Windows 10

Thanks for that Dino.
I run windows 7 so I'll keep an eye open for it.

THANK the powers that be!  They are putting the start menu back and getting rid of the terrible "metro" that I purposely go out of my way to avoid!  YAY!

Just checked into this, it's supposed to be a free upgrade to current 7 and 8 owners for the first year once released.  I signed up for updates from Microsoft, and I'll let ya's know when I see some updates!

I looked in to this as well. Yes you can upgrade for free but it's only good for a year from the day you install it. What I can't find out is, what happens at the end of that year if you decide you don't like it and don't want to buy it? Does MS uninstall it from your computer?, shut your system down because you are now in possession of pirated software? They aren't addressing that scenario.

dino I am also interested in this I run windows 7 on my laptop it the cost is reasonable it is ok

Here's an article worth reading: http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10 … ed-copies/

My opinion is that Microsoft is heading to a "subscription" Business Model, and like Office 365 you will wind up paying annual fees to continue using and getting support for the operating system (it should be fairly low cost), and by "giving it away" for the first year (even to non-genuine users) you will find that you are locked into the new version and it will be difficult (if not impossible) to revert to your previous version.  By doing so, they get all those that have been "stealing the use" back into a positive revenue stream and make paying customers out of those who were not.

Awhile back I had a failing power supply let the smoke out of the mainboard of my desktop running Windows 7 Pro.  After a new power supply, board, and processor, my "genuine Windows" wouldn't work as it identified itself to Microsoft as invalid.  The activation key was generated using unique identifiers of the hardware when initially activated, and I had exceeded the number of hardware changes that would allow me to do anything except buy another license for the software. With a new version of Windows coming down the pike, it didn't seem prudent to shell out the bucks for an operating system that was on the short list..... so I'll be watching how this shakes out with interest.  The legal beagles up in Redmond are already waffling on how to deal with who should (or shouldn't) get what, and until I'm sure that 10 is a stable and viable improvement that is cost effective, I'll stay with Linux....... Thank You!

planned obsolesance ... genius of the business world. 
same reason you all know that right after the warranty is up, shit - happens !

These guys aren't the wealthiest people in the world for no reason.

Just plan on buying a new version at some point - it's less stressful   - you can't beat them.

Where'd 9 go?

Bill

Ok, here ya go, from MICROSOFT's Blog Dated 1/21/15:

"Today was a monumental day for us on the Windows team because we shared our desire to redefine the relationship we have with you – our customers. We announced that a free upgrade for Windows 10 will be made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 who upgrade in the first year after launch.*

This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device – at no cost. With Windows 10, the experience will evolve and get even better over time. We’ll deliver new features when they’re ready, not waiting for the next major release. We think of Windows as a Service – in fact, one could reasonably think of Windows in the next couple of years as one of the largest Internet services on the planet."

When they say, "as a service" they mean there won't be major SP update packs, it will be more smaller regular updates (free).  As long as you own the OS, you'll be golden.  If you don't upgrade within the first year of it being released, then you'll have to purchase the OS.  So... pretty much, once they release it, you have a year to decide to upgrade or not for free (don't go buying a new computer after that year is up if it doesn't have 10 already installed).  Windows is trying to think like Android.  Users get regular updates to operating systems on their Android device and you never have to pay for the update/upgrade.  It's a "service" provided for free.  This way, the computer manufacturers will be the ones doling out the cash for the operating system, saving us dollars in our pockets.  Of course, Microsoft is still making tons of money.  If having upgraded Windows is cheaper for us, we're more likely to use it, and more "apps" will be added to it making Microsoft more money on the back end that way, the same exact way Android Dev's are making moola. 

Personally, I'm considering backing up everything I have and beta testing it before it's released as a stable version.    I HATE the UI of Win 8 THAT much! Anyhow, you've all got like a year and a few months to figure it out 100% and I'm sure Microsoft will be clarifying everything before that time is up, many times over.  I did see some info where people were taking what they said out of context and insinuating it would be a "paid for service" after the free upgrade, so I understand the concern.  My opinion is that it's not.  I could be wrong, I'll admit there's been one or two times when I was.  LOL! 

I heard that they bypassed 9 so's folks wouldn't get confused and think they'd resurrected Win 95 or some later version of it.

Amy,  I was reading last night (in the wee hours) that the verbage has been changed from "customers" to "consumers"..... and specifically defined a difference between home and enterprise users.  From what I gathered, if you are running "home or home premium" you are golden so far as the free upgrade goes.  For those of us using "pro or enterprise" or are volume licensed (like businesses with many seats on one copy), and I was one of those who purchased like that for all the machines in our group of users (10).  There is something else coming...... and it could be painful (or not).

Most of our hardware has been upgraded (or replaced) over the last couple of years and so almost everyone has migrated to 8.1+.  But I'm an old guy who like many has their roots in a keyboard and mouse venue.  Metro on anything not built for "touch" is cumbersome at best, and although 8.1 and likely 10 will run just fine on much of the older hardware out there that could run XP. The option of NOT having to change the way we navigate around our workspace will be a plus for taking advantage of the upgrade.