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Windows 10 Now Runs On 300M Active Devices; Upgrade To Cost $119 After July 29
On Thursday (May 5), Microsoft announced that Windows 10 is now running on 300 million active devices, up from 270 million monthly active devices as of March 30. The feat comes nine months after Microsoft released Windows 10, the latest version of its desktop operating system, after offering it for months to developers. The company also announced today that Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 (as well as Windows 8) users with a valid license wouldn't be eligible for the free upgrade starting July 29. After July 29th, Microsoft says, users will be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119.
Windows 10 offers a range of interesting features including virtual digital assistant Cortana. While these features and a substantial boost to performance and speeds could be a big reason for the fast adoption of Windows 10, it's also no secret that Microsoft continues to push Windows 10 update to computers ... sometimes even when users don't want that.
Windows 10 offers a range of interesting features including virtual digital assistant Cortana. While these features and a substantial boost to performance and speeds could be a big reason for the fast adoption of Windows 10, it's also no secret that Microsoft continues to push Windows 10 update to computers ... sometimes even when users don't want that.
After the 29 will the simi forced updates come with a bill? Stop working and say you needed to pay after updating and the time to go back is over as well.
They damn well better issue a patch to remove all the nagware then. Yes I know it can be disabled, but it shouldn't be there to begin with.
we will finally be able to stop worrying about Windows 10 installing itself unwanted?
You mean FORCED adoption. Microsoft doesn't give you much of a choice. It's either 'Stick with what you have, but we ain't supporting it anymore' or 'Get the new operating system.'
I personally doubt that Microsoft will actually follow through with that, which would obviously stipulate an end to the forced 10 upgrades. Since when has Microsoft been known to stop doing something incredibly annoying once they start?
they're pushing windows 10 so fucking hard right now... NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would actually pay $119 for this shit after july.
hell, even free it's been so tough a sale they've had to resort to using malware-like deceptive windows, and forced installs when you still decipher them properly.
"users with a valid license wouldn't be eligible for the free upgrade starting June 29. After July 29th, Microsoft says, users will be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119. "
What are users supposed to do between June 29th and July 29th? Maybe they could spend their time proofreading shitty slashdot submissions
Does this mean the sneaky and unwanted upgrading of Windows 7 and 8 systems will stop on that date?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSy5mEcmgwU
Microsoft has removed the capability of even system administrators to block/remove the Windows App store in Windows 10, even in the Pro version. Whereas previously it was possible to use registry edits or GPO to remove/block the app store and other forced start menu tiles in Windows 10, a recent Microsoft update has eliminated that capability and re-enabled these features.
Some smart people said; just block the update. But, that's not an option in Windows 10 either. With this new "feature" the only way to prevent users access to teh app store and the willy nilly installation of apps is to use teh MUCH more expensive Enterprise version of Windows 10.
Wait till they start rolling out the lights-out update to all the "discontinued" OSes.
The summary states the free eligibility ends on June 29th, but the articale says July 29th. I'm pretty sure the Microsoft blog's date is correct - i.e. July 29th.
.
At this point, I cannot see myself relying upon Microsoft when Microsoft has shown me that it is unworthy of my trust.
Click here to install now.
Click there to install 5 minutes from now.
Force the window closed to install anyway.
Hold the ACPI power button down to force the power off, and install when you reboot.
Pull the power cable to see this dialog again.
Yes, quite an interesting range of "features"
Congratulations, your computer has been upgraded! Please find the invoice for your upgrade in your Documents folder. You may enter a credit card number now, or wait until your free evaluation is completed. Thank you for using Microsoft!
*You may revert to your previous windows for 30 days. After the 30 day free evaluation is completed, your old system files will be deleted and you will be required to enter your credit card number to continuous using your machine.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
June 30th they will charge the CC in your MS account to push the upgrade to you because you know you really wanted it
On July 30th, you just know that there's going to be some goober out there who tries to upgrade, gets hit with the fee, and then bitches up and down because he thought that his computer was going to update automatically and he shouldn't have to pay the upgrade fee.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
That's a good point.
After July 29, involuntary automatic upgrades to Windows 10 will include automatically searching the user's data (local or cloud-based) for credit card numbers or other financial accounts to bill for the upgrade. Expect a Windows Update KB patch in July to implement this additional feature in the GWX subsystem.
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
What do you mean by "possible"? Also, if anyone believes that 10 is the last one they'll ever release .... hahahahaha!
