[OFFICIAL] Windows 10 Insider Program

[deck]

Super excited for the Windows 10 preview!  I haven't downloaded the releases to date, but the next major 'public preview' and I'm all in!

[Brandon H Supervisor]

it's official, Windows 10 is a free upgrade from 8.1 for a year from its release

 

edit: looks like free upgrade for Windows 7 as well. wow didn't expect that one O__O

[Active.]

It's a service now. I'll be damned if they don't start charging for it at some point...

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

It's a service now. I'll be damned if they don't start charging for it at some point...

 

Only MS could turn an OS into a monthly subscription. Seriously hope that doesn't happen.

[PGHammer]

Only MS could turn an OS into a monthly subscription. Seriously hope that doesn't happen.

So what would you propose instead (in an era of low-cost or free operating systems AND given that Microsoft has only their software as a cash cow)?

 

Microsoft needs INCOME to keep up that steady stream of software - should Microsoft basically give the OS away (which is, in fact, their second-largest cash cow)?

[BooBerry]

So what would you propose instead (in an era of low-cost or free operating systems AND given that Microsoft has only their software as a cash cow)?

 

Microsoft needs INCOME to keep up that steady stream of software - should Microsoft basically give the OS away (which is, in fact, their second-largest cash cow)?

 

 

Vl & Retail licence is very important TBH.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

So what would you propose instead (in an era of low-cost or free operating systems AND given that Microsoft has only their software as a cash cow)?

 

Microsoft needs INCOME to keep up that steady stream of software - should Microsoft basically give the OS away (which is, in fact, their second-largest cash cow)?

 

Right, because Microsoft never made money from full license sales that weren't subscription based.

[Defcon]

Windows should never be free. It's the heart and soul of computing - its not an OS with old tech subsidized by hardware sales like OS X, and its not a 'compile it yourself' distort like Linux. 

[Ian W]

One interesting new feature available in the Technical Preview is the Start menu's integration with Bing and Windows Store applications. A search for "current weather in New York" from the Start menu returns results for the current weather in that state.



Hopefully Microsoft expands this capability so that other applications can be searched as well. It would be interesting to perform a cursory search and be provided with instant results from MSN News, for example.

[George P Global Moderator]

I think you guys have misunderstood what they mean when they say "it's a service". Because it works on everything from desktops to phones all of that syncs up so you can move between devices without issue and pick up where you left off. The OS syncing is a "service", if you use a Microsoft account that is. That's all it is, there's NO subscription coming.

[gohpep]

I think you guys have misunderstood what they mean when they say "it's a service". Because it works on everything from desktops to phones all of that syncs up so you can move between devices without issue and pick up where you left off. The OS syncing is a "service", if you use a Microsoft account that is. That's all it is, there's NO subscription coming.

Yes, there is a subscription coming. What do you think they meant by for the first year?

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Yes, there is a subscription coming. What do you think they meant by for the first year?

 

I hope not...though they (Microsoft) didn't really answer the question..."yes" or "no".

 

Audience question: What happens after the free upgrade to Windows 10 period? (Implication: Will they have to pay?)

Answer: Unclear. Nadella: "We hope it helps people move over to Windows 10"

 

So what will people have to pay? Will there be a subscription fee?

Nadella: We want to be able to service our customers. There is no fundamental shift to our business model. Hardware vendors buy Windows, and their customers are covered for the life of the machine.

 

Question from audience: What's going to happen to Windows XP users?

Nadella: "Windows 10 is a fantastic upgrade for the platforms we announced." (That means Win 7 and 8... XP users are out of luck. Although to be fair, I wouldn't want to run an OS Like 10 on XP hardware)

 

Just so we're all on the same page. There was no mention of a monthly service fee for the consumer version of Windows 10. Satya even said there will be no fundamental shift in the way Microsoft sells Windows.

 

From the Yahoo folks there..  http://yahoo-tech.tu...event/windows10

 

 

The bold part give me some hope that there will not be any subscription based model.

[Josh the Nerd]

Yes, there is a subscription coming. What do you think they meant by for the first year?

The same thing they meant when they said Windows 8 would be $40 for the first three months.

[vcfan]

to put an end to this speculation

 

Today was a monumental day for us on the Windows team because we shared our desire to redefine the relationship we have with you

[Osiris]

Windows 10 needs to get everybody on board MS have pretty much said that in 100 different ways,  just as windows 7 brang everyone back from the perceived failure and consumer backlash of vista.  You don't do something as major as moving your OS to a subscription model if one of your key goals is to get everybody on board.  Windows as a paid service is definitely in the future but not for windows 10 I very much think this is another case of MS using poor language which wouldn't be the first time these sorts of miscommunications between presenter and everyone has occurred.

[FunkyMike]

Yes, there is a subscription coming. What do you think they meant by for the first year?

 

Key generation for upgrades will stop working / activating. That is how I would imagine it. No need to tie it to anything but they device fingerprint. 

[chrisj1968]

the webcast was really laggy. some aspects of the cast was intolerable. but what I took from the webcast is;

 

1. more of the same. they just repackaged touch surface stuff and tried to sell it as a new concept or vision.

2. I'm not into the "across all platforms" stuff, xbox game streaming.

3. the search bar in the taskbar hogs alot of real estate.

4. DX 12 was impressive, the DX 11 and 12 side by side was interesting

5. the icons and color schemes are ripped straight from 8/8.1. I had hoped for some more artistic icons and color schemes.

