Microsoft Working on Free Version of Windows?

[exfileme]

Could this be a "Starter Edition" of Windows 8.1?

Microsoft Working on Free Version of Windows? : Read more

 

[Damon Palovaara]

I can see a 2GB limit on RAM

 

[InvalidError]

Windows Starter Edition was so heavily crippled that I would not use it unless Microsoft PAID me to use it. I wonder in what dreadful ways M$ will be crippling this one.

 

[jacobdrj]

This is a move they should have made years ago: Even if crippled a FREE version that lets me run my apps while STAYING ON THE MOST CURRENT SECURE version of Windows is a win win for Microsoft and the CUSTOMER... I have a number of older computers around my house that would be very nice to be running Windows on them, so that I could run my existing software. However, these systems either have licenses to older OSs, like the soon to be desupported XP or the crippled Vista, and I am forced to run Linux. This makes me less apt to run Microsoft products in the first place, gets me more comfortable with Linux, and adds a level of frustration to the Windows/Microsoft experience. If I can install a current Windows OS on my older hardware, even a 'crippled' version of Windows, so long as it is crippled in a 'fair' way, that makes me less likely to jump ship and go with a different OS, it gives MS an opportunity for me to buy Metro Apps (where absolutely NONE existed before) and also a relatively happy customer no longer hiding installation media and activation keys in my safe in my own home! Google has it right: Free access to basic software and the OS, and software accounts owned by the consumer to access all purchased apps. Only professional OSs and professional software should be 'owned'.

 

[unksol]

well since you two didn't read..... and toms is a day late and dollar short as always ... Its windows with bing bloat. I.e. a crowd of crappy bing services. granted if you buy an OEM PC you'll have that away so....

 

[JD88]

Any time there is a paid and free version of something, the free version is going to suffer as Microsoft needs to convince people that the existence of the paid version is necessary. If it is ad supported, they are going to have to explain the hypocrisy after all of the "Scroogled" nonsense and attacks on Chrome OS. My biggest concern is that this will be something like Windows RT in which we are shoehorned into only MS services on the desktop and apps from the metro app store. This way they could at least make money on the applications.

Having said that, it's definitely a step in the right direction for MS in being able to compete with open source offerings. The days of charging for an operating system are quickly coming to an end as I've been pointing out on here for nearly a year now.

 

[jimmysmitty]

I can see a 2GB limit on RAM

I don't see why they would limit it to 2GB. 4GB or 8GB, maybe but 2GB would be stupid.

Right now both Windows 8.1 and 8.1Pro have the same limitation of 2048GB of system RAM.

 

[rawoysters]

I kow Microsoft, why don't you release an edition that doesn't include Bing. The Yahoo-Bing malware that keeps switching Google search to Bing is getting very old. I have had to deal with it twice in the last 2 weeks.

 

[jerm1027]

I can see a 2GB limit on RAM

I don't see why they would limit it to 2GB. 4GB or 8GB, maybe but 2GB would be stupid.Right now both Windows 8.1 and 8.1Pro have the same limitation of 2048GB of system RAM.

Look at Windows 7 Starter - it was limited to 2GB, 32bit, and lacked many basic features, such as the ability to customize the desktop, fast user-switching, etc. I get the feeling if MS did release a free/discounted edition of Windows, it would be similar to the "Starter" editions, which are pretty heavily gimped.

 

[falchard]

I think the best solution for Microsoft would be to have it a full featured Windows 8.1 Home edition that is limited strictly to the Modern Interface.

 

[brandonjclark]

Free means your wallpaper will be rotating ads.

 

[tomfreak]

Just sell the Retail windows 8.1 for $50. Sales would have increase from there.

 

[alextheblue]

Just sell the Retail windows 8.1 for $50. Sales would have increase from there.

OEM versions have builder-friendly licenses now, so personally I'd be happy with $50 for OEM, and ~$80 for OEM Pro. But you know what, I don't buy an OS that often so really it's not a big deal. As a percentage of my PC hardware purchases, including upgrades? It's not much. I don't need the free version for my main machine myself.But it is potentially good news for those who are really cash strapped and/or have older boxes lying around that aren't sufficiently protected anymore. I think even a free version would be fine for a secondary box or a really budget build.

 

[digiex]

"but there's a good chance ads will be popping up all over the place, all courtesy of Bing."...but of course, M$ wouldn't be that dumb.

 

[neieus]

I have a hard time imagining M$ doing anything for free but then again I know at one time they were considering a low cost version of windows but it was only going to be released in 3rd world countries or something like that. If they do take a page out of Google's book I'm sure they will have ads in annoying place to generate the revenue they'd lose otherwise.

 

[thebrickhouse]

Didn't they cripple Windows with the Metro UI?*Here come the trolls to "thumbs down" my responce! LOL!No, seriously, Windows needed to let the marketplace decide whether or not the Metro UI would be adopted, and they failed. The reason I bring this up is because they are losing ground, and people are decisively deciding to switch away from Windows 8 to strictly mobile platforms, such as Android or iOS, and/or to more "power user friendly" desktop operating systems, like OSX, Ubuntu, etc... Microsoft would never consider a "Free Windows" if this wasn't the case.I liked Windows 7. I'm not just some Windows bashing troll on the internet. Even Ubuntu isn't perfect, but the fact remains, people don't need, or have to depend on Microsoft software anymore. Microsoft realizes this, and even if they offer a "crippled" version of their OS, maybe, in their minds, it offers them a way into the HDDs and SSDs of consumers who actually want their product. Just a thought...