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
No way. A grand, minimum, or I'm staying on 7.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
The forced upgrade cycle gave the usual OEM's ample time to roll out Windows 10 devices and most consumers will simply move to Windows 10 by way of failed or slow computer forcing their hand to upgrade that way. By that momentum alone Windows 10 adoption will continue to rise steadily.
Windows 7 will continue on as the new Windows XP in the professional space and we'll all repeat the painful process of resisting unwanted change for the next ten years.
orly? my upgrade from Win7 to Debian will cost exactly $0.
That was the first thing I wondered to. Will I finally have some PEACE AND QUIET after July 29th without having to use GWX Control Panel?
SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
I wonder how much it costs to get them to stop bothering me about upgrading?
extensive data harvesting of you and your family
Your smartphones are already doing that anyway, sucker. They have telemetry out the wazoo.
And Google is in a far better position to correlate user data than M$ is since they have a near monopoly on search and free email.
They don't allow most users to upgrade. If they allowed more people to upgrade, it seems like support would be easier. Instead, they only allow a few editions of 7 and 8 to upgrade.
I'd almost suggest Microsoft could extract the value by installing Bitcoin mining software on everyone's PC, but there's no way they'd do that without inventing their own proprietary "M$Coin" first.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
At the moment I'm saving nothing by not upgrading from Windows 7. From July 29th I'll be saving $119!
It will stop.
Of course Windows 10 will be the last version of Windows, in the same way that Mac OS X was the last version of Mac OS.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-software-update-breaks-windows-7-for-some-users/
Key quote: "On its support document, Microsoft took the opportunity to market Windows 10." Is it really any wonder that Win10 is running on so many devices, considering Microsoft's "advertising" techniques have graduated from nagging and tricking customers into upgrading to outright breaking their machines and suggesting an upgrade as a fix?
I didn't want it when it was free, I definitely wouldn't pay 120 dollars for it.
Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
From Windows 10 to Linux on everything at home and even at work. I run Windows 7 in a VirtualBox VM at work to handle specific Active Directory tasks only. Touchscreen Dell 23" monitor hooked up to a brand new Skylake system with 4k monitor and another 4k LG TV on the integrated intel and nvidia video cards. Everything works. Striped Samsung 850 ssds with archlinux, btrfs snapshots of root with that cool __current/__snapshot disk layout for easy reverting. All free and just amazing. Synergy even works better between Linux Linux. Running ZFS for 60tb of storage.. multiple VPNs. Soon Mycroft AI on top of it all. Life is good!
I have serious privacy concerns over Windows 10, but I do run it on my gaming-only box, figuring there isn't too much to harvest anyway. I also have a Win 7 and Win 8.1 machine which I've been reluctant to upgrade because of this. Especially after watching Windows 10 wipe out my privacy settings and restore the defaults.
That being said, Windows 10 is so much faster at starting up and coming out of sleep and will likely be the only version receiving updates in the future. I would love to upgrade my other boxes for free, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
In unrelated news, an Apple spokesperson announced that they have to increase prices for their computers come August, citing an expected serious increase in demand for their products.
Also in the news, in an unparalleled and before unheard union between Linux distributors they all announced that no later than in mid-July they expect their new release to hit the market. Asked what sparked this sudden union of all distributions our reporter was informed that "the time is right, this is going to be the year of Linux on the Desktop. And this time for real".
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I think this is a great idea and I hope MS implements it. Legality shouldn't be a problem; they can put a clause in their EULA about it. It probably won't fly in the EU so they better block it there, but in the US it won't be a problem.
Their so-called 'feat' of installing on 300 million devices is on the same list as talking about 300M computers being infected with malware and becoming part of a bot-net! How many of those 300M devices were voluntarily, intentionally installed, and how many of them had it forced on them or snuck in while the owner wasn't looking? Microsoft is nothing but a gigantic scammer.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
This is fantastic news. This will presumably mean they'll stop their asshat nagware campaign, cause they can't have it both ways. If they don't, I bet there will be a sudden spike in popcorn sales as people sit back to watch the fireworks.
Upgrade To Cost $119 After July 29
The upgrade is free - before, during and after July 29.
Like they need any more ways to slow Windows down. they do a fine enough job of that already with all the spying and data collecting and updates that tie up a computer (and your internet*) for hours at a time.
* Granted, we don't have the fastest internet here.. 1.5m/512k dsl (for $65).. but when Windows 10 updates, you're fucked. That computer won't browse anything while it's downloading (and at T1 download speed that 4 gigabyte 'update' takes a little while).. and neither will any other PC or device, not even a simple predominantly-text site.. any QOS that might exist in Windows 10 (older Windows wasn't like this) is absolutely and totally broken.
