free = if you change anything major in your PC (mb, cpu, graphics card) then you can say goodbye to your "free" win10 license. If you upgrade your PC then say goodbye to win10. (and if something broke in your PC, you need to contact M$ so they will give you back your license.)
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You can't use your (legal) license on multiple PCs? Bummer.
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This hasn't changed anything. If your current license is OEM you are already hit by this limitation and if you have a Retail version then you retain the ability to transfer the licence.
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I've been using windows 10 for many months now, and I can say it's absolutely worth the upgrade. It runs well and it feels more like windows 7, which is a good thing. A lot of quality of life improvements and fortunately all your windows 8.1 drivers for various hardware work fine with 10. I had no problems upgrading and I didn't lose any files or programs. The complaints about privacy are pretty amusing. No one has privacy anymore, but you might as well turn off your phone and your computer and hide in a closet if that bothers you. Bonus points if the people complaining have a facebook account :P
Edit: to answer one of your questions directly, if a game works in windows 8.1 it will work in windows 10.
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Thanks for a clear answer. And most old games work better on my win 8 laptop then on my "advanced" win 7 game pc. So this is very promising.
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I'm upgrading from 7 which is why I will wait for awhile. Should play older games I guess :s
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Going to wait for me buying a new rig, then trying to put my old W7 license on it and update.
Would be awesome if it'll work.
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If you do it within the first year of Win 10's release, then it should work. No reason for it not to.
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I hate to re-ask what has doubtlessly already been asked : But how did you get offered your free copy of Windows 10 on your desktop PC?
I own a legit copy of Win7 (with the 64bit version installed currently) but no such prompt offering an upgrade has been shown.
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I did get on automatically on only 1 of my devices. If you go to start Windows update you see it right away. Also if it did not ask you.
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I think you should reserves, activate and download Windows 10 for free but you don't need to install it yet, so you could see a review or something then decide.
For me is yes but after a few week after backup important files, and configs just in case.
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I would say no, until everything is working OK,
golden rule with PCs
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Precisely what I was about to post.
You have a year to get the free upgrade, a few months of waiting til the kinks are worked out is a good idea.
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I'm running right now 10240 Windows 10 build and everything it's working like on Windows 7, no compatibility issues yet. Did I regret upgrading from 7? Not really. Everything is faster and much more easier to use.
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You have 1 year period to get windows 10 for free, so I would personally wait a while and read some reviews first.
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my windows is downloading 'something' right now...even there is no important/recommended update available...last update was KB2952664...
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Same here. It's been downloading SOMETHING for a while.
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You can reserve and install it in a few months.
That's what I'll do with my Win7. However, my Win 8.1 will be upgraded in one month more or less because it's the laptop I'm using at work and that well..., we need to have someone under Win10 and it will be me.
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Please keep the "scary botnet" drivel to yourself. Anyone with knowledge about how the Internet and technology works is aware that most of the features you pointed out are found on virtually every other site, service, and operating system. None of this information is new and it only serves as a scaremongering tactic. In the future, I recommend linking to actual sources and analyses, not a crude MS Paint "info"graphic.
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Don't tell me "it has been before, live with it" because it's totally wrong. Anyone with IT and/or internet security knowledge will agree on that.
Before, at least, you had a choice to disable (or optionally enable) these things. Now you can't and they are avowedly telling it. We should be against that. Also, that picture is not mine and I think that it's more appealing to the people without any concerns about win10 than reading any sources they'll find by themselves (at first they should know what is going on before they'll make some research). We should educate and warn people about they security before some shit will hit the fan.
And yes, I know that there are more of these things everywhere.
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Anyone with a brain (and uses it) isn't going to believe a crude, unsourced MS Paint compilation over cited sources and detailed analyses. If this is such common knowledge, where are the articles and essays about it?
People are generally gullible and uncritical in their views. Scaremongering tactics like what you posted above only presents them with a one-sided, agenda-driven perspective that they'll fear without understanding why they fear it. Even if accurate, it would be more appropriate and responsible—not to mention more ethical—if you linked to actual sources. People don't typically do research into things, or they are woefully inept at curating that information and finding reliable sources. Rather than engaging in the shady and shoddy tactics like above, why not post some sources?
If you want to educate people, then educate them. MS Paint propaganda posters that took one 5 minutes to make isn't education. I'm not trying to be rude, but it's a bad idea to use the worst possible means of conveying information if you want to do so. Even a forum is likely to be more informative than the above image. I understand the concerns, but you could really do better. Tactics like that just spreads FUD without conveying much meaningful information. If your goal is the latter, abstain from the former.
And to be honest, I don't believe the whole "botnet" conspiracy for a moment. "Botnet" isn't even an accurate term and a simple Google search and elucidate on that. I use Reynold's Wrap for cooking, not as a hat, so I'm not inclined to believe in conspiracy theories.
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oh... i thought that you are just pointing that such type of picture is not reliable enough for random people on the internet (with agreement on the point that this picture bring) but i see that you don't even believe in this... without even doing research?
