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  • Lolimaster - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Really microsoft, if you want to be good fella be a good fella else just stick to your obsolete practices and stay with the $99+ for license or nothing.

    So the upgrades path is like this:

    Windows 7 --> Ubuntu/Windows7?
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Where did you get that from? All windows 7 licenses can be upgraded to win 10 for free so long as you upgrade in the first year.

    This is a very simple thing that some seem to have trouble understanding. You are eligible for a free upgrade to windows 10.

    What this is saying its that uses of the windows 10 insider program can continue using windows 10 insider even after launch so long as they keep it updated, also not hard to understand.

    Those that upgrade from windows 7 or 8 do not need to keep windows 10 updated to continue using it.
  • giggitygoebbels - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    You do know that some Windows 7 Pro/8 Pro uses KMS activation,either legitimately(small business,some rich guy with a Windows Server and a CSVLK license) or illegitimately(piracy).Will they get KMS Windows 10 Pro,or retail/OEM copies?How do you exclude the pirates that used emulated servers to activate?They are all a problem that microsoft still did not solve.Furthermore,how will microsoft differentiate genuine OEM machines between pirates that used emulated certificates to activate?Nobody knows the answer yet.
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I would imagine based on the License key, like they would for every other license.

    If you are connecting to MS servers to request your free upgrade to win10 they will know if you are using a genuine license or not.

    All of my MSDN licenses are being offered the free upgrade regardless of type of license key used. No they are not KMS activated licenses but they will detect the actual license being used when connecting to their server anyway.

    I just think that a lot of the "What if?" questions I am seeing is more people assuming that their use case will not be included when it really seems like for the most part they will be.

    Also this article is about Windows insider previewers being able to keep using Win10 after it launches which they will. They won't get a fully fledged license but will be able to use Win10 insider preview providing they continue testing it. This will involve keeping their copy up to date with the latest beta updates.

    I am less than bothered about whether pirates will be able to upgrade or not as if they are not they will more than likely simply continue to use a pirated copy as they always have.

    This seems more than fair to me.
  • Brett Howse - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    If you are activating through KMS then you are using Volume Licensing which is not a part of the free offer. Volume Licensing updates are handled by Software Assurance.

    If you are pirating using a KMS key then obviously I don't care to answer.
  • A5 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Yeah. If you have volume licensing (legitimately), you will probably get it as part of that.
  • NewBro - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    Exactly this. Why are people having such a hard time understanding this?
  • giggitygoebbels - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    Because this is not a simple Genuine get free Windows 10,counterfeit does not situation.All the complicated activation and licensing jargon from Microsoft have to be included into the picture too.
  • FalcomPSX - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    whats so hard to understand? if you have a legitimate OEM/Retail copy of windows 7/8 you will get the free upgrade for the first year. If you are a volume customer under SA, you won't but SA will likely cover you anyway as part of the agreement.

    If you're running a pirated copy of windows, you aren't entitled to get an upgrade for free as there's nothing to 'upgrade' from. I'm sure there will be plenty of crafty hackers who manage to trick the system into giving them a copy of win10 that ends up being legitimate and fully activated, but make no mistake, its a stolen copy, whether it works or not. If you get it working, good for you, if not, learn to hack better, or don't be a thief.

    The only thing i'm confused about is if i have to upgrade my win 8.1 to win10, or if i will be able to get an ISO and a key and do a clean install. I'm thinking i'll have to do an upgrade unfortunately, or shell out for a new copy.
  • theMillen - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    they have stated, you will have to upgrade but then can do a clean install, basically upgrade get your key/activationbackup then do a clean install and use key or apply backed-up activation
  • giggitygoebbels - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    However,Microsoft specifically said that Windows Enterprise under VL will not get the free upgrade,which likely means that Pro copies from VL can get it.However,it will create a myriad of trouble for Microsoft to differentiate between a legitimate copy and a counterfeit one.The main thing I am worried about is that Microsoft will exclude ALL OEM machines(running certs) and ALL VL(KMS) activated machines regardless of whether the copies are legitimate or not.That can happen,trust me.
  • royalcrown - Friday, June 26, 2015 - link

    First of all even OEM machines with certs have stickers if they run windows 7. On windows 8 the Key is encoded in the bios and no sticker on OEM machines. They can still tell who is legitimate and who PATCHED THEIR BIOS WITH A SLIC TABLE AND INSERTED A FAKE CERTIFICATE, and is whining about not getting upgraded *cough* a lot of the time.

    If you bought it or the machine, you have PROOF.
  • usernametaken76 - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link

    Good point; I have a pro license for which I paid full retail ($199) on a custom built PC. Of course I'm getting the "free" upgrade there. I also have a laptop with an OEM machine with the key encoded in the BIOS. That machine has NOT prompted me for the free upgrade. I believe due to the steep discount provided to the OEM's so that they push the machines out with Windows preinstalled, they're not going to be included (unless special circumstances...)

    Funny thing, I have an iMac which has a TechNet license of Windows 8.1 Pro and it was offered the upgrade...like I said...funny thing.
  • marvdmartian - Thursday, July 2, 2015 - link

    I think the point you're missing, is that Lolimaster is saying that instead of putting up with Microsoft's seesaw approach to the issue, perhaps it would be better to just say goodbye to them.....or, at least, go with a dual-boot Linux/MS machine.

    First, it seemed MS would reward anyone who was an "Insider". Then maybe, maybe not. Now? Who knows what tomorrow might bring! This is what happens when the bean counters get involved, without a doubt!
  • Raniz - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    We'll, that's disappointing.
  • webmastir - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Yet not too surprising.
  • K_Space - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    When the latest NUC machines from Intel hit the shelves, I grabbed the tiny i3 variant and ran Ubuntu 14.04. Then Windows 10 came along and I thought: why not! I've been running both and I have to say, I am quite impressed with Windows 10. When the first announcement came out, it was like: score! Now deflated but not surprsised it sounds like it's back to Ubuntu and Insider and hopefully by the time Insider programme dies out, I should be Ubuntu daily driver ready!
  • mkozakewich - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    It won't. You can keep using the Insider program.
  • K_Space - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I'm referring to long term mkozakewich; I suspect Insider will remain for now to hook people into Windows and who knows: once a certain timeframe/subscribed is reached; they pull the plug. Anyone wants their fix of Win 10 (most likely after the first year of eligble free upgrade) have the pay the full price.
  • at80eighty - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    how many companies are expected to give free upgrades for products released 15 years ago?
  • masouth - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Who said anything about 15 years ago? I haven't seen any mention of free upgrades of anything prior to Win7 which is still just shy of 6 years since release.
  • masouth - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    ...and yes I am aware of the quote at the bottom but that is a simple response to try and head off a line of questioning before it even began. After all, Vista just turned 8 and I doubt very many were expecting a free upgrade from Windows 7 either.
  • at80eighty - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    im not even sure what your rage is about.

    it appears we agree that the expectation of support / freebies is unrealistic
  • DCide - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    “This (The Windows Insider Program) is not a path to attain a license for Windows XP or Windows Vista systems.”

    All the verbiage in this article, including the quote above, proves what I've believed ever since Windows stickers started appearing on pre-built systems years ago: Microsoft thinks they OWN your system. This is why they get manufacturers to purchase a license for virtually every system they sell - because "obviously Windows is the only legitimate PC operating system!"

    So let me get this straight - when I PURCHASE a license to run Windows and DECIDE to run it on a system, MICROSOFT now gets to call it ONE OF THEIR systems, and begins to (partially) dictate how I can use it, whether/how I can upgrade it (including monitoring my hardware changes), and so forth. Absurd!
  • MikeMurphy - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    They are simply clarifying a free upgrade path, not how you use your computer.
  • nightbringer57 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Wow.
    This escalated quickly.