Makes you want to get into your car and drive into a brick wall, with the hope that your (captcha:) airbag explodes in your face.
Why not take a page from Apple? Start looking for all documents, upload them to OneDrive, and automatically delete the one on the local storage without user permission. Once the user has paid the $119 ransom^W upgrade to Windows 10, they can access their files.
You assumed that when you disabled it, it's really disabled.
Let's not forget the dodgy Win10 Upgrade disable that didn't quite... disable.
ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
All Win7 update stops, even though security updates are available.
ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
If they paid me $119 to upgrade. So that I could then uninstall it and destroy every remaining trace of my computer and its hard drive afterwards.
$119 for nothing - win win for everyone!
So, the news is that Microsoft intends to do what they said they would do one year ago. Microsoft keeping their word is indeed news. And the $119 price is only what they want you to pay. NewEgg puts the Home version on sale for $79 often. There is no compelling reason for users to upgrade from the far more bug free Windows 7 and 8.1 (ugly sure, but more bug free), to Windows 10.
Posting anon for obvious reasons. The plan internally is to continue to offer it for free indefinitely after the existing period expires. I expect an announcement will come in July about the extension. MS doesn't want Windows 7 to be like XP where people stay on it until they are pried away.
This is a pack of lies. The stink of desperation wafting off of Windows 10 is so strong it would knock a buzzard off a shit wagon. The free offer will be extended...because it was so successful! As an act of good will toward our users! There's no way this nightmare will end after only one year.
That game streamer didn't have windows 10 installed during the stream he had the Windows 10 TH2 update from october installed during his stream. That means he was deferring upgrades for 6 months and never once bothered to patch his system. Sorry but I fully support Microsoft ensuring that their OS doesn't splinter into 30 different versions that developers have to support. Not to mention avoiding patching known security flaws for 6 months is just a terrible idea on a "regular" workstation.
And no Windows 10 isn't spying on you. It's been demonstrated numerous times that if you turn off analytics it's not sending home any data. There was one report where a moron saw his network card's repeated DNS requests and went all tin-foil-hat that they were nefarious. Sorry but that's how networking works. It's not an evil scheme to steal your personal info.
I humbly submit for your approval Bunsenlabs Linux. A continuation of Crunchbang linux, debian based with Openbox as the WM. Very configurable and screaming fast even on older hardware. If you love rich desktop environments, maybe opt for a Solus-Project install with their own Budgie desktop. If you want pure eye candy, Elementary OS or Deepin might do the trick.
There's a difference between updating (patching) Windows 10 and upgrading to Windows 10. Your last link implies an upgrade when the user was actually interrupted by an update (patches).
Which is the same as every OS release... ever?
The first and last time a computer of mine boots Windows it will be to download a shiny new linux iso. I have no idea why people put up with Microsoft's tactics. Windows 7 was not a horrible OS, but their strongarm installation tactics for 10 would seem to turn almost any user off. Guess people will keep swallowing while MS keeps shoveling.
If they're asking for money now, surely they will be removing the spyware and ceasing to sell everyone's profile to advertisers, right? Right?
What do you think all the data collecting is for? It's for blackmailing people into "choosing" to subscribe monthly to Windows 10.
Microsoft was very active at writing software that helps sift through photographs to identify child porn. A worthy and noble cause, of course... but did you think that Microsoft would be content with the PR benefit of doing that? Hell no. Windows 10 will collect your data and look through it not just for child porn pictures, but any nudity it can find. Then you'll get a nice notice about how big a shame it would be if someone found out about those pics on your -- that is, on Microsoft's -- machine, and for the standard low monthly subscription rate to Windows, everyone can just forget about all that unpleasantness...
Am I lying? Of course I am. Just like Microsoft lied when you trusted them to not stick ads in their "security upgrades". Just like their astroturf teams lie in thousands of posts all over the tech boards, including this one.
How much does it cost to downgrade from Win 10 back to Win 7 ?
I went with the "get the new operating system" option. Er, actually that was the "get A new operating system" option. I got a Mac.
Thousands for Apple, not one cent for Microsoft.
(if, or when, Apple goes too bad, then I'm buying an Amiga and telling the internet to fuck off)
On what universe does Windows 10 offer a substantial boost in performance? Windows 10 shipped on lower end laptops and netbooks is unusable.
My Upgrade from Windows 7 to Linux Mint was absolutely free.
Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
The entire reason to make it free was to resolve the split user base, which costs them money by maintaining old versions as well as all their development partners for having to support multiple versions. My suspicion is they're trying to get everyone on a common base and start moving to a model more like Mac, with more frequent, far cheaper upgrades. I think the "deadlines" are mainly to encourage people to "hurry up and get it done"
I recommend going for a popular distribution like Ubuntu or Debian. Because they are the most popular, they tend to have the broadest support. This includes things like drivers and software packages.
software forkers and their malware trying to push Win10... I will be shed of them! woohoo!
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
Most geeks have sanitary protection on the net to prevent rogue sites from gifting you with malware. How many have protection from within?
For many years Mac users have had available a program that prevents installed software from 'calling home'. When I installed MS Office, I told Little Snitch not to let Office connect to any MS servers. As a result I hear nothing from MS- no sales pitch, upgrade offers, etc. I'm using Office 2008, so that's 8 years of peace. Very few apps are allowed to connect to their source and those that are allowed are typically limited to forums, tech support, add-ons, etc.
Even on the Mac, updates often include crapware, adverts, new limits on how the software can be used or the requirement to pay for functions that had been free. I seem to have no such control on my new Android phone which updates apps and system software whenever someone else wants.
Little Snitch is a tiny utility even more important to me than AdBlock and LastPass. I can't imagine living without it.
...omphaloskepsis often...
Yes. On July the 29th there will be no semi-forced upgrades to Windows 10.
On July 30th, Microsoft will announce Windows 10.1, and announce that it's free for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 users. To upgrade, just reboot your PC, and the new operating system will be installed automatically.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
I don't want it even when it is free.. what on Earth makes them think I'm going to be willing to pay them for it later?
because seriously - the only windows 10 I am going to use is a VM I need to test customer windows 10 specific issues...
The Digital Sorceress
Yeah, and I don't like there either. I shouldn't be forced to have this crap on my destkop system.
I'd pay money if I was guaranteed that Google would stop spying me on my Android phone. Also to be able to be root with official support(no, exploits aren't good enough because they're security holes by definition and because obiviously only work on the hw/sw version combos which haven't removed those holes)
Since when has Microsoft been known to stop doing something incredibly annoying once they start?
Have you seen Clippy lately?
Wait...they FORCE me to upgrade and then bill me for it? Now THAT'S innovation!
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
Everytime one of these Windows 10 stories comes out and I read the story and the comments (yes I do BOTH.. I know its out-of-style on /. ) I can't help myself... I nearly fall out of my chair laughing at both those who MUST use MS products, and those who only *think* they do.. The articles all seem to be surprised at how much of an asshole MS has turned out to be, and oh the comments.. they're priceless.. The MS trolls are soooo precious.. Great entertainment for those of us who left the MS ecosystem years ago and now only use Linux or Mac.. In my case, its Linux.. I retired in 2010 after supporting MS products since 1991. Even in 2010, it was becoming clear that MS considered *your* pc to actually be THEIR pc, and I decided around 2011, I was done with MS.. Now after 5 years of being MS-free, those of you still using Windows (or ANY MS product, for that matter) is great entertainment for those of us who DON'T.....
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
Go back to kindergarten you wanker. Come back when you've learned that "Steve did it too!!" isn't a valid defense.
Two words, Microsoft...Linux Mint.
Go ahead, I dare you. I dare you to force my PC to upgrade to Win 10.
I've already been using it on my laptop in anticipation of this, and so far it works great for me.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
Considering Microsoft seems bound and determined to force Win10 down our throats, it's time for me to learn Linux and I'd appreciate your recommendations.
I'm a Win7 pro user with no plans of upgrading to win10 (if that's ultimately even possible). I'm not a gamer but I do enjoy trying out new programs (which I realize may be reduced somewhat in Linux). Other than that, I largely use my computer for the basics -- email, occasional shopping and surfing for information/relaxation/watch watch videos. Telegram is my messenger of choice. Programs I hope to keep are: Malwarebytes Anti-malware, WinPatrol, Spybot S&D, Glary Utilities, CC Cleaner, Revo Uninstaller and Firefox/Opera) I will be checking these for compatibility once I have decided which Linux I'll be using.
I have two questions: (1) Which version of Linux would you suggest is the simplest to learn? (2) Once I'm comfortable with that one, which version do you see as the best/most effective and why.
My priority is getting the Linux recommendations, however, privacy and security are important to me. My go-to sites include KrebsonSecurity, askwoody, black viper and slashdot. Please feel free to make recommendations for good sites also.
