Microsoft Ending $15 Windows 8 Promotion Tomorrow

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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One last reminder for those of you who may still want to get in on the $15 upgrade to Windows 8: tomorrow is the last day. After that, the price goes up to around $200 bucks for the same software you can pick up for $15. You can download and burn to disk and wait for the inevitable service packs that will make the OS more palatable to critics and also don't forget; the OS can make a dandy gift to people you both like and those you don’t. :D

Back in August, Microsoft gave Windows 7 users the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8 for $15, instead of the hefty price tag of $120 for the standard edition of Windows 8 (the Pro version stands at a lofty $200). The catch? You had to have bought your Windows 7 PC between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 to receive the $15 upgrade rate.
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I've been too lazy/indifferent to try this with a voucher I received with a Lenovo laptop purchase this last fall. Does anyone know if the $15 program gives me a Windows 8 upgrade key that I can use at some future junction, or does it basically force me to upgrade as part of the process of completing the purchase?
 
^^ If it's anything like the Windows 7 upgrade you can just store the .iso and product key until you are ready to use it. I got a copy of win8 for $40 by 'upgrading' a fresh install of a win7 install. It didn't take a cd key to get the win8 pro key.
 
dippin griz said:
^^ If it's anything like the Windows 7 upgrade you can just store the .iso and product key until you are ready to use it. I got a copy of win8 for $40 by 'upgrading' a fresh install of a win7 install. It didn't take a cd key to get the win8 pro key.
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Hm, maybe I'll give it a try, if only to have the OS for later on.
 
Is the upgrade possible if I didn't buy a Windows 7 pc and have a custom pc with a OEM Windows 7?
 
Thought about it.. just realized the next version of Windows will come out long before I need it. So not even worth $15 to me. There just isn't any compelling reason to upgrade win 7 ultimate 64 bit.
 
This is a good deal if you wanna prepare yourself for the future.
 
I home a feeling that we'll see deals like this on Windows 8 again as the end of XP comes to be and when Blue launches.
 
Let me know when the $1 full version comes out with 5 transferable licenses then maybe it'll be worth it.
 
I Refuse to purchase windows 8. If Microsoft continues it's current pattern then the next OS will be a pretty good one. I just don't find windows 8 worth buying right now.

The thing that sucks is that server 2013 has the same GUI as windows 8.
 
I'd really like to find a few of the voucher codes that allow the $15 copy to be purchased, if anyone has a few of them they aren't using/don't need, as I know that a few friends, family members, and others will be upgrading and 1) I should really get a copy installed just to know what's up and 2) They'll want copies in the future but will NOT be paying $200, that's for damn sure.

If MS was smart they'd sell the damn thing for $15 for Win 8 Pro /w Media Center all the time, and only jack up the price for Enterprise.
 
apparently you can do this upgrade without any credentials. just lie about the pc purchase date and you can still buy the windows 8 key for $15
 
unless installing to obtain touchscreen capabilities, should not be called an 'upgrade'
 
SonicTron said:
apparently you can do this upgrade without any credentials. just lie about the pc purchase date and you can still buy the windows 8 key for $15
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Any idea what pc and purchase date will slip by? I tried one from one of the older threads with no success.

I wouldn't mind having a key for later, once compatibility issues are nearly wiped out. I'd just return the start menu and make it feel likes Windows 7.
 
I went ahead and made the leap. Why not for $10? And I did the whole free Media Center thing as well, so not too shabby. I'm not sure I'll install it for awhile, but at least its there when I'm ready and the compatibility issues are more resolved.
 
Are they offering any specials for people who bought a computer with Windows 8 and want to upgrade to Windows 7?
 
Wait. So they offered an upgrade for $40. Made a big fuss about the deal ending, now it's only $15 and they're making a big fuss about that ending?

Is it just me, or does this read like windows 8 is a huge flop and they are putting it on super clearance with these special upgrade deals? It comes across like they can't sell enough to get people hooked on their windows store for content, so they are almost giving away the OS.

Maybe if they just listened to their customers in any of the months before release they would have had a more successful launch...
 
Absentee said:
Wait. So they offered an upgrade for $40. Made a big fuss about the deal ending, now it's only $15 and they're making a big fuss about that ending?

Is it just me, or does this read like windows 8 is a huge flop and they are putting it on super clearance with these special upgrade deals? It comes across like they can't sell enough to get people hooked on their windows store for content, so they are almost giving away the OS.

Maybe if they just listened to their customers in any of the months before release they would have had a more successful launch...
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My take is that Microsoft wants to show people how popular Windows 8 is over Windows 7 by showing how fast people have adopted their new OS over previous versions.
 
bmellis1984 said:
I Refuse to purchase windows 8. If Microsoft continues it's current pattern then the next OS will be a pretty good one. I just don't find windows 8 worth buying right now.

