[Digerati]

Originally Posted by mistifarang

Sorry, but my private opinion is that Windows is using the trust of their customers to make Windows 10 clear and clean to sell the program finally!

Sorry, but that makes no sense. They are giving it away to current users. This has nothing to do with "future" computer sales which require new Windows licenses regardless if we were still at any previous version of Windows.

Why is a company like that "offering" Windows 10 free of charge to crowds of their customers??

This has been widely published and no secret. The reasons are simple.

(1) Windows 10 is more secure and Microsoft is sick and tired of being wrongly accused of the security state we are in - which was caused by badguys and poor user discipline, not Microsoft.

(2) It is much more efficient for a company to focus resources on one product than many.

(3) As noted by Murf and me above, future computer purchases will require new Windows - and that is regardless the fact we are up to W10 - nor is that a new policy either. At least not with OEM license which by far, the vast majority of previous versions of Windows were.

But this also means if you keep your computer for 5, 6, 8 years or longer, you will not need to purchase a new Windows license as you might have done in the past if you wanted to upgrade. All upgrades will be free. In the past, if you had Vista and you wanted to upgrade your computer to Windows 7, you had to buy Windows 7. Then again if wanted to upgrade to Windows 8, you have to pay again to buy Windows 8 - or stay stuck in the past with a less secure OS.

This is clearly a Win Win. Microsoft can concentrate its resources on one platform and consumers will always have the most recent, most secure operating system without having to pay extra.

Originally Posted by Murf

Microsoft isn't stupid, that is why they make tons of money. They know if they can get rid of the pirated copies of Windows, get people into Windows 10 later on they will buy more.

Right! And again, this goes back to security. Pirated copies of Windows are often infected. Plus users with pirated copies are often those who neglect to keep their computers current. And it is a fact that keeping our computers current is one of the most effective ways to keep our systems secure.

And it is also a known fact that infected computers don't just affect the computer's user. Instead, those infected systems are typically used as threats against the rest of us by sending spam, distributing malware or as zombies in bot armies conducting DDoS attacks. Therefore, with all users at Windows 10, all of us will be more secure.

The new Edge browser and the very operating system itself track you to serve targeted ads. The Windows store is a repository for all of Microsoft's vaunted universal apps (and plenty of other things to buy).

Even Solitaire begs for a monthly subscription to ditch all the ads now.

Yes, but if you install using the Custom install option (as everyone should ALWAYS do with EVERY program they install) and not blindly click on the Express or Default install options, you can opt out of most of those tracking and sharing options. NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER your cell phone provider is tracking your every move and action to a much greater degree than MS is with your PC.

Also, you can still Get Windows 7 Games for Windows 10 and not worry about Solitaire begging for anything.