I apologize for putting 2 different topics up, but I consider them kinda related so I hope it's okay. Thanks for your help.
everyone starts pirating windows again.
Already couple of years in. People deserve this and linux delivers.
However, if back-to-school PC sales aren't good enough, there will be news of "massive" Windows oopsies that can only be fixed by $119 tithing, or by buying new hardware.
Is there anything ms hasnt copied from apple?
I had an 80GB SSD and a 4TB data drive. One day I found that my 80GB C; drive was full. Turns out MS was "Preparing" me for my free Windows 10 upgrade. I figured SSDs were getting cheaper so I bought a 500GB. I installed Debian on it and I'm using the old 80GB as my swap partition.
No regrets.
Java is installed in over 3 billion devices in the world.
For the last couple of years I've been booting back and forth between windows and Linux, Windows for gaming and Linux for just about everything else. I'd been debating moving to Windows 10 at some point, but after hearing about how much of a general pain in the ass it is, I decided to see if I could stay in Linux full time. It's been remarkably easy. Quite a few of the games in my Steam library have Linux versions. About the only one I actually miss that won't run is Skyrim. And I suppose at some point I should jump through the necessary hoops to install Dwarf Fortress on the Linux side. I'd been having some trouble with Hibernate/Suspend and accessing files on my Android phone, but installing the Xbuntu bits of Ubuntu seems to have solved those.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Is there any way to upgrade Windows 7 OEM license to Retail?
227-3517
Actually, Apple pretty much did just that. You remember when Google got in trouble with the EU for recording too much wifi info while its street view cars were driving around taking pictures? The reason they were recording wifi info was to correlate the SSIDs with physical locations. That way, even if your GPS is off, Google can make a pretty good guess at your general location.
When Apple ditched Google Maps, they didn't have their own database of SSID locations. The first year they paid for a database from Skyhook. The next year, they used their own database. How did they mysteriously generate this database without sending around Apple street view cars to record every wifi hotspot's SSID? By secretly logging iPhone owners' locations and nearby SSIDs, and having the phones send the info back to them. Essentially, Apple turned all iPhone owners into unpaid contractors who traveled around recording the locations of every SSID on Earth. Given that they got away with it, while Google got sued by the EU for trying to do it the non-evil way and paying to send their own cars around to record it, I expect next time Google will just secretly harvest the data from its users.
Yes, Microsoft will shut up and quietly upload info about everything you do with your computer, keystrokes, file names and times, apps used etc.
Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
I'm using the old 80GB as my swap partition.
I know it's a small drive, and you're probably using as disposable at this point, but be aware that using an SSD for swap may cause the drive to fail more quickly due to the limited number of write operations that an SSD can perform in its lifetime.
That will give them a somewhat limited market. The US population is around 4.5% of humanity.
So much for global domination...
I'll see your Constitution and raise you a Queen.
Oh please, that assumes that everyone worldwide is equally wealthy, which obviously isn't the case. How much of MS's revenues come from the US? A billion villagers living in mud huts in Africa aren't viable customers for MS. (And the Africans' economies are improving and they're becoming more technological, but even so, they, along with most 3rd-worlders, are skipping PCs for the most part and going straight to mobile devices, which don't use MS software. And the people who do use PCs are using pirated software.)
Software you've paid for shouldn't have any ads at all. This is outrageous
Why should they be any different from newspapers and magazines, which have both a price and ads?
Say it costs $30 per user to develop, market, distribute, and maintain a particular application. Users aren't willing to pay more than $15, nor are advertisers. So a publisher might adopt the same model used by newspapers, magazines, pay TV, and Hulu Plus: make users and advertisers split the bill.
Windows 10 now runs on 270 million computers. 260 million of them installed without permission. 250 million of them are trying to get their old system back ...
I plan to get Windows 10 when I get a new computer ... in about six years. If Microsoft is still alive. 8-(
Google got sued because they were logging more than just SSID and location. They were getting packet dumps of unencrypted networks.
Yes the forced upgrades are to stop.I can't recall where I read it though, yesterday. Personally, though, I have never seen such an absurd business model. Firstly, keep in mind that M$ is a *software* company that has historically derived a large percentage of it's profit from sales of windows.
For them to, then, give away free copies to everybody that wants them, and then after everybody that acually *wanted* one has a copy, theyy start charging over a hundred bucks to the rest who actually *didn't* . I mean, can you imagine i a car company did that? Or any other software company? It woulkd most certainly ruin them.
Bu you know what. "I don care! You hear dat Loocy? I don care"