Microsoft details upcoming Windows 10 editions

[TheAnimus]

I think we've reached an interesting crossroads in the internet.

I live in a small block of flats. I've neighbours. I expect the lady above me to ensure her plumbing isn't leaking onto me (apparently, this has proven twice to be too much to ask). It's about a shared environment. In our case, it's easy to fine her for breach of leasehold, but on the internet that's not always possible.

People using insecure software, shunning updates on the public networks are bad to the environment. Just like we ask someone to not leak.

[excalibur2]

I know I'm wasting my time, but I did provide a link that explains how the new Update system will work. If you aren't willing to read it, and let it put into proper context on what 'for a time' might mean, then by all means, don't upgrade. But seriously, educate yourself first. Because even if MS ever considered putting out such a blocker, in violation of so many EU regulations that Brussels would go into meltdown, that still doesn't negate your ability to simply disconnect from the net.

I understand Saracen's privacy concerns. But paranoia based on nothing but imaginary things never posted on the net by anyone that actually knows better is just silly.

All threads about win 10 (and including threads about future Intel CPU's etc) are mostly speculation and I'd rather read about what you can or can't do when Win 10 is officially out...for me it does seem giving Win 10 away free for the first year as suspicious and can only speculate why MS would do this, and what is their future aim? If you have inside knowledge then let us hear it.

[Splash]

I don't think that GuidoLS has any kind of insider knowledge, just that they're taking an actice part in the (publicly available) Insider program which gives them access to the preview builds. They're also *actually reading* the release notes and official commentary rather than just rumours at the watercooler.

It makes a refreshing change: normally a new release of Windows leaves me facepalming at the amount of FUD doing the rounds. It's nice to see some (what is to me, at the very least) unbiased, sensible commentary.

[excalibur2]

I don't think that GuidoLS has any kind of insider knowledge, just that they're taking an actice part in the (publicly available) Insider program which gives them access to the preview builds. They're also *actually reading* the release notes and official commentary rather than just rumours at the watercooler.

It makes a refreshing change: normally a new release of Windows leaves me facepalming at the amount of FUD doing the rounds. It's nice to see some (what is to me, at the very least) unbiased, sensible commentary.

Well yes, but always remember any business have the same aim and is to make money....how they do it is another argument\debate.

[Splash]

Well yes, but always remember any business have the same aim and is to make money....how they do it is another argument\debate.

I've not seen any mention of the monetisation model in this thread.

[GuidoLS]

All threads about win 10 (and including threads about future Intel CPU's etc) are mostly speculation and I'd rather read about what you can or can't do when Win 10 is officially out...for me it does seem giving Win 10 away free for the first year as suspicious and can only speculate why MS would do this, and what is their future aim? If you have inside knowledge then let us hear it.

Am I an insider? No. I am not an insider. Was I an insider? At one point, yes. Do I still know people who are 'insiders'? Do I know some of the people that are writing these 'blogs' and releases? Yes, I do. Do they give me the inside scoop? No, not really - Microsoft NDA's, especially for those on the payroll, are a real bitch, up to and including criminal prosecution. But I do have enough direct knowledge of how these things actually work to be able to speak intelligently on the topic, even if I'm not involved this time around.

As for their future aim, that's common sense. They want everyone on the same page, so they can stop supporting multiple operating systems that, while they share similarities, are all fundamentally different. There are still major banking firms that use embedded versions of XP on their ATM's, and several MAJOR medical centers that are still running on systems powered by Windows 98. There is NO money in supporting those, even if the general public thinks that the corporations involved are paying through the nose. Newsflash - $10,000 a year does not even cover the cost of toilet paper for a fortune 500 company for a month.

