Windows 10 to be Released July 29 2015

[SteveG1988]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html

One year to be precise, the first year of release it will be a free for life upgrade, as in once you have it, it will always be free and will not go into a limited use version.

[Stratuscaster]

I need to dig up the details - it applies to certain versions/licenses of Windows.

If you snagged a corporate/volume license and that license is no longer valid (ie; the corp didn't renew), you likely won't get the W10 upgrade.

I need to confirm if OEM licenses are included - that would be the largest chunk of the user base.

[SteveG1988]

I need to dig up the details - it applies to certain versions/licenses of Windows.

If you snagged a corporate/volume license and that license is no longer valid (ie; the corp didn't renew), you likely won't get the W10 upgrade.

I need to confirm if OEM licenses are included - that would be the largest chunk of the user base.

I did look into it, OEM is included, corp is not.

[ZLoth]

From the Technical Preview that I have installed on a computer at work, I like the improvements over Windows 8, and am looking forward to the upgrade.

[SteveG1988]

Users of windows 7 may have noticed a little icon near the clock, advertizing windows 10. It's free for the first year it is out and is a 3gb download.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/features

[SSOWorld]

I noticed it on my win 8.1 laptop this evening.

[SteveG1988]

I noticed it on my win 8.1 laptop this evening.

Same with my 7 Pro Laptop. I already reserved it. what they are doing is spreading out the download, to reduce bandwith requirements. That way on X Day, everything is already saved, and overnight you should get 10 with a reboot.

[mapman1071]

I am Not Upgrading/Downgrading from Windows 7 Ultimate x64 to Windows 10 Business. I heard from alpha & beta testers that Windows XP and Vista comparability would be removed for the Download and Retail Editions of all versions of 10. I would have to give up my games Sim City 4 deluxe and Locomotion just to name a few. I wish that a free version I can install as a dual boot.   

[Roadrunner75]

I just noticed it on my 7 desktop.  Even though history has proven every other version to be OK (or at least to fix the major problems of the previous version), I'll pass.  If it ain't broke....

Let me know if there's still a classic theme so I can continue to avoid having my desktop look like some bad cartoony smartphone screen.

[SignGeek101]

I heard the start menu is coming back. 

But I also heard that there are also going to be some drawbacks.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/1/8696949/windows-10-feature-loss

[SteveG1988]

I am Not Upgrading/Downgrading from Windows 7 Ultimate x64 to Windows 10 Business. I heard from alpha & beta testers that Windows XP and Vista comparability would be removed for the Download and Retail Editions of all versions of 10. I would have to give up my games Sim City 4 deluxe and Locomotion just to name a few. I wish that a free version I can install as a dual boot.   

Umm...No, it retains the same compatability as 7 and 8 and 8.1 i have used the x64 version on my desktop, SC4 ran 100%.

[D-Dey65]

I noticed it on my win 8.1 laptop this evening.

I have Windows 8.1, but on my desktop. I previously had Windows 8.0. When they finally forced it on me back in December, I lost a lot of things I wanted to put into my external hard drive. I don't think I'm going to get it back.   

[Stratuscaster]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications

One key change is that Windows 10 Home will automatically download and install updates - the consumer does not get a choice. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, updates can be deferred.

Another is that Windows Media Player will be removed. For some folks, that's a HUGE downside.

[DeaconG]

I'm not going anywhere near this until at least SP1 shows up...I'm running Win 7 Ultimate on a computer with a dual-socket motherboard which means nothing less than the Pro edition will work for me.

Some other time methinks.

[SteveG1988]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications

One key change is that Windows 10 Home will automatically download and install updates - the consumer does not get a choice. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, updates can be deferred.

Another is that Windows Media Player will be removed. For some folks, that's a HUGE downside.

Windows media center. Player will still exist.

[Thing 342]

I plan on getting it, just so I can say good riddance to the UI fustercluck that is Windows 8. 8.1 fixed a few issues from 8, such as returning the start button, but it still didn't fix the problem of having what were essentially two different desktops.

[SignGeek101]

This is kind of a dumb question, but does it delete / reset anything?

Just last month, I changed most of the Windows fonts (Segoe UI) into Roadgeek fonts. To do that, I had to go into the registry.

[SteveG1988]

This is kind of a dumb question, but does it delete / reset anything?

Just last month, I changed most of the Windows fonts (Segoe UI) into Roadgeek fonts. To do that, I had to go into the registry.

Probably. From what i've read the windows 8/10 upgrade from prior editions reinstalls windows, and just copies over settings.

[Scott5114]

One key change is that Windows 10 Home will automatically download and install updates - the consumer does not get a choice. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, updates can be deferred.

This is a major, major dealbreaker. Recently we had tornadic weather in Oklahoma and I needed to access software on my Windows laptop to track the storms. Windows cheerfully informed me that it had an update to install, because obviously it knows better what my computer should be doing at the moment than I do. So I got to stay in the dark about my situation for thirty minutes while it downloaded updates, prepared updates, considered updates, procrastinated about updates, considered preparing updates, prepared to install updates, updated updates, thought about considering preparing to install updates...

After it finally gave me control of the OS I disabled Windows Update.

[Stratuscaster]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications

One key change is that Windows 10 Home will automatically download and install updates - the consumer does not get a choice. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, updates can be deferred.

Another is that Windows Media Player will be removed. For some folks, that's a HUGE downside.

Windows media center. Player will still exist.

That's exactly what I meant to type. Thank you.

[MikeTheActuary]

After it finally gave me control of the OS I disabled Windows Update.

...and the risk of your machine becoming a zombie spambot increased. 

(I shouldn't say things like that, since one of my machines, acting as an internal server, has automatic updates disabled as well...although I will go in and manually update from time to time.)

For whatever it's worth, while Win10 is making it harder to avoid accepting updates, it does give you the option of scheduling a reboot at a more convenient time.  In the betas, it will try to guess what that convenient time might be based on information in the Calendar app...but that would presume there's something in the app to go by.

[ET21]

Our copy is reserved, let's see how good or bad it is 

[SignGeek101]

I don't think I'll get it until everything is smoothed out. I think there may be some bugs / glitches with it, and it'll take Microsoft time to fix it.

[Scott5114]

After it finally gave me control of the OS I disabled Windows Update.

...and the risk of your machine becoming a zombie spambot increased. 

I usually mitigate this risk by fixing the root cause of it...i.e., I uninstall Windows. This laptop is my "emergency I-need-something-only-Windows-can-do" machine.

[rickmastfan67]

One key change is that Windows 10 Home will automatically download and install updates - the consumer does not get a choice. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, updates can be deferred.

This is a major, major dealbreaker. Recently we had tornadic weather in Oklahoma and I needed to access software on my Windows laptop to track the storms. Windows cheerfully informed me that it had an update to install, because obviously it knows better what my computer should be doing at the moment than I do. So I got to stay in the dark about my situation for thirty minutes while it downloaded updates, prepared updates, considered updates, procrastinated about updates, considered preparing updates, prepared to install updates, updated updates, thought about considering preparing to install updates...

After it finally gave me control of the OS I disabled Windows Update.

Then you need to get W10 Pro.  That will still give you control of when to install updates.  Only the 'Home' edition will automatically update.