Microsoft giving away windows 10 for free?

[bulletsmith]

I'm running a few of them now. It's entirely possible that I'm a bit past the point of accepting change I've got about 120 users and 6 servers. The idea of switching everybody over is not a pleasant one. It's probably easier to find the next guy to take it over and let him worry about it.

 

[pudly]

I'm running a few of them now. It's entirely possible that I'm a bit past the point of accepting change I've got about 120 users and 6 servers. The idea of switching everybody over is not a pleasant one. It's probably easier to find the next guy to take it over and let him worry about it.

Ah. Supporting an organization is a very different matter. Microsoft will be supporting sites with support plans significantly longer than others (Jan 2020). You still need to work on a migration plan, but you have years to execute it.

 

[WebSnyper]

The other side of it is, subscriptions are all about forecasting known revenue. If you have their subscription, you're going to get the upgrades that come out, so MS will never have a WinXP type issue again and users will be up to date. Companies love to have revenue streams that they can rely on and forecast with. I'm not so sure it's great for consumers, but I can see why companies love it.

It also allows the vendor to be able to "know" that most users will have the latest versions so they can have a good experience consuming other services (in this case, cloud services such as Office 365, etc). I get the aversion to subscriptions, but as you said, there are reasons that they are done.

Ah. Supporting an organization is a very different matter. Microsoft will be supporting sites with support plans significantly longer than others (Jan 2020). You still need to work on a migration plan, but you have years to execute it.

Yep, but the cost of a custom support agreement (after end of extended support phase) is usually pretty prohibitive for small companies, and the only thing you really get for the cost is critical (and depending on the plan you purchase, possibly important) security updates. Bottom line, you don't want to have to buy a custom support agreement.

 

[CTS]

I'm running a few of them now. It's entirely possible that I'm a bit past the point of accepting change I've got about 120 users and 6 servers. The idea of switching everybody over is not a pleasant one. It's probably easier to find the next guy to take it over and let him worry about it.

Whatever subscription model may exist for at least the next several years, traditional OEM, FPP, and VL options will still be available for Windows 10. I know this for a fact as I work for a Microsoft partner and get information directly from the horses mouth. The subscription model push is most definitely going to be on the consumer end of things, they're not going to rock the enterprise boat that easily.

The free installs of 10 are simply a lesson learned from XP, they're designed to break people off of previous versions and push up the adaptation rate of 10. From what I've seen so far it's also going to supplant 7 as the new default office environment OS within a couple of years at most.

 

[wtburnette]

Start experimenting with Linux. It is a mature OS and has free equivalents for most commercial Windows programs. You can download a "Live DVD" image, burn it to a DVD, and boot from it. It should recognize your hardware and boot up. This will allow you to try it without installing to your hard drive. It does run slower from DVD than your hard drive, but you can try out the programs: office, browsers, multimedia players, etc. If you run into any obstacles, you can easily search the web for answers. You have plenty of time to decide if it actually works for you before Win7 support runs out. If you do like it, you can install Linux as a dual boot on your Windows machine to get more experience with a full-speed version. There are a dizzying number of Linux distributions out there, but stick to the more popular ones for your first machine. Ubuntu is a common one. I like Linux Mint (an offshoot of Ubuntu) and you can see that others have mentioned their favorites above.

This is exactly what I did. I had two spare systems about a year ago, just sitting idle. I put Ubuntu on one and Linux Mint on the other, to test and see what I preferred. The Ubuntu box is back to being Windows 7 and the Linux Mint laptop gets used on a daily basis. Very easy to use, similar to Windows and everything works as it should. I recommend Linux Mint, especially to those new to Linux.

 

[WebSnyper]

Whatever subscription model may exist for at least the next several years, traditional OEM, FPP, and VL options will still be available for Windows 10. I know this for a fact as I work for a Microsoft partner and get information directly from the horses mouth. The subscription model push is most definitely going to be on the consumer end of things, they're not going to rock the enterprise boat that easily.

The free installs of 10 are simply a lesson learned from XP, they're designed to break people off of previous versions and push up the adaptation rate of 10. From what I've seen so far it's also going to supplant 7 as the new default office environment OS within a couple of years at most.

Then you also know that Enterprise is not getting the free upgrade. If a company has software assurance rights then they can upgrade when it is released in their VL Service Center without paying for it (as they already have paid for software assurance). Otherwise, not so much as I understand it.

How to Upgrade to Windows 10 - Microsoft

*Windows Offer Details

Yes, free! This upgrade offer is for a full version of Windows 10, not a trial. 3GB download required; standard data rates apply. To take advantage of this free offer, you must upgrade to Windows 10 within one year of availability. Once you upgrade, you have Windows 10 for free on that device.
Our lawyers made us say this:
Windows 10 Upgrade Offer is valid for qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices, including devices you already own. Some hardware/software requirements apply and feature availability may vary by device and market. The availability of Windows 10 upgrade for Windows Phone 8.1 devices may vary by OEM, mobile operator or carrier. Devices must be connected to the internet and have Windows Update enabled. 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 offerings outside of this offer. To check for compatibility and other important installation information, visit your device manufacturer’s website and the Windows 10 Specifications page. Additional requirements may apply over time for updates. Security and features are kept automatically up-to-date which is always enabled.
​

 

[EricG]

If its as bad as W8, they should.
Im really getting tired of Windows and is seriously considering going Apple.