Why the giveaway? Again, the same thing. What's more cost effective - writing code for one OS, or 4? What's more effective? 1 team working on 1 mainstream product, or 4 teams working on 3 obsolete and 1 mainstream products plus a micro-team working on an embedded system that's over 20 years old? Microsoft isn't going to lose a thing by giving away the upgrade. They're already making money from the OEM's putting it on the mass market machine (Dell, Lenovo, etc). They're making money by licensing to companies making IoT products. They're making contracts hand over fist on the Enterprise side of things with multiple government agencies around the world, which translates into more zeros and commas than most families have made across their trees going back through the beginning of time. And after a year, they will be making retail dollars from builders, who are essentially the ones getting the 'free' upgrade, and, despite the vanity in the community, is the smallest source of revenue, period. Close to orders of magnitude smaller.

Yes, there's speculation. I cannot say absolutely that this will happen or that will happen. But I'd be willing to bet money on some things, if I didn't think that I'd get busted for insider trading. I wouldn't be, but the headache involved makes it an unreasonable endeavor. As for being able to read about what's going to happen, I've been consistently posting links to genuine Microsoft insiders, telling you how some things are going to work. Unless you go to work for MS, you aren't going to get any better before release. Not that anyone should believe, at any rate.

But some of what's being added to the conversation, such as subscriptions (which have never been mentioned by anyone at MS) isn't even speculation. It's FUD - the same crap that rolls around every time MS releases a new OS. And that's why I'm posting my impressions, as well as reliable information based on both my past experience and things that are actually being posted by people that are making the OS. And I've yet to type a single thing that anyone willing to download and install the preview couldn't, if they chose, refute or verify. Otherwise, it's like saying a movie sucks because Rotten Tomatoes *MIGHT* say so.

[excalibur2]

I've not seen any mention of the monetisation model in this thread.

LOL OK I should have used the word "profit" ..but thumbs up for Bill Gates as he does donate some of his vast wealth to charity.

[excalibur2]

Am I an insider? No. I am not an insider. Was I an insider? At one point, yes. Do I still know people who are 'insiders'? Do I know some of the people that are writing these 'blogs' and releases? Yes, I do. Do they give me the inside scoop? No, not really - Microsoft NDA's, especially for those on the payroll, are a real bitch, up to and including criminal prosecution. But I do have enough direct knowledge of how these things actually work to be able to speak intelligently on the topic, even if I'm not involved this time around.

As for their future aim, that's common sense. They want everyone on the same page, so they can stop supporting multiple operating systems that, while they share similarities, are all fundamentally different. There are still major banking firms that use embedded versions of XP on their ATM's, and several MAJOR medical centers that are still running on systems powered by Windows 98. There is NO money in supporting those, even if the general public thinks that the corporations involved are paying through the nose. Newsflash - $10,000 a year does not even cover the cost of toilet paper for a fortune 500 company for a month.

Why the giveaway? Again, the same thing. What's more cost effective - writing code for one OS, or 4? What's more effective? 1 team working on 1 mainstream product, or 4 teams working on 3 obsolete and 1 mainstream products plus a micro-team working on an embedded system that's over 20 years old? Microsoft isn't going to lose a thing by giving away the upgrade. They're already making money from the OEM's putting it on the mass market machine (Dell, Lenovo, etc). They're making money by licensing to companies making IoT products. They're making contracts hand over fist on the Enterprise side of things with multiple government agencies around the world, which translates into more zeros and commas than most families have made across their trees going back through the beginning of time. And after a year, they will be making retail dollars from builders, who are essentially the ones getting the 'free' upgrade, and, despite the vanity in the community, is the smallest source of revenue, period. Close to orders of magnitude smaller.

Yes, there's speculation. I cannot say absolutely that this will happen or that will happen. But I'd be willing to bet money on some things, if I didn't think that I'd get busted for insider trading. I wouldn't be, but the headache involved makes it an unreasonable endeavor. As for being able to read about what's going to happen, I've been consistently posting links to genuine Microsoft insiders, telling you how some things are going to work. Unless you go to work for MS, you aren't going to get any better before release. Not that anyone should believe, at any rate.

