Excuse me but i don't get it. How can Update 3 be free for Update 2 users and cost for everybody else ? Whats stopping you from updating to Update 2? And what if you have to reinstall ? You have to pay?

So when is windows 9 fall of 2015?

We'll see in time what it means, I guess. Other than that I've had a working startmenu since Windows 8.0, it's called Start8 and works perfectly 🙂

I don't even navigate through a start menu/screen anymore, just press the windows key and type the first few letters of what I need then enter.

Finally....&....To late 😀 But I have no problems using Win8 since the RT Public edition and then Upg. from my Se7eN (low cost and Free Media Center 😀 )and Now 8ight 8 then 8.1 & 8.2 and waitnig for some revolution :bang:

How can Update 3 be free for Update 2 users and cost for everybody else ?

It doesn't really say that Update 3 will be free. Quote: "Update 2 will be free to Windows 8.1 Update 1 users, and sold to all other Windows customers at an "affordable price." But I do expect that Update 3 will also be a free in-place upgrade, so I read it this way. a) Windows 8 users can upgrade to the latest Windows 8.1 Update any time they wish. Actually all Windows 8.1 are required to install Update 1 in order to get new security patches from Windows Update). So Update 3 - and Windows 9 , as it seems! - will be a essentially a free in-place upgrade for Windows 8.x users. b) Windows 7, Vista and XP users will be offered a full-featured upgrade, first as a Windows 8.1 update 2 package (so they could later receive a free Update 3 then Windows 9 upgrade through the Windows Store), then an upgrade to Update 3 and finally to Windows 9 when it is released. However for for these older versions of the OS, there will be no in-place upgrade option as it would follow Windows 8.1 setup logic, which only allows in-place upgrades from 8.0, and for older versions it's just a full install where only documents and media are transferred, but installed programs are removed and will have to be re-installed manually. The upgrade [post=4778985] would sell for a reduced price (say $50)[/post] and should finally make Windows XP/7 users consider moving to Windows 9, which in addition to the similar Start Menu will feature major new technologies like [post=4778110]WDDM 2.0 and Direct3D 12[/post], and Metro 2.0 with windowed WinRT apps, which are too risky to back-port to the Windows 8.1 code base.

I don't even navigate through a start menu/screen anymore, just press the windows key and type the first few letters of what I need then enter.

yep. I've been doing exactly that since windows 7 and it is much more convenient. I really don't get all the fuss about the start menu.

Seriously, this is becoming one horrible joke now.

Who cares? (Classic shell user)

yep. I've been doing exactly that since windows 7 and it is much more convenient. I really don't get all the fuss about the start menu.

In server i use command line and on desktop i just windiws key and type. It doesnt negate that the ui is bogus and not desktop friendly.

Seriously, this is becoming one horrible joke now.

A joke? You don't realize how serious this is!

I like updates and the start menu coming back being one of them, but I have a horrible feeling it is Microsofts sneaky method of forcing Metro apps on people, and will more than likely break any 3rd party start menus, unless people find a way to disable it, I can't see how two menus could coexist, and personally I don't want metro apps all over the side of my start menu, I don't use Metro UI for a reason

It is...

Seriously, this is becoming one horrible joke now.

It is. This rumour have already yesterday confirmed to be bad information. It's funny that Guru3D is reporting this almost one week old news now after it was confirmed to be bad info. W9 is still happening early 2015. And this info - from Mary Jo Foley - is coming to a more trusted source than anyone else can ever have, she said.

You could install VMWare Player or enable Hyper-V if you have 8.1 Pro or later and install Win7 in a VM!

You could install VMWare Player or enable Hyper-V if you have 8.1 Pro or later and install Win7 in a VM!

So I could have my start menu back? I'd rather instal a VM from another OS at that point.

If they do it, people will hail Microsoft as gods and ask people why they aren't buying Windows since they clearly listen to their customers.

b) Windows 7, Vista and XP users will be offered a full-featured upgrade, first as a Windows 8.1 update 2 package (so they could later receive a free Update 3 then Windows 9 upgrade through the Windows Store), then an upgrade to Update 3 and finally to Windows 9 when it is released. However for for these older versions of the OS, there will no in-place upgrade as it will follow Windows 8.1 setup logic, which only allows in-place upgrades from 8.0, and for older versions it's just a full install where only documents and media are transferred, but installed programs are removed and will have to be re-installed manually.

If that happens, I'll keep Windows 7 on my main PC until the machine itself is being replaced. I had problems upgrading to Windows 8 on the PC, and reverted because of that. The Win 8 License is now in use on my laptop. At this point I don't feel like getting another Windows 8.0 and then go through the upgrades hoping that this solves my troubles, especially since Windows 8.0 isn't exactly cheap anymore. I'll try Windows 9, but only if it has an upgrade path preserving my installed programs. I certainly won't go over a complete reinstall, as long as Windows 7 works.

Excuse me but i don't get it. How can Update 3 be free for Update 2 users and cost for everybody else ? Whats stopping you from updating to Update 2? And what if you have to reinstall ? You have to pay?

What there charging for "updates" now....

I like updates and the start menu coming back being one of them, but I have a horrible feeling it is Microsofts sneaky method of forcing Metro apps on people, and will more than likely break any 3rd party start menus, unless people find a way to disable it, I can't see how two menus could coexist, and personally I don't want metro apps all over the side of my start menu, I don't use Metro UI for a reason

I dont like metro I tried to like in the month I tried win8, And i sorry I hate it, I dont want it, and I want to have way to flat out disable it, That crap belongs on Tablet/Smart phone not on my PC Nor doe I want use thumbnails of things for buttons which what metro is to me. It was introduced solo cause MS felt threaten by the mobile OS. Other reason why i hated Win 8 was lack of start menu, Some people around here may hate it , but I love it and I use every day multiple times. I have next to no icons on my desktop and only icon I have 2 on my taskbar Any and all my programs are ALL linked to the Start menu. Still say MS could of avoided all this flak by doing what they have done since XP, Which give the use the option to use Classic shell or New shell, which would been Win7 Start menu (classic) win8 (new) with the OPTION disabling Metro.

What there charging for "updates" now....

Huh? Sounds more like they are providing an upgrade path for people not yet on Windows 8. The only reason why I bought 8 in the first place was because they offered it for $40.

Huh? Sounds more like they are providing an upgrade path for people not yet on Windows 8. The only reason why I bought 8 in the first place was because they offered it for $40.

Sound to me more like there charging for what is nothing more then service pack renamed.