However, everytime I look to buy one, I get sticker shock and think to myself "Think of how much ammo you can buy with $1800"

 

[CathyInBlue]

Or, you can buy your own Intel platform PC and a copy of OS X to install on it.

 

[CTS]

Then you also know that Enterprise is not getting the free upgrade. If a company has software assurance rights then they can upgrade when it is released in their VL Service Center without paying for it (as they already have paid for software assurance). Otherwise, not so much as I understand it.

Right, but widespread consumer adoption is always the precursor to enterprise adoption with regard to Windows operating systems.

 

[mrjarrell]

If its as bad as W8, they should.
Im really getting tired of Windows and is seriously considering going Apple.

However, everytime I look to buy one, I get sticker shock and think to myself "Think of how much ammo you can buy with $1800"

The iMac I am currently on is a late 2006 model. Cost me about 1499, at the time. It's still going strong and doing everything it has always done. It doesn't run the latest OS, but the one it does run is just fine for all the uses I put it to. The PC I had in the same period as this iMac is long dead and recycled. For the money a Mac is a better investment. You can get Macs as low as $499 (Mac Mini) and get a separate screen for them and they'll work great for you. Lots of folks have made the switch. I've had both over the years and I definitely prefer the Mac. Windows just isn't worth the trouble.

 

[CTS]

The iMac I am currently on is a late 2006 model. Cost me about 1499, at the time. It's still going strong and doing everything it has always done. It doesn't run the latest OS, but the one it does run is just fine for all the uses I put it to. The PC I had in the same period as this iMac is long dead and recycled. For the money a Mac is a better investment. You can get Macs as low as $499 (Mac Mini) and get a separate screen for them and they'll work great for you. Lots of folks have made the switch. I've had both over the years and I definitely prefer the Mac. Windows just isn't worth the trouble.

Macs are certainly great machines, there's not much in debating that. However 9 years ago 512MB to 1GB of Ram was the standard, your average hard drive wouldn't fit a more than a few full HD videos and could barely play HD content even if you could store it. The idea that you should expect to get a decade of computer use to justify a $1500 investment is pretty silly. There are high quality Windows laptops out there for 1/2 of the cost of a Macbook that out spec them in every way. Again, they're certainly great well designed products, but their value is subjective and highly dependent on your intended purpose.

 

[mrjarrell]

Macs are certainly great machines, there's not much in debating that. However 9 years ago 512MB to 1GB of Ram was the standard, your average hard drive wouldn't fit a more than a few full HD videos and could barely play HD content even if you could store it. The idea that you should expect to get a decade of computer use to justify a $1500 investment is pretty silly. There are high quality Windows laptops out there for 1/2 of the cost of a Macbook that out spec them in every way. Again, they're certainly great well designed products, but their value is subjective and highly dependent on your intended purpose.

Nothing silly about it at all. You wouldn't buy a car using that logic, why should it apply to a computer? My iMac has 4GB RAM, (added by moi) and a 4 TB external HD as backup. Its 400GB internal HD isn't even full yet. Those specs match up with many modern PC laptops (where 2 GB RAM and 500GB HD are the average, as I've seen since my daughter wants a laptop and I've been looking). I've watched many a HD movie on it, (really enjoyed the Powers series). Buy once, cry once. I've never gotten less than 8 years out of any Mac I've ever bought, (going back many years). I've never gotten more than 3 out of any Windows machine I've had without having to have major upgrades or just recycle it. Folks are more than welcome to buy the equivalent of Hi Points but I like my Beretta of a computer. Never disappoints.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

 

[mrjarrell]

Umm...you do know you don't have to buy RAM at inflated manufacturer prices?

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Umm...you do know you don't have to buy RAM at inflated Apple prices?

Fixed. No computer manufacturer inflates more than Apple.

I think the Apple vs PC hardware debate belongs in the religion threads, though.

 

[jamil]

I am a Mac user and very much prefer OS X (even Yosemete) over any Windows OS. But I'd be reluctant to buy a current gen MBP. I do not like that the new MBPs aren't "serviceable" by end users. If you want to upgrade ram yourself, you must buy a tool to open it up. Of coures you void the warranty after you do that.

The best of both worlds would be if I could run OS X on any Intel based hardware.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

The best of both worlds would be if I could run OS X on any Intel based hardware.

There are people that can help.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

In other news, the new Mac OS is called "OX X El Capitan"

 

[jamil]

I'm aware of hackintosh. Not really interested in that.

 

[Caleb]

I like the 27" apple, but the price is what pushes me away...if I don't go with win 10, it'd be ubuntu