Illegal Windows 10 users will get a fair offer
On it's blog Microsoft mentions that illegal users of Windows 10 will get a fair offer to upgrade to a legit version, e.g. Genuine vs. Non-Genuine Windows
Here's that Blog posting:
With Windows 10, we have extended an offer to our Genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Once a customer upgrades, they will continue to receive ongoing Windows innovation and security updates for free, for the supported lifetime of that device.
These customers purchased their Genuine Windows license from our valued OEM partners, which ensures Windows is properly installed, licensed, and not tampered with. Windows 10 offers our customers an even more secure and modern experience. Bringing all of our customers to Windows 10 improves the ecosystem for developers which makes Windows better for all of our customers. We are working hard to make the in-place upgrade experience from Windows 7 or Windows 8, to Windows 10, seamless for the customer. Throughout the Windows world, I am humbled by the excitement being associated with this opportunity to upgrade to Windows 10.
When we can’t verify that Windows is properly installed, licensed, and not tampered with, we create a desktop watermark to notify the user. If you ever encounter this watermark on a new machine, I encourage you to return the device immediately to the retailer from whom you purchased it and request a Genuine Windows device. Non-Genuine Windows has a high risk of malware, fraud, public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions. Non-Genuine Windows is not supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner.
Microsoft and our OEM partners know that many consumers are unwitting victims of piracy, and with Windows 10, we would like all of our customers to move forward with us together. While our free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 will not apply to Non-Genuine Windows devices, and as we’ve always done, we will continue to offer Windows 10 to customers running devices in a Non-Genuine state. In addition, in partnership with some of our valued OEM partners, we are planning very attractive Windows 10 upgrade offers for their customers running one of their older devices in a Non-Genuine state. Please stay tuned to learn more from our partners on the specifics of their offers.
Windows 10 is still in development and we won’t be able to answer all questions yet, but I hope this provides some clarification on important topics. If you’d like to help shape the future of Windows and contribute to Windows 10, please join the Windows Insider Program, where you can download technical previews of Windows 10 and provide us valuable feedback.
Thank you for your support of Windows and our Windows partners by choosing genuine Windows 10.
Senior Member
Posts: 19558
Joined: 2010-04-21
Doubt it'll change much in the way of piracy numbers
People weren't prepared to pay for their current OS, why would they pay for the next?
Member
Posts: 55
Joined: 2012-08-12
I always had pirated windows since 3.11 times same and pirated dos ofc.
But 8.1 is so good i actually felt guilty and spent money on it !!!
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 2014-02-06
Put fair prices to every country and I will buy it... right know in my country I have to spend the double of money that the americans spend to buy the SO, so if you buy the SO at 140 USD we in my country have to pay 280!!! thats insane even worse if we consider that our country is poor than yours, our country need better prices like at least 50 dollars in the worst case.
Microsoft should charge the cost to countries with the best economy situations and not to all countries the same. Until that is unfair for us and pirating will remain the same.
Senior Member
Posts: 15616
Joined: 2010-09-12
Put fair prices to every country and I will buy it... right know in my country I have to spend the double of money that the americans spend to buy the SO, so if you buy the SO at 140 USD we in my country have to pay 280!!! thats insane even worse if we consider that our country is poor than yours, our country need better prices like at least 50 dollars in the worst case.
Microsoft should charge the cost to countries with the best economy situations and not to all countries the same. Until that is unfair for us and pirating will remain the same.
The peso is not the same as the dollar. So that not really a fair example.
Senior Member
Posts: 899
Joined: 2013-11-23
Kidding aside, it seems like a good way to get a bigger market share and combat OS piracy.