More of your Windows 10 questions answered
We have been receiving dozens of emails every day asking about Windows 10. And a lot of you…and rightly so…are a little suspicious about why Microsoft is suddenly becoming altruistic and giving most users – over 60% of computer users use Windows 7 and about 11% use Windows 8 — Windows 10 free. Skepticism abounds. When a company which has been driven by making huge profits from operating system upgrades starts giving an update away it does make you wonder. So we’re going to try to address some of your questions. Keep in mind, only Microsoft knows what it will do in the future; we’re basing our answers on the best available current information. And we know – nothing is as certain as change.
1> Your Question: If I upgrade to Windows 10 on July 29, 2015 will it only be good until July 29, 2016. Will I have to pay to keep using it?
Our Answer: You can use Windows 10 until you-know-what-freezes over without paying for it. Microsoft says Windows 10 and all future upgrades to it, will be free for the “supported lifetime of your device”. Um…what does that means. It means, we think, that let’s say you’re using a computer built in 2009 and it’s now 2024. That 15 years may be considered to be well beyond the supported lifetime of your device. In 2024 there may be liquid helium processors running 5000 times faster than today’s – or 500 GB of RAM will be common. You can’t very well drag your dual-core pc with 8 GB of RAM into 2024 with you and expect Microsoft to make Windows backward compatible with your device. You have to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt here. The supported life will probably be fair period of time.
2> Your Question: Why is Microsoft doing this/
Our Answer: We don’t have any inside information, however we think you can thank your Chromebook, Android device and Apple users. Chromebook’s operating system quietly updates, new features are added, things are improved and it’s all done via automatic updates. Android and Apple do the same things.
Let’s face it. At one time, Microsoft was the only game in town. Apple was struggling and Chromebooks and Android devices and smart phones were years in the future. If you wanted a computer, and you were not a Linux geek, you either chose Windows or Apples. And most people chose Windows simply because Windows computers were hundreds of dollars less expensive than their Apple counterparts. At one time 95% of the home computers in the word ran Windows.
That was back in day when almost everyone accessed the Internet using a desktop computer. Laptops were expensive – and famously under-powered. If you wanted to browse the Web, you used a desktop computer.
How things have changed. People are accessing the Internet is many different ways – tablets, smart phones, even watches. The day when people were tied to a desktop while accessing the Internet. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that Windows is becoming a smaller and smaller force in the world of computing devices. A very small number of the tablets and smart phones in use are Windows-powered. There are many, many more Android tablet, Android smart phones, Chromebooks,Apple tablet and Apple smart phones than there are Windows tablets and smart phones. With fewer and fewer people using desktops and even laptops to access the Internet, Microsoft can no longer make the rules. It must compete to survive and that’s our theory behind why Windows 10 is free for MOST Windows users (sorry Vista and XP users, it’s not free for you).
3> Your Question. How will Microsoft make money?
Our Answer: They hope to make money by selling you apps from the Windows store, or selling you Skype minutes, or selling you music subscriptions or extra storage on its OneDrive – or all of these. There is a lot of money in having millions of users buy all-your-ears-can handle music subscriptions at a monthly rate. A lot of money in the other things too.
And let’s not forget, Windows is not exactly setting the smart phone and tablet world on fire. Depending on whose stats you use, Windows runs on 10-15% of the smart phones and tablets in the world. That means 85% to 90% don’t run Windows. That’s a far cry from the days when 90% of the world’s Internet-connected devices ran Windows.
We think, Microsoft hopes that if enough people like Windows 10 and get comfortable with it, that will automatically translate into more Windows-powered smart phones and tablets.
4> Your Question: Will there be future versions of Windows like Windows 11, Windows 12, Windows 13 and so on?
Our Answer: According to Microsoft, Windows 10 will be the last named/numbered version of Windows. So five years in the future you won’t way you run Windows 10, you’ll just be running Windows. New features and improvements will be automatically delivered via Windows Update – and in Windows 10 Home – users will not have the option to turn off the updates.
Windows will constantly be improved (according to Microsoft) and new features added via the update path.
We’ll wait and see on this, but if Windows Update doesn’t work any better on Windows 10 than it did on Windows 7, then there will be plenty of very unhappy users. On the bright side, our test versions of Windows 10 have upgraded perfectly – automatically – with very few service interruptions. We’re willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt on this one too. They’re striving to compete with Google and Apple, two companies as big or bigger than Microsoft. We think, given their new, less influential position in the world of Internet-connected devices, they will start giving users what they want and Windows will go on for a long time to come.
Only time will tell.
Thank you for the info which answers a lot of questions but I am wondering that since I do not do automatic updates but I do install them when notified if they pertain to my pc, will I still receive the right to download one at my choosing (I want to wait two months or so as it gives them time to fix any so called kinks. I have Windows 8.1 which I hated so converted it to act like 7 and use the classic shell system or whatever it is called. I do not do their automatic updates as it takes so long to shut down and etc. and their recommendations do not always pertain to this pc.