6. Office.. meh.

7. windows 10 first note speaker gave me the "hint" of a future subscription as a service for windows by his stating windows seen as a "service"

 

The only really interesting reason at this point for me to upgrade to Windows 10 is for the DX12 gaming. maybe its still early and I can hold out hope for some monumental changes but it still looks like MSFT is stuck in the touchscreen arena with eye candy. I don't think 10 will change peoples minds as they'll think. having the 2 UI's still is fine as systems are touchscreen will need it. the desktop is pretty uninspired at this point. asthetically, the icons are too playskool'ish. to say straight up flat but, loud. The animations don't impress me, powerpoint etc. outlook...

 

I'll probably ONLY upgrade for the gaming, DX12 aspects. I still feel Windows 10 is a rehash of 8/8.1.

[chrisj1968]

So what would you propose instead (in an era of low-cost or free operating systems AND given that Microsoft has only their software as a cash cow)?

 

Microsoft needs INCOME to keep up that steady stream of software - should Microsoft basically give the OS away (which is, in fact, their second-largest cash cow)?

 

this is why MSFT has... get this... investors! it is a publically traded company, you can buy stocks. but Windows 10 as a service subscription.. yuck! so they shouldn't charge a hefty price up front to ream you in the backside with a monthly fee. lol.

[George P Global Moderator]

It's free for the first year, that's all it means, after that you will have to pay for the upgrade. They're still selling licenses, OEMs still buy them, you still buy them. The difference here is that they'll be upgrading the OS faster, those that missed out later have to pay up.

[Osiris]

I'll probably ONLY upgrade for the gaming, DX12 aspects. I still feel Windows 10 is a rehash of 8/8.1.

 

You seem kind of negative about MS and the presentation but I agree with this point.  The simple truth is it doesn't matter though.  MS could have taken windows 8.2 and called it Windows 10 and it was going to be popular because just like Windows 7 was mostly built on vista - it didn't matter - vista had a bad wrap in consumers minds just like win 8 does even though one could argue a lot of the intiail issues with Win8 have been resolved in 8.1 and would have been resolved in 8.2 with the start menu. 

 

That being said in this instance MS have gone further than just repackaging (cross device integration, focus on the interface, universal apps, cortana, dx12) so consumers are getting a lot of value even if in reality they just have Win8 R2.

[nosense]

Couple things i notice with the UI.

 

Start Menu is now transparent

New Icons for Action menu

New icon for volume

New icons for settings app

 

Of course MS isn't going to show\focus on the UI, because its going to change.

[Clirion]

Chap, I think we're in violent agreement.  The actual negative productivity impact of Windows 8's rather clumsy overhaul of the 'standard' Windows UI seems to have been stretched to absurd conclusions.  Sure, it required some time to accustomise to (depending on aptitude), but you could always largely ignore Modern elements, and it has been a great enabler of novel PC-based computing options.

 

I haven't had the opportunity to try it, but touch-enabled portable users (e.g. SP3) must find using an external monitor awkward (having to relocate the mouse), if you get used to the touch UI?  I think I would/will.

Actually I have not had that problem at all.  I use a Surface Pro 2 not SP3, but the principle is the same.  Easy as pie for me. 

Doc it up and I have a mouse and I move to that.  The function is the same if I am using touch or a mouse.   

[HawkMan]

the webcast was really laggy. some aspects of the cast was intolerable. but what I took from the webcast is;

 

1. more of the same. they just repackaged touch surface stuff and tried to sell it as a new concept or vision.

2. I'm not into the "across all platforms" stuff, xbox game streaming.

3. the search bar in the taskbar hogs alot of real estate.

4. DX 12 was impressive, the DX 11 and 12 side by side was interesting

5. the icons and color schemes are ripped straight from 8/8.1. I had hoped for some more artistic icons and color schemes.

6. Office.. meh.

7. windows 10 first note speaker gave me the "hint" of a future subscription as a service for windows by his stating windows seen as a "service"

 

The only really interesting reason at this point for me to upgrade to Windows 10 is for the DX12 gaming. maybe its still early and I can hold out hope for some monumental changes but it still looks like MSFT is stuck in the touchscreen arena with eye candy. I don't think 10 will change peoples minds as they'll think. having the 2 UI's still is fine as systems are touchscreen will need it. the desktop is pretty uninspired at this point. asthetically, the icons are too playskool'ish. to say straight up flat but, loud. The animations don't impress me, powerpoint etc. outlook...

 

I'll probably ONLY upgrade for the gaming, DX12 aspects. I still feel Windows 10 is a rehash of 8/8.1.

 

It's like you watched a completely different stream, but I don't think anyone's surprised.

 

and of course it's building on and expanding on windows 8.x, they're not going to go backwards are they.

[Mugwump00]

Actually I have not had that problem at all.  I use a Surface Pro 2 not SP3, but the principle is the same.  Easy as pie for me. 

Doc it up and I have a mouse and I move to that.  The function is the same if I am using touch or a mouse.   

 

I mean, don't you find the inability to 'touch' the UI on external monitor jarring?  In my experience with the admittedly little desktop stuff I do on my RT, I've rarely needed the trackpad.  I imagine using using a Pro with an external display kind of forces you back to the mouse, compramising the Surface experience somewhat?

[PGHammer]

It's like you watched a completely different stream, but I don't think anyone's surprised.

 

and of course it's building on and expanding on windows 8.x, they're not going to go backwards are they.

And if you are running 9879, the new build is available right now (I'm downloading it as I type this via Update and Recovery->Preview Builds) - and I'm in the eastern US (specifically, the suburbs of Washington, DC - I had to reinstall 9879 due to a driver-corruption issue and checked for a new build just for yuks).