MS To Offer Free Windows 7 Upgrade To Vista Users 417
crazyeyes writes "With Windows 7 set for release in Dec. 09, Microsoft is getting ready with their free upgrade program, which allows Vista users to switch to Windows 7 when it arrives. The folks at TechARP have consistently scored accurate scoops on Microsoft software releases. They have now revealed Microsoft's upgrade plans, schedules and even screenshots of the upgrade process."
I see your free software and raise you? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:2 months to april (Score:4, Interesting)
Starter vs. Home is now backward (Score:3, Interesting)
And if XP and Vista starter editions are any indication, the Win 7 won't even be available outside of basically Asia and Africa.
In Windows XP and Windows Vista, "Home Edition" (XP) or "Home Basic" was for cheap boxes in the developed world, and "Starter Edition" (essentially Home Basic with a 3-app limit) was for less-developed countries. Microsoft has reversed the roles of these SKUs in Windows 7: "Starter Edition" is for netbooks and "Home Basic" is exclusively for LDCs. See press release [microsoft.com].
meh...I'm using the Win 7 beta (Score:2, Interesting)
And it's nothing special. Running it on a laptop and desktop. It has bugs (reported), but Ubuntu actually feels better imho. So I'm likely to dump it soon, and since WoW runs with Wine, I'm really close to getting rid of all the hassles with MS. I've gotten alot of co-workers to switch, but convincing "great-aunt Sally" types is another thing.
Re:Fool me once, shame on you (Score:5, Interesting)
Given that Win7 is supposed to have a smaller number of services running by default, and a number of optimizations to boot, you probably won't get worse perf on Win7. I can't guarantee better perf, but when you're operating with that little memory, *any* improvement in Win7's memory usage will have a noticeable effect (of course, if you are disabling unnecessary Vista services yourself you'll probably get a lot of the benefit).
As for drivers, you should be fine. They aren't changing the driver model for Win7, so Vista drivers will work with it.
I have valid Licences back to DOS 1.1 (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm only missing Windows 1, 2 and me. And, of course, I did not buy Vista. Can't I at least have a free upgrade to Win 7? Please Billy Boy.
Re:meh...I'm using the Win 7 beta (Score:3, Interesting)
It is possible, you may need a bit of patience here though... But once you have explained where "the internet", "the mail" and "the pictures" are, expect to have no problems anymore, at least no security-related.
And create nice big icons on desktop.
Re:Fool me once, shame on you (Score:3, Interesting)
Windows 7 is really just Vista 1.5 (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I see your free software and raise you? (Score:4, Interesting)
I used 2000 until 6 months ago.
I wanted to upgrade to 64 bit and vista seemed the best move*.
While there are parts of vista that drive me up a wall(most I've turned off), overall I don't mind it. I was surprised at how I enjoyed the GUI.
* I have demands that require MS Windows.
Re:No News (Score:3, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Starter vs. Home is now backward (Score:2, Interesting)
No. Microsoft has stated that this is for developing countries and limited hardware computers like netbooks. This is not a logical "and." Expect to see the Starter Edition on Amazon and in Walmart.
Re:I see your free software and raise you? (Score:3, Interesting)
Windows 1.0: SUCKED
Windows 2.0: SUCKED
Windows 3.x: AWESOME (for back then)
Windows 95: REVOLUTIONARY (copy of apple)
Windows 98: SUCKED
Windows 98SE: GOOD (comparatively)
Windows 2000: OKAY, then later GOOD (initially lacked consumer/non-NT program compatibility)
Windows ME: SUCKED
Windows XP: GOOD (supposed apple knock-off eye-candy + consumer program compatibility, although by this time new versions of consumer programs were updated to also be compatible with 2000, turn off all eye-candy and it performs same as 2000)
Windows Vista: BAD? (Initially had bad driver support, still has 'ridiculous' hardware requirements. Although 64-bit version has better driver support than XP-64... and it runs really really awesome with a DX10 GPU, Core 2 CPU, 4GB+ RAM)
Windows 7: MAYBE GOOD? (Lower hardware requirements, almost like 2000 if you turn off all eye-candy? Beta doesn't have driver support as good as Vista yet... how much 'legacy' hardware will get cut off from driver support for 7 compared to Vista? Will nVidia only write drivers for 780i chipset and newer?)
Looking at this, if you cut off everything before ME then it looks like it might be following the Star Trek curse.
Windows ME = Star Trek: The Motion Picture (terrible)
Windows XP = Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (arguably the best Star Trek evar!)
Windows Vista = Star Trek: The Search for Spock (good but shunned because it wasn't as gritty awesome as Wrath of Khan)
Windows 7 = Star Trek: The Voyager Home (also arguably the best Star Trek evar!)...
Looks like we might have people arguing over whether XP or 7 is better... but one thing is for certain, Windows 8 should be the worst Windows since ME based on the Star Trek curse.
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Fool me once, shame on you (Score:3, Interesting)
How about:
1) 1.0
2) 2.0
3) 3.0
4) 3.1
5) 3.11
6) 95a
7) 95b
8) 95c
9) 98
10) 98SE
11) ME
12) 2k
13) XP Home/Pro
14) Vista Vanilla/Rocky Road
15) Seven!
Re:Fool me once, shame on you (Score:3, Interesting)
You seem to have forgotten DOS 6.
Maybe, like me he switched to DR DOS (until it ate some important files).
Re:Misleading summary (Score:5, Interesting)
Microsoft will have to have a pretty big change in ideology for them to ever compete with piracy.
Yeah, but most things are like that. Want a car?
Buy one? Ugh, work for a few years to save enough money, then go in plunk it down, and drive out.
Lease one? Ugh, plunk money down every month, and end up owning nothing?
Steal one? Walk up to a car you like, get in, drive away.
Toyota will have to have a pretty big change in ideology for them to ever compete with piracy.
What's the difference?
Stealing a car is harder than downloading something from usenet? Barely, especially if you aren't that particular about the car. And spending a few hours learning how to steal a car will 'pay off' far quicker than earning enough to buy one.
The big difference is that because stealing a car is theft, and having a stolen car is fairly visible, and its something the police actually pay some attention to, odds are if you try to use this method for your daily commute you will surely eventually be caught.
So effectively the practical difference between stealing cars and downloading pirate oses is primarily one of enforcement. The only thing that's going to motivate people like you not to pirate OSes is if the odds of being caught and punished were significantly raised.
Which one? (Score:2, Interesting)
The difference is... (Score:1, Interesting)
Microsoft wants you to steal their software. Download early, download often. Or in other words, stay ignorant, stay dependent, and demand Microsoft products in any environment - like say at work or school - where someone else has to pay for a legal copy.
I call it the "poison candy" marketing method.