Cape Coral Joel

How long do you think it will be before Microsoft, who pushed 100's of million of their users into a free Windows 10 OS and then follow up with 2 upgrades and a 3rd due in Sept, decides that they are going to charge a subscription fee. Small at first then Caty bar the door. Windows is their flag ship and the reason they exist. Then what are our options pay or look at a blank screen. Many of us rely on photo processing programs, storage apps etc. and it sure seems like we are/will be held hostage. Mac users Apple will probably jump on that cash cow so no respite there. Just my thoughts please share yours.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, that is a possibility. There is no such thing as too much profit.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Where did you get the information that Microsoft will charge a subscription fee for their operating system?

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Not happening. An OS is a lot different from renting an elective app. Too many corporate customers to pull such shenanigans. Everyone would just switch to Open source code OS such as Linux.

Is your next fear that Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, etc. will start to rent the computer systems that run your car engine? Think of it, millions of cars just abandoned all over the freeways of America.
Paranoia, will destroy ya.

rpena2860

I think that would be rather unlikely. Keep in mind, that Windows 10 is no longer free, as the window for getting a free upgrade is now closed. Also -- they make money from selling to OEM's such as Dell, HP, etc., for inclusion with new computers. Also -- Microsoft has included tracking bits in Windows 10 and monetizes anonymous data on use, etc., much like Google and others monetize search data.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Did Microsoft do something to you or did you wake up this morning with a need for negative speculation about Microsoft? The main reason Microsoft gave windows 10 to so many users for free was their way of saying sorry for the major headaches we caused all of you with Windows 8. Unless one was using a Surface PC, Windows 8 wasn't exactly the friendliest OS as the vast majority of people weren't using touch screen PC'S.
Will Microsoft go the subscription route? No. Currently only about 1 percent of their revenues come from the sale of Windows. The bulk of their income comes from commercial licensing of applications like MS OFFICE and MS OUTLOOK and their client server software, so I guess you could say, they already do charge subscription fees to commercial users.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Good point!

rpena2860

Nether. I'm in the IT industry and have been for 30+ years. While it may have been a freebie as a make-up for Win8 (which was actually not that bad, TBH), that does not negate the fact that it does collect anonymous data that they can resell. It might serve you well to do a little research.

Cape Coral Joel

It was pure speculation. MS Office which includes Outlook is subscription and you use to be able to purchase a hard copy, no longer. Hmm I wonder how many Adobe users thought the same thing a few short years ago. You live in a fantasy world if you don't think that is a possibility especially thinking that they owe anyone anything for selling inferior products in the past. It's just for conversation and brushing out the cobwebs in the old brain. BTW I'm in the insider program so I do support Microsoft.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

Jerry, I'm very much a free-market and capitalist guy as anybody, but there are limits that even a free market can accept. That fund manager who raised a critical cancer(?) drug price by 5000% a year ago or so ago should be put through a wringer & hung out to dry, or just hanged. He didn't discover it, just bought the company that had and was making and selling it, presumably at a reasonable profit. He saw an opportunity to satisfy his greed, and to hell with the people who needed it. That's what makes capitalism a 'dirty' word in the minds of our younger population.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

You may be 30+ years in IT; I'm in my 37th year in IT and research is something I do often. Windows 8 was a fine OS if you were using it on a touch screen. Collecting data is not charging a subscription, and you may opt out of the data collection; it's not simple but it is possible.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

Quote: "...Microsoft has included tracking bits in Windows 10 and monetizes anonymous data on use, etc., much like Google and others monetize search data.[/quote]

At least Google has "promised" to stop screening google mail for data; Microsoft has no such ethics. viz. Win 8.0, 8.1 & 10. I could probably add Vista to the list, but personally I never had any problems with it. What did those OS do for most customers except give them a lot of aggravation and costs. For their efforts MS got a lot of profits with three really poor systems as introduced and forced most of us to use the damn things and do the testing that they should have done in Beta.

rpena2860

Agreed. Win 8 was quite good with Touch Screens and also on desktops with any of the available Start Menu replacements. We use the free Winshell Classic.

I've been in IT since 1983 and have been the IT director for large charter school district for the past 12 years. We are an exclusive Microsoft ecosytem shop and have a very close relationship with MS. I too am an insider and have attended several NDA events and participated in product development meetings and even co-hosted Azure web services seminars with Microsoft. I am not a MS basher.

It is true that with a little bit of research regarding settings, data collection can be negated, but it does require the user to take extra efforts and you know how the typical users are. The fact is data collection is in there by default - it's anonymous and from what I know, nothing nefarious. It certainly has not kept me from deploying Win10 across our organization nor has it kept me from personally using Win10, but to say it does not collect data and send it to MS would be erroneous. It does unless specific user action is taken.

As for going subscription: Could it? Yes. Do I think it will anytime soon? IMHO - No. But who knows what the future holds. If it does, I hope the 'FREE' Windows 10 recipients would be grand-fathered in. (BTW -- I'm not a software subscription basher, either. I pay monthly for PS/LR bundle from Adobe and do so gladly.)

Also - you can still buy Office and Outlook via CD without a monthly subscription. We buy it when we give away laptops to some of our graduating seniors. Just did so a couple of months ago.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Generally speaking since W95 I upgraded every other "new" os. Or about every 3-4 years at a cost in the $100 range. That's like $3 a month on average. If that's what M/S MIGHT charge eh, less than 1 cigar a month.
And I am not afraid to let anybody see my internet travels. Collect the data, I have nothing to hide.

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Behind every silver lining is a dark cloud!