[FullRangeMan]

Just receive a MS app inviting to reserve a free update to W10.
Details>
Invite valid for 1 year after release date.
Good for W7 SP1, W8.1 Wphone 8;
Release date 29Jul15
Its a full version, not trial.
The start menu is back.
Some app sold separately, vary by market. ???
Internet service fees may apply. ???
Multi task, w/ability to snap up 4 task on the screen.
Cortana (personal digital assistant. ???

Requirements:
RAM 2GB 64bits, 1GB 32 bits.
Graphics: DirectX 9 or better w/driver WDDM 1.0
HD free space 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64 bit OS

I dont know W8, so I wonder how W10 is at the work area?
Its worth the learning time?
I will able to return to W7 if dislike the W10?

[GentleBender]

If your HDD is large enough you could make a 50GB or larger partition and install it separately to do a dual boot. That way you could test it out and give yourself time to learn Windows 10 and not lose the OS you currently know and use. Once you set up dual boot you have an option of what OS you want to load each time. If you end up hating it, delete the partition and you lose nothing. Or you could ignore it until MS released enough patches to make it work right. 

[FullRangeMan]

Yea this is a idea.
Thanks

[guest61169]

XP Pro guy here.  Installing Windows 7 in the summer.  If XP had better functionality for solid state drives (ie. trim) and large hard drives (>2 TB) I would not be switching.   

You can get the start menu back without buying Windows 10.  What will they take away in Windows 10 that you will need to buy Windows 11 or 12 to get back?

Make a drive image (ie. Macrium Reflect Free, AOMEI Backupper, etc.) beforehand and store the image on another drive or partition.  If you don't like Windows 10 you can go back in 3 minutes to the old system.   

[JoshK]

I got Windows 8 on my recently ordered laptop and HATE it!  Its utter crap as a normal computer.  Yes, you can restore a lot of the old look and feel, which I've been to lazy to do, but I cannot help but scratch my head at Microsoft's strategy on that one.   I mean, try doing something simple like examining your printer devices and managing settings....it takes a lot more effort than earlier. 

[FullRangeMan]

The main motto is free.
Just found it:
Microsoft can move to subscription model with Windows 10
The time to buy licenses for our Windows as we see today may be nearly over. Clues left by Kevin Turner, COO of Microsoft operations during a conference in Arizona, show that the company would use a model based on subscriptions from Windows 10. The idea would be to end the unattractive licenses hundred dollars and give way to a system with a low monthly fee.
But how this would be applied? One possibility would be that you would not be buying the operating system itself - updates and new versions of Windows would be available for free with this. Another equally plausible would be the availability of a free version of the system, but would ask a subscription to have access to advanced tools.

An idea like this may seem strange at first, but there's no denying that it would fit well with the new Microsoft business models. The company already does something similar with services such as Office, onedrive and Xbox LIVE for example.

[FullRangeMan]

And still:
About plans for Windows
Turner's words come to give strength to our suspicions. When asked about the PC market and how the company intends to keep the public within the Windows ecosystem, the COO said Microsoft plans to "monetize the lifetime of that customer through services and different add-ons we [we] be capable of incorporating with this solution ".

Even with a promising idea like that, Turner is concerned with the future of the market, according to ExtremeTech site, as the shift in focus for the mobile market by taking over much of the potential of computers to generate profit for the company. "In the first 39 years of our company, we had one of the largest business models ever done around ... Windows client operating system," he lamented.

[randytsuch]

So if you upgrade to windows 10, will your old license still work?

On my audio PC, I've started using different hard or SSD's for different operating systems.  My PC is open, so it's easy to swap out.
I know you can partition, but I always thought it it was a pain.

And a 60gb SSD is cheap these days, bought one for $40 from Fry's last week.

So I have an old hard drive with Win7, and just installed Server2012R2 on the SSD for music.

So if they give me Win10 without disabling Win7, I may stick it on another drive, and try it out.

Randy

[FullRangeMan]

I already pay for W7 and dont want pay montly or year fees for W10;

[Charles Calkins]

I got Windows 8 on my recently ordered laptop and HATE it!  Its utter crap as a normal computer.  Yes, you can restore a lot of the old look and feel, which I've been to lazy to do, but I cannot help but scratch my head at Microsoft's strategy on that one.   I mean, try doing something simple like examining your printer devices and managing settings....it takes a lot more effort than earlier.

 I bought a Dell PC from Amazon with Windows 8 and I too HATED!!! it. Sent it back to Amazon. Got a full refund minus shipping and bought another Dell PC with Windows 7. Now I'm a happy camper again.


                                                                   Cheers
                                                                   Charlie

[FullRangeMan]

JoshK/Charles:
What you two have dislike in the W8?

