Microsoft has managed to confuse us (again) about its Windows 10 upgrade policy. Last week, it said Insider Program preview users would "receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated." While testing the buggy preview hasn't been easy, the offer sounded too good to be true since it meant that virtually anyone could get a free copy. However, yesterday Microsoft quietly removed the "remain activated" part of the article and clarified that only owners of a genuine Windows 7 or 8.1 copy would get the next version for free when it arrives on July 29th.
@ZacB_ @joebelfiore Yes, as long as running a prerelease build connected with registered MSA: http://t.co/vlaGyfwzbr
- Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) June 21, 2015
To make things even murkier, Microsoft's Gabriel Aul later said that Windows 10 insiders would remain activated when the final release arrives, as long as they associated their Microsoft account to the preview build. We think that means that Insiders who don't have a valid Windows 7/8.1 copy will still get a "legit" copy that can be updated, but not a valid license. In other words, you can have the software for personal use, but don't try to use it commercially. This does jibe with previous Microsoft statements that it would provide a "mechanism" for all users to get a free Windows 10 copy, pirates included.
Assuming our guess is accurate, it's not clear whether Microsoft has actually changed its upgrade policy or just made an error on the original post. We do know, however, that It would have been nice if it had updated it with some kind of explanation, rather than just slipping in new wording and leaving it up to the internet to guess.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
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