Windows 8 Users to Get Free Upgrade to Windows 9

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
75,400
Take this for what it’s worth; an unconfirmed report from an Indonesian source says that systems running Windows 8 will be entitled to a free upgrade to the upcoming Windows 9/Threshold/Whatever OS. We will know soon, since Microsoft already has a press conference called for September 30th. What better way of putting a bad version of Windows to bed than giving free upgrades to a (hopefully) better system?

All though not much is known about Windows 9 and Microsoft hasn’t officially confirmed or launched the new OS yet, it is rumored to be revealed during the September 30 press event.
 
Metro still exists it is a failure

It's interesting how this morphed. The overwhelming complaints about Windows 8 on the desktop are that it doesn't work well with a mouse and keyboard and that it is too radically different and requires too much retraining. Yes, people complained about the modern UI but it looks like that's optional. Don't want modern apps or tiles, don't use them on a desktop. You'll always be on the desktop with floating Windows with a Start Menu.

If this is free for 8.x users, it's hard to see why most 8.x users wouldn't aside from issues of stability or compatibility.
 
i wonder how much new installs and w7 upgrades will be
 
Sounds made up, based on another recent "wish" opinions.

MS has provided free upgrades (or small fee for media through system manufacturers) for copies purchased/included with systems within a window before the release date for a while.
 
i wonder how much new installs and w7 upgrades will be

Good question. If they aren't free then I suspect that the cost will be sustainably lower than prior upgrade prices. Something like $10 to $20 for a limited time.
 
You'll always be on the desktop with floating Windows with a Start Menu.

Not always true. Isn't always true when using Classic Shell either with 8.1. It is rare, but it does happen. The ugly, hard to see flat design doesn't help either.

Hopefully the final version of Win9 will delete the charms bar, allow us to disable Modern UI entirely and slim down the Start Menu to something similar in size to Win Vista/7 size. If they can at least manage to do that, then about half my Win 8.1 complaints go away.
 
Windows 8, 9, 27 whatever... All shots the same thing, classic shell makes it usable.
 
Not always true. Isn't always true when using Classic Shell either with 8.1. It is rare, but it does happen. The ugly, hard to see flat design doesn't help either.

With what we've seen of Windows 9 leaks this is true. There's never anything full screen by default when using the Start Menu. As for ugly, hard to see flat design, that's debatable. I don't think we've seen the final aesthetics so well see.

Hopefully the final version of Win9 will delete the charms bar, allow us to disable Modern UI entirely and slim down the Start Menu to something similar in size to Win Vista/7 size. If they can at least manage to do that, then about half my Win 8.1 complaints go away.

These leaks have already shown that the Charms Bar is gone when using the Start Menu. There's no need to disable the modern UI as it doesn't have to be used. You don't have to have tiles in the Start Menu or use modern apps.
 
It's interesting how this morphed. The overwhelming complaints about Windows 8 on the desktop are that it doesn't work well with a mouse and keyboard and that it is too radically different and requires too much retraining.
Its not too much retraining, it was unnecessary retraining for an interface change that, for a desktop, was different without a good reason and in some situations was counter productive for a desktop user. It was different in an attempt to drum up a userbase for Microsoft mobile devices. The difference served no other explanation.

Quit trying to revise history to make Microsoft some kind of victim.
 
Its not too much retraining, it was unnecessary retraining for an interface change that, for a desktop, was different without a good reason and in some situations was counter productive for a desktop user. It was different in an attempt to drum up a userbase for Microsoft mobile devices. The difference served no other explanation.

Quit trying to revise history to make Microsoft some kind of victim.

All I am saying is that if Windows 9 pretty much works like Windows 7 on the desktop that the option to use modern apps and tiles in the Start Menu won't be a problem for the average business or consumer customer. And the ability to use modern apps in floating windows with live tile notifications in the familiar Start Menu will have use to some.

There's more choice here. And where there's more choice and options for people to do things like they always have or in new ways, I don't see how that's a problem.
 
