Microsoft Offers Pirates Amnesty and Free Windows 10 Upgrades

An anonymous reader writes: Microsoft will make Windows 10 available as a free upgrade even to pirated copies of other Windows operating systems in China. Terry Myerson of Microsoft's operating systems unit made the announcement at the WinHEC technology conference in Shenzhen, China, and then told Reuters, "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10." Microsoft has a history of attempting to tackle massive and rising software piracy rates in Asia and developing countries, and periodically offers low-cost "licence amnesties" to the worst-offending countries, such as Indonesia and Kenya. Update: 03/18 14:59 GMT by S : Microsoft has clarified that the free upgrade will be offered for unlicensed copies of Windows worldwide, not just in China.

Comments

where do I sign up

[MancunianMaskMan]

Have hokey windows97 license which has been used very occasionally for years despite "Genuine Advantage" warnings. Since I just upgraded my computer can I swap that for shiny new windows10? I'm not chinese BTW

Re:where do I sign up

[NotDrWho]

Windows 97? Wow, how did you get ahold of that version.

From a Shanghai street vendor, of course.

Re:where do I sign up

[hcs_$reboot]

Does win 97 in a VirtualBox qualify as well?

so, the key to amnesty...

[tekrat]

Is to be overwhelming.

In the USA, the relatively small number of pirates are treated worse than murderers and rapists, but in China, where piracy accounts for 80% of all desktops, there is amnesty. Go figure.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[AmiMoJo]

Microsoft has done this king of thing before. They used to offer Office at over 90% discount to students. No point trying to charge them money they don't have, they will just pirate. Microsoft found a way to turn them into paying customers, which is better than nothing.

Since Windows 10 has an app market, maybe they will get a few sales too.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[NotDrWho]

The Chinese people are too big to flail.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[CaptainDork]

"Go figure," is actually the correct way to view this.

There's money in it for Microsoft.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[Rob Y.]

No, I think the key to amnesty is for Microsoft to decide that getting an upgrade out everywhere is essential to their business plan. I think the primary purpose of 'Windows 10 upgrades free for everyone' is to get Metro everywhere and jumpstart the WinPhone app store. But I wouldn't be surprised if Windows 10 (and their new 'not IE' version of IE) also forces Bing on you in ways they weren't allowed to in Windows 7 - assuming the clock has run out on the EU's monopoly remedies.

In other words, the Windows 10 upgrade is free (even for pirated copies) because Microsoft wants to be able to use their desktop monopoly to help their other failing properties. Business as usual...

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[thegarbz]

Is to be overwhelming.

That's standard modus operandi.

Embezzle $1m, go to jail.
Embezzle $100m, get fired as CEO, collect massive golden parachute, go work for someone else for more money.
Embezzle $10b, get a taxpayer funded bailout.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[Anonymous Coward]

Opposite effect. After being able to purchase a copy at $30, I can't fathom paying more than that for future versions, so I pirate it for free. Getting me "hooked" just makes me steal it, it doesn't make me pay 10x what I used to pay.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[ColdWetDog]

Why not, everyone else does.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[tlhIngan]

Microsoft has done this king of thing before. They used to offer Office at over 90% discount to students. No point trying to charge them money they don't have, they will just pirate. Microsoft found a way to turn them into paying customers, which is better than nothing.

More than 90%. I think my dad got a copy of Office 2010 for $10 when his company did a massive infrastructure upgrade and upgraded their entire system.

The goal is strictly marketing - if you convince people to use Windows, they'll probably stick with Windows. You may not get much money out of them, but there are long term issues to worry about - namely, platform support. If you want developers to write for your platform, you need to convince them that your platform is worth writing for. If a Chinese user is forced to choose between Windows and Linux, and they start going Linux, it hurts Windows because developers might start writing for Linux instead.

Microsoft had to lose the mobile battle to figure that part out - that it's no longer "if you build it, they will come." You have to convince them to come.

Windows is under constant threat - even Microsoft itself is hurting it through competition (i.e., Xbox) removing a reason to use Windows.

If they can convince people to stick with Windows, they're more likely to stick with Windows and Office in the long run.

Ask Microsoft how much HP pays them for the Windows license on the Stream 7 tablet ($100 tablet)? It's basically zip. Nada. Microsoft is basically giving away Windows licenses to super-cheap tablets to compete with Android. (Not that I mind, I have an iPad, but picked up a Stream 7, basically because it's a full PC for $100. It's no screamer, but for $100, it's pretty neat that you have access to everything on the desktop, including Steam, a bunch of ancient Windows 3.1 apps I use, etc.)

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[wonkey_monkey]

Remind me again which pirate was sentenced to death

Jack Sparrow.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[fahrbot-bot]

And there's back doors in it for the Chinese.

Maybe not just for them. It's nice that Microsoft is willing to let people (and pirates - Arrrg!) upgrade for free, but it makes me wonder why they're so eager for everyone to have Windows 10. What's in it that they want to be ubiquitous and/or available? Backdoors, spyware, etc...? New ways to track people or help the authorities (and various 3-letter agencies) track usage? More A/V controls to appease the RIAA and MPAA?