    They are just saying their free windows 10 offer does noe apply for windows XP/Vista computers.
    They monitor hardware changes because their cheaper license (that they sell for a very reduced price) is attached to the computer as sold.
  • mkaibear - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Obvious troll is obvious.

    Their product, their licensing terms. They can choose whether or not they offer you a free upgrade, a paid upgrade, or no upgrade at all.

    Similarly, your purchase, your choice - you can choose whether or not to take up their free upgrade (if offered), to pay for an upgrade (if offered), or not to upgrade at all.

    At no point does this mean they "OWN" your system.
  • DCide - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    "the device running the Insider preview of Windows 10 should be a licensed computer."

    You see, there's no such thing as a licensed computer. Microsoft can only license software.
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    You can always use your purchased (non-OEM) license on any machine you want.

    I have even been blocked on OEM licenses from installing elsewhere and simply called the number provided when installing Windows and been given an activation code over the phone.
  • DCide - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Yes, I realize they're pretty good about this in practice (although they do make it a pain - probably to discourage people, which is all they really want anyway).
  • DCide - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Please understand I'm completely serious.

    Small details say a lot about their attitude. A Microsoft employee can't help but say it this way, because it's the way they talk about it internally.

    If you don't see it this way that's fine, but don't write me off.
  • piiman - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link

    What are you on about? They are dictating how you can use THEIR OS not your machine. Don't want their OS install something else.
  • MikeMurphy - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I suspect the problem was pirates would create an MS account, install win10 beta, then sell the accounts later on. I see goodwill in what MS is trying to do.
  • emsir - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I agree. Microsoft is trying hard to stop the piract of their products, and I don't blame them. It really shoows that Iniders are only interested in getting a free copy of Windows 10m and then leave the Indiser Program. But that's not going to happen. Either you stay as an Insider and accept the terms or your copy wil be "preview evaluation copy". Ad It will stop all the "smart business" signing up for Insider and get a free copy and then sell it on the Internet.
  • emsir - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I'm sorry for all the misspelling, but I can't edit my post.
  • K_Space - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Errrr, people want(ed) Windows 10 through the insider program not because they're pirates. They wanted it because it was free! Nothing beats free! And they would have got it legitimately as per the initial announcement (but not anymore). I don't see potential insiders who jumped on the bandwagon in the last 48 hours to get a free copy will stay even if it means having Windows 10 short term as you'll only get more attached and soon enough take the plunge and buy the real deal.
    I mentioned in an earlier post how I got a NUC box running Ubuntu and Win10 for few months now and only this morning after the initial announcement I was thinking: you know what? that money saved from the Win10 licence will score me MS Office 2016 (currently running Office 2016 preview, yes cheapstake but the NUC was a little experiment).
    I know MS is not particuarly concerned about the small minority running Ubuntu at home. But those on XP and Vista are a much larger chunk and this would have been ideal to recapture them and lock them into their new Store Model.
  • kspirit - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    I don't know how well XP machines would run W10. But for Vista machines it would have been a great incentive to get the new update...
  • piiman - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link

    "It really shoows that Iniders are only interested in getting a free copy of Windows 10"

    LOL and they are also psychic since there was no free upgrade for insiders when it started ANNNNNDDD so what? Before that I had Win7 and it gets the free upgrade. So by your logic people only bought Win 7 to get the win 10 free upgrade? lol
  • GTRagnarok - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Would have been way too good of a deal if anyone could join the program and get Windows 10 for free. I don't see what the big deal is.
  • Zizy - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Now this is sensible. Use pirates to be beta testers for you. Don't check home users at all, but put clause this beta testing should be only done with a valid license to prevent companies from switching to that instead of paid Windows licenses.
  • giggitygoebbels - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    You do know it is very hard to detect some pirated copies of windows right?If the pirate have yet to activate their copy of Windows,Microsoft can detect that clear-cut.However,how about those using emulated certs(to imitate an OEM mass produced machine),counterfeit certificates injected straight into BIOS and those using emulated KMS servers?They are VERY difficult to detect.Will microsoft be able to fish out these pirates?We don't know yet.
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    If they continue using the same version of windows no.

