Windows 10 Announced - Released 29-Jul-2015

This site say October 15.

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5705-activate-windows-10-a.html

 

Each build will have an expiration date, but for now, the Windows Insider Program remains continuous.

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwi...changes-to-windows-10-insider-preview-builds/

 

From Gabe Aul :

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwi...changes-to-windows-10-insider-preview-builds/

 

Yes, I'm so much happier with a clean install. The upgrade process seems to be somewhat inconsistent and unpredictable. Clean install is great... Thanks for the help also.. I think I'm all set now.

 

Upgrade process always has and always will be problematic.

 

@wshrugged

That is my feeling too.. Which will be a huge problem for millions when 10 is released on the 29th. I think I will hold off, and just sit back and watch the fireworks for a few months before I even consider moving to 10. It looks good cosmetically, but from what I've seen, it really isn't ready yet, there are many bugs and issues and at this point in build 10162, you really shouldn't even be seeing anything but a nice clean problem-free OS.

 

Contacted Microsoft again, this time they forwarded me to the right department. Turns out my product ID was blocked, so we had to fix that...

 

Yay one box activated on its own and the other did when I clicked "activate now"

 

What I would like to know is if I buy a new laptop or PC can I enter the Insider preview again?

 

Does Windows 10 have a better security compared to W7 or W8?

 

Look here:

http://www.darkreading.com/cloud/mi...ecurity-features-to-know-about/d/d-id/1320650

 

I was reading this, especially the part about bio-metrics. Do you think some of this is for tracking purposes also? Iris scan, fingerprint and such?

 

I don't know about intentional tracking, but there is this interesting concern:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cybertruth/2013/09/12/why-biometrics-dont-work/2802095/

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for the links.

 

I hadn't thought of those issues before reading "why biometrics don't work". I'm glad I did; I definitely won't be using them.

On the other hand Microsoft accounts now support two factor authentication (it has to be turned on in the web account settings). If you log into Windows 10 with an MS account you could use TFA.

 

For the people that are interested:

http://www.techspot.com/article/1002-windows-10-free-or-not-explained/

 

I guess the question is, is there any really compelling reason to upgrade 7 to 10 for example? Usually I like a new OS because it's nice and "clean" and bug free. But from what I've seen in the 10 Previews, it's not clean and bug free yet, and likely won't be at release time. I have my doubts anyway. So putting that aside, I can't really see any good reason to go from 7 to 10, given it's somewhat buggy state, and the fact that my Home edition of 10 would have no control over Win Updates either. 2 strikes against it, and nothing in favor of it, as far as I can see..

10 looks nice cosmetically, but... what does it really have to offer that I don't already have in 7?

 

There's nothing really special about Win 10, it's a minor upgrade over Win 8.1, which works just fine. The thing that bugs me, is that they try to make Metro apps more mainstream, by integrating it with the normal desktop. But it's the same Metro apps which a lot of people don't like. As long as you can turn them off, it's fine with me, I will be using Classic Shell anyway. I do wonder if M$ has fixed the current annoyances from Win 8.1, I'm not betting on it, because they where too occupied with all of this Metro interface crap.

 

Yeah, I have given up on the idea that MS might come to their senses and ditch the schizo Metro junk. I never did like any of that, and it looks like all they really did in 10 was rearrange 8.1 into a more integrated start menu interface and so on. I think 10 looks more functional now, and it's an improvement, but I have to agree with you on the Metro stuff, it would please me no end if they just had an OFF switch for all that stuff, or else, as I've said before, make separate OS's for mobile and desktop. But they've doubled down on Metro and just integrated it further into the OS, so it looks like it'll be there forever...

What bothers me about 10 is that I've seen not just one, but many annoying bugs and problems in the beta builds. Even a clean install of 10162 had the first 3 driver updates fail for no apparent reason. That just shouldn't be happening at all in a build this close to final. The Win 7 Release Previews were excellent... that's why I went to the store and bought 7 the first day it came out. 10 doesn't seem to have that level of quality. Frankly, I'm expecting all sorts of issues and problems as they release 10 to the public.

Aside from all that though, you're right. I can't see any real reason to let go of 7 and move to 10...

 

The TechSpot article says,

I'm sorry, TechSpot, but that is not what Microsoft said.

January 21, Microsoft said,

and May 15,

But what is "for the supported lifetime of the device"?
Why not "for the lifetime of the device"?
I don't know what Microsoft meant to say with that "supported".

What does "supported lifetime" mean?
I think that's frankly unclear.
In my view, "supported lifetime" can only apply to the supported lifetime of a valid Windows license, not to the lifespan of the (hardware) device as that is not supported by Microsoft (except in case of a Microsoft brand device).
Therefore, I read Microsoft's phrasing "for the supported lifetime of the device" as till the initial Windows 7 or Windows 8 support end date.
Should my interpretation be correct, then the free upgrade to Windows 10 doesn't change the net duration of the support and users would need to buy a new licence by the time of the initial Windows 7 or Windows 8 support end date.
But that's all speculation, of course.
However, as Microsoft still has not clarified what "for the lifetime of the device" means, I think anything is possible.
Well, time will tell, I guess.

 

Another thing we've heard is that this (10) is the "last" Windows... from various vague things I've read and heard, it appears that MS intends to take 10, and us, down some future unspecified "path", and who knows if we'll like it or not as it changes and evolves into who knows what? And once you go down the path, you're kinda stuck there without too many options...

 

To add to that, they are removing win32 apps bit by bit. Calculator, gone. You've got to use the metro equivalent. Windows Photo Viewer, gone. It's going to continue in that transition gradually. They are forcing it down our throats so slowly so that we don't collectively choke and realize what they are trying to achieve here.

There are some aspects of Win10 that I like and some that I do not like. I agree with you, an option to turn off all things metro would be nice. But sadly it will never happen. Even the Date/Time flyout is metro now. As I said, they will keep this slow transition going and more win32 apps will be replaced with metro equivalents.

 

Kerodo,

We've been through this before but I love Metro and have less affection for the Win10 start menu. I considered staying with Win8 as I don't see major differences between the two OS but I will upgrade my Win8 to Win10 and probably also have a clean Win10 install. I'll keep a copy of my Win8 too. Multi-boot. My Win8 to Win10 upgrades have been faultless, much to my surprise.

 

Yeah... I have to smile at it all. Well, as long as they're going that route, I do think 10 is a nicer integration of it all than 8 or 8.1 was. And I did think 8.1 was fairly usable. 10 will probably be pretty decent cosmetically and functionally I guess. But I still wish there was an OFF switch for Metro, across the entire OS. But yeah, that'll never happen.