Free Windows 10 upgrade

[yrreti]

I understand some of the reasons for offering the free upgrade for Windows 7 -8.1 to Windows 10.
But what are the gotcha's ? There is always some catch.? ?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/ ... nl_pcwbest
Also, how bad will it affect our existing programs written in Purebasic, and any new programs written.?
Before any of us decide to take this offer, it would be good to know these things.
What's your input on this?

[PureGuy]

It's the right decision from MS, to give it free for a year.
Especially if one creates a product that's rejected by a hugh amount of possible consumers

But how long will this free version be supported
I don't think you can upgrade to Win11, which will come maybe 1 year later.

Why should it affect our PB applications at all?

[bbanelli]

Also, how bad will it affect our existing programs written in Purebasic, and any new programs written.?
Before any of us decide to take this offer, it would be good to know these things.
What's your input on this?

Not a single application I've compiled and tried on Windows 10 Preview didn't have any issues at all, so I don't know what are you exactly worried about?

[yrreti]

That's good to here about no programing issues. I have several PC's with Windows 7.
I was just concerned about issues with all the changes that were made to the interfaces going forward,
and what if any obstacles I might have to deal with or alter in my existing and future programs.

[PB Fanatic]

It's the right decision from MS, to give it free for a year.

I've been trying to work out whether it's free to upgrade during its first year of release, or it will run for free for a year and then payment is required. Which is it?

[PureGuy]

Good question PB Fanatic.
But I can't really image that after a year they say: "your time is up, now pay"

I think there will be a short update support like Windows 8.0.
And for the next upgade they make a good offer.

[c4s]

It's the right decision from MS, to give it free for a year.

I've been trying to work out whether it's free to upgrade during its first year of release, or it will run for free for a year and then payment is required. Which is it?

It's the first one:

Today was a monumental day for us on the Windows team because we shared our desire to redefine the relationship we have with you – our customers. We announced that a free upgrade for Windows 10 will be made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 who upgrade in the first year after launch.*
[...]
*Hardware and software requirements apply. No additional charge. Feature availability may vary by device. Some editions excluded. More details at http://www.windows.com.

[PB Fanatic]

I can't really image that after a year they say: "your time is up, now pay"

Why not? They do exactly that for evaluation versions, so I wondered if this was going to be a similar thing to try to get more people hooked on 10.

[PB Fanatic]

Thanks c4s, for that link which explains it.

[heartbone]

Not a single application I've compiled and tried on Windows 10 Preview didn't have any issues at all, so I don't know what are you exactly worried about?

Was that triple negative intentional?
It most likely changed the meaning of what you were intended to communicate, while becoming closer to the truth than you might realize.

What would I worry about?
That a critical mass will eventually make the dumb move of running government spyware (Windows® 10) on their new (hardware locked trusted computing) "personal" computer which might negatively impact the internet.

How so?
Content owners and controllers might start requiring compliance with mandated "standards" only necessary to establish establishment control over networked computing.

I know it will make Micro$oft rich, but exactly what besides run on the new OS can the latest M$ Office do for the home user that Office 2003 can't?
If Windows® 7 does the job (bits can still only be set on or off), then what is being gained by spending hundreds of bucks and downloading trillions of bits, just to be able to get back to performing the same task on a new OS?

In the not so distant future as we look back, will the installation and use of Windows® 10 be considered free of cost?
I doubt it.

[heartbone]

...but exactly what besides run on the new OS can the latest M$ Office do for the home user that Office 2003 can't?

I've found an answer to that question.
It looks like a Win10 user can run Office on their cellphone!


Windows 10: The 10 most important new Consumer Preview features


1) Cortana comes to PCs
Cortana, Microsoft’s smart, sassy virtual assistant in Windows Phone 8.1, is making the leap to PCs, and she actually looks pretty darn handy. She’ll get her own place next to the Start button in the desktop taskbar, waiting to respond to search queries delivered in natural language via voice or text.

2) Project Spartan
Cortana will also be featured in Windows 10’s Spartan—a new browser built around a new rendering engine. Spartan, as the name implies, shakes off Internet Explorer’s legacy cruft, delivering an uncluttered Web experience. Support for an enhanced Reading Mode (already found in Windows 8’s Metro IE app) clears junk and ads to present a more readable Web page. Spartan will also include a Pocket-esque Reading List that lets you save articles for later, complete with offline support.

3) Windows Holographic
Now this was unexpected: Microsoft’s taking on augmented reality with its new Windows Holographic initiative, which overlays smart, timely info atop the physical world—kind of like a more robust version of Google Glass. Windows Holographic is comprised of three major parts: HoloLens, a wires-free headset that packs its own CPU, GPU, and the newly coined HPU (Holographic processing unit); Windows Holographic, which will enable 3D imaging in Windows 10; and HoloStudio, an application that will let you create your own holograms.

