[meetdilip]

Do you think Windows OS will be free with time ? Something like Android with paid services integrated to it. They are already offering Ubuntu inside Windows to woo developers.

[humanpuff69]

Do you think Windows OS will be free with time ? Something like Android with paid services integrated to it. They are already offering Ubuntu inside Windows to woo developers.

maybe . microsoft already giving free upgrade since windows 8.1 maybe they will also give the os free but the reason they give windows 10 for free is because they can get more telemetery , forcing user to use their service like bing and onedrive and also more ads . they can get more money buy giving windows 10 for free and also they can encourage people more to upgrade to windows 10

if microsoft offer free os it probably will be just like windows 10 . maybe it is much worse like it will show ad every 1 second or will explode your computer if you use google instead of bing .

[meetdilip]

They could give a limited feature version free or a very cheap version. Something that will suit students. Currently, even their student editions cost a lot.

[tryp4vps]

I do not think they will consider to give free Windows to everyone anytime soon. Because there is still no real competitor that can challenge Windows for normal home PC users. Still most people prefer to have Windows installed when they buy a new home PC. And Microsoft is still earning money from Windows. There is no reason to give away free Windows to everyone under the current market conditions. This market situation may change in the future. But obviously not now or anytime soon.

Still, Microsoft would give free Windows to some particular types of users, such as what they give to those use assistive technologies products.

[RickB]

Windows 10 techically is free? As far as I know, they do no longer enforce activation.. However, in case you do not activate, you will not be granted access to personalization settings. The other functions of Windows 10 should be fully functional without any form of activation.

[meetdilip]

Officially free is an entirely different thing, right ? They might adopt that as a business model some time in future. Or, there are chances that it will happen.

[xdude]

Why would they release a free version ? Unless they decide to go no-profit and turn Windows into an Open Source project. It's a profitable Business so they will only do any free release only if it benefit their profits. Like offering free upgrades and many free OS for their own devices like smart phones and Tabs.

[meetdilip]

Microsoft has more products to sell. Money spinners like MS Office, Skype etc plus One Drive, Cortana etc which are budding products. There is a higher chance of promotion of these products if people use Windows.

[humanpuff69]

Windows 10 techically is free? As far as I know, they do no longer enforce activation.. However, in case you do not activate, you will not be granted access to personalization settings. The other functions of Windows 10 should be fully functional without any form of activation.

well it is true . windows start really enforcing activation since windows xp and the enforcement is much worse than windows 10 enforcement

in windows xp when you not activate your windows . you cannot log on to your desktop and you are required to register the windows xp

in windows vista before SP1 you can only use it to run internet explorer and your session is logged off every 1 hour but luckly they removed it in SP1

in windows 7 you get the black background with not genuine watermark and also nag screen ehm... Winrar

and in windows 8 and 8.1 you cannot do any personalization and very annoying blue nag screen that fill up the whole screen

and in windows 10 they just disable personalization and add a watermark . but the drawback is that most people have almost no reason to puchase windows 10 because of that .

[Vuluts]

I don't think so since Microsoft makes profit of it and infact you can download their ISO in their website and you just need to purchase it's key.