The thing that sucks is that server 2013 has the same GUI as windows 8.
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It's server 2012, and that truly is just a start screen instead of a start menu.... There is no store, no metro apps, and no live tiles. So you are truly just bitching about the start menu taking up the whole screen... Have you even used Server 2012? It is a great OS with a lot of awesome new features. We have moved all of our physical servers to Server 2012 since the day it was released and have had 0 issues.
 
Navilor said:
My take is that Microsoft wants to show people how popular Windows 8 is over Windows 7 by showing how fast people have adopted their new OS over previous versions.
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My guess is they want to develop a large user base quickly to encourage developers to start creating more apps for the store.
 
I am buying a new PC (looking at the ibuypower Revolt with a Titan), and I am specifically ordering it with Windows 7 instead of 8. I would rather have a root canal without anesthetic than run Windows 8! Yes, it really is that bad!
 
Biznatch said:
It's server 2012, and that truly is just a start screen instead of a start menu.... There is no store, no metro apps, and no live tiles. So you are truly just bitching about the start menu taking up the whole screen... Have you even used Server 2012? It is a great OS with a lot of awesome new features. We have moved all of our physical servers to Server 2012 since the day it was released and have had 0 issues.
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Well, they also altered Server Manager. Although, I'm not positive it's a negative change. Any idea if there's a way to access NIC Teaming other than "Configure this local server" -> "NIC Teaming Enabled"?
 
jnemesh said:
I am buying a new PC (looking at the ibuypower Revolt with a Titan), and I am specifically ordering it with Windows 7 instead of 8. I would rather have a root canal without anesthetic than run Windows 8! Yes, it really is that bad!
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the only thing bad about win 8 is the forced touch screen, other than that it is much better.
 
Biznatch said:
My guess is they want to develop a large user base quickly to encourage developers to start creating more apps for the store.
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That was my thought, but if people wanted windows 8 and the windows store, they wouldn't have to put it on sale for $15, or even $40, down from $200. That, to me, is a sure sign that sales aren't what they expected, and they were banking on the millions that already use previouw versions of windows to flock to 8 and embrace the windows store. That's not happening purely because Microsoft refused to listen to what customers wanted.

So I agree that's what they are trying to do, but I think they are going about it wrong. Just look at this thread. People are just saying "meh, why not, maybe I'll need it in the future." They're not adopting the OS like MS would want to tout to developers, they are buying it and sticking it on the shelf "just in case." Developers don't build software for a platform people stick on the shelf and don't use, they develop for platforms that people want, and use. That's my point about it not being a great idea to put it on "super clearance" to sell as many copies as possible. To anyone even a little savvy about economics, supply and demand, it appears as if nobody wants it, so they need to sell it cheap to make it worthwhile.

Who wants to develop for a platform nobody wants? If they are doing it to increase adoption rates to tout to developers, they've got the wrong idea.
 
Absentee said:
That was my thought, but if people wanted windows 8 and the windows store, they wouldn't have to put it on sale for $15, or even $40, down from $200. That, to me, is a sure sign that sales aren't what they expected, and they were banking on the millions that already use previouw versions of windows to flock to 8 and embrace the windows store. That's not happening purely because Microsoft refused to listen to what customers wanted.

So I agree that's what they are trying to do, but I think they are going about it wrong. Just look at this thread. People are just saying "meh, why not, maybe I'll need it in the future." They're not adopting the OS like MS would want to tout to developers, they are buying it and sticking it on the shelf "just in case." Developers don't build software for a platform people stick on the shelf and don't use, they develop for platforms that people want, and use. That's my point about it not being a great idea to put it on "super clearance" to sell as many copies as possible. To anyone even a little savvy about economics, supply and demand, it appears as if nobody wants it, so they need to sell it cheap to make it worthwhile.

Who wants to develop for a platform nobody wants? If they are doing it to increase adoption rates to tout to developers, they've got the wrong idea.
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Yup, but I'm sure they have a nice large high paid team of marketing analysts that have done far more reasearch and number crunching on this than anyone on this forum. They don't want to slowly create the user base, because people are naturally slow to make changes like that. So what is the best way to get this large user base quickly? A sale with an end date (just like any other product). But feel free to speculate all you want and use that as your reasoning for why you think win8 sucks.




And I love the "forced touch screen" comment (another poster).... That is so effing stupid. Moving to a start screen does not force you to use touch input. While it does make touch input easier, you can use it just as efficiently with a mouse/keyboard. I have a laptop & desktop with win8, along with a surface pro, so I'm very familiar with both forms of input.
You should be pinning your frequently used shit, and searching for your not so frequently used shit anyway. Just like windows 7. If you aren't doing that, then you do NOT have the right to cry about it being less efficient. In that case, the inneficiency is between the chair and the keyboard, not the from the OS.
 
Absentee said:
That was my thought, but if people wanted windows 8 and the windows store, they wouldn't have to put it on sale for $15, or even $40, down from $200. That, to me, is a sure sign that sales aren't what they expected, and they were banking on the millions that already use previouw versions of windows to flock to 8 and embrace the windows store. That's not happening purely because Microsoft refused to listen to what customers wanted.

