Microsoft reveals subscription pricing

[Yellowdog-1966]

Microsoft reveals subscription pricing for using Windows 10 beyond 2025, and it's not cheap.
https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/microsoft-reveals-subscription-pricing-for-using-windows-10-beyond-2025-and-its-not-cheap

Customers will need to pay $61 per device, which will double every year for three years, to remain secure on Windows 10.

What you need to know

Microsoft has announced the pricing for extended security updates on Windows 10.
Users running Windows 10 beyond October 2025 will not be secure unless they pay for further updates.
Pricing starts at $61 for the first year, $122 for the second year, and $244 for the third year, per device.

Well time to say goodbye to Windows. I played with Linux few years ago and all the ones I've tested had problems and i didn't want to figure them out at the time.. looks like I'll be busy soon. I can't afford to upgrade one let alone five.

Just downloaded Manjaro maybe Mint later.

[ret5hd]

1. maybe you or someone can explain...

why windows 10 is so desired that anyone would pay this fee?

just wondering…not making a statement.

[Yellowdog-1966]

6. They will move onto windows 11 next.

They keep saying that there will not be a W12, I bet It'll bet it won't be free when it does come out.

[brooklynite]

10. MAC OS updates are free.

[BComplex]

19. Yep! I love me some Apples!

Keeps the Microsoft Doctor away!

[ret5hd]

12. Something will supersede W11, whether...

it is called Windows12 or BarnDoor25.

Will MS only supply bug-fixes and back-door-patches to those who pay subscription fees in the future?

and my question stands: what makes W10 so desirable that anyone would pay this?

[NutmegYankee]

13. Windows has a known 10 year sunset for the Pro OS. That's 2025.

Companies and governments often paid extra to keep patches going beyond the standard "end of support" date, but eventually Microsoft just said no and stopped providing updates. That's why XP stopped being used.

[Layzeebeaver]

26. MacOS here as well.

I miss windows because most of the newer game I like to toy with are all windows only.

But I don’t miss windows and these fraking subscription services.

I also have a laptop with unbuntu Linux.

Open your “windows” and step out into a lovely world….

[bluesbassman]

14. It's not that it's so desirable, it's just what is on people's older computers.

Most of those don’t have the ability to uograde to 11, so those people will have to pay to keep it running. Kind of a Catch-22.

[canetoad]

22. It's not that folk especially love Win 10

But there's a lot of older hardware out there that will run Win 10 but not Win 11.

[Wonder Why]

2. Ubuntu if you're Linux challenged. Debian if you can run solo.

[brooklynite]

11. 99.5% of computer users are not prepared or willing to go to an open source Operating System.

[Voltaire2]

3. Games and Office.

Those are the only good reasons for home users to stay on windows. Otherwise all you really need is a system that provides good web browsers and support for local stuff like printers. As long as a person has the technical skills to install and maintain linux there is no good reason to pay for windows. As always with linux, a lot of people don't have the skills. Also a lot of younger people do, but probably don't really need a pc, its not that important anymore.

There are of course good alternatives to Office, and game support for various flavors of linux gets better over time.

AFAIC Microsoft is brazenly reverting to its 90's era shitty behavior pattern of obsoleting everyone's pc. There is a huge installed base of pcs that are not certified for win11. They cannot upgrade. The rent on w10 probably exceeds the actual value of the pc.

[Disaffected]

16. There are work-arounds for installing Win 11 on a "non-certified" device.

One is at:

https://www.howtogeek.com/759925/how-to-install-windows-11-on-an-unsupported-pc/

Another at:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-10/how-to-install-windows-11-on-unsupported-hardware-without-losing/m-p/4031639

There may be downsides to this - be cautious.

[Voltaire2]

20. Sure, but that excludes, again all but the tech savvy, and basically all work pcs.

[Yellowdog-1966]

21. Your right about needing a pc since smartphone are used more

I built my own PCs over the years and try to stay up to date but lately my computer stays off because I'm mostly using my S22.

[John Ludi]

4. Pretty happy with Ubuntu overall.

There is some software that I still need to go back to my unconnected Windows box for, but it can be months between bouts of having to use the thing.

[Rver]

5. FWIW...

I've been using Lubuntu (Ubuntu) since MS stopped support for Windows 7. Does everything I need. I have it on a older laptop w/ 8gb of ram and sata ssd. Boots up in about a minute. I use virtualbox so that I can run quicken on win xp. I use Libreoffice for spreadsheets etc.
My .02

[themaguffin]

7. But they are upgrading for free right? So it sounds like they are just pushing an incentive to stay current.

[bluesbassman]

15. Can't upgrade if you're processor won't support it.

This will mainly hurt older and poorer people who can’t really afford to upgrade their computers.

