Free Windows 10 Worth it?

tx2sturgis · « **Reply #60 on:** 4 Jun 2015, 05:05 pm »

Quote from: GentleBender on 1 Jun 2015, 03:21 pm

If your HDD is large enough you could make a 50GB or larger partition and install it separately to do a dual boot.

Do we actually know that Microsoft will allow a free, new, clean, install from a downloaded .iso of Windows 10? Including a free product key? And its a non-expiring, final version? This is not the same as a free inplace upgrade from existing Win 7 or 8 to WinTen..

The experts are still divided on this.

The announced pricing for a standalone Windows 10 OS is listed at $119.

Odal3 · « **Reply #61 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 01:17 am »

Quote from: JimJ on 3 Jun 2015, 05:45 pm

I haven't gone to Office 2013 yet, but the ALL CAPS ribbon is hard to look at...

I'm also a big Excel power user. Hated the Office 2013 at first with the huge ribbon and felt lost. I then took the time to customize it to my liking and now I find it better than previous versions. What was helpful for me was to add a custom organized banner with only small icons for formatting and all other things I don't have good keyboard shortcuts for. You can even export and import customized ribbons.

Doublej · « **Reply #62 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 04:09 am »

Quote from: tx2sturgis on 4 Jun 2015, 05:05 pm

Do we actually know that Microsoft will allow a free, new, clean, install from a downloaded .iso of Windows 10? Including a free product key? And its a non-expiring, final version? This is not the same as a free inplace upgrade from existing Win 7 or 8 to WinTen..

The experts are still divided on this.

The announced pricing for a standalone Windows 10 OS is listed at $119.

I suspect not. It is being marketed as a free upgrade to consumer versions of windows 7 and 8, not a free copy of Windows 10.

HAL · « **Reply #63 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 11:39 am »

The WTP version was an ISO to build an install disc.

Will be interesting to see what they do for Windows 10 and the upgrade.

GentleBender · « **Reply #64 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 12:08 pm »

I'm thinking it is a free upgrade license only to try to fix the bad karma they created with Windows 8 and 8.1. Most likely if you want to install it on a new machine, you will need to purchase a license like any other version of Windows.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #65 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 12:11 pm »

Quote from: GentleBender on 5 Jun 2015, 12:08 pm

I'm thinking it is a free upgrade license only to try to fix the bad karma they created with Windows 8 and 8.1. Most likely if you want to install it on a new machine, you will need to purchase a license like any other version of Windows.

+ Vista

GentleBender · « **Reply #66 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 12:50 pm »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 5 Jun 2015, 12:11 pm

+ Vista

Correct! Plus Windows 7, just to try to give us a reason to upgrade. I'll be keeping my Win 7, but I'll upgrade my Win 8.1 the second I get a chance. I haven't installed anything important on that virtual machine to really care if it works or not and I can test to see what works and what doesn't.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #67 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 01:05 pm »

Quote from: GentleBender on 5 Jun 2015, 12:50 pm

Correct! Plus Windows 7, just to try to give us a reason to upgrade. I'll be keeping my Win 7, but I'll upgrade my Win 8.1 the second I get a chance. I haven't installed anything important on that virtual machine to really care if it works or not and I can test to see what works and what doesn't.

But what I see in your screen images W10 is similar to W7 at user interface and files storages what is a good thing.

GentleBender · « **Reply #68 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 01:24 pm »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 5 Jun 2015, 01:05 pm

But what I see in your screen images W10 is similar to W7 at user interface and files storages what is a good thing.

They are similar, but I will take my time and go through Win 10 before dumping 7 pro. We have to wait and see what they include and exactly how many different flavors MS decides to put out to confuse everyone. (Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro Plus, Enterprise, Media Center Edition, Home Media Center Edition Pro Plus).

I really hope MS includes Blueray\DVD playback natively.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #69 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 01:41 pm »

Quote from: GentleBender on 5 Jun 2015, 01:24 pm

I really hope MS includes Blueray\DVD playback natively.

They have to pay royalties to Sony to offer it.

mjosef · « **Reply #70 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 09:56 pm »

Quote

Do we actually know that Microsoft will allow a free, new, clean, install from a downloaded .iso of Windows 10? Including a free product key? And its a non-expiring, final version? This is not the same as a free inplace upgrade from existing Win 7 or 8 to WinTen..

No....N/A...N/A.
Dunno what part of "free upgrade..." eludes people.
An easy workaround would be to d/l the current 'free Technical Preview' and install it onto a new or old hard-drive, and u are set (qualified) for the released version whenever it becomes available.

I have been using the preview 10 version for almost a year, on an old laptop which had vista as stock install, followed by various Linux versions...it has worked smoothly from the initial preview version and gotten better and better with each new release.

