Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99

[bill]

Will this affordable upgrade path for Windows affect Windows 8 adoption?

Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 [windowsteamblog.com]

We set out to make it as easy as possible for everyone to upgrade to Windows 8. Starting at general availability, if your PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99 in 131 markets. And if you want, you can add Windows Media Center for free through the “add features” option within Windows 8 Pro after your upgrade.

[Web_speed]

Great effing news at last!

Their next step should be to make this upgrade available free of charge for android phones and tablets... put that other search monster to sleep once and for all, or at least give it a good run for its money...

[johnmoose]

Well. If they drop that Metro UI, I might switch over...

[Web_speed]

Well. If they drop that Metro UI, I might switch over...

Switching between Metro UI and the desktop is very easy, and you have a couple of options....

Read more
[blogs.msdn.com...]

[bwnbwn]

Be very careful if you chose to upgrade to 8. I experienced some issues that were not on in the warning a possible issue with a program I was running. I finally had to wipe it all and install 7 back.

[Web_speed]

@bwnbwn

I didn't know the upgrade is already available (perhaps just a buggy beta at that stage). I was trying to download the official upgrade last night but all i got to was a form to fill with an expression of interest, they will be sending an invite once available. Perhaps it is not yet available to Australian users. Not sure...

Are you guys in the US able to download the official release version already?

[Solution1]

We had those menus that adapt to what you use most, so that it becomes very difficult to find options that you use little. We had Clippy, meddling with what you're doing, and very difficult to get rid off. We had the overly annoying UAC in Vista.

And now there's that interface for small touch computers, enforced on keyboard & mouse desktop PC's, with no easy way to turn it off permanently, or to never see it at all. A Start button that is not visible when you need it. An ugly toy computer desktop GUI.

I wouldn't even "upgrade," if that's even the right word, to Win8 if I got paid to do it.

[bill]

The final version of Windows 8 is not out yet. The guess now is August. This deal will be available from then until January 31, 2013.

[ByronM]

Unlike all the negative nancies here who obviously don't know much about Windows 8 to really comment on it, I'll be buying 3 upgrades to say the least out the door.

Great pricing MS, i was pleasantly surprised.

[hal12b]

I messed around with it on Virtual Box and watched an in-depth demo of it. It looks cool, yet not in a rush to upgrade from Windows 7 which has proven to be rock solid.

[engine]

I'm looking forward to it. Most of my machines are running XP, which has been a very good OS, however, it's starting to show its age. Other machines are on Win 7 and I've been happy with that, too.

I'm concerned that the XP machines will not be powerful enough for Win 8, so there may be some hardware to upgrade, too.

[jmccormac]

Unlike all the negative nancies here who obviously don't know much about Windows 8 to really comment on it, I'll be buying 3 upgrades to say the least out the door.

Well system administrators who may work with more than three computers tend to be very conservative when it comes to upgrading working computers. As a rule, one does not fix something that that works.

Regards...jmcc

[ByronM]

Well system administrators who may work with more than three computers tend to be very conservative when it comes to upgrading working computers. As a rule, one does not fix something that that works.

Hogwash, IT admins will be biting at the bit to mess around with Windows 8.. its the corporate directors and pencil pushers who will take forever to allow people to upgrade :)

BTW, IT admins will love some of the new features of Windows 8 and those features haven't even been discussed here either..

[Wlauzon]

I think W8 will be a big seller, more so than W7. We will be upgrading about 15 machines soon after release (will give it a couple of weeks for any major glitches to show up).

[Brett_Tabke]

I was amazed at the price. I am really amazed it is that cheap. We'll certainly be doing a buncho of machines that can handle it.

[jmccormac]

Hogwash, IT admins will be biting at the bit to mess around with Windows 8.. its the corporate directors and pencil pushers who will take forever to allow people to upgrade :)

IT admins will play with it on a sacrificial box before ever deploying it. (That's generally why previews/betas exist.) Some businesses may be using older software that may not be compatible with W8 and the cost and hassle of upgrading that software may necessitate staying with Windows XP or even Windows 7.

