Windows 10 upgrades even for pirated copies?

joxer said:

I dunno what are they thinking nor what their plans are.

Current facts:
- everyone hates IE and uses another browser (will die in win10, another browser incoming)
- everyone hates WMP (removed from win10, alternative not included)
- winXP still exists
- noone is buying win8 (unless preinstalled on a new PC), HP is selling downgraded to win7 models, companies banned or are banning win 8
- win10 enterprise (for companies) is not free
- win11 is supposed not to exist ever*, but win10 should live as a base with upgrades through updates, similar to old servicepacks or win8.1 upgrade

Count me confused, but also more determined not to jump onto win10 immediately.

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joxer, you are making it sound like they are making a MMO that is a sequel of a previous MM and are going to charge for expansions.

And like all MMOs, after about 5 years the engine is already too old and all the tiny issues at release haven't been fixed and now big issues.

I've just listed what's widely known.
Microsoft for whatever reason doesn't explain nor reveal much. Not sure why - after silly win8 everyone was superexcited with win10 presentations and techdemo.

Miscrosoft however decided to change not just OS but also the business model, without writing in detail how will that model work but instead revealing a confusing sentence or two about it each month.
MMO you say? It looks to me more like phone OS phylosophy.

joxer said:

It looks to me more like phone OS phylosophy.

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What tribalism has to do with that? :lol:

From official win10 blog:
http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/15/genuine-windows-and-windows-10/

When we can’t verify that Windows is properly installed, licensed, and not tampered with, we create a desktop watermark to notify the user. If you ever encounter this watermark on a new machine, I encourage you to return the device immediately to the retailer from whom you purchased it and request a Genuine Windows device.

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While our free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 will not apply to Non-Genuine Windows devices, and as we’ve always done, we will continue to offer Windows 10 to customers running devices in a Non-Genuine state. In addition, in partnership with some of our valued OEM partners, we are planning very attractive Windows 10 upgrade offers for their customers running one of their older devices in a Non-Genuine state.

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Reading this I was like WTF.
This level of ignorance from Microsoft official is unbelievable.

This guy, or if he's just PR then those who provided info, obviously never heard of VGA remover, WAT remover and KVM activator. Those are things that remove that watermark from nongenuine copies. The end user, unless installed and activated windows by themself, cannot know if their copy is genuine or not!

That aside, the previous statement got changed, the upgrade won't be free for pirated windows which is logical and fair. However, pirated windows 10 could still work as "non-genuine" copy.
I read it like this: Microsoft doesn't actually have effective means to stop windows piracy and the only way of preventing it with win10 is to lower OS price - if OS is not superexpensive, instead of messing with pirated copies, everyone will buy it.

That could actually work as discounts, no matter how big, work miracles with game sales on Steam. People are buying games they didn't plan ever to try, all thanks to discounts.

The latest rumor on the release version is end of july:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-10-RTM-to-Be-Ready-on-July-22-Rumor-481137.shtml

joxer, I doubt it's because they are no aware, I'm pretty sure it's because they don't care. They don't make money off Windows sales by selling individual copies. They make money off Windows by selling overpriced packages to companies and governments.

If some random mook has a pirated copy of Windows on is PC, that is one more person who is going to advertise Windows to his workplace. That's how it work.

Even as a free upgrade, i doubt that i will upgrade in the next year. That's a nice gesture, but as long as i'm not sure if my older games will still work on Win 10... I prefer the wait and see approach.

And seriously. Microsoft needs to stop in making a thousand editions of the same product. Just make one edition, hide the pro tools but tell the people that actually know how to use them where they are. Make optional some components (Edge, Media Player, the disc burner and the stuff that has alternatives), let the user to customize his installation as he sees fit. Put an attractive price tag, so even the pirates would consider buying it.

Not gonna happen, but...one can dream.

And so it begins to begin...

Just got a message in Windows 7 for signing up to get Windows 10 for free when it shows up.

My OS is on my SSD and my SSD is pretty full. I don't see anything saying how much more space W10 takes than W7, though, or how much space I'll need while the installation is happening. There's a link that goes to Windows.Com but the link doesn't work yet (seriously MS!?).

Someone opened a new thread about the message yesterday.

I suggest not upgrading immediately although the upgrade is free. New OS versions tend to be buggy (anyone remembers win xp before the first service pack?) and won't hurt if you wait for a few months till most common problems get sorted out with KB patches. And it'll still be free to upgrade.
There are only two reasons to upgrade the very first day:
- you're deluded that new=better (sadly with software it just doesn't always work that way)
- you just have to play dx12 exclusive new Fable game right now

Scratch that. There are no delusions. There is no reason to upgrade at once except some will want to play that new Fable avoidware immediately.

Despite Joxers ominous warning I'll be upgrading day 1.

For me there's no reason not to. I love tinkering with new stuff. Worse case scenario, I hate it. Then I reformat and reinstall win8.1.

No biggie, really.

LOL, ominous. Some would say malicious or something...
IMO when it comes to OS, especially if you buy stuff in online stores, it's better safe than sorry.

I do all my online shopping on my iPad. I do buy some steam games on my PC still but I've started buying them more and more on iPad as well through the steam app.

My main PC is just for gaming and tinkering with software, there's nothing mission critical on it.

It's just an expensive toy to play with.

joxer said:

Someone opened a new thread about the message yesterday.

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Eh? Sorry, didn't see it. I guess it wasn't in the Tech section?

I do have to agree with your ominous-or-something warning. There's really not much reason to be first in line on this one. It's always best to be a few rows back in a charge.