Ya, I get they want more market share - in something - but it still sounds fishy.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[rahvin112]

They haven't done this kind of thing before. The rumors are this is SaaS in that you can download and install it for free and even use it for a year for free but after a year they hold the whole thing hostage and demand money from you. SaaS in the retail non-business market is just insane, I hope the rumors aren't true but I suspect they are given the success they've had with office365.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[4pins]

It doesn't seem fishy to me at all. I am sure Microsoft is tired of the stories about how their old operating systems are more popular than their current one. Their last two releases (8.0 & 8.1) have flopped. Windows XP is still more popular than both of them combined! A fair amount of this stems from people running old operating systems on old hardware and they hope a free upgrade on the software side will create the appearance of a win.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[theArtificial]

Just looked at the tablet, and on the Microsoft Store the unit is $79. Pretty wild, how's the screen on this?

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[Meneth]

Remind me again which pirate was sentenced to death

Jack Sparrow.

Captain Jack Sparrow.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[Dragonslicer]

The much simpler, less-conspiracy-theory reason would be that it's easier to stop supporting old versions of Windows when users can update to the newest version for free.

Re:so, the key to amnesty...

[Bathroom Humor]

I hope this is true. I was planning on upgrading from Windows7 (hey, at least they aren't trying to make me use the silly smart screen this time) because of gaming and games and also playing on my computer.
If I get a "activate genuine account" message in a year, I'll be right pissed.

Don't take it - its a trap

[Chrisq]

Don't take it - its a trap! They'll have you locked in and in future you'll pay

Re:Don't take it - its a trap

[Simulant]

Pretty much this. This is not a gift horse this is playing catch up. The question now is which surveillance/sales & marketing platform do you trust the most?

Re:Don't take it - its a trap

[Anonymous Coward]

Then you pirate the upgrade. Come on now.

Funded by the NSA?

[Chrisq]

Funded by the NSA? After all we don't want them compiling their own OSs with home grown backdoors instead of American ones

Re:Funded by the NSA?

[darkmeridian]

At any other point in time, I would have laughed at such conspiracy theories. However, there is a good chance that the NSA simply wants to keep its backdoors. Now, there may not be intentionally backdoors in Windows, but certainly, as Stuxnet has revealed, the NSA has a very good understanding of the security flaws in Windows. Why risk losing good intel because of a new operating system that is based on Linux?

Arrrr!

[Black Parrot]

Makes me wish I be a Chinee pirate. Besept I don't need Wind O'Tain, and I don't know how to say 'Arrrr' in Chinees. And I hear tell their ships are all junks.
 

Re:Free is still too expensive

[Gaygirlie]

How about the first bootup bit where you have to link your fucking admin account to a fucking online account?

You don't have to. You can just create a local account.

Second was that abomination of a start screen.

That's only a bother until you install a Start-menu replacement.

Other OSes have been doing this

[hcs_$reboot]

Ubuntu has been doing that since the beginning - free upgrade from any version to any version! Even for the pirated ones!

So why buy it?

[CODiNE]

Since it's been confirmed as worldwide, what's the point in anyone at all paying for it?

I have a genuine copy, but instead of paying the upgrade fee I could pirate the same thing and legally update for free. Heck I'll just use VM clones on my valid copy and keep the original around just in case.

What's the catch? Will they lose future upgrade rights have have to buy a full copy later on?

Re:So why buy it?

[Ksevio]

I think the key is that most people aren't going to upgrade their OS so they're basically lost sales anyways. The few people that build their computer and know how to stick an old Windows on it to get the free upgrade aren't worth the effort. This has pretty much always been the case when "upgrade" versions just required a few Windows files on the disk before they would be able to be installed.

The vast majority buy a computer with the OS already on it and won't buy an upgraded OS for that, so Microsoft is basically just getting everyone used to their latest ecosystem (keeps them from looking at alternatives).

Re:So why buy it?

[luther349]

yep look how long xp stuck around with microsoft begging people to upgrade. they where forced to extend support many times. that far more expensive then just offering those guys a free copy of the latest os.

Re:Free is still too expensive

[spire3661]

To be fair, creating a local account is very discouraged, hidden AND you have no access to the Windows Store. You dont get the full OS without an MS account. Its an ok solution to a shit sandwich.

Re:I want to get paid

[Anonymous Coward]

Mod me troll, but upgrading for free will not do it for me, I want to get paid to upgrade to W10... even than will think about it

Re:Free is still too expensive

[Binestar]

I call shenanigans. You're not going to do anything with a windows 8 machine until you install third party software anyways. What is the issue with installing a third party start menu? If the product is available and does what you want for the price you want (classic shell is free), what's the problem?

Disk IO is better in windows 8 than in 7
Startup times are better

I wouldn't necessarily spend money to upgrade from 7 to 8 on an existing PC, but new PC, I'd just get it with 8.1 to start.

Re:Free is still too expensive

[JohnFen]

AND you have no access to the Windows Store.

That's a benefit, not a drawback.

Re:I want to get paid

[Anne Thwacks]

I do not want this deal - my embroidery software requires XP, and the sewing machine will not work with newer software. There is no way I would replace my old "Made in Switzerland" machine, with a modern "made in Korea" one.

Re:I want to get paid

[theArtificial]

Poke it into a VM. I've got old hardware that doesn't have drivers supported on the host machine, but work fine through the VM. Should you not want to be tied to a particular machine this is an option you may want to look into.