    If they upgrade and start using whatever new activation circumvention tactics that will be available for win10 then again the answer will be no.

    The pirates will always have the upper hand there.

    Why is anyone concerned with the pirates? If MS allows them to upgrade to win10, good for them and good for the pirates. If MS choose not to allow them to upgrade then they will continue pirating and the world will go on as it always has.
  • dj_aris - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    But the whole point nowadays is in App Stores / Markets. MS should distribute freely the new OS (just like Apple) so that even more people can have access to (free but also paid) apps, at least for home users. Business versions could continue to cost 129$ or something, I can understand that MS don't want to lose those clients.
  • nevcairiel - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Apple's OS isn't exactly "free". Since you can only (officially) run it on their own hardware, you purchased a license to the OS with that. Upgrades are free, yes, but so is the Windows 10 upgrade from 7/8.1.
  • jabber - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Yeah I wish folks would stop saying OSX is free. You paid $1500 for it and got a free laptop with it.
  • dj_aris - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Well, IMO that's another myth; Apple laptops are not overpriced anymore (at least not all of them). I mean, a 13" XPS with equivalent specs to a 13" MBP (i5, 8GB, 128GB and a high-res display) is exactly at the same price point (no to mention that the MBP has superfast PCIe storage). However, the MBP has also been getting free OSX updates for years now (Windows only starting this year). Apple wants you to spend cash in apps, not the OS itself. That way you can't even demand new features for the new OS, cause, you know, it's free.
  • Manch - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Windows has been getting free updates for years. They get rolled out with patches and then service packs. XP at the end was very different than XP in the beginning. Granted they do charge when a New version comes out but so did Apply for a while. Don't know if they still do as I don't buy Apple.
  • Morawka - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    yea they are still overpriced, more importantly, the base models are mostly un-usable thus upgrades are highly sought after. And upgrade prices are insane.

    13" Retina Macbook Pro

    CPU: going from a i5 to a i7 is $250-$300 extra. The real cost is $100 flat between i3 $129, i5 $229, and i7 $329 respectively. They even charge a extra $100 for a i5 2.7 ghz upgraded to a i5 2.9 ghz. Real world cost: $15 for higher clocked SKU. Apple charges +$100

    RAM: 8GB base: 16GB option = +$200 to add one more 8GB chip.) Real world cost: $35, Apple Charges: $200

    SSD: 128GB base +$200 for 256GB upgrade (real world= $50) + $400 for 512GB (real world= $200)

    they rape on upgrades, and offer only 1 year warranty. If you want anything more it's extra and they dont offer accidental damage period on macs.
  • dj_aris - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    With an i5, 8GB, 128GB and a hi-res screen a MBP 13" is 1300$ while a XPS 13" is, well, 1300$. The i7, 8GB and 256GB prices are 1500$ for the MBP and 1600$ for the XPS! Dell doesn't even offer a 16GB upgrade and MBP is also faster courtesy of PCIe ssd. If you prefer Windows you go with Dell, if not you buy the MBP. But you definitely not choose one over the other because it's "cheaper". That's all I'm saying.
  • giggitygoebbels - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    Erm Dell is not the only PC manufacturer out there...
  • Impulses - Friday, June 26, 2015 - link

    It still varies by model IMO, the Air has been looking increasingly less appealing as it's TN display continues to age and many ultrabooks offer better displays and more storage for less. Some iMacs are at the opposite end of the spectrum, offering a terrific display for a solid price with a free computer tossed in basically... Generalisations are generally bad. :p
  • surasak - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    But the chinese! http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31940716
  • kspirit - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    FFS Microsoft -_-
    How difficult is it to release a complete and non ambiguous statement without changing it every few days?
  • jabber - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    As a local IT support guy this stuff fills me with dread. Windows is just getting more confusing to support at a licensing/activation/install level with each version.
  • jabber - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Thinking ahead here - Two years from now customer comes to me with faulty HDD. He upgraded to 10 back in the day but cant remember the password whatever to his MS account or never bothered to set one up...can we re-install?

