Microsoft Announces Monthly Fee on Win 10 Enterprise Edition
Ivy
Posts: 7,165
Microsoft Confirms Windows 10 New Monthly Charge. ( starting with windows enterprise) For months Microsoft has been describing Windows 10 “as a service” and now we know why. Microsoft is going to introduce a monthly subscription fee for Windows 10 usage…Read More on Forbes here. http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/07/14/microsoft-confirms-windows-10-new-monthly-charge/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=yahootix&partner=yahootix&yptr=yahoo#60896977dfab
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This is how it begins with Digitally Rights Managed {DRM} apps, First they give away the app free. hook you in and and poof you are in a subscriptions windows service. the same thing happened when Adobe went Digitally Rights Managed
I kind of hate to say I told you so. But I'm sure glad i never took the bate and upgraded, to windows 10 enterprise.
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Comments
As you state, for of now, that's for Enterprise (i.e. large business custoners), and isn't that different than having to buy CAL's for each MS product you had distibuted (i.e. you paid per product seat, and had to manage the number of CAL's vs. the number of employee seats..it was also called Volume Licensing in earlier days) - (CAL = Client Access License)
Software as a Service isn't a new idea, I was involved with the whole Service Management thing 10 years ago, when we began to look at transitioning to a service model) Oracle has pretty much going that way, as has Adobe... MS currently states that home users are not included in this, but down the road, that could change.. They also announced a similar plan for business that want to use their Surface tablets - Surface as a Service...As far as Win 10, there are enough other reasons besides this one to not upgrade..
Well I know you read the article Ivy. It won't affect us free upgrade users for now. You can't stop progress or new ways of paying for and using software. It's the nature of the beast. I subscribe to Photoshop CC and am quite happy with it it's 10.00 a month and I get free upgrades. Plus I can make use of my files on any device I want. I did a lot of research and hemming and hawing about it before I gave in and I'm glad I did..
yep so far this looks to be aimed at enterprise versions and in the future, so I should be good (for now), but you never know about future moves with MS. Could mean I will have to find an alternative on my new computer as I WILL NOT do it subscription based. I went with Win 10 pro for my new rig build a few months ago and so far I am loving Win 10
I'm sticking with what I have for as long as I can, when i need a new build then, I'll just retire & go back to crayons and pencils lol
Yes I did read the article. that is why I stated its for windows enterprising and Ultimate editions. but that is how it starts, it starts at the top editions and work there way down. Same thing as Adobe. started with the MASTERS suite and then went subscription for individual apps. which I won't buy another copy of Master suite as long as my cs5 still works By then when CS5 is no good, and my windows OS is crap. I'll go all freeware apps. google or facebook will pretty much have all those same type tools free online anyway. Like now I don't use MS office anymore I just use Google docs for free instead, with all the same features. as office. Screw $19 a month MS cloud with 10 gigs of space when google gives you 25 gigs of space free with Google Drive. Google Pacasa does a pretty fair job photo editing and laying. like Photoshop. Yea when that day comes. I'll be going the free crap wear route. instead of pay for crapware. route..lol .. ...Why pay $7 a month for windows services. when google OS or chromium is free
I see your point hon. For my work I need Photoshop. GIMP just doesn't cut it for me unfortunately. I've alway wanted more functionality in Windows so who knows, I may upgrade to Enterprise edition eventually.
At $7 a machine or PC a month for a OS app and if your company is licensed for a say 100 PC's ( to make it easy math) that $700 a month for a OS service you only had to pay the one time purchase OS fee of around $700 gor a 100 PC's ... grief what a racket..lol I can see why companies go DRM.
I wish there was a way to get Opensouce projects like Linux and ReactOS to get on the ball and get us a truly user friendly OpenSource VR Operating System that is easy to use and user friendly. The problem with OpenSource is MONEY. Yes, you can't get programmers to program software for free and expect alot out of it. Hey, programmers need to eat and pay rent too. So, public funding of Opensource projects is sadly lacking. I would be happy to pay Opensource programmers to work on Opensource projects but we need a Oversite system to govern what these programmers do, so we can see results not just have them milk the system. If Linux was an easy to use and fully supported OS I would switch in a NY second and Daz would convert to Linux if we all used Linux boxes because Daz doesnt care about MS. Daz is into selling 3d products not making MS software, the software is there to fuel the sale of 3D items (Pss its not really free). Very smart business stratagy on Daz's part> So Linux's weakness is that it does not have native DirectX (A great MS ploy to keep everyone in windows) support it has OpenGL which is not as good, This is the reason I don't do Linux because I'm a gamer and do I do alot of 3D and I want the tools to do this. Video card manufactures have put themselves into MS's power because they are both shortsighted and greedy, If they had just invested into an more advanced OpenGL, that can do everything that DirectX can. They would not be so tied to MS DX and be able to sell more video cards but alas business people are more about immidate returns and don't think about the future costs. VR needs a new tool set for graphics and this is were they 3D community could really shine> Do we want MS to control VR or should we make a new Openstandard toolset that everyone can use that is not tied to a subscription service. MS is already drooling over VR and a subscription service it can charge you for. ReactOS is an interesting idea but as soon as it becomes a financial threat: MS will start a legal battle that has nothing to do with copyright and everything to do with business tactics. The future of operating systems is VR and companies like MS and Adobe are using subscription services to try to milk money out of the pockets of consumers with outdated 2d software because soon everyone is gonna want a VR system and if it is up to MS those VR systems will be by SUBCRIPTION ONLY! Why you ask, because why take a little from someone when you can continually milk them for more and more. Drug dealers and Oil corperation use the same stratagies in their busness plans and everyone wants a piece of the subscription money train. People just have to decide what they want? Do you want someone controlling what you see and do and make you pay for it? Or should we turn to something else. I'm just glad there are opensource alternatives out there which keeps the monopoly giants in check. Linux, LiberOffice, Blender, Inkscape, GIMP ect.
Yep... The biggest savings we had with Volume licensing was not having to buy an individual "boxed" copy of the software, but rather a only very much reducedlicensing fee.. the IT bean counetrs will have to make the decsion on Windopws 10 as a service, but if the proposed MS model holds true, there could be savings due to not having to pay for a newer OS down the road, depending on how MS goes down the WIn 10 as "the last ever" road.. Time will tell. And a service product is not necessarily DRM, particulary with an OS.. Back in the day,we only had one master Volume Licensing Product Key, as an example for Win2K, but we had to maintain an accurate CAL count and match that to seat count or if audited, face serious penalties..
@ Silver Dolphin, Or we could go back to doing art the old fashion way charcoal and a cave wall..lol
I'm a gamer too. I game on a xbox. I'll stream DRM games only on a xbox. & never on my PC.,I play my xbox on a 52''screen tv, in my comfy lazy boy wrapped in a blanket. with my Onkyo surround sound system. blasting . .But I won't buy another $6000 PC especially if it comes with a subscriptions windows OS on it.. just like i won't buy anything encrypted here at Daz... just like they say at Geico.. Its just what you do.
The thing is with subscription services once you stop paying the fee your services stop. which unlike a standalone software. once you bought it you could use it for your life time or until technology ran out which ever came first.
what a racket..lol
Couldn't agree more!!!
Neither model is perfect. For me, the resentment comes into "how many times should we be expected to pay for the same software over and over?"
That's why I avoid subscription models as much as I possibly can.
And.. there is always Linux. If they flex their muscles (MS) that far down the line on an OS that they think they have cornered the market on, I'll just go back to Linux. I ran a Linux machine for quite some years before getting my current rig. It's not a fun, and it's a royal PITA, but I'll do that long before I'll ever allow MS to charge me indefinitely, over and over, for the same software again and again.
Sadly the masses are not that tech savey and Windows or Mac are their two main options and sadly Mac is the more controlling of the two. I can see MS rolling out a few anoying features on those who got the free upgrade but those of us who bought a copy on disc, I dont see them making us pay twice.
Even if the OS were to become a sub, to you really think MS would shut down your computer if you didn't pay? That's completely absurd and fearmongering.
Let's look at the present situation. If you run Winodws 10 without activating it, do you know what happens? It still runs! You can install stuff like Daz and use it just fine. You can do...well...just about everything you can do already on Windows 10. It doesn't just stop running. The only thing that is locked out from unactivated Windows 10 is a couple of personalization features. It even still updates like activated Windows! I'm going to guess that even if MS did subs, the result would be similar. Your DRM argument is broken. Its true that DRM often keeps people from using whatever software its tied to, but that does not apply to Windows, not in the past, the present, or the future.
And I would bet you a pretty big pile of money that this is also the case for the Enterprise subs they are going to roll out. The computers will not suddenly stop working and kill the business because they forgot to pay the subs one month. So what does it kill? It probably kills the support that Enterprises get if they don't pay.
There's nothing stopping them doing that to any version of windows from win 7 to win 10!!! so don't think you are safe because you don't have 10 !
I also find that people when making arguments are disregarding the youngster's attitudes towards copyright. They are growing up in a world where everything is free on the internet and they're unwilling to pay for it.
I was showing a student animation and game making software and offered to spend a day with her showing her the software. She arrived with a portable hard drive assuming I was going to transfer everything I own onto her harddrive for her - she also had a pirated version of windows on her computer. It didn't occur to her that I wouldn't give her everything I had paid for or that people were losing money because of this and that there were license fees. It wasn't that she didn't care - it was more a case of she didn't know, didn't realise.
My computer was stolen some time ago - they broke into the house while we were sleeping - and I wished I had a button to push that would disable all the content on the computer. I could contact some companies and tell them to disable the licenses that were installed - but unfortunately in most cases it meant that all the software and graphics I had was stolen along with my computer. That's why I fully support encryption and the move that Daz is making - because I would want to lock someone else out of my content and the reality is that crime is out of control in my country - I've had 3 computers stolen and there's ever the chance that it will happen again. I want software to dial home so that I can block them. In fact I'd like a feature to activate that when your computer is stolen you can go onto the internet and disable your password and then when the person using the computer 'dials home' it blows up the computer ... I'll keep dreaming about that one!
I encrypt my hard drives. If the compuer gets nicked, the thief is getting nothing off it. I still 100% oppose DRM as benefiting nobody: customers are inconvenienced, vendors lose sales, pirates get around it anyway.
Depends of the type of subscription. I know of several software companies who offer subscriptions where you can keep using the software, if you stop the subscription. Actually I believe this model is more common than Adobe's. You just won't get any updates and lose some of the online services included with the subscription, and stuff like that. Example:
https://sales.jetbrains.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207240845
Same here.
I have so far managed to avoid any subscription based software. I like to know how much I'm going to pay for an application, not get tied into a never ending cycle of keeping on paying for it. So far Microsoft have only said they are going to a subscription model for business users. Business users are more used to this sort of thing, if they try extending this to home users I expect there would be a major outcry.
As far as Windows 10 is concerned, I moved to it because I think it's usually better to keep up to date as far as possible, but I do have the Windows 7 install disc that came with my main computer if things go wrong. So far I haven't had any real problems. I can't use XP mode any more and a USB TV tuner I used on my laptop doesn't work on Windows 10 but I haven't found anything else that's broken so far. On the other hand I haven't found anything about windows 10 that I like better than 7, and it's habit of putting moving pictures of games I don't want on the start menu is a bit annoying.
Microsoft say that you can roll back a Windows 10 upgrade within 30 days. Also there is supposed to be a record kept on their severs that identifies your computer and if you roll back or even wipe the disc and re-install windows 7 or 8 you can re-install Windows 10 on that computer at any time. Some computer magazines are recommending that you upgrade to 10 even if you don't want it now, then roll it back and keep your option to install it for free any time later on.
My main PC is dual booted with Windows 10 and Linux but I only run Linux occasionally because the applications I want to use are Windows. I prefer Linux as an OS and if I could run Bryce, Daz Studio, Poser and Carrara on Linux with full functionality then it would become by main OS and Windows would go to occasional use.
The only helpful thing going subscriptions service for big companies.is it should eliminate a lot of tech jobs and even maybe a few IT professionals as well as they won't be needed to services windows.
Not they won't shut down your computer, but they can certainly stop supporting an old OS, which has been done in the past, which can overtime be tantamount to the same thing. Besides when most people purchase a computer, they aren't generally looking to take on an extra monthly bill. With products such as PS, or adobe, you decide up front if the expense is worth it to you, and if not, you can still find versions of the software that work perfectly fine before they went the subscribtion route.
Thing is your computer doesn't need Adobe, but it does need an OS.
This is my Opinion only and my main reasons for not updating to windows 10. Why because I'm one of those people that read every word of the terms of services, Service agreements and service fees I got bushwhacked to many times for not reading them in the past..so when windows 10 came out i read everything.. It does not bother me nor do I have a dog in that race if you like windows 10. thats your problem not mine. I refuse to agree with Microsoft terms of services for windows 10 and there for refused to upgrade, update or allow MS to make any changes to my standalone system through windows update,. which I can and windows 10 users can't
But just because MS do not charge you a fee now, it didn't charge a fee with windows 10 enterprises until now) does not mean they can't in the future. because it is listed for subject fees below in the terms of services.. .
Windows 7 is a Standalone, static Software not a Service App like windows 10. those are the big difference. not Speculation or Conspiracy.. and because win 10 is a Service App & not a stand alone software. MS reserves the right to refuse or completely stop your computer services if you violate any of their terms, Via though the cloud service used to deliver your OS services to your system.. As stated on the MS web site under the terms of use and privacy .. This is not conspiracy or speculation when MS has it written into their terms of services.
"Quote"
Windows
Windows 10 ("Windows") is a personalized computing environment that enables you to seamlessly roam and access services, preferences and content across your computing devices from phones to tablets to the Surface Hub. Rather than residing as a static software program on your device, key components of Windows are cloud-based, and both cloud and local elements of Windows are updated regularly, providing you with the latest improvements and features. In order to provide this computing experience, we collect data about you, your device, and the way you use Windows. And because Windows is personal to you, we give you choices about the personal data we collect and how we use it. Note that if your Windows device is managed by your organization (such as your employer or school), your organization may use centralized management tools provided by Microsoft or others to control device settings, device policies, software updates, data collection by us or the organization, or other aspects of your device. For more information about data collection and privacy in Windows, go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=529552.
Further information indicates, windows 10 is listed as a cloud service under the name of "Home" subject to the Above terms of services. and the added a list of services for a monthly/annually subscription fees. as stated in Microsoft Services Agreement (This is not conspiracy or speculation when its listed is it? when the new MS TOS comes out in NOV 2016 it will be interesting to see what has changed in wording, )
Published: June 4, 2015
Effective: August 1, 2015
Covered Services
The following products, apps and services are covered by the Microsoft Services Agreement, but may not be available in your market. .
Of course an easy fix (and one I am implimenting ) is to simply clone my Windows 7 OS as it is at present, and upgrade that. If shennanigans come down the pike, I can always replace my original HD and carry on.
yup thats what I done too I make a shodow copy of my entire system every month just for back up for the when a crash happens not the if a crash will happen.....lol
I use Windows 10 on my laptop, My workstation is staying Wndows 7. Hopefully when support runs out for it in 2020 a host of programs will have moved on to Linux. My workstation is NOT a Tablet, does NOT need a whole lot of programs I can't turn off to help me "experience" the web, and while it does need an Internet Connection, it doesn't need a "Cloud" experience - I use it to crank out renders.
Microsoft eats up enough clock cycles as it is, I don't need it eating any more. This idea that all devices serve the same functions is ludicrous, I don't use a workstation, smart phone, tablet, and laptop for the same reasons.
Windows # Enterprise was not a free upgrade, it has always been a version that has to be paid for in some form. I'm pretty sure that charging for Windows 10 itself woudl not be possible - for services yes, perhaps even for updates at some point, but not for the existing OS installed on a user's machine.
the enterprise version of windows was the upgrade for business in order to give more control. over the windows 10 version for IT admin's . you just paid for the the extra license,for having so many copies of windows . But it was a one time fee. not a monthly service fee So It would properly be a easy prediction to say that windows 10 , could (not will) go to a yearly annual subscription to continued updates properly something around $45 a year for home users as well., but that would be speculation at this point. My guess is it would more likely be part of a more bigger subscription plan that would include many or all of MS services all in one cloud suite like they have it listed in their TOS and you pick which services you want to pay for out of the cloud to vary your cost. But again that is just speculation also. But never the less windows 10 or "windows" or "Home" as they have it in writing, is still listed as a cloud service. which is fine for my phone .. not so much for my PC.