Even more proof that they changed the naming scheme from service packs to new OS versions lol.
 
Even more proof that they changed the naming scheme from service packs to new OS versions lol.

Pretty much every new version of Windows has been called nothing more than a service pack by many anyway. If it's free, when what does it even matter?
 
when does MS ever give anything away for free?...if anything they need to make it free for Windows 7 users as those are the people that are hesitant to upgrade...the Windows 8 people will all buy Windows 9 anyway
 
Its funny how a thread talking about the rumored "Win9 = free upgrade" turns into the same rehashed Win8 hate, and it didn't even take very many posts!
 
The only way I could see this as being true, is if MS really thinks that Wn9 is going to be a stinker. The previews seem to show that 9 is heading back towards 7 in the UI dept, (something a great many, myself included, have wanted), and the internals seem to be a further refinement over 8. So, it does not look like it is going to suck.
So, my guess, is that they just got the "for all current users of 8.1" part wrong. Typically, if you buy a new PC shortly b4 the launch of MS's new OS, you get a free upgrade to the new OS with it. Could it be that they are just misreporting that bit?

Oh, and yes Metro does suck on the desktop. Just had to get that out
 
Thread title: Windows 8 Users to Get Free Upgrade to Windows 9
Post: an unconfirmed report from an Indonesian source says that systems running Windows 8 will be entitled to a free upgrade

Come on now.
 
Thread title: Windows 8 Users to Get Free Upgrade to Windows 9
Post: an unconfirmed report from an Indonesian source says that systems running Windows 8 will be entitled to a free upgrade

Come on now.

I LOLed too hard at this!
 
If Windows 9 does not include an option to permanently disable and do away with the Metro UI, it is a failure right out of the gate.
 
If Windows 9 does not include an option to permanently disable and do away with the Metro UI, it is a failure right out of the gate.

A Metro disable switch needs to at least be available as a group policy object so it can be disabled in business/enterprise deployments.
 
Better offer free upgrades from Windows 7 as well, or they are going to have some trouble getting people over to the new version.
 
It is fairly hilarious that people complain about metro in regards to training and such.

Think about this. If average-person/thingy goes out and buys a new machine, Currently he/she/it will get a machine with (most likely) windows 8.1 on it.

Meaning that he will train himself/herself/itself. Which kinda makes the training part nonrelevant.

furthermore, it could be debated that sticking with the old UI makes it harder for the average user to actually use, because it is something new (compared to their own machine) that they have to learn.

Food for thought :)
 
It is fairly hilarious that people complain about metro in regards to training and such.

Think about this. If average-person/thingy goes out and buys a new machine, Currently he/she/it will get a machine with (most likely) windows 8.1 on it.

Meaning that he will train himself/herself/itself. Which kinda makes the training part nonrelevant.

furthermore, it could be debated that sticking with the old UI makes it harder for the average user to actually use, because it is something new (compared to their own machine) that they have to learn.

Food for thought :)

Nah, unless the person you are talking about only started using a computer in the last 2 years, and only used Win8. Everyone else will still be more familiar with the standard start menu that has merely evolved slowly since Win95. Considering that there has been almost no business adoption of Win8, more people on the job today are used to the XP style start menu. It would be the rare person that that fits your scenario.
 
It is fairly hilarious that people complain about metro in regards to training and such.

Think about this. If average-person/thingy goes out and buys a new machine, Currently he/she/it will get a machine with (most likely) windows 8.1 on it.

Meaning that he will train himself/herself/itself. Which kinda makes the training part nonrelevant.

furthermore, it could be debated that sticking with the old UI makes it harder for the average user to actually use, because it is something new (compared to their own machine) that they have to learn.

Food for thought :)
It's about learning how to use it but dealing with an inferior UI. Anything I do in Metro will likely take much longer and be more difficult than the Windows UI. Whenever I manage more than one application then I need to switch to classic, which is basically all the time.