    MS would have been better to just take the hit and made Home and Pro totally activation free. Then folks could pay to upgrade to further major updates.
  • nand - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    classic microsoft - retarded staff keeps messing up any opportunity to Excel. Pun intended
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Preventing every man and his dog creating as many free "legit" copies of Windows out of thin air is retarded now?

    I guess the definition of that word has changed somewhat recently
  • plopke - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Aaah , it was so less confusing during windows 8. First 3 months windows 8 pro upgrade , 30 dollars for a key , the end. When you put the idea of windows 10 for free in everybody their head and then be so weird about it in your communication , you get people like my mom and dad coming around , " son ,so windows 10 is not free?". Don't they have a Marketing department? Nobody communicates about pricing unless we have a clear business plan about what it will cost and HOW we will bring it to the people?

    I for example have still no clue if i will receive a windows 10 key. And to be honost not been looking into it since, i find the insiders build not stable enough so close to release. I have a year to swap to windows 10. The period to profit from the windows 8 deal was a lot shorter.
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    It really is very simple.

    Are you currently using a legit copy of Windows 7 or 8? If so then yes you get it free.

    Are you currently using Windows 10 Insider Preview? Then you get to continue using Windows 10 Insider Preview.

    There is an upgrade icon in the right corner of every machine I have seen for a couple weeks now which is offering it for free, how is that confusing?
  • plopke - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    I was planning to upgrade to skylake at the end of the year/next year. So if i let my windows upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10. Afterwards I upgrade to skylake , on that pc it is possible just to install my windows 7 again , since not a OEM copy. But Windows 10? It is those scenarios that arent clear to me , since they havent specified if you get a key and if it is a retail key , OEM key , .....?
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    They have stated that if you upgrade from win7/8 to 10 then you will be able to do clean installs to win10. Therefore your license will be a genuine win10 license.

    If they were to allow you to do that and tie your license up with extra restrictions that were previously not there they would open themselves up to unfair practice lawsuits. If your license is not an OEM license then you will be able to install it on a different machine as you were able to before.

    I have done this in the past with Win Xp through 8 and usually it is trivial, just install and activate but in the incidents where it would not activate over the net I would call the number it provides and just state that the license will only be used on 1 machine and they give you an activation code.

    So long as you are using your license on only 1 machine you will be able to activate win10 licenses.
  • Thor1946 - Friday, July 3, 2015 - link

    I think you are wrong here. Microsoft will make an ISO file available to you for a clean install but only after you have done an in place upgrade install with a Microsoft account.
    During that upgrade install, your machine will be fingerprinted with most of your hardware serials. That fingerprint will be hard coded into the ISO file they let you download and will not install on any other machine.
    As for Skylake hardware, I plan on upgrading shortly after it is released. However, Intel is in bed with Microsoft (always has been) and Skylake won’t be coming out until after 10 has launched, hence, it wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft excludes Skylake hardware from the upgrade and considers it "NEW" I am not even sure that installing 7 on a Skylake machine first and then trying to upgrade to 10 will work.
    I have other concerns as well. With a Microsoft account MS will track us from cradle to grave, they will know every piece of software you have installed, every MP3, every movie, (pirates beware) what they do with that information remains to be seen. Home version of 10 allows MS to push updates, or other files, as they see fit, to your machine. That is not something I am fond of.
    If or when I upgrade to W10 it probably won’t be until after the 1 year grace period is over and we know a little more of what MS does with all the info they gather. Even at that it will be with a retail version of PRO (no MS account required (although crippled to some extent) and no automatic updates.
  • Spectrophobic - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Ugh... Just release the ISO files publicly and have it accept both OEM and retail keys of Windows 7 and 8/8.1.

