Advantages of 8.1 for me are much quicker start up and snappier response generally. I use it on a new built PC and haven't upgraded my Win 7 PC because it reports compatibility problems with certain drivers (UAD-1 & Powercore.) Otherwise I'd have upgraded that as well. I use Stardock 'Start8' for the 8.1 start menu - works like a charm. All the Metro stuff can be turned off so in many ways it's like working with 7 but much better start up & response times.

Also 8/8.1 never seems to crash or blue screen unlike 7 at times. The 8.1 upgrade went like butter whereas I've never been able to upgrade 7 to 7.1 despite trying various workarounds. Win 7 was a step up but Win 8 is a refinement of 7's best feature (shame about Metro though.) I expect Win 10 will be a refinement of Metro resulting in the OS finally refining and unifying desktop and Metro. We can hope...

What happened to 9? Conspiracy?

North Korea killed it :)

I read reports that because of the numbering it would break a lot of third party programs but I think it is because Microsoft want to sell the idea of a clean sweep. I also read from 10 onwards they will have incremental changes effectively making it the last version. I think they are heading towards a cloud/subscription based model.

"I also read from 10 onwards they will have incremental changes effectively making it the last version."

We had names like "XP" and "Vista", why not "Ultimate"? Perhaps because the name has already been misused by countless other small fry.

So does this mean that Windows 10 will have ONLY one version whereas Windows 7 had 6? (Starter Home Basic Home Premium Professional Ultimate Enterprise)

TomG

Free for a year? I'll upgrade after 364 days if the reports are all good. Let the other poor suckers iron out the faults.

As for introducing a subscription after the first free year, they have to let people know that at the start before they upgrade. To drop that on everyone after that year will cause uproar

If this is truly a shift to a "cloud" based OS, my current version of Win 7 Pro will be the last version of Windows I'll ever own. Microsoft can kiss my derriere if that's how they envision the future of PC Operating System software.

Relinquishing fundamental control of your computer to the "cloud" is something the NSA could only dream about. With this move Microsoft will be handing them the keys to every PC on the planet. It will be a bigger opportunity for trouble than placing a box of loaded shotguns in a cage full of monkeys.

@Gary James.

Now that is spot on!

Here is short paragraph that gives you an idea how privacy you actually have on your computer:

The first step of this process is finding Tor users. To accomplish this, the NSA relies on its vast capability to monitor large parts of the internet. This is done via the agency's partnership with US telecoms firms under programs codenamed Stormbrew, Fairview, Oakstar and Blarney.

The whole article is here but there are so many more out there to read.

free for a year means you do not pay any money to BUY Win10 during its first year. Those that got it free during year one will not pay any more after that. But people a year late will have to BUY the OS for $ like normal. (The 1st year free people are beta testers in MY book)

It does not mean subscription is FREE for one year and then you start paying.
There are several articles about that on the web clearing that all up.

Win 10 will NOT be subscription based, cloud only thing. ....according to info from Microsoft.

[I]Win 10 will NOT be subscription based, cloud only thing[/I]

So eventually we will have to pay for their cloud services? If so, that would be the same.

WARNING - FULL CONSPIRACY MODE!

I predict MS will offer Win10 for free and then start a sub model after a year. There will be no reverting back to previous OS because all serials for previous OS are forfeited after Win10 installation. MS will move everything onto the Cloud after a year and without an internet connection the new OS will stop working without regularly phoning home.

Alternatively, maybe MS has finally woken up to the fact that Android is "free" and the money is in licensing their OS to hardware manufacturers. So they'll just have to come up with other ways to make money other than selling their OS to individual PC users.

"NOT a subscription based cloud thingy"

maybe my comma through you off

I did write:

"WARNING - FULL CONSPIRACY MODE!"

Until we get the official details I reserve the right to scaremonger. While I'm exaggerating MS conspiracy theories in fun I still don't entirely take MS at face value.

I can imagine MS doing this for free for a year. Sure.

Consider that most of the licenses MS sells come on new computers. Between the onslaught of tablets and the Great Recession, not a lot of new computers have been sold. I'm pretty sure that the market for desktops has shrunk but there's also been a lot of deferred replacement. So, I think they'll be making their money on OEM licenses. The free OS might actually spur a lot of computer replacements as people decide their hardware has gotten long in the tooth.

As for there being a subscription model, win10 could just be the mechanism to drive users to other subscriptions.

Rob

I think Microsoft has now realized that they need to evolve. So subscriptions for Microsoft Word and other products will be what pays for it.

SCS needs to evolve as well. They sell a number of useful applications that I would like to have but cannot afford. So like it or not, eventually a subscription model will be needed for them as well.

Maybe SCS can show Adobe how to do it right?

OK, everyone, do not start throwing things at me! LOL!

Really, how many upgrades can there be for Vegas that justifies the costs? How many NEW things can be added?

There are quite a number of people here who are still using older versions of Vegas. It is no wonder SCS can no longer afford the seminar series, etc.

The writing is on the wall! SCS makes money or they will fade away. Same with Microsoft.

A number of once BIG companies have folded because they failed to evolve.

No matter how big a company is, they are not immune to stagnation...