Windows 10 free for pirates?
This I did not see coming.
I'm sure more details will set an actual distinction between pirates and legitimate users in the final version... but then again, maybe they won't. There are really very few lines to try and read between at the moment. But, while I may not have seen this coming, it doesn't mean that I can't speculate on the reasons.
The first is that legitimate upgraders who have lost their legit activation id by switching to the preview version of the OS or some other means. I personally have only done the upgrade on Windows 8 based machines which store the activation key in the BIOS and have gone out of my way to retrieve the keys to a file in case I need them. But anyone who put Windows 10 as the primary OS on their Windows 7 or older machines may have blown away that data. Would be cruel of Microsoft to strand them for that mistake. Not that they were any better about this in the past mind you.
That is far from the only reason. Maybe Microsoft has a low level of confidence in their ability to validate the barrage of system keys, either due to incomplete databases or fears that servers will be bombarded. While less likely than the first option, it is yet another reason for Microsoft to look the other way even if only for the first year.
To top off the potential fears around alienating legitimate upgraders, many pirates may not choose to upgrade anyway, either because they fear Microsoft will track that their copy is pirated and turn around and screw them later or because they simply don't know or don't care. Go read some forums... the FUD factory is already brewing. Heck, read the article in the link. It felt like half of that article was describing ways in which they might turn the tables on people after they have them lured in.
But, probably the biggest reasons are relevance and perception.
Microsoft needs to get their latest OS on the largest number of machines possible. Even if those machines aren't legit. By making the process of getting the upgrade as frictionless as possible, they stand the best chances of inflating both the upgrade rates and overall OS usage stats. And that will be important for investors and developers. Developers won't target Windows 10 with its shiny new Universal Apps, unless they know that there is a huge market of people able to buy into those apps. Knowing virtually any PC sold in the past 6 years can get a free upgrade to this OS will make it an easier sell to developers. Especially for those ever so important launch day apps. And investors and market analysts and such like to see a new OS replacing the old one as quickly as possible.
As far as perception is concerned this is on many levels. But the biggest will be that they will be seen to be giving away something for free and that getting people onto the latest, and onto legit build of the latest version will help make sure that they can keep more systems up to date and protected. Pirates don't install updates which means their machines are vulnerable and make the Windows ecosystem look less secure than it should be. And many non-malicious people end up getting pirated copies of Windows on second hand machines or from friends/family.
Sure, as the article states... Microsoft *could* use this as a bait and switch. I don't think that they will. At worst I see them persisting the same sort of nuisances they have in the past where you get a black background with a watermark and the occasional popup telling you that you're a bad person. I don't see any value in Microsoft becoming more anti-piracy than that in a world where many of their competitors offer their OS's for free and where MS themselves are moving slowly in that direction already.
And final reason; the Windows Store. Like the App Store, Microsoft takes a cut of every app sale through the store. More users on Windows 10 means more users potentially funneling money to both Microsoft and their partners and developers. If Microsoft really wants to change how they monetize their business, this actually isn't a terrible move.
And with all of that, why did I not anticipate this move? History more than anything. Microsoft has held onto OS license fees as hard as they could over the years. Even with the changes on the surface in the company, a move like this is still abnormal for them.
I'm sure more details will set an actual distinction between pirates and legitimate users in the final version... but then again, maybe they won't. There are really very few lines to try and read between at the moment. But, while I may not have seen this coming, it doesn't mean that I can't speculate on the reasons.
The first is that legitimate upgraders who have lost their legit activation id by switching to the preview version of the OS or some other means. I personally have only done the upgrade on Windows 8 based machines which store the activation key in the BIOS and have gone out of my way to retrieve the keys to a file in case I need them. But anyone who put Windows 10 as the primary OS on their Windows 7 or older machines may have blown away that data. Would be cruel of Microsoft to strand them for that mistake. Not that they were any better about this in the past mind you.
That is far from the only reason. Maybe Microsoft has a low level of confidence in their ability to validate the barrage of system keys, either due to incomplete databases or fears that servers will be bombarded. While less likely than the first option, it is yet another reason for Microsoft to look the other way even if only for the first year.
To top off the potential fears around alienating legitimate upgraders, many pirates may not choose to upgrade anyway, either because they fear Microsoft will track that their copy is pirated and turn around and screw them later or because they simply don't know or don't care. Go read some forums... the FUD factory is already brewing. Heck, read the article in the link. It felt like half of that article was describing ways in which they might turn the tables on people after they have them lured in.
But, probably the biggest reasons are relevance and perception.
Microsoft needs to get their latest OS on the largest number of machines possible. Even if those machines aren't legit. By making the process of getting the upgrade as frictionless as possible, they stand the best chances of inflating both the upgrade rates and overall OS usage stats. And that will be important for investors and developers. Developers won't target Windows 10 with its shiny new Universal Apps, unless they know that there is a huge market of people able to buy into those apps. Knowing virtually any PC sold in the past 6 years can get a free upgrade to this OS will make it an easier sell to developers. Especially for those ever so important launch day apps. And investors and market analysts and such like to see a new OS replacing the old one as quickly as possible.
As far as perception is concerned this is on many levels. But the biggest will be that they will be seen to be giving away something for free and that getting people onto the latest, and onto legit build of the latest version will help make sure that they can keep more systems up to date and protected. Pirates don't install updates which means their machines are vulnerable and make the Windows ecosystem look less secure than it should be. And many non-malicious people end up getting pirated copies of Windows on second hand machines or from friends/family.
Sure, as the article states... Microsoft *could* use this as a bait and switch. I don't think that they will. At worst I see them persisting the same sort of nuisances they have in the past where you get a black background with a watermark and the occasional popup telling you that you're a bad person. I don't see any value in Microsoft becoming more anti-piracy than that in a world where many of their competitors offer their OS's for free and where MS themselves are moving slowly in that direction already.
And final reason; the Windows Store. Like the App Store, Microsoft takes a cut of every app sale through the store. More users on Windows 10 means more users potentially funneling money to both Microsoft and their partners and developers. If Microsoft really wants to change how they monetize their business, this actually isn't a terrible move.
And with all of that, why did I not anticipate this move? History more than anything. Microsoft has held onto OS license fees as hard as they could over the years. Even with the changes on the surface in the company, a move like this is still abnormal for them.
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