Windows should be called Window.
 
IAnything I do in Metro will likely take much longer and be more difficult than the Windows UI.

So what would you have to do using the modern UI? Start Screen if an app weren't pinned to the task bar. PC Settings. Search from the charms.
 
It is fairly hilarious that people complain about metro in regards to training and such.

Think about this. If average-person/thingy goes out and buys a new machine, Currently he/she/it will get a machine with (most likely) windows 8.1 on it.

Meaning that he will train himself/herself/itself. Which kinda makes the training part nonrelevant.

furthermore, it could be debated that sticking with the old UI makes it harder for the average user to actually use, because it is something new (compared to their own machine) that they have to learn.

Food for thought :)
The thing is it's one thing to learn a new interface if there are obvious advantages, like if you are skilled at it you can accomplish tasks faster or with fewer steps. Windows has plenty of room for improvement in that regard. I would happily learn a new UI if it meant I could be more efficient after I learned it. But Windows 8 is not it. Many functions take LONGER or more steps to accomplish than Windows 7 even if you know what you're doing. It's just poor UI design. It shouldn't be happening and it shouldn't be defended.
 
Many functions take LONGER or more steps to accomplish than Windows 7 even if you know what you're doing.

In Windows 8.1 Update 1, I'd say that there's very few desktops tasks that take longer if you know what you're doing. Pick some, 8.1 is just not that different on the desktop from 7 beyond aesthetics.
 
A Metro disable switch needs to at least be available as a group policy object so it can be disabled in business/enterprise deployments.

I've been saying this since day 1 of Metro. I like it, but it won't be a hit in business with it. Not for a while, anyway. That single GPO would make it much better received in the enterprise world.
 
I've been saying this since day 1 of Metro. I like it, but it won't be a hit in business with it. Not for a while, anyway. That single GPO would make it much better received in the enterprise world.

The ability to turn off the Windows Store has been there from the beginning.
 
If Windows 9 does not include an option to permanently disable and do away with the Metro UI, it is a failure right out of the gate.

Not just disable it, there needs to either be a Windows 9 "N" version without it or the ability to completely uninstall the entire framework, apps, and app store.
 
it will be the same as always ... free within a certain number of months of new release ... 13$ within a certain number of more months ... and for a limited time only .., 40$ or 60$ with a disk for everyone else. No one has an excuse to then complain it is too much after that window has closed. If you want free 4 eva then use Mint.

I have enjoyed windows 8.1

I don't use metro much ..except for the news and financials. Metro is especially nice to use, tho, with 2 monitors :)
 

Because I don't want any of Microsoft's cloud services, Live accounts, software rental and licensing crap, Bing search results, and all of their other monetization tactics on my computer.

I don't want my OS being used against me to sell and market additional products.
 
I wouldnt mind a free upgrade. Windows 8 has been more solid and faster than W7 for me right out of the gate and Windows 7 was a massive improvement over Vista. If they can keep on increasing the speed and security I really dont mind the UI and I would upgrade anyways.
 
Because I don't want any of Microsoft's cloud services, Live accounts, software rental and licensing crap, Bing search results, and all of their other monetization tactics on my computer.

I don't want my OS being used against me to sell and market additional products.

All of that is easily avoided even in Windows 8 even if there is no "off switch" per se. Actually here is kind of an off switch, just setup a local account. I know that many people have screamed about being tricked into having to use a Microsoft account because the option doesn't jump up and down. And that's fair enough. The default option should be "Make my PC completely unaware of all online activity and make it 10 times harder to sync online activity than my phone."

I get that more technical folks hate the idea of clouds and online accounts and such. But considering people seem to love the idea on phones and tablets, it at least has to be an option. Understand that it also goes like this "Fuck, Windows is like in the Stone Age. I can't get it to sync up with anything, it's like the thing my dad uses for work."
 
Thank fucking god.

Metro/modern ui and apps can die in a fire.
 
Back
Top