    I get scared every time MS says something about the upgrade/install procedure of W10, as it seems like they're just finding more ways to complicate stuff..
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Why is this being repeated so much, what is so complicated. This article is not referring to upgrading from win7/8, it is about the insider preview.

    If you upgrade from win7/8 then you can do a clean install. MS have stated so and this article and others about the insider preview do nothing to change that.
  • jimbo2779 - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Just to clarify, if you have previously upgraded your win7/8 license to win10 then you can do a clean install straight to win10.

    You will not need to install 7/8 and then upgrade to 10 on subsequent reinstalls.
  • Spectrophobic - Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - link

    Hopefully you're right and I'm just overreacting a bit. But considering all my Win 7/8 keys are OEM and how many troubles and loopholes I had to do just to get a clean install of Win 8.1, I'm having big doubts.
  • jimbo2779 - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    They have said so. You are overreacting just a bit.
  • theMillen - Thursday, June 25, 2015 - link

    not like they have retracted or reworded anything in the past month, nope, not once ;) ;)
  • tipoo - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    Microsoft needs to work on the whole saying things they later deny thing. It's been a mess since the XBO launch.
  • pseudoid - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    I have a confirmed reservation to upgrade to Win10 from my current Win8.1Pro 32bit. My question is: During the upgrade to Win10, will MicroSoft allow me to step up to 64bit version of Win10 without paying a penalty cost? My searches here and elsewhere have not provided me any leads (pro/con) to this question.
  • K_Space - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    In the past licence keys was interchangable between 32-bit and 64-bit on the same edition (up to Windows 7, not sure about Win 8/8.1); so the most likely answer is yes. The question is: when you "reserve" your download; I wonder if it'll download the 32-bit ISO only. Please note that once you use the licence key; it won't be valid for the other architecture, so Icheck your download file before proceeding with installation.
  • risa2000 - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    Does anyone know what is "Genuine Windows Device"? It seems to be the condition, but I cannot find the definition.
  • jimbo2779 - Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - link

    A computer running windows 7 / 8.1 that is not pirated.
  • gochichi - Friday, July 3, 2015 - link

    You're getting nothing at all with this "upgrade". Windows 7 > Windows 8.1 > Windows 10 > Windows 8.0 . It's like everyone who worked on windows 7 died of an epidemic or something, I still cannot believe how awful windows 10 is. Everyone is going by old news that we get "one good" then "one bad" but if you've been looking at Windows 10, you know the "one good" if we can say this, is Windows 8.1 (versus 8. 7 is still the best version of windows ever). I have yet to see a bigger pile of junk than windows 10. I realize if you've been on 7 all along that you're probably quite bored by now, and I also realize that you may have a touch device and will need win 8.1 or 10. But make no mistake Microsoft is on a spree of awful software designed to be rented, designed to keep us DESPERATE for updates because the stuff is such junk. The MSFT stock holder may win in the short term but the end-user, continues to suffer greatly.
  • Nfarce - Sunday, July 5, 2015 - link

    The overwhelming majority of Win8.1 users right now, as do the majority of Win10 pre-release users right now (and that includes tech review sites), disagree with your statement. My guess is that in reality, you are using neither and instead just jumping on the Hate Microsoft Bandwagon.
  • kehool - Wednesday, July 8, 2015 - link

    "For instance, on my desktop, I started from an upgraded 8.1 install, but due to some instability of apps, I wiped out my system and installed again from the Windows 10 ISO. Am I activated? I have no idea. I suppose I’ll find out on July 29th."

    You already have that answer in that same blog post you quoted.

    "I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Windows Insiders about how this will work if they clean installed from ISO. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build."

    Just becauce the blog has been updated since doesn't make that information incorrect... if it was then I'd wager they'd have deleted or changed it.

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