I paid full retail price for Windows 8 Pro when it shipped and I don't regret it. Windows 8/8.1 has served me really well. I see this as good news for everybody.
So they want to check whether an OEM activated copy of W7 is pirated or no? They couldn't do it before? How its gonna work, then? Unless they assume that pirates who dowloaded some crapware cracks and that kind of stuff will also want to upgrade...
If there is not a distinction between a pirated version and a legally activated version, then there is not a license check. Plus, I've read that unactivated copies will get a free upgrade too.
It's an amnesty, for sure. But do they really expect that pirates will surrender and declare themselves guilty?
They could do it before and still can do it today. Most pirated crap out on the internet today can and will get shut down. BUT They could not get by The BOSS Man Daz and his loader. Daz has brought M$ to their Knee's. Millions of people are using it. And M$ knows that in order to win them over and get Win7 to die, (Win8 was dead from the get go. Sorry Win8 lovers!) they have to do something drastic. Will Win10 win over the masses? Will M$ give it away free? Only time will tell
Thats exactly what I wanted to say- W7 OEM is the one that everyone uses, and its very hard or nearly impossible to tell if it was "World's first legal copy" or no. Maybe they'll restrict W10 for GUID partition types only? I have no idea, but I don't think it would be like a giant giveaway...
makes sense to me, this could be the only reason but what if pirates get back to windows 7 with Daz loader after an year?
People will run Win 7 for many years to come, everyone knows this. However, I think giving away 10 to many of them, which we must all understand has much to do with gaming. If they can make DirectX 12 games amazing, with a massive performance upgrade, and do it all for free. What they accomplish is putting the Microsoft Store into most peoples homes. I suspect with a move like this hundreds of millions of people will start using the Microsoft store for their go to apps of choice. The larger the audience the more and more developers will come on board. And if you can buy and install say Call of Duty 6 or 7 directly from the Microsoft Store, this is a convenience many will welcome. I suspect someday, just like on Android, we will be getting most of our Windows software/apps directly from the Windows Store. Surely Microsoft isn't trying to wipe the slate clean with piraters, they are simply reducing the threat and the costs associated with such threat, and at the same time getting a Store front in many more homes and in front of many more users and at the same time vastly reducing the need for guys/gals like Daz. I think this is a brilliant move by Microsoft. Makes me think my ten Technet copies of 7 will also get upgraded for free. Id LOVE to see that happen. lol
What I mean is, will it be possible to use just key from Windows 7 to activate Windows 10 in legal way. You know, lazy a bit to do clean install and then update.
funny thing about win7. Ive got a license for every single copy ever used (and more licenses than I will ever use). Loader made things far to difficult for MS, Win10 will have to go free for a while, if they plan to raise the share that will use it.
It's free for everyone and the cool thing is that you don't need an activated Windows to upgrade it to W10. Ed Bott from ZDNet has already confirmed this. Apparently there's no catch from MS, but only time will tell.
I know I'll be reading the Terms and conditions with scrutiny before clicking that accept button on that "free" upgrade!
I really can't imagine that MS will give W10 just for free. Somewhere, there will be a catch. Otherwise... How do they pay the guys working on W10? Just with the licenses for Business W10? Can't believe it. I assume it will become like Office365, a pay per month. If they achieve, after 1-2years, that no (new) device is supporting W8 or W7, then going back to pirated W7/8 versions is not an option, because your stuff will not work.