Would it have killed you to add Enterprise in the title? Enterprise is always more expensive. It doesn't get any free upgrades, and I don't think there are any PAID upgrades either. (not sure tho) Clickbait. In other news: It's not forbidden to drink beer. For now.
pffffttt ... Linux, Windows XP, Mac, Windows 7, Office 97, 2000, 2002, 2003, LibreOffice and so forth and so on Reductio ad absurdum. If Microsoft decides to start charging an annual fee for their OS (and they already are for latest Office) we'll just turn it off. Our sole need for Windows is a single embroidery program (Floriani) and it needs no internet connection of any kind to run properly. I've downloaded updates and upgrades with both OS X and Linux and CDs are available free from our supplier. Of course they might start charging for that but then that's a business expense. We just don't need Microsoft any more. There was a time I thought I actually needed Microsoft, but then I grew up and saw other paths. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them and you have to deal with that in your own way ... or not.
Note: This is for new Windows 10 users, not for current Windows 10 users that took advantage of the free upgrade
But every user can install it on 5 devices, just like Office 365. And, as had been said already: enterprise subscriptions have existed for years (Software Assurance).
If this hits the consumer level... I guess Windows 7 for life.... No way would I be willing to pay a monthly charge for Windows. About the ONLY way, would be if they gave me a brand new top of the line gaming machine and replaced it ever 6-8 months with newer hardware..Then sure, I'll pay $7 a month
This time next year I promise it will be at the consumer level. You will pay and do nothing. MS owns you. From day 1 MS never hid the fact Windows 10 is and always will be a service. This free year of an upgrade was for open beta testing and it worked. Now that they got the kinks worked out and all the telemetry. Its come time to charge. The storm is coming. All you die hard 7 and 8 users can keep trying to hang on. But, MS will gimp it more and more making it unbearable to use eventually. It will be by design and on purpose. This is what happens when no one else challenges MS with a new and even better OS. Apple don't count either. The only one that could do it and come close is Google. Yes Google. They are capable but for some odd reason. They do nothing to capitalize.
I was just looking at the name of this thread. It is essentially false. An Enterprise user subscribes to use Microsoft's, I repeat Microsoft's Operating System. You can use your hardware at no cost. You can write your very own operating system. You can use one of the many Linux operating systems, you can become a Windows Insider, or you can apply one of the many easy-to-use activating hacks. What you do with your own hardware is your business. You could even sell it, and use the money to buy a prostitute, or a bag of weed. It is all up to you.
Even if they start offering a Windows-Sub. for Consumers @7,-/month, where is the big deal ? I have a Office-365-Sub. and I'm / we are happy with it. It's better than having to fork-out a few hundred bucks at once.
@dhjohns: You're right. But when it's said like the OP said it, it sounds malicious and underhanded. A simile to explain what I mean: Women use beauty products, especially skin cream (Men use skin cream as well). And skin cream has urea in it.With that said, this thread is approximately the same as saying. "If you use skin cream, you're basically rubbing piss all over your face and body" Yeah. We know. But we'll do it anyway because we want soft skin. It is what it is.