But some of what's being added to the conversation, such as subscriptions (which have never been mentioned by anyone at MS) isn't even speculation. It's FUD - the same crap that rolls around every time MS releases a new OS. And that's why I'm posting my impressions, as well as reliable information based on both my past experience and things that are actually being posted by people that are making the OS. And I've yet to type a single thing that anyone willing to download and install the preview couldn't, if they chose, refute or verify. Otherwise, it's like saying a movie sucks because Rotten Tomatoes *MIGHT* say so.

Thanks for your interesting and informative post....so in your opinion why didn't they give win 7 or win 8 free? So it's understandable why some members (well could be just me) can be suspicious of free win 10.

[Splash]

LOL OK I should have used the word "profit" ..but thumbs up for Bill Gates as he does donate some of his vast wealth to charity.

You know that Bill Gates hasn't been in charge of Microsoft for some time now, right?

[Splash]

Thanks for your interesting and informative post....so in your opinion why didn't they give win 7 or win 8 free? So it's understandable why some members (well could be just me) can be suspicious of free win 10.

You've every right to be suspicious, so long as you're suspicious of companies releasing other operating systems for free. What do you think about SteamOS?


It's a commercial decision: the money is no longer (and in all honesty hasn't been for a long time: Microsoft's key money maker was Office for quite some time) in the OS. The world has changed, and Microsoft is trying it's best not to be the next IBM.

[excalibur2]

You know that Bill Gates hasn't been in charge of Microsoft for some time now, right?

Didn't know that but understandable as MS is so large...looking on the net and "Gates continues to serve on Microsoft’s Board of Directors and as an advisor on key development projects".

[excalibur2]

. What do you think about SteamOS?

First I've heard of it but MS OS are so versatile and wouldn't think I'd change.

[Splash]

Didn't know that but understandable as MS is so large...looking on the net and "Gates continues to serve on Microsoft’s Board of Directors and as an advisor on key development projects".

out of date source, I think

Gates's last full-time day at Microsoft was June 27, 2008. He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014, taking on a new post as technology advisor to support newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella.

[Splash]

First I've heard of it but MS OS are so versatile and wouldn't think I'd change.

In which case I'd suggest that you explore other free OSen. They (Valve, in this case) release a free OS which they use to get people to buy games off their platform. It doesn't take a genius to compare the Steam store to the Microsoft App Store, yet one is seemingly a great idea whereas the other isn't in the eyes of the intarwebs.

[excalibur2]

In which case I'd suggest that you explore other free OSen. They (Valve, in this case) release a free OS which they use to get people to buy games off their platform. It doesn't take a genius to compare the Steam store to the Microsoft App Store, yet one is seemingly a great idea whereas the other isn't in the eyes of the intarwebs.

Well if anyone can get free win 10 without any strings attached or subscriptions and so on, why would they use another OS.......................................................................

[GuidoLS]

Thanks for your interesting and informative post....so in your opinion why didn't they give win 7 or win 8 free? So it's understandable why some members (well could be just me) can be suspicious of free win 10.

That's like asking why, in castings of Peter Pan, 9 times out of 10, a female is cast in the role of Peter. Or asking why cars didn't have seatbelts required until the 80's, after they'd already been on the road for 100 years. Or getting a reasonable answer as to why people think that Downton Abbey is all that great... You'll have to ask someone with a higher pay grade than me.

But ultimately, I'm not on the board. I don't know. I don't care. I'm getting multiple copies of the latest version for free. I have stated before that, based on my experience with the preview, I would be willing to pay a retail price to upgrade. I've also said, in those few cases where I bothered adding anything to the silliness involving subscriptions that I'd drop Windows in a hot second if they ever went subscription on the consumer side of things.

And no, someone offering me a free OS is not all that suspicious. Maybe someone offering me keys to a car, but not a piece of software.

And that you're claiming to have no knowledge of SteamOS puts me in a position where I will just bow out of this part of the conversation, because one of us isn't even bothering to try to keep a straight face.