 

[Pinhedd]

Didn't they cripple Windows with the Metro UI?*Here come the trolls to "thumbs down" my responce! LOL!No, seriously, Windows needed to let the marketplace decide whether or not the Metro UI would be adopted, and they failed. The reason I bring this up is because they are losing ground, and people are decisively deciding to switch away from Windows 8 to strictly mobile platforms, such as Android or iOS, and/or to more "power user friendly" desktop operating systems, like OSX, Ubuntu, etc... Microsoft would never consider a "Free Windows" if this wasn't the case.I liked Windows 7. I'm not just some Windows bashing troll on the internet. Even Ubuntu isn't perfect, but the fact remains, people don't need, or have to depend on Microsoft software anymore. Microsoft realizes this, and even if they offer a "crippled" version of their OS, maybe, in their minds, it offers them a way into the HDDs and SSDs of consumers who actually want their product. Just a thought...

PCs are still outselling mobile platforms. PCs are a mature platform, tablets are smartphones are fairly new but they are reaching maturity fast. Recent statistics show that the mobile market growth rate is slowing down quite a bit. Within the next couple of years everyone who wants a mobile device will have one, sales will flatline, and the market will begin to contract a bit just like the PC market did.

They're great little gadgets for mucking around. I love being able to browse the web on my phone in the comfort of my own bed, but I can't do any serious work on them. PCs will always dominate in the productivity department.

 

[mstngs351]

I have a hard time imagining M$ doing anything for free but then again I know at one time they were considering a low cost version of windows but it was only going to be released in 3rd world countries or something like that. If they do take a page out of Google's book I'm sure they will have ads in annoying place to generate the revenue they'd lose otherwise.

With no student discounts or anything I bought my copy of Win 7 for $80. I don't remember XP's cost but it wasn't much different. Considering how long I used XP and how long I will probably use 7, $80 is a fair price. I have to laugh at people when they pretend like it's rediculously priced. Especially when those same people spend $60 on a game they'll used MUCH less. Then there is the fact that they will spend $500-$800on multiple video cards that they will use on that same system.If I use Win 7 for just 4 years then I will have basically spent $20 a year on it. 5 years and it's $16...

 

[Bloob]

well since you two didn't read..... and toms is a day late and dollar short as always ... Its windows with bing bloat. I.e. a crowd of crappy bing services. granted if you buy an OEM PC you'll have that away so....

I heard that too. Very Android-like approach, and why not, it seems to work.

 

[zodiacfml]

that 2GB limitation is a pain.

 

[InvalidError]

PCs are still outselling mobile platforms.

Smartphone sales passed PC sales back in 2010 while tablets crossed that milestone by a small margin in 2013. In Q4-2012, smartphone sales were already outnumbering PC sales at about 3:1.

Smartphone and tablets together surpass PC sales by a wide margin.

 

[hannibal]

Free is free, and if someone does not like it, he can buy full version. Nothing wrong in that. If they make it too good, nobody buys the normal version. If it is too bad, nobody will use it, even it would be free... So there is some brake point in there. Of-course what is enough, will depends on and vary from person to person.In mobile world MS has to be very aggressive, because of Android. In desktop environment MS can still do almost everything it want. The windows still have more than 90% market share in there... so almost total monopoly.

 

[neieus]

I have a hard time imagining M$ doing anything for free but then again I know at one time they were considering a low cost version of windows but it was only going to be released in 3rd world countries or something like that. If they do take a page out of Google's book I'm sure they will have ads in annoying place to generate the revenue they'd lose otherwise.

With no student discounts or anything I bought my copy of Win 7 for $80. I don't remember XP's cost but it wasn't much different. Considering how long I used XP and how long I will probably use 7, $80 is a fair price. I have to laugh at people when they pretend like it's rediculously priced. Especially when those same people spend $60 on a game they'll used MUCH less. Then there is the fact that they will spend $500-$800on multiple video cards that they will use on that same system.If I use Win 7 for just 4 years then I will have basically spent $20 a year on it. 5 years and it's $16...

You miss understand... I'm not talking about the price of windows but instead their need like any other business to generate revenue. So simply In the end if they can't make it one way they'll find a way to make it another.

 

[biker16us]

This could be the model for both windows RT and windows phone going forward. Why give x86 compatability for free when windows RT is locked to the windows marketplace and a revenue stream for Microsoft? This fulfills the promise of very low cost ARM SOC based hardware for more than just tablets and phones, but moves windows on ARM into the laptop and desktop segment as well. Something Google has not been able to do.

 

[stevejnb]

Windows Starter Edition was so heavily crippled that I would not use it unless Microsoft PAID me to use it. I wonder in what dreadful ways M$ will be crippling this one.

Meh, everyone who rants and raves about Chrome OS or considers a phone/tablet OS an oftentimes viable substitute for full Windows is essentially raving about a severely crippled OS, so, take it for what it's worth. Heck, I find my Windows RT tablet an excellent mobile computing device and I think the only x86 application I miss with it while on the go is Magic the Gathering Online. OS's that do less are the wave of the future - though, sometimes I suspect it's OS's that do less that aren't windows, based on the general double standard waved about people who enjoy Chrome OS but express nothing but disdain for the limited Windows RT.