www pcworld com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html Kicking off the consumer-focused Windows 10 event in Redmond on Tuesday, January 21, Microsoft operating system chief Terry Myerson announced that current users of Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 will be able to upgrade to the new operating system for free as long as they do so within one year of Windows 10's launch—even if your version of Windows is pirated. Once you’ve claimed the upgrade, it's permanent, and Microsoft will keep you updated for the supported lifetime of the device. So all you need to do is install Windows 10 within one year and it'll be free even if you have a pirated version? Seems too good to be true. I dont think this writer has his facts correct. I read somewhere that the activation is only for one year.
There was a subsequent press release that pirated copies won't qualify... that IMHO was mere smoke cloud - if Win7 OEM can be upgraded even bios mods qualify.
If a non-Genuine copy takes the upgrade, it will remain non-Genuine. However, I suspect they won't do any WGA validation as that was removed in Windows 8.
Im thinking no vista, 7 is probably the path where things start. Who knows for sure until MS kicks this all in gear. Until then its all speculation. MS are good at changing their minds on things as well.
Volume license customer here, with System Assurance contract. Though I'm beginning to rethink that, what with the upgrade being "free" and all.
Not free for SA, but as all our desktops were preinstalled with Windows 7, they should be eligible for free Windows 10 (same edition). We mainly have SA for the reimaging rights and for the few who need Enterprise instead of Pro.
Whatever happened to the rumor that Window 10 would turn into "Windows 365"? In this situation you would have to subscribe to keep your "free" Windows connected to the rest of the services (onedrive, outlook,...)
a 365 windoze probably will amuse us sometimes later but currently folks in Redmond are busy with W10 and all of its derivate
I think it will just be available alongside the option of buying it outright, just like with Office. I'm cool with Windows 365, as long as it doesn't cripple any options to buy it outright. Remember the Office 2010 family pack that you could use on 3 computers? Well, the only way you can get it now is by buying Office 365. I really hope that MS doesn't turn every Windows licence that you only pay once for into OEM licences and locking them to a single system. And what about System Builder and OEM licences? It would be stupid if OEMs forced us into buying Windows 365 by installing a one month trial of it on a PC. And I doubt that the free upgrade will be a year of Windows 365 MS said that they will support the device until the end of its lifetime.