I remember reading one of your comments a while ago about windows 10, that if you have windows 7 and were quite comfortable with it, that there was no need to change over to windows 10 if you did not want to.
Have you changed your feeling on the w-10 programme now that maybe it would be more useful ?
Thanks so much and so appreciative of all that you do. art and marg
Thanks very much, Art and Marg. The only reason why I would upgrade to Windows 10 is that if I did it within a year I would get Windows 10 free. However Windows 7 is supported by Microsoft until 2020 – that’s still five years away. Since my Windows 7 laptop is already 3 years old, it’s highly unlikely that I’m going to be using this computer in 2020. So I would still get Windows 10 free (sort of) if I purchased a new computer in let’s say 2017. Some people have Windows 7 computer that were purchased within the last year and they would have to make a decision on whether to stick with Windows 7 until 2020 when it will no longer be supported by Microsoft – and buy a new computer with Windows 10 on it (by then it will just be called “Windows”) or to upgrade now for free.
Honestly, the more I use Windows 10 the more I like it – and most Windows 7 users would find it very, very easy to switch from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I am going to keep my Windows 7 computer as it is because I have to be able to access Windows 7 to test our newsletter tips and tricks and software on Windows 7 – as many of our readers will have Windows 7 computers. But I am so ready to upgrade my Windows 8.1 computer to Windows 10. I think anyone with Windows 8.1 would be crazy not to upgrade – Windows 10 has all the best features of Windows 8 (and there some good ones) with the ease of use and familiarity of Windows 7 and previous versions of Windows.
If Microsoft would only include a desktop mail program like Outlook Express with Windows 10 – I think Windows 10 would be the best Windows ever – yes XP fans – even better than Windows XP. But alas, it appears Microsoft has turned a deaf ear to those who have asked for a functional desktop mail client for Windows – and there have been many requests. without a desktop mail client, Windows 10 will have to snuggle into second place as the best Windows ever.
I know it’s still early and the Windows 10 I’m using is still a beta version, but I can tell already it’s going to be a success. I used the beta version of XP on my main computer as my main operating system back in the pre-XP days and I knew Microsoft would have a big hit with Windows XP. Same with Windows 10. If I didn’t need to keep a Windows 7 computer around for testing software and computer tips/tricks – I’d upgrade to Windows 10. So I guess you could say that I’ve changed my mind 🙂
My Vista is coming to an end and the next purchase will probably be the last computor I buy.
Since I work from home, I need word and excel and now confused more then ever on what to buy????
I have a laptop, it is very conveinent for me if I get another one will it have window 10 or some other operating system?
They are expensive so I need to be sure I am getting one that will do the work, I hope to work for another 3 years if possilbe.
Thanks to anyone who can answer, I would be in total darkness, thank goodness for Cloudeight, they have kept my laptop in tip top shape and running, your GREAT!!!!
New laptops are not expensive – especially right now – right before Windows 10 is released, stores are reducing prices to get rid of Windows 8.1 computers in stock. Buy a Windows 8.1 computer now, leave it in the box. Set it up on July 28 – and set it to upgrade on 29 July 2015 and you have yourself a brand new Windows 10 computer – right out of the box.
You can get a brand new 15″ Windows 8.1 laptop with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive for less than $300. For a hundred dollars more you can get a 1 TB hard drive and a bigger screen. I’m quite sure that the $299 laptop linked above is more powerful and has a bigger hard drive than your old vista computer – and it will run Windows 10 just fine.
I am sure the above computer, while not a super-gaming computer, will do everything you need it do and do it well.
Our advice? If you’re going to buy a new Windows 10 computer when they are in stores – don’t wait – but a Windows 8.1 computer right now and leave it in the box until a couple days before the release of Windows 10 on July 29. Then upgrade it on July 29, 2015. You’l have a brand new computer running the new version of Windows – and you’ll have a computer that should last you more than 3 years.
And keep in mind, Windows 10 users will get all future upgrades, new features, improved features and all of the things you’ve come to expect with a new version of Windows free with Windows 10 – and you’ll get them automatically so your computer will always be up-to-date with the most recent version of Windows. No need to upgrade to new version of Windows because you’ll automatically always have the newest version of Windows.
Buy now and save big if your planning on buying a new computer when Windows 10 comes out.
I still Love you guys ! I purchased a new lap top (HP) almost a year ago & it came with Avast I think. My wife uses it & I want to up date the protection to EMSISOFT pretty soon. Can you do that for me sometime? I already know your fees are fair so that is no problem either. It is all under my E-Mail address & whatever comes to this Puter , also goes to the new puter.
None of that is any problem for you I know.
Your steadfast advocate, Charlie
OOPS – My X P screen just went ALL BLACK ! Can you fix it? I have so much stuff on it to put on A New Desk top that I want to get in the next couple days. I will go looking tomorrow. I will probably look at a H. P. tomorrow at Office Depot. Good Idea ? God willing of course!
Love you ALL ! Charlie