Free Windows 10 upgrades for Pirates

Microsoft will be offering free upgrades to Windows 10 even for users who don't own an official paid for license.
Have they done this to reduce the number of different operating systems they support, or is to draw users away from Linux / Mac?

[brmbrmcar]

Just get one of the old development copies of Windows 10 and upgrade that.

[techben]

in mind that the copy of windows stays in-genuine. its not like there giving you a fully licensed copy of windows 10 for your pirated one, it stays in-genuine

[GManWrites]

And for their next dirty trick, which is removing the ability to switch off secure Boot thus making it impossible to load any other Operating system on new Windows 10 hardware.

[glitchsmasher]

Perfectly fine with 8.1 with classic shell. I might upgrade for DX12, if devs bother to use it.

[JosephDickson]

Downloading Win10 will require an account with MS no doubt. So, they get your identity and possibly non-personalized usage information and your agreement to their licences and thus legal action if pirating copies. 

I don't see a subscription model only working on Enterprise systems. General consumers won't want to pay every month for personal copies they'll jump ship. 

I have colleagues that have avoided Adobe Creative Cloud products because of tight budgets. 
I still use Fireworks CS5 because it works well enough for web design. (Slowly migrating to GIMP)

[MichaelStephenLordReserei]

Some time ago Microsoft stated that WIndows 10 would be a free upgrade for a year after initial release. So this is probably just an extension of that. After a year passes, it will only be purchasable. I guess they'll also make money from a bunch of OEMs during that year. 

Windows 8.1 S14 refers to the Spring 2014 update--or Update 1. 

[BarnardoPlays]

As far as I know Microsoft hasn't at any point indicated introducing a subscription based requirement for people who are upgrading from 7 or 8/8.1. If they do introduce a subscription based model for Windows 10, it'd probably work similar to what they have for Office - you can rent the license with an annual payment dependent upon how many systems you want to install it on, or you can still buy an outright copy of Office 2013 for a higher single payment and not have to worry about a rent system. If they do a subscription based model I'd be surprised if it's any different to that.

I suspect their concerns are less about securing windows for desktop users as such but more in the direction of solidifying a grip on laptops and tablets (with OSX, ChromeOS and Android presenting either less expensive or more premium options) and to also try and make sure Steam Machines don't get off the ground so that Microsoft can control the gaming market.

I expect a lot of the people shifting towards Linux will be dual booting (such as myself) and unless they are (or know someone who is) quite competent at IT/Linux problem solving, or have a really minimal use scenario which is mostly internet browsing and casual word processing, will probably stay that way. Though for me the main reason my laptop still dual boots is that the Windows install has a licensed Office install on it, and the bibliography and referencing tools on LibreOffice is a headache and a half to figure out, in comparison to Word 2013's seriously powerful functions for that.

[dan]

It would make sense for Microsoft to update every windows 7 and 8 user to windows 10 with no time limit, until everyone has upgraded. The main reason why this makes sense is that not many people choose to update their windows OS when a new version comes out and, because of this, 1) Microsoft doesn't make any money when people sit on old versions of windows and worse 2) Microsoft then have to spend a significant amount of time and money in supporting old software. Simply put, it's easier and more cost effective for Microsoft to focus their efforts on supporting the latest version of windows; and anyone buying a new PC will have to buy windows 10.

[iburley_]

It isn't that they're allowing this per se, it's just that there isn't an easy way to avoid it. There's a similar "issue" win Windows 8. When Microsoft had first released Windows 8 they had a deal that if you had purchased a computer with Windows 7 within the past 60 days or something, you got a $15 upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. Thing is, they didn't check receipts or anything, you just had to put in the model and where you got it from. I went to BestBuy's website and found an ASUS laptop that still shipped with Windows 7 and put in the model number, it popped up a $15 charge, so I got an upgrade key. Thing is, it ONLY works as an upgrade key. If I want to fresh install Windows 8 I have to first install Windows 7 and wipe it with an 8 install, but it doesn't have to be an activated Windows 7 that you upgrade from, it just checks that you had it. You delete all of the partitions and hit next and all is good, clean Windows 8 install from a pirated 7, for only $15 in the end. Because they don't make an upgrade key eat your old OS key (so when I use an 8 upgrade key from 7, my 7 key still works) it can't really check for your previous key and have it mean anything, so the piracy thing is just a happy accident. People are reporting that they're "allowing" this, as if it were a conscious decision when really their upgrade method just has no way to stop it without causing issues for their current customers. 

[shafnet]

4 days in and I'm a mac convert :o .... will post a video about my experiences and troubles with moving complex linux setups to a mac

[TheAv]

Hi, just subbed, and i think what your are saying in the end of the video is true. MS is trying to get old users back and new users used to the microsoft stack of apps. I dont think windows is the largest cash-cow for MS atm, rather their business systems licenses, like dynamics ax/crm, sharepoint and biztalk etc. Many of these systems have natural integration to other microsoft apps like office for example. So the more users in an organisation who is used to their apps, the larger pressure it is for the board of said organisation to go all out microsoft in their system portfolio. So i dont think they will take a subscription in the future unless they get desperate. Their in it for the long haul it seems to me and are using a smart strategy to boldster their "followers".

[gsan]

is this an upgrade for only windows 8/8.1 or does this include 7 users?

[qcardcode]

Strange, I saw an interview with Bill gates and Steve jobs that stated 30% of the hardware in all Apple products are built by Microsoft.

[dimdob]

I think MS will push hard this time the hardware manifacturers to develop only for them without option for other OS's. Hope I am not right

[cezaryczerwinski]

What about Windows XP and famous "FCKGW"? :D:D

[Markus]

What Microsoft should do is add an repo for programs. Linux distros have had repos for ages now.

[stevenyates]

Way to much data mining from windows 10 :/ stick to either windows 7 with CIEP turned off and as little updates as necessary OR why not install Linux Mint 17? I'm using this atm and I love it :)

[tosblackdeath]

NO They changed there mind, pirates get no free copy of win 10

[loganiushere]

I FUCKING WANT TO REPORT THIS BUT THERE IS NOT A "CORPARTE THEFT" REPORT OPTION!

[jndominica]

Even if the OS didn't have this horrible flat scheisse GUI, I wouldn't upgrade until a reliable crack an equivalent to a Volume License copy is releases on torrents. lol. It took a while for the Daz Loader method for Windows 7 to be developed. Looks like Microsoft's BS propaganda, claiming that downloaded versions contain viruses has paid off, if users are actually going to their site to register and consider this free upgrade, if other reliable versions of Windows exist.