[dobleremolque]

8. Been using Ubuntu as my operating system for

more than 10 years now, along with the Libreoffice suite since they forked from OpenOffice.

Your mileage may vary, but I've been able to keep financial books, manage a local association's membership database, do all the related correspondence, create a cloud-based file storage and backup system (NextCloud), and maintain a web site, scan and edit PDFs ... and oh by the way, apply my woefully inadequate artistic skills to edit and manipulate images and videos ... all on open source software. It's been years since I've given Microsoft any money.

I have to laugh (all the way to the bank) over whose who complain about how the user interfaces aren't "modern and sleek", but as long as I can produce documents and files that make my business money, I'll somehow manage to suffer the indignity of "outdated" user interfaces.

You made a good move, imo.

[brooklynite]

9. The alternative being: buy a modern computer that can support current OS platforms

When my office switched from Mac to Windows 20 years ago, I kept my PowerMac 7100 and nursed it to run up to OS 10 until 2016. Just as a philosophical protest; I had a Windows PC that was always current.

[TheRealNorth]

17. I get that security updates cost money......

And that those have to be paid for. But this seems to be more of a cash grab, "because they can."

[Chakaconcarne]

18. Isn't that pretty typical? Once an OS is no longer supported, support fees are more expensive.

[ecstatic]

23. Lol. I call bullshit

They're trying to scare people into upgrading to Windows 11. Based on recent history, I think Microsoft will continue supporting Windows 10 updates free of charge for at least another 5+ years.

Microsoft would look horrible if a bunch of people started getting viruses all over the place under their operating system, not to mention how the proliferation of viruses on Windows 10 would also affect those who use Windows 11.

It's just like all their other threats of charging to upgrade to Windows 10. It never happened. It's still available free of charge as is the upgrade to Windows 11.

[LeftInTX]

24. It has the same lifespan as Windows 7. Both 10 years.

All free Windows 7 updates stopped in 2020


https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-7-support-ended-on-january-14-2020-b75d4580-2cc7-895a-2c9c-1466d9a53962

Microsoft made a commitment to provide 10 years of product support for Windows 7 when it was released on October 22, 2009. This 10-year period has now ended, and Microsoft has discontinued Windows 7 support so that we can focus our investment on supporting newer technologies and great new experiences. The specific end of support day for Windows 7 was January 14, 2020. Technical assistance and software updates from Windows Update that help protect your PC are no longer available for the product. Microsoft strongly recommends that you move to Windows 11 to avoid a situation where you need service or support that is no longer available.

[Voltaire2]

25. W11 has hardware requirements that block upgrades

for the vast majority of existing w10 systems. This is actually quite unusual for windows releases.

[LeftInTX]

29. That's true. I've been receiving notices that my system did not have the requirements for Windows 11.

I thought maybe it was me. I bought my computer "off the shelf" at office depot in 2017. It was fairly cheap.
I've always custom ordered my computers, so I thought, "Meh, That's what you get for buying cheap"

I didn't know it was happening to everyone. I usually buy a new computer about every 7-10 years or so, because I prefer to have upgraded hardware.

[Voltaire2]

32. Millions of 'office pc's' are now effectively junk.

Most will likely end up in landfills. For what exactly? It seems the only motivation is to extract rent from people. Note that you cannot easily transfer an oem license to a new system, so you are buying a new windows license too.

[bucolic_frolic]

27. I've used Mint for about 8 years

It is greatly improved, most things are automatic. There is no hand holding but tech support is available at various sites, official and not, and search engine support is fabulous compared to 2016. I enjoy the universal compatibility. Recently I bought a Windows 11S pc, and I'm not opting for Microsoft freebies, I'm too wedded to LibreOffice and GIMP (a Photoshop equivalent).

But you can't blame Bill Gates on fees for Windows pricing. He needs the money!

For those prices you may as well ditch your current machine and buy a new one.

[Renew Deal]

28. Can you still upgrade to Windows 11 for free?

[LeftInTX]

30. See this post

Your computer will tell you if you have the hardware requirements.

Mine does not. It's happening to alot of people.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18840941

[bullimiami]

31. Linux has come a long long way.

With many of the current distros you can do most everything from a gui.
Depending on how much of a tinkerer you are.

[BadgerKid]

33. Linux is quite serviceable but tends to lack drivers

For add-on, ready-to-go equipment (exceptions include video cards and networking cards). So you cannot generally just go buy a device like a camcorder, scanner, piece of laboratory equipment, etc., and expect Linux support. Windows has always been supported and Mac is usually supported. Ironically MacOS is Linux-like under the hood. Testing and support for all linuxes can be hard and costly.