Thursday - June 04, 2015

Digital Defenestration

Ah, if only we were talking about double hungs, casements, and double glazing, Peiper would be dancing a jig.

Alas. This is merely ... merely ... Microsoft inviting the entire world to update from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10. For free. Invitation only. RSVP.

If you have not yet received an invitation, don’t worry. With only a couple billion PCs in the invite queue, it might take Redmond a bit of time to get around to sending yours out, but it shows up as Update KB3035583. You can get this update manually too if you want.

The actual roll out of Win 10 won’t be for another month or two. July, but don’t be shocked if there is a delay or two. Or five.

If you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8, you should already have had an invitation to “reserve” a copy of Windows 10. If not, run Windows Update to see if any updates are available for your PC. The one you want is KB3035583. This puts a small white Windows logo – the GWX or Get Windows 10 app – in the system tray on the right hand side of the Taskbar. Alternatively, you should be able to find the invitation by going to Windows Update in the Control Panel (via System and Security).

Huh. Well, I just looked on mine, and no invite. [pout] And then I ran a Windows Update and all I found was 4 security patches and an “important” update for the MS Silverlight bit of junk. No KB3035583 to be found. OTOH, I haven’t yet restarted from that update, so who knows?

Windows 10 will be released as a free update on 29 July, Microsoft has announced.

It will be the last major release of the 29-year-old operating system before Microsoft switches to a “Windows as a service” system, which entails updates being rolled out when ready.

This marks a change in Microsoft’s business model. The operating system will be offered as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 within the first year.

Each version of Windows has cost upwards of £100, although the majority of Windows users receive new versions of the operating system when buying a new computer, and not by upgrading the software themselves.

Microsoft made Windows 8.1, which restored the Start menu, as a free update to Windows 8. Windows 10 will bring back more familiar elements from Windows 7 and combine them with the modern look of Windows 8.1.

More than 4 million people have been beta testing the public preview of Windows 10 for the past couple of months, helping Microsoft fix problems before release. Recent reports indicate that Windows 10 is far from ready, with multiple bugs and glitches yet to be fixed.

Setting a date for release could help accelerate the development cycle, but it is crucial that Microsoft’s first public outing for Windows 10 is solid to avoid comparisons with bug-riddled Windows Vista from 2006.

Microsoft’s long-derided Internet Explorer will be replaced by Edge on Windows 10, while the operating system promises to unify the Windows ecosystem of apps and services across desktop, laptop and tablet PCs as well as smartphones.

Microsoft’s voice-controlled digital assistant, Cortana, will also make its debut beyond smartphones with Windows 10, rivalling Apple’s Siri and Google’s Now. Microsoft recently announced that Cortana would also be made available for the iPhone and Android devices.

The Redmond-based software company needs Windows 10 to be a hit both with consumers and businesses after difficulties in persuading organisations to upgrade from the 14-year-old Windows XP.

Microsoft’s “free upgrade offer*” says: “We will offer a free upgrade to Windows 10 for qualified new or existing Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices that upgrade in the first year.” The asterisk links to a rider that says “some hardware/software requirements apply and feature availability may vary by device”. It may not be possible to update some Windows Phone smartphones, and it won’t be possible to update Windows RT devices.

The rider also says: “Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update required.” This implies that if you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8 then you will have to update to Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update – both are free – in order to get Windows 10 installed via the Windows Update service. This will deliver Windows 10 without you having to download and install the new operating system.

Pretty sure this PC is running 64 bit Win 7 Pro SP1. Maybe they haven’t added the full set of bells and whistles to Win 10 Pro 64, if such a thing is even going to exist.

Frankly, I miss XP. That OS was utterly bulletproof for me. Come to think of it, so was Win 98. I lucked out and avoided Win 2000 and Vista.

This link takes you to the Reserve Your Copy page at Microsoft.

Posted by Drew458     on 06/04/2015 at 11:54 AM   
Filed Under: • Computers and Cyberspace •  
• Comments (9) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner