Sure Windows 10 Is All Good, But What About The Costs

By Nathan Young on January 23, 2015

This week, Microsoft reveled Windows 10. Windows 10 is an attempt by Microsoft to get away from the failed Windows 8, and to get those still on Windows 7 (like me) to move straight up to Windows 10. Sure, I am glad to see they will give people already with Windows 7 and 8 a free one year upgrade to Windows 10. But, moving people to a yearly subscription type model for some features is not right in my opinion. And, what if your computer crashes, and you have to re-install Windows? Will Microsoft send people Windows 10 discs or remember you online? I sure hope so!

Some of the things I am excited about is the bring back of the start menu. Seriously, I tried using Windows 8 and their tablet like design, it sucked! Windows will also bring their Cortana digital assistant to the PC. I look forward to saying things, and Cortana will bring it up! I also look forward to seeing Microsoft’s new browser they call Spartan. Internet Explorer is only mostly used to download Chrome or Firefox these days. So, Microsoft had a lot of catching up to do! The most interesting thing from the Windows event has to be the Windows Holographic technology. Yep, the future is now here!

So, will people be willing to dump Windows 7 and Windows 8 to upgrade to Windows 10. I think so. If people use Windows, they are going to want to upgrade to these new features. If people have Windows Phone, they are going to want to upgrade both their phones and PC’s to Windows 10. If people have the X-Box One, they are going to want to upgrade to Windows 10. If people wants to talk to Cortana, use the new Spartan browser, or wants to use that Holographic Technology, they will want to upgrade to Windows 10!

Let’s admit it, Windows is still continuing to catch up to Apple and Google. And seeing the press event, it looks up they are doing a good job catching up. My only concern is cost. Let’s face it, not everyone has hundreds of dollars to purchase a yearly subscription to Microsoft Office or get new features for Windows. For example, I purchased Office 2007 and a new computer because I had a job and the money back then, not today! So for people who are searching for jobs for example, and they need Office to job search, and don’t have the cash to purchase a yearly subscription, what do they do? Give up and only have two hours a day at a library computer? Or download OpenOffice stuff?

Microsoft is moving away from people purchasing software at the store once, and that’s it. They want people to re-new their Office subscriptions year around. And this has me very concerned. I hope Microsoft will not force people onto the new Office programs, just so they can get more money out of people. And another concern, what if a computer crashes, and all you have is the backup disc to Windows 7 and Windows 8. And, the one year window to upgrade to Windows 10 has come and gone. Will people be able to log on to their Microsoft accounts, and download Windows 10 again?

And with the free upgrade to Windows 10, I hope Microsoft has no plans to force people to purchase so called “upgrades” or new features so you can get more out of Windows 10. Well, those are my concerns about the new Windows 10. I am more concerned about cost than anything else, as many other people are!