Microsoft taking a 'softly softly' approach on Windows 10 activation?

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amiga500

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#245370 31-Jan-2019 14:07

After reading a few articles and watching youtubes on this topic I came to understand that the only negatives to using Windows 10 un-activated is that you can not use personalisation to change the wallpaper, and that after a month there would be a watermark about activating windows shown on the desktop. However, a new wallpaper can be set by right clicking on the wallpaper - surely a softly softly move by Microsoft!

This all differs hugely from the days of Windows 98 where you had to put in a product key to even install the product, and in XP where the WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) would essentially cripple XP after a certain time if it wasn't activated.

So, do you think MS. might be thinking about making Windows 10S totally free, or even making Windows 10 Home, free as well?

At the moment I am having a play with running a Windows 10 Pro guest in Virtual box on my Xubuntu system and it's working surprisingly well seeing I only have 4gb of ram. After installing the guest additions it runs in full screen very nicely. So far I am only seeing polite reminders about getting it activated.

I've been able to sign up for a MS account & it's fully updated to Windows 10 1809.

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#2170785 31-Jan-2019 14:55

My understanding is 180 days without activation then you essentially get cut off at the knees. There's plenty of warnings before this though.

solutionz

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#2170899 31-Jan-2019 16:08

Microsoft takes a similar approach to Adobe and others in regard to software piracy...

That is to say they don't really want consumers having to pay for Windows - they'd rather businesses and OEMs/System Builders bear this cost hence the 'softly softly' on consumer licencing as they would prefer you use an unlicensed version of Windows than something else.

And now with Microsoft having moved to "Windows as a service" their incentive is now stronger to maintain market-share of the platform (building ad & data revenue over OS sales) hence why Windows is virtually free for end-users by way of free upgrades, "accessibility" downloads, lenient phone-activation, student / employee licencing, "trial"-ware / insider programs etc etc. Not to mention trivial activation bypass mechanisms.

amiga500

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#2170915 31-Jan-2019 16:38

solutionz:

Microsoft takes a similar approach to Adobe and others in regard to software piracy...

That is to say they don't really want consumers having to pay for Windows - they'd rather businesses and OEMs/System Builders bear this cost hence the 'softly softly' on consumer licencing as they would prefer you use an unlicensed version of Windows than something else.

And now with Microsoft having moved to "Windows as a service" their incentive is now stronger to maintain market-share of the platform (building ad & data revenue over OS sales) hence why Windows is virtually free for end-users by way of free upgrades, "accessibility" downloads, lenient phone-activation, student / employee licencing, "trial"-ware / insider programs etc etc. Not to mention trivial activation bypass mechanisms.

I think you are 100% right. All you have to do to change the wallpaper is go to Windows/Web folder find the wallpapers & right click on one of them!

A few years ago I could have got some version of MS Office for $10.00 via employee licencing. I didn't take up the offer as I was using Linux most of the time, plus for my needs, something like Abiword or Libre Office did everything I wanted.

BTW I clicked on the link to buy key for Windows 10 Pro & it was four hundred plus dollars - can't remember the exact figure!

solutionz

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#2170935 31-Jan-2019 17:12

As i alluded to if you opt for phone activation and tell them you just reinstalled a previously activated Windows 10 - or that you use assistive technologies - they'll often activate it for you no problems.

vexxxboy

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#2170938 31-Jan-2019 17:22

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my Sons laptop that came with Windows 10 has shown the Activation message for the past year or so , i tried everything to get rid of it and after a while just ignored it, it has finally disappeared and again no idea why.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

robjg63

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#2170991 31-Jan-2019 19:00

Dratsab: My understanding is 180 days without activation then you essentially get cut off at the knees. There's plenty of warnings before this though.

I can only find reference to windows 10 enterprise doing this at 180 days. I haven't seen any reference to this in consumer versions.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

waikariboy

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#2170993 31-Jan-2019 19:09

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Im still finding that downloading the windows 10 media upgrade and using it on windows 7 machine still gets Windows 10 with activation.

Balm its gone!

hio77

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#2170997 31-Jan-2019 19:20

the windows 10 approach is quite amazing really..

There was a huge fortnite event held in AU last weekend... one of their streaming pcs didn't have an activated copy of windows.

For some reason, it seriously bothered me seeing that popup all the time.. Also looked bloody unprofessional honestly...

The one place i give grace to for windows 10 activation is tech review situations simply because, their usecase is combined of consistently invalidating their activation by changing hardware.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Tracer

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#2170999 31-Jan-2019 19:37

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It's kinda hard to sell an OS when everyone else gives them away for free, and even more so when the free ones are superior for a lot of use-cases. For desktop use, Altium and Solidworks are about the only things I can think of that make me want a Windows VM. Kicad is rapidly becoming good enough since CERN got on board, and Fusion 360 runs on macOS so that's replaced Solidworks. Outside of desktop Windows has zero appeal.

mattwnz

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#2171001 31-Jan-2019 19:49

The question is when will MS being charging a subscription fee for windows in order to get future updates etc, as I had read articles that it could be coming. Apple did used to charge an upgrade fee on Mac OS rahter than a subscription, and they also charged for iOS upgrades initially with the ipod touch early generations. But these days I guess it is covered by the hardware cost. But the MS doesn't have the same model for most PCs that have windows on them.

tanivula

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#2171030 31-Jan-2019 21:47

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waikariboy:

Im still finding that downloading the windows 10 media upgrade and using it on windows 7 machine still gets Windows 10 with activation.

Or using win 7 keys even

chevrolux

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#2171104 1-Feb-2019 08:21

My home desktop is running un-activated Win 10. I'm quite certain it's been running longer than 180 days!

If i had to pay for Windows, I just wouldn't bother with it in the first place.

nathan

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#2171106 1-Feb-2019 08:25

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chevrolux:

My home desktop is running un-activated Win 10. I'm quite certain it's been running longer than 180 days!

If i had to pay for Windows, I just wouldn't bother with it in the first place.

why do you feel its OK to steal things? Do you shoplift as well?

Yabanize

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#2171140 1-Feb-2019 09:45

robjg63

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#2171155 1-Feb-2019 10:03

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MS could move to a 'free with advertising' model for windows I suppose.

There is more money to be made from advertising than anything else these days - maybe you could pay to remove the advertising.

Rather than saying this copy of windows is not activated it could stream adverts at you - that would be much more annoying - Probably force more people to activate properly!

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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