[WGH]

The Windows 10 license agreements are not available yet so no one except Microsoft knows what machines qualify:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-upgrades-wont-be-free-for-everyone-do-you-qualify/#ftag=RSSbaffb68
"Technically, you can't use an OEM copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on a PC or virtual machine you create. In practice, this use is so common that it's impossible to imagine Microsoft trying to enforce those technical license rights."

Windows Secrets has the most thorough information about the latest builds (10122).
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/win10-build-10122-two-steps-forward-one-back/

The RTM date is at the end of July, if that is when the 1 year free update starts I will wait until July 15, 2016 to install.

Wayne

[Charles Calkins]

JoshK/Charles:
What you two have dislike in the W8?

 Get a PC or laptop with Windows 8  and you'll see for yourself.

                                                     Cheers
                                                   Charlie

[FullRangeMan]

The license is for CD media copies sold at shops.
Already was informed W10 will be sell as media at shops?

[FullRangeMan]

Get a PC or laptop with Windows 8  and you'll see for yourself.

                                                     Cheers
                                                   Charlie

I dont want pay.

[HAL]

I tried the free Windows Technical Preview version (Windows 10) out on PC's using Windows 8.1.  I prefer Windows 10 for the user interface which is a hybrid between Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.  At one point was using Windows 10 Pro running Remote Desktop for trials with my Surface.

For sounds quality, I prefer Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 over Windows XP and Windows 7.  Either WASAPI(Event) or ASIO style audio work very well.

It will be interesting to see how the Edge browser does over IE11 that is running in Windows 8.1.  That was not in the Preview version that I could tell.

[GentleBender]

I tried the free Windows Technical Preview version (Windows 10) out on PC's using Windows 8.1.  I prefer Windows 10 for the user interface which is a hybrid between Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.  At one point was using Windows 10 Pro running Remote Desktop for trials with my Surface.

For sounds quality, I prefer Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 over Windows XP and Windows 7.  Either WASAPI(Event) or ASIO style audio work very well.

It will be interesting to see how the Edge browser does over IE11 that is running in Windows 8.1.  That was not in the Preview version that I could tell.

I have been using the Win 10 beta on my Surface 2 Pro and have been quite impressed. Much better to use than the Surface running 8.1. They have made the touch screen interface more like an iPad, so you don't necessarily need a mouse and keyboard unless you are working in Word or creating documents. (You can use the onscreen keyboard, I suppose) I like the virtual desktops that you can setup and customize what you want on each. Cortana seems good at dictation and quick questions (an MS version of Apple's Siri). Haven't spent too much time with the Spartan browser or whatever they are calling it now. So far I like it. Doesn't take much to be better than "Windohs" 8 or 8.1 though. 

[ZAKski288]

I got Windows 8 on my recently ordered laptop and HATE it!  Its utter crap as a normal computer.  Yes, you can restore a lot of the old look and feel, which I've been to lazy to do, but I cannot help but scratch my head at Microsoft's strategy on that one.   I mean, try doing something simple like examining your printer devices and managing settings....it takes a lot more effort than earlier.

JoshK, I hated windows 8 but there a program called Stardock  Start8, and for $4.99  that make it work like older Windows. I think you can download it and try it for 30 days before you buy it. Works Good.  ZAK

LINK  http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

[Charles Calkins]

I dont want pay.

                   Hey Bro! Nothing's FREE!!!!!

                                       Cheers
                                     Charlie

[asliarun]

Everyone loves to hate Windows 8. My wife was ready to kill me when I switched her laptop over from Windows 7 (without asking her). But if you look at it objectively, the drawbacks are:
1. Lack of the Start screen and the Metro mode - This was the single biggest pissoff factor for most people. And a very valid reason too. But this can be easily solved by tools like Classic Shell. Which is free. And it even lets you specify which type of Start menu you want - Windows 7, Win XP, etc.
http://www.classicshell.net/
2. The fiddly Charms bar that slides out from the right - again that can be displayed and is really only a minor annoyance.

But besides that, most people completely discount the groundbreaking advances of Windows 8 - which Windows 10 is further advancing. Speed. Boot times are have reduced dramatically - it actually rivals boot times of tablets.
And memory footprint and resource utilization and tablet support
- Windows 8 and Windows 10 are so much superior to prior versions that it is not even a joke.

The irony is that someone recently installed and ran Windows 10 on the latest Macbook - and Windows 10 ran significantly faster and occupied less memory than OS X!

There's an old dog that Microsoft takes 3 versions to get something right. I really feel that Windows 10 is it.

And I'm not sure what the concern about subscription is. Yes, future versions of Windows 10 will most likely be subscription fee based. But I don't think it will apply to the computers that are getting upgraded (for people who have legally bought prior Windows versions). I am fairly confident this subscription basis will only apply to people who buy new computers or purchase Windows 10 separately. They are really not going to risk the PR disaster or legal disaster of upgrading people from legally bought permanent licensed Windows to a subscription based model. And that too without making it very clear to users - and/or without giving them a strategy to revert to their previous setup.

This is basically a needless concern.