4) Surface Hub
Another out-of-the-blue, radical hardware announcement, the Surface Hub is an 84-inch, 4K, touch-enabled display designed to drive office collaboration. Basically the biggest freaking Windows tablet you’ve ever seen, the Surface Hub is packed with connective technologies—Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, motion detectors, a camera, microphone, you name it—along with one of the most seamless ways to join a web meeting that we’ve ever seen.

5) Windows 10 comes to phones and tablets
Windows 10 was designed from the ground up to give devices of all sizes a singular, unified experience. Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore showed off Windows 10 for phones and tablets by highlighting key features that draw the devices closer to PCs. He revealed how the universal, touch-friendly Office apps were coming along by playing with the Word and PowerPoint apps on a Windows Phone.

6) Office apps get universal
Some key details about the touch-friendly Office software were revealed during the Windows 10 event. The Windows RunTime functionality built into “Metro” apps will make the Windows 10 Office suite responsive to the device type you’re using, and it will enable modern gesture controls in stalwarts like PowerPoint and Outlook. Tapping into Windows 10’s wider capabilities, Cortana will be able to help find specific appointments in the Calendar app or Outlook messages stored on an Exchange server.

7) PC gaming improvements
After years of neglect, Microsoft finally gave PC gamers a reason to smile at Wednesday’s event. Windows 10 will include a native screenshotting and videocapture tool, capable of capturing the last 30 seconds of gameplay from any game. Pressing Windows key + G brings up the new tool. (Clip editing shown at left.) More importantly, details about the DirectX 12 gaming API coming with Windows 10.

Xbox streaming
Some of Windows 10’s most potent gaming capabilities stem from deep Xbox One integration. Windows 10 will include a new Xbox app that will let you chat with your Xbox Live friends, peruse your achievements, and manage your screenshots and videos (including ones from PC games).

9) Continuum UI switching
With the Windows 10 Preview rolling out more broadly to device types beyond traditional PCs, Microsoft is implementing the ‘Continuum’ interface it teased at the initial Windows 10 reveal. Continuum dynamically shifts the interface from Modern to desktop depending on whether you’re using a PC or a touch-enabled device. If you’re using a hybrid-style device, it will switch back and forth depending on how you’re actively using the device at the moment.

10) But wait, there's more!
And all these nifty new products are just the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to check out PCWorld’s Windows 10 event coverage for full details of all the goodies and tweaks. If you’re unfamiliar with Windows 10 whatsoever, our guide to all the features revealed in the initial Windows 10 Technical Preview can bring you up to speed.

[bbanelli]

Not a single application I've compiled and tried on Windows 10 Preview didn't have any issues at all, so I don't know what are you exactly worried about?

Was that triple negative intentional?
It most likely changed the meaning of what you were intended to communicate, while becoming closer to the truth than you might realize.

Haha, you stand correct.

What I meant to say was - not a single application HAD any issues at all. I was mostly worried about PCI-Z since it relies entirely on Setup API but no issues were found.

/snip

As for the rest, I don't see why are you worried about, at least as PureBasic's side is concerned. WinAPI remains mostly compatible and your applications will work.

[Danilo]

3) Windows Holographic
Now this was unexpected: Microsoft’s taking on augmented reality with its new Windows Holographic initiative, which overlays smart, timely info atop the physical world—kind of like a more robust version of Google Glass. Windows Holographic is comprised of three major parts: HoloLens, a wires-free headset that packs its own CPU, GPU, and the newly coined HPU (Holographic processing unit); Windows Holographic, which will enable 3D imaging in Windows 10; and HoloStudio, an application that will let you create your own holograms.

See videos at Microsoft HoloLens - Official Site

Youtube: Microsoft's Holographics Live Demo, Project HoloLens goggles in action (Full Video, 24 minutes)

[Fangbeast]

Everything I've written in in PureBasic 5.23/5.24/5.31 on Windows 7/8/8.1 seems to work fine in windows 10.

Only issues I have are that some third party EXE's from other programs seem to break between builds.

On build 9879 on this machine for example, Paul's PureVision and Oracle's VirtualBox worked fine.

On build 9926 on this machine, PureVision launches and stays firmly in the background, cannot get it to show on the screen at all.

VirtualBox 'seems' to launch but it never makes it to the screen and there is no process in memory.

Have not tested much else yet but I expect things to break between builds:):):)

P.S. There is an odd report about corrupt compiler thread or something when you sometimes first run a program in the ide. Subsequent runs are okay.

[doctornash]

Am interested in acquiring just a very simple, entry-level, low-footprint device that'll let me write and run routines in Purebasic with Portaudio, so I can work on components of the sound synthesis apps I develop while I'm out and about (lugging my net-book or laptop around is sometimes overkill). I like the idea of the 'hybrid' Chuwi Hi 8, which'll function both as an Android tablet and as a light-duties windows 10 (Home) machine. Has anyone had any experience with this device for the aforementioned purpose, or can otherwise see any reason why it wouldn't be OK?