So I agree that's what they are trying to do, but I think they are going about it wrong. Just look at this thread. People are just saying "meh, why not, maybe I'll need it in the future." They're not adopting the OS like MS would want to tout to developers, they are buying it and sticking it on the shelf "just in case." Developers don't build software for a platform people stick on the shelf and don't use, they develop for platforms that people want, and use. That's my point about it not being a great idea to put it on "super clearance" to sell as many copies as possible. To anyone even a little savvy about economics, supply and demand, it appears as if nobody wants it, so they need to sell it cheap to make it worthwhile.

Who wants to develop for a platform nobody wants? If they are doing it to increase adoption rates to tout to developers, they've got the wrong idea.
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They have done something like this on the last many versions of windows...... They do it so OEMs can keep selling PCs when a new version of windows is right around the corner.

Yet people have all these insightless comments about this or that when this is just how every release has worked for a long time.
 
Guys... the 15$ deal is for those who bought a win 7 computer from aug to jan. .... they extended that by one month. the 40$ deal is for those people who just want to go from win 7 to win 8 and did not buy a new computer in that time frame.
 
RedStarSQD said:
Guys... the 15$ deal is for those who bought a win 7 computer from aug to jan. .... they extended that by one month. the 40$ deal is for those people who just want to go from win 7 to win 8 and did not buy a new computer in that time frame.
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No, the $15 deal was for anyone who wanted Windows 8 Pro.

Proof:

I purchased Windows 8 while on my non-legit XP machine, burned the official Windows 8 ISO that was distributed through Technet a while back (instead of going through the Upgrade Asisstant) and then used my key I received with my purchase on an empty hard drive, and it's activated.
 
PornoSatan said:
No, the $15 deal was for anyone who wanted Windows 8 Pro.

Proof:

I purchased Windows 8 while on my non-legit XP machine, burned the official Windows 8 ISO that was distributed through Technet a while back (instead of going through the Upgrade Asisstant) and then used my key I received with my purchase on an empty hard drive, and it's activated.
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So you found a loophole in the system and consider that a company policy? Hey guys I downloaded a song yesterday without DRM then gave it to my friends, clearly the person who made this song is just desperate and trying for force everyone to listen to their music to make popularity look high.
 
rudy said:
So you found a loophole in the system and consider that a company policy? Hey guys I downloaded a song yesterday without DRM then gave it to my friends, clearly the person who made this song is just desperate and trying for force everyone to listen to their music to make popularity look high.
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Found? I wasn't searching, I just saw a "Windows 8 for $15" deal here a few months ago and purchased it, there was no 'loophole' involved. It's Windows 8 we're talking about anyways, not like it was that good of a deal anyway. :p
 
eurin said:
Any idea what pc and purchase date will slip by? I tried one from one of the older threads with no success.

I wouldn't mind having a key for later, once compatibility issues are nearly wiped out. I'd just return the start menu and make it feel likes Windows 7.
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Same issue here myself - they seem to ask for a Win 7 key for most attempts to input data, including if I use a relatively reasonable PC model (asus laptop, bought during october etc...).

Remember everyone, the key you get from going through the $15 process is basically a discount key, to be applied during checkout from your "upgrade purchase" of Win8 which should be 40, but is down to $15 with the discount. Wonder if they're still extending the Free Media Center Key for Win8 Pro....
 
I wasn't searching for a loop hole in the song either my friend just said can I borrow that and I gave it to him.
 
rudy said:
I wasn't searching for a loop hole in the song either my friend just said can I borrow that and I gave it to him.
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Because me purchasing Windows 8 is the same thing as you stealing a song and giving it away free to your friends. rofl
 
Biznatch said:
It's server 2012, and that truly is just a start screen instead of a start menu.... There is no store, no metro apps, and no live tiles. So you are truly just bitching about the start menu taking up the whole screen... Have you even used Server 2012? It is a great OS with a lot of awesome new features. We have moved all of our physical servers to Server 2012 since the day it was released and have had 0 issues.
Click to expand...

It was surely the ugliest thing that Microsoft could come up with. That is until I found out how to enable themes. Search for windows2012 workstation to find a lot of tips to make 2012 a useable OS.
 
PornoSatan said:
Because me purchasing Windows 8 is the same thing as you stealing a song and giving it away free to your friends. rofl
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It's just as relevant as your irrelevant comment that's the whole point. MS has been giving away low priced upgrades forever and many times people have found loop holes or abused that system, many of the loop holes people found with the $15 upgrade have been closed, so think about that, it means they are actively finding them and closing them which means its NOT a company policy and your comments have no base.
 
rudy said:
It's just as relevant as your irrelevant comment that's the whole point. MS has been giving away low priced upgrades forever and many times people have found loop holes or abused that system, many of the loop holes people found with the $15 upgrade have been closed, so think about that, it means they are actively finding them and closing them which means its NOT a company policy and your comments have no base.
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I'm was giving factual information, the $15 upgrade could be used by anyone on any configuration. I believe for those who were interested, it was not irrelevant.
 
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