majority of users, Microsoft would do best to just refine and improve Windows—you don’t need another commercial name or number marking new features.
Yes, we can thank Apple for applying the screws to Microsoft just enough so that it will be releasing Windows 10 for free. What happens after the first year is up is not clear at this time. Since the majority of enterprise users are Windows-centric, it’s possible that discounted versions of Windows 10 will be offered to those businesses still running Windows 7 and 8 after the 1-year deadline to upgrade to Microsoft’s latest and greatest for free has expired.
Apple gave away its operating system and never looked back. It has had quality issues that won’t go away though, ever since. Microsoft will quash bugs on its Windows 10 before, during and after its release. It will also possibly cease with catchy names for its OS, too, much to my and many users’ satisfaction.
On one hand you have the consumer juggernaut that is Apple and on the other, the dominant enterprise stakeholder that is Microsoft. They each rule their respective niches. Only this time, the battle over free and what it means in terms of quality, can be just the thing that the sleeping Redmond giant needs to restore some of its revenue-generating luster.
Who wouldn’t try Microsoft’s version of free, especially since its predecessors that cost money are running on the overwhelming majority of business machines around the world?
That made me laugh out loud.
No way, Jose!
Hoss
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Ping for your attention
Having worked with every version of Windows 10 Technical Preview so far on both my spare Lenovo laptop and my Lumia 1520 Phone, I can tell you that MS is onto something big.
Apple made using iOS easy across phone and iPad. That translated to many phone users buying iPads. Familiarity.
MS is now making your PC, laptop, tablet, phone and Xbox all familiar to the user.
Convergence of hardware and software is coming, regardless. MS is just ahead of Apple and Google on that.
For now.
>>Yes, we can thank Apple for applying the screws to Microsoft just enough so that it will be releasing Windows 10 for free. <<
The leapfrogging. I think it is great Apple, Android and Windows continue to push each other.
Ignorant writer. ALL of the Mac OSes up until System 7.x were “free” until the failed experiment of allowing a few Mac clones. Apple could “give away” the OS , because it sold hardware. Outside of special devices, xbox, nokia phones, surface. MS does not have that advantage. They are playing it smart, however, as ghe big momey is in the Enterprise, and making the terms of Win 10 irresistable will beef up their hold and ultimately reduce support costs.
When 7 is no longer usable (or becomes even less secure), I'll be migrating to Mac.
True, but then you are using Microsoft software and their UIs.
Done with it.
I have a set of Windows 1.0 software that ran on my old Compaq luggable.
I have earned the right to criticize and abandon MS after putting up with their crap for decades.
Too much movement for too little results. On a large screen the things to click for taking action are way too far apart for comfort as far as I can see. . . and way too far disconnection from various elements. Fonts are unreadable for quick scanning and the icons are TOO flat. It appears they are trying and failing again to make windows more Mac OS X like. . . while simultaneously trying to re-capture Windows XP while also retaining some of Windows 7 and 8.
I’ll possibly move to Linux Mint and keep the hardware.
>>I’ll possibly move to Linux Mint and keep the hardware.<<
B (the OS), baby.
“Who wouldn’t try Microsoft’s version of free, especially since its predecessors that cost money are running on the overwhelming majority of business machines around the world?”
Anyone running Windows older than version 7.
Anyone running OS X.
IIRC/AFAIK, the majority of Windows machines can’t run 10.
It must take an awfully lot to impress you. Windows 10 is sort of the best of what’s new, while returning to some of the things that people loved about Windows 7 but that were removed in Windows 8. Plus, it’s got what looks to be a pretty awesome new web browser that is focused on speed and security.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTLRyV7MEMI
Thanks to Swordmaker for yet another ping!!
No way, no how will I touch it. That youtube shows it still has that idiot smartphone look to it as well, just to cement the disgust factor.
Every version of windows is a retool of the previous. Windows 10 has a lot more going on under the hood than most realize.
Is it surprising that MSHT is modeling itself after Apple??
Nice thread you’ve got going here.
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