Windows 8 Pro is Now Free (by Mistake)

[Darkk]

Doesn't matter if Tom's published this article since Microsoft will disable it via next update. It's just a ploy to get people to try Win8.

 

[universal remonster]

I used my three hotmail accounts, to snag three Microsoft Windows Media Center upgrade keys. However, a few hours on, nothing has been sent to any of my hotmail accounts!!

I wonder if Micro$haft have realised their mistake, and stoped sending out Media Center upgrade keys.

Not sure if you received your key yet, but just wanted to let you know that when I requested my key it was nearly 24 hours until it was sent, but I did receive it.

 

[tomfreak]

[citation][nom]Gundam288[/nom]anyone else notice that Zak Islam, who normal only dose articles involving Apple is now doing articles about Windows 8? That scares me on what windows 9 is going to be.[/citation]exactly win9 might be worst, if Microsoft decide to be a d*ck, the next windows might blocks everything new from installing outside App store. U might end up force to run compatibility mode for old softwares that installs outside app, which in the end win8 might be the last OS that Accept old apps.

Thats what Gabe from valve and others complaining about the windows store thing, the wallgarden thing. Sadly not many one understand what these guys complaining about.

 

[jkflipflop98]

[citation][nom]Anomalyx[/nom]Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.[/citation]

Yeah, because when my PC is powered down it's only in "hybrid boot".

Where do you idiots come up with this garbage?

 

[nukemaster]

[citation][nom]jkflipflop98[/nom]Yeah, because when my PC is powered down it's only in "hybrid boot".Where do you idiots come up with this garbage?[/citation]
It is a combination of log-off then hibernate.

I have it off and still boot fast(SSD).

On that note, I grabbed a Media Center upgrade key back when they first started to give them away.

 

[matt_b]

[citation][nom]jkflipflop98[/nom]Yeah, because when my PC is powered down it's only in "hybrid boot".Where do you idiots come up with this garbage?[/citation]
You would think that with the power of the internet, someone would do a little research on the thing they're calling people idiots over.....
http://windows8build.com/2011/10/windows-8-hybrid-boot-enable-or-disable/

 

[kellybean]

I wouldn't replace my Win 7-64 with it even if I could get a free copy of it. Linux will be on STEAM soon so between my Mac and Linux MS will not be in my house one day.

 

[kronos_cornelius]

The headline should read
Windows 8 Pro is Now Easy to Steal

If you really want a Free OS, just use Linux. And if you want to pay for a Good OS, then use RedHat.

 

[leandrodafontoura]

Now its a fair price, and evon so, I prefer Mac OS X or Linux 10.4 or Windows 7

 

[Markon101]

They could offer it to me free and I still wouldn't bother with it. (Not even in a VM! I'd rather have Ubuntu any day.)

 

[Supertrek32]

It's sad... I'm not even TEMPTED. I just don't care. Had this been Vista and I was on XP, I'd want to do it. But Win 7 to Win 8? Not even the slightest desire.

Windows 8 uses a UI that lacks windows. Uh... That's kind of a key element of your operating system there, bud. I mean, it's kinda the name of your software...

Oh and about boot times... Just use Sleep mode on Win 7. Your computer will draw just enough power to keep your RAM (like 5 watts) stable. And it will boot up in all of 2 seconds. Maybe 3 on a slow computer. Take your Windows 8 boot times and shove it.

 

[mylloc]

i think it's microsoft marketing strategy for people to try windows 8. If your PC crash and need to reinstall your windows after january 31, you will not get win 8 for free anymore.
I see this news on every tech webpage, and microsoft still no reaction. No news block, no fix bug, and they seems happy with this free advertising.

Btw, i've tried windows 8, and i still don't like it even its free now. I use win 7 now.

 

[maddy143ded]

Really Really OLD News Tom's....

 

[memadmax]

I'm not even gonna waste bandwidth to pirate this garbage...