I especially like that paragraph:
“If you open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file, and how long it takes any use [of]it for purposes such as improving performance, or [if you]enter text, we may collect typed characters, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving autocomplete and spell check features.”
https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3ehk5y/telemetrydatalogging_can_be_disabled_but_only_in/
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5918-windows-defender-turn-off-windows-10-a.html (You cannot disable Malware Protection)
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/209208-windows-10s-new-wifi-sense-shares-your-wifi-password-with-facebook-outlook-and-skype-contacts (Sharing wifi password? Genius idea!)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/10/06/windows-10-spying/
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I don't care what you do. I'm not because I have privacy concerns about some of its invasive features (such as OneDrive and it scanning all my photographs; or the TPM, which is currently being investigated by the NSA for vulnerabilities; or the integrated BitLocker, which I don't trust in the slightest); none of the Windows integration affects or helps me, since I use an Android smartphone and Google products, and I don't use any consoles (which includes XBOX One); there is no way to completely remove the Windows bloatware, or replace it with Google products; and virtually all of its features do not appeal to me. I read into it and was excited to switch, but after finding out how few changes interested me, and how so many changes actively discouraged me from using the product, I have zero interest in switching. This is coming from someone who was originally eager to start using Windows 10, by the way.
I'm waiting for ChromeOS or SteamOS, both running on Linux, to be finished and compatible with most Steam games before I switch. Those are the two options I'm currently considering. Until then, I'll stick with Windows 7. If you want to switch, it's your decision, but I think it's a terrible idea.
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Why SteamOS instead of some Linux itself?
Valve said that this OS is not meant to be a full operating system. It will be mainly for playing games. You won't be able to do every stuff you are able to do on typical OS.
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It was primarily so that I can play Steam games on Linux. I was unaware that SteamOS is not intended to be a full operating system. Hm, I may just switch to Linux and use SteamOS as well. Now, to actually learn how to use Linux...
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You may want to check Kubuntu or Ubuntu ("Ubuntu Mate" if you don't like how the Unity shell looks).
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I have privacy concerns about some of its invasive features
I use an Android smartphone and Google products
WAT?
http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2015/04/20/why-google-is-new-evil-empire/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google
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I am aware of Google's issues and I am concerned about it as well. It frustrates me, but I use Google products and services for the vast majority of my social networking. It's a catch-22 situation, but I already use Google and have no interest in exposing myself to two megacorporate giants. I also prefer Google's products and services, both aesthetically and functionally, and I trust Google more than I do Microsoft.
I'm not saying Google isn't free of error either—far from that—but when it comes to who I sell my privacy to, I'm stuck with Google.
As an aside, anything FOX is bad form. I recommend a better source.
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Microsoft makes money charging for its OS, Office, XBOX, etc.
Google makes money through free (as a beer, not as freedom) products. When something is free then you're the product, so Google makes money thanks to your private data.
Anyway, I don't trust any of them, but Microsoft is more trusty because of that said above.
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My thoughts exactly, privacy is one of the main reasons I avoid Google products and services, specially Android
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I'm pretty sure Apple and Microsoft are far more egregious threats to your privacy than Google. I hate to pull this card, but I really recommend you do more research.
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Assuming that is even an accurate presentation of how each company behaves (I strongly believe it is a gross oversimplification), Microsoft engages in both tactics. Google's revenues come from selling anonymized data for research and statistics, services for businesses, marketing tools for companies, and advertisement slots for anyone who is willing to pay. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Google Search is the single largest search engine on Earth. There are advertisements in every search. This generates a lot of revenue.
Although I too suspect that corporations like Microsoft, Google, and Apple are engaging in the selling of sensitive data, I'm going to need evidence before I cement my suspicions into beliefs.
I don't trust Microsoft for a number of reasons, including their deceptive marketing tactics and propaganda. Google is more straightforward and honest with their tactics. Microsoft doesn't even try. I understand that both corporations are problematic, but at least Google has some thin ethical standard.
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"Free" update means you must own license to w7 or w8/8.1, so if you have it, why not? I'm using w10 since first preview build and it is better than w8/8.1
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I'll install it and if I don't like it then I'll just go back to Win8.1
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I've been wondering the same, to be honest. For what I've read in other forums, where people have already tried pirated copies of it, it's great.
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My suggestion would be to wait at least 6 months after its been released, if not longer.
With any new software there are always issues at first and it can take a while to work them out. For example, just recently there has been issues with the forced automatic updates for windows 10 crashing peoples systems.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/07/27/windows-10-automatic-update-security-problems/
http://betanews.com/2015/07/26/windows-10-update-kb3074681-causes-explorer-crashes/
http://betanews.com/2015/07/26/windows-10s-automatic-updates-for-nvidia-drivers-could-break-your-computer/
If you don't want forced updates go with windows 10 pro, though of course thats going to cost you more.
If I'm forced to eventually go with windows and if its not the pro version I will find a way to disable forced updates. I hate them cause they can cause issues.
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Did not know about the forced updates. I do not like that. As said before I reserved my free copy and just wait and see for a few months. Thank you all for responding.
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Only 8 months ago I got my first gaming pc. When I build it I did choice to install Windows 7 64 on it instead of Windows 8 because it supossed to be better for gaming. (I read this on several forums so just believed it). Now Windows is offering a free update to 10 should I do it or not? I do have quite a few old/older games as I like them. Will my pc and my games still work properly if I update?
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