Regards...jmcc

[bill]

I'm finding that a lot of legacy software can be handled just as easily in a virtual machine, like Windows 7's XP Mode. There is no XP Mode in Windows 8, but you can use VMware or VirtualBox to accomplish nearly the same.

[bwnbwn]

Ahh it is chepp for a reason trust me as someone said I don't know enough to talk about it so I will let the pro boast on his post. Just beware I being a no nothing warned ya.

[bwnbwn]

Intresting observation on 8. I tend to agree with the learning curve especially if I don't have the time to learn the new interface. I aded 8 to my working computer and just wasn't happy at all with the extra time it took me to get around in all the different programs I have to use or need from time to time.

[foxnews.com...]

[incrediBILL]

Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99

After extensively reviewing Win 8, I think this is technically a downgrade.

The UI has been hobbled and dumbed down for mobile devices with little concern for the millions of desktop PCs out there that also run MS bread and butter Office software. Without the upgrade to Win 8 people won't be upgrading to the current Office so MS earnings may fall faster than blue ice from a 737's toilet.

I don't think giving it away will save it. Had Steve Jobs lived just a little longer he'd witness what none of us Windows users would ever have thought possible, that Apple would take over as the dominant desktop computer manufacturer and MS is going to hand it over freely on a deprecated Metro platter.

but you can use VMware or VirtualBox to accomplish nearly the same.

Makes no sense to keep spending more money to get more software just to run what I've already got which is easier and much less frustrating so I'm thinking I'll just simply keep using Windows 7 and wait to see what Windows 9 looks like.

My prediction is desktop sales of Windows PCs are going to drop like a rock when Win 8 comes pre-installed because the masses won't know how to buy a computer that doesn't have the Win 8 abomination on it. With the exception of Apple, the PC industry will assume everyone went mobile and simply stop making so many desktop models as a response. :)

Unless I'm wrong, Vista by comparison will be deemed a raging success.

Hindenburg, Titanic, Tron 2, Windows 8 ....

[Leosghost]

This may help some ( who have win8 forced upon them with a win8 preinstall ) at new purchase time..
[classicshell.sourceforge.net...]

[Digmen1]

I really liked Win 7 it has some great features.

I think we should keep up to date, or we really miss out on using some great features.

But as usual I will wait for some comments after people have been using it for a few months.

I'm a desk top guy who does not play games.
Business use only.
Boring I know

So it may not have much to offer me.

[kartiksh]

Windows 8 is now officially available in Microsoft Pricelist starting this month. This product SKU now completely replaces Windows 7 SKUs from Pricelist, which mean its ok to say its released.

As far as the topic goes - yes its great offer to have upgrade offer opted from OEM

The final version of Windows 8 is not out yet. The guess now is August. This deal will be available from then until January 31, 2013.

The final version RTM was done on 1st Aug 2012 by MS and for EA customers and Microsoft Partners it was made available on 15th Aug 2012. I am on Win 8 Enterprise (I upgraded Win 7 Ent to Win 8 Ent). So far no issues and I am liking it better than Win 7.

[bill]

MDSN and TechNet members got Windows 8 back on August 15. The Enterprise release was scheduled to roll out about the same time so that is probably what you're seeing now. I did not hear that Enterprise would be getting the $39.99 pricing though. Are you seeing that?

Windows 8 is scheduled for general availability on October 26, 2012. I believe this special pricing will go into effect then.

[kartiksh]

You are right bill,sorry if my post made confusion here. The offer of $39.99 (or Indian Rupees 699) is for OEM Pre installed machines only and it is not for Volume Licensing or Enterprise Customers who may have procured or procuring Windows 7 in their respective contracts.

On the other end, having released for procurement in September pricelist of Volume Licensing it mean it is in General Now available to their Volume Licensing customers and not to end customer who go and buy from stores.

[mobilio]

The UI has been hobbled and dumbed down for mobile devices with little concern for the millions of desktop PCs out there that also run MS bread and butter Office software.

In my opinion MS are not shifting from PC to mobile platform, they are bringing the mobile on their stage and are combining it with PC. Probably the word "unification" describes exactly their cross-platform model. I agree that the tile-based Metro design is not so comfortable on desktop but don't forget that you can alway swich between the Metro and the conventional icon-and-window based outlook.