bad news, the post has been edited, we won't get it for free. backtracking again View attachment 36382
Many of you are over analyzing Gabe's comments. He clearly states that if you are part of the insider program and remain logged in to the registered MSA account you can upgrade to the RTM and remain activated. If you want to opt out of the insider program or use a local account then you will be deactivated. I also believe the insiders can have multiple computers activated using 1 MSA account that you registered with. You don't need to create multiple MSA accounts, why would MS want people opening shadow MSA accounts, doesn't make sense. The price to pay for a free copy of Win10 is to be a continuing windows insider. If you don't want to be subject to the constant build updates then you need to either upgrade from a valid Win7, 8 or 8.1 or buy a Win10 license. Pretty simple.
But that's silly. Effectively saying that if you clean install the TP build right now but have a 7/8.1 license originally, you lose your free license unless you have to clean install 7/8.1 again then use GWX to upgrade. Unless now they are saying unactivated 10 RTM will take 7 or 8/8.1 keys.
I agree with that, an Insider is just a beta tester of the OS. Maybe it's time-bombed and you're forced to install a newer build at some point. I mean, that's how the Insider program worked from the beginning. It didn't require a genuine 7/8.1 license in place, you could download the preview and install it just like that after registration. Now what's changed is that Insiders are required to use an MS account logging into Windows.
I agree there is a lot of unanswered questions. The way I see it and I can be totally wrong. A clean install of Win10 TP will get a free activated Win10 RTM as long as you stay as an insider and install any new builds that are passed along. Think about this, why would MS have all these insiders on RTM and not be activated. My question is will there be a watermark on the desktop if you remain an insider after RTM. Say after the RTM, MS releases a new build 2 months later, will there be a watermark showing the new build #. Other questions, if I want to opt out of the insider program and become deactivated can I use a valid Win7 or 8.1 key to activate my already installed Win10. Why can't MS be upfront with these simple questions we all have.
Oh no no, I'm just playing devil's advocate here and laying out all the possible scenarios. After all this is a discussion forum, right?
Almost sounds like boardroom battles with the old Microsoft beancounters and new Microsoft guys, that might explain all the flip-flopping.
He edited his post and removed the words "and remain activated". So it seems that, if you're an insider, you will get the update to the RTM but you will NOT stay activated.
You can't activate Windows 10 with a W7/W8 key so there is no way to actually activate if it wouldn't keep being activated. This is the full quote and read carefully, i bolded the most important part and this has not changed in the new statement. It's vague on purpose. Windows Insiders running the Windows 10 Insider Preview (Home and Pro editions) with their registered MSA connected to their PC will receive the final release build of Windows 10 starting on July 29th. This will come as just another flight. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Windows Insiders about how this will work if they clean installed from ISO. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build. Once you have successfully installed this build, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh. It’s important to note that only people running Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 can upgrade to Windows 10 as part of the free upgrade offer. Note the Bold part, read carefully, look very close! Now look at the Italic part. Now look back at the Bold Underline part, can you find the disparity?
So can people run Windows 10 with vmware or virtualbox and sign up for the Insider? Can you get Windows 10 free doing that way or you have to physically install it on your machine? Does anyone know?
the way I understand. with the insider program. you get builds that are released on the build flight. so yes you would get the rtm version. but I think it will have an expire date just like any other builds they released in the past. in which you would have to upgrade to the newest insider build they release to avoid having your windows 10 becoming deactivated. sure you can get insider versions free. but will have to keep upgrading to the newest builds to keep getting it free. the part about windows 7 and windows 8.1 means that if your want permanent activation for the time of the device. you have to get the free upgrade offer before July 2016 windows insider version are not activated for the life time of the device but rather the build expire date.
maybe.. you need to be permanent insider to maintain the activated status like the original blog post