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Final Update [7/28]: Tomorrow is your final chance to get the free upgrade!

Update #5 [7/1]: The last day to get the free upgrade is July 29th.

Update #4 [10/15]: Microsoft will be unveiling their new Windows 10 products tomorrow morning (including a rumored Surface Pad 4 to compete against the new iPad Pro).

Update #3: Windows 10 is now available! Here are the 9 most important upgrades, according to The Verge.

Update #2: Rumor has it Staples will be doing free offline updates for anyone who wants one.

Update: Launch date is 7/29! Reserve your free upgrade now.

Microsoft just announced today that not only will they be offering the new Windows 10 (set for a "summer" release), as a free update for current Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 users, they will also be giving it to users currently running pirated copies of their software.

This article suggests this is a way to re-engage with the Chinese market, where an estimated three-fourths of all installed software is pirated.
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Comments & Reviews (166)

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showgunx
Ben's cred: 78
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:46 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:46 AM PT
Yeah! it is about time for microsoft to yield to the fact that it is no longer the dominate OS in the software market. Market share have been shrinking for MS since users are moving from PC to tablet and cellphone platforms.
mr.ed
Ben's cred: 356
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:57 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:57 AM PT
Like your XP, and don't like the 8 interface, but want the speed? Start Menu 8, freeware, is your answer. That and lots more excellent goodies at iobit.com.
Cabelascrooks
Ben's cred: 72
Posted 03/19/2015 at 08:42 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 08:42 AM PT
Sometimes you must worry when those you don't trust come with gifts.

In this case, MS is not exactly a trusted source or company.
angrymutt88
Ben's cred: 330
Posted 03/19/2015 at 08:51 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 08:51 AM PT
Like a drug dealer. The first one is free.
ontheweb
Ben's cred: 61
Posted 03/19/2015 at 09:42 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 09:42 AM PT
The trouble with Pandora is you can't un-open the box.

This is a short-term, feel good tactic that will briefly provide some relief from the hurt that Google and other s o c i al ist corporations are wreaking, but free is free, and there will be no convincing future generations to pay for a capitalist business model that can't compete with free.
ecsaltz
Ben's cred: 135
Posted 03/19/2015 at 10:11 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 10:11 AM PT
Fooey on both Windows and Linux - I'm sticking with CP/M and Wordstar. Call me old school, if you wish.
Just don't lose that parallel cable and printer.


..or your 300 baud coupler modem.
showgunx
Ben's cred: 5862
Posted 03/19/2015 at 10:14 AM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 10:14 AM PT
Yeah! it is about time for microsoft to yield to the fact that it is no longer the dominate OS in the software market. Market share have been shrinking for MS since users are moving from PC to tablet and cellphone platforms.


Market share as a % of units sold for mainstream use isn't actually shrinking much at all for their core audience which is desktop, laptop, and Office users.

What is shrinking instead is sales rate as hardware becomes more dependable and ever so much faster than needed for routine tasks. For example there was a time when I had an urge to do major desktop upgrades every 18 months but in recent years not so much.

The same will eventually happen to phones and tablets, then sales will taper, electronic circuit density will increase enough that people will be focusing more on wearables like glasses and watches.

Even so you have a point that MS has to be worried about people becoming acclimated to OS environments other than Windows thanks to Apple and Google, especially Google because overpriced (Apple) can't compete with free in the long term.
ontheweb
Ben's cred: 61
Posted 03/19/2015 at 02:10 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 02:10 PM PT
About every 2 to 3 days my Microsoft Office gets an error, "Couldn't stream office." Thing is, mine is locally installed, not the Office365 ****.

Anyway, that error totally kills office. If you try to click on any office app it just does nothing.

You have to download the FixIt tool to uninstall office completely because the control panel repair option can't fix it even if you choose the advanced repair, then reinstall office, re-enter your product code. Every couple days. Forever.

Disaster.
goingup
Ben's cred: 4
Posted 03/19/2015 at 03:43 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 03:43 PM PT
How come no one on here is talking about how intrusive windows 10 will be? Every iteration of windows has increased the back door spying capability for the NSA! I wouldn't go near 8 for this reason and have no damn intention of going anywhere near 10!
kellyrnorth
Ben's cred: -3
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:05 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:05 PM PT
Yes it's absolutely free! What they don't tell you is that every printer driver you install will cost $99 and $75 to access the screen resolution settings which are set at grayscale 640x480.....Muhahahah :p
UFQuack
Ben's cred: 0
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:12 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 06:12 PM PT
Pirated copies? Yeah sure they won't take names and go after anybody, sure sure, believe that if you are easily fooled. If anything the offer is a sure sign that Microsoft is on its way out. I am glad to see all the pro-Linux comments, I have not made the jump yet, but the more people that use it, the more supported it will be, and it already recognizes many devices that are made for Windows better than Windows does! Fact!--for all the naysayers out there.
npolite
Ben's cred: 49
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:08 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:08 PM PT
I'm sorry but the Windows 8/8.1 hating is because people don't Google how to fix their issues. A simple search to get Classic Shell or something similar will fix most of the hate for Windows 8/8.1. Don't like the Charm bar? You can disable that in Classic Shell too!

I have installed 8.1 in every employee's new laptop in our office and have not had one complaint about it.

Now if we can get rid of Java, that is something I am for!
Trollsprinkler
Ben's cred: 100
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:17 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:17 PM PT
Update info clarification from MS for pirates. Their machines will still say non-genuine if they do now.
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2899480/pirates-will-stay-pirates-even-after-windows-10-upgrade.html
rdcollns
Ben's cred: 117
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:20 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:20 PM PT
Where did 9 go?
rdcollns
Ben's cred: 117
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:45 PM PT
Posted 03/19/2015 at 07:45 PM PT
Where did 9 go?
angrymutt88
Ben's cred: 330
Posted 03/20/2015 at 08:16 AM PT
Posted 03/20/2015 at 08:16 AM PT
the same place as ME and Word 4
Little_devil
Ben's cred: 2
Posted 03/20/2015 at 08:58 AM PT
Posted 03/20/2015 at 08:58 AM PT
95 - Fail 98 - hit Vista - Fail 7 - hit 8 -Fail 10 - Trend says, it will be a hit.


But wait...... wouldn't 9 have been the hit and 10 the fail ????????
ontheweb
Ben's cred: 61
Posted 03/20/2015 at 10:25 AM PT
Posted 03/20/2015 at 10:25 AM PT
You don't really need Win8 but the win8 file search is convenient. Win8 Hyper V virtualization is very cool for testing stuff in a VM and troubleshooting.

Ironically the only thing I've ever had trouble with on Win8 is MS Office.
caseynet
Ben's cred: 25
Posted 03/20/2015 at 10:46 AM PT
Posted 03/20/2015 at 10:46 AM PT
There are other ways to generate revenue. Used to be that MS controlled 90% of the O/S market. Now with tablets, phones, watches, wearables, etc., that figure is 14%. Linux, Google, Android, and even Apple do not charge for O/S upgrades.
edselboy
Ben's cred: 16
Posted 03/20/2015 at 11:02 AM PT
Posted 03/20/2015 at 11:02 AM PT
Based on all I've learned about the world over the past 2 years(or at least 22 months), when a company says 'free', we should be asking: what exactly are you taking of mine, and how much are you getting for it?