So hell yeah...the 'free w10' is worth it...for me at least.

bacobits1 · « **Reply #71 on:** 5 Jun 2015, 10:21 pm »

Very interesting you are running a Tech Pre 10 on a "Vista" machine. A Vista machine most of the time would not get along with 7.
So that might be encouraging. I think.

tx2sturgis · « **Reply #72 on:** 6 Jun 2015, 04:55 am »

Several people mis-understood my rhetorical question.

My point was that it would be difficult to create a dual-boot system (keeping Win7 or Win8 in the primary boot partition), since the second boot partition with a final WinTen would need the upgrade path of an existing Win7 or Win8 to make it happen under the normal definition of 'free'.

A full install in that second partition is certainly possible, but as far as I can tell, it wont be free, OR...you will need some way of doing a 'work-around'.

GentleBender · « **Reply #73 on:** 6 Jun 2015, 10:29 am »

Quote from: tx2sturgis on 6 Jun 2015, 04:55 am

Several people mis-understood my rhetorical question.

My point was that it would be difficult to create a dual-boot system (keeping Win7 or Win8 in the primary boot partition), since the second boot partition with a final WinTen would need the upgrade path of an existing Win7 or Win8 to make it happen under the normal definition of 'free'.

A full install in that second partition is certainly possible, but as far as I can tell, it wont be free, OR...you will need some way of doing a 'work-around'.

You could partition the HDD (hopefully you have extra space), then clone your current Win Vista, 7, or 8. Put it on the new partition and upgrade to 10.

tx2sturgis · « **Reply #74 on:** 8 Jun 2015, 02:15 pm »

Quote from: GentleBender on 6 Jun 2015, 10:29 am

You could partition the HDD (hopefully you have extra space), then clone your current Win Vista, 7, or 8. Put it on the new partition and upgrade to 10.

This comes under the heading of 'work-around' but I'm not sure it will actually work.

Microsoft authenticates each copy of its OS that goes online. Certainly a product key will be needed, except on the trial versions...and those only work for 30 days I think.

I think MS is making available (for free) some stripped down versions of WinTen for devices like the Raspberry Pi, but full desktop versions, for free, seem to be unlikely.

I could be wrong....right now, even the Windows experts are still guessing.

I prefer Linux....but I do have one laptop running winders, only because I use some Ham Radio software that ONLY runs on a windows machine.

My main computers are Mac and Linux.

WGH · « **Reply #75 on:** 23 Jun 2015, 02:03 am »

6/18/2015
Susan Bradley of Windows Secret has all the latest info and updates on the free Windows 10. One little nugget in the article:

"Contrary to some rumors, there will not be any sort of subscription fee after you upgrade. Microsoft will send free updates for the life of the OS."

Read more here:
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/what-you-should-know-about-the-win10-launch/

GentleBender · « **Reply #76 on:** 23 Jun 2015, 04:35 pm »

Here is a recent update from Microsoft Insider.

Important changes that are coming with the next PC build as we get ready for July 29th.

Getting the final release on July 29th

Windows Insiders running the Windows 10 Insider Preview (Home and Pro editions) with their registered MSA connected to their PC will receive the final release build of Windows 10 starting on July 29th. This will come as just another flight. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Windows Insiders about how this will work if they clean installed from ISO. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated. Once you have successfully installed this build and activated, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh.

If you are running the Enterprise edition of the Windows 10 Insider Preview, to upgrade to the final release of Windows 10 Enterprise you will need to download and activate it from Volume Licensing Service Center. As a reminder, the Enterprise edition of the Windows 10 Insider Preview is not eligible for the free upgrade offer and can be upgraded to the final release of Windows 10 through an active Software Assurance agreement.

Doublej · « **Reply #77 on:** 12 Jul 2015, 11:46 am »

Rumblings now that Windows 10 support will be free for two years only. Can Microsoft figure out yet another way to screw up. Their acquisitions of Skype and Nokia were brilliant failures, now they plan to start charging consumers for security patches?????

If true, it will be EASY pickings for Apple...

JRace · « **Reply #78 on:** 12 Jul 2015, 04:28 pm »

Quote from: Doublej on 12 Jul 2015, 11:46 am

Rumblings now that Windows 10 support will be free for two years only. Can Microsoft figure out yet another way to screw up. Their acquisitions of Skype and Nokia were brilliant failures, now they plan to start charging consumers for security patches?????

If true, it will be EASY pickings for Apple...

Where have you read that?

Everything i have seen is the opposite, no charge to upgrade now and no charge to maintain later.

Doublej · « **Reply #79 on:** 12 Jul 2015, 05:14 pm »

Found it.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/07/10/free-windows-10-charges/

Too bad the Linux community can't get it's act together and create a consumer version of Linux that could be a real alternative to Windows and OSX for the common person.