 

[Auroram]

[citation][nom]alextheblue[/nom]It's not quite the same as Win7 hibernation. Hybrid Boot is better for most users than hibernation and typically just as good as a cold boot (but much faster especially on low end systems with mechanical drives).There's almost no reason to disable hybrid boot, as a matter of fact. You can still do a complete reboot at any time if you need to. Although even cold boots are a tad faster.[/citation]

Wow, Windows 8 let's me do a reboot whenever I want? Take my money! /sarcasm

Really, a properly build and maintained pc can stay on for days or even weeks at a time. This is about as usefull as smartphones becoming 0,5 mm thinner, where manufacturors make a big deal out of it and the customer hardly even notices.

People, just go with the OS you like best. If you prefer the open structure of Win7 and don't want to upgrade, that's fine. It's not like MS is stopping support for Win7 anytime soon anyway. If you like the new UI on Win8 for whatever reason and/or want to use some of it's exclusive functionality, go for it.

I will be sticking with 7 at least until 9 comes out. The only thing I like about Win8 is the new task manager, to be perfectly honest.

 

[darkavenger123]

[citation][nom]belardo[/nom]Someone wants to pirate Windows8....?[/citation]

Err...why??? I got it for FREE, but i don't want.

 

[adrhellb]

Still not going to install Win 8 desktop. I'm quite happy with my Win7 64-bit. I wonder if this is just MS's desperate way to trying to get free hype?

Win ME horrible, Win XP good, Win Vista bad, Win 7 excelent, Win 8 go away, Win 9 yay?

 

[belardo]

And what are YOU going to do when Windows9 is nothing more than Metro...? The end game is that "Windows" is just in name... Look at "WindowsRT"... its not Windows 98/NT/XP/7 compatible.

MS doesn't care. Eventually, their idea is that people will eventually stick with MS, no matter. what.

So if YOU want power over your computer, Linux will be it.

 

[belardo]

[citation][nom]alextheblue[/nom]It's not quite the same as Win7 hibernation. Hybrid Boot is better for most users than hibernation and typically just as good as a cold boot [/citation] blah... Hibernation and booting are two different things.

My Win7 system is rebooted/shut down last time because of a PSU failure. I put it to sleep. It'll wake up just as fast as Win8 and will wake up faster than Win8 will "boot up". Sleep/hibernation IS not the same as rebooting. You applications, webpages, work, etc... are all still there.

 

[cats_Paw]

If somehow people agree with the fact that windows 8 is not interesting even for free, then we got ourselves a real winner in microsoft!
Somhow im amazed Steve Balmer still has a job ...

 

[Thomas Creel]

not worth the effort

 

[jackiedan]

Even if Windows 8 was free it wouldn't that my time to download that piece of crap software!

 

[Zetto]

[citation][nom]Anomalyx[/nom]Everyone touting boot times... you know it never fully shuts down, right? Windows 8 hibernates instead, unless you manually disable "hybrid boot" in the power settings. Disable that, then compare boot times. They're hardly different.[/citation]

You do know a full shut down is only used for hardware changes and software updates now right? Why use anything but sleep mode with modern hardware? When it's almost instant and starts you on the desktop complaining about boot times AND booting to Modern UI are just admissions of not being up to speed with tech. No start button? Please, I guess Planetside 2 is way over your head then...

 

[jackt]

I dont want Win8 , even for free !

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]Tomfreak[/nom]exactly win9 might be worst, if Microsoft decide to be a d*ck, the next windows might blocks everything new from installing outside App store. U might end up force to run compatibility mode for old softwares that installs outside app, which in the end win8 might be the last OS that Accept old apps. Thats what Gabe from valve and others complaining about the windows store thing, the wallgarden thing. Sadly not many one understand what these guys complaining about.[/citation]

That isn't what most of their complaints were about and it seems more like you are blowing this out of proportion. If MS tried that, they'd be in trouble with at least the EU, if not other countries' governments too and they'd ether be forced to stop it completely or at least in European copies. Besides, it's extremely unlikely that they'd do that anyway. It makes no sense because they'd be shutting out most of their customer base in one way or another.