Windows 7 Free for a Year?

That is what has been blazed across the Internet and through social media sites like Twitter and Friendfeed over the last few days.

In fact – my first response was to reply that everyone had it wrong – in fact it took me two 140 characters tweets to say it:

It wasn’t until a day or so later as I continued to see the big name blogs and websites start to talk about this that I went and did a little more research.  Specifically I reviewed the Windows 7 Release Candidate End User License Agreement – otherwise known as the EULA. My goal was to find the entry in it that reflected by tweeted beliefs that the RC of Windows 7 was no longer licensed for use once the OS Released to Manufacturing (RTM).  I knew this was the case on a previous beta I had been involved in so I assumed that it would be the same with Windows 7.

I could not have been farther from correct on this one had I taken a cross country bus ride.

No where in the EULA for Windows 7 Release Candidate does it mention the requirement to cease use of the RC when Windows 7 RTM’s.  I scanned it from top to bottom – absolutely ZERO about those usage rights. I was amazed and that got me on a path to thinking – why would Microsoft do this?

I think it is an enticement to draw in users – I always look for a free version of my software before I start thinking about buying it – don’t you?  Now I am not hear to say that Windows 7 should be free – but get users a 12 month window (no pun intended) to use your OS – which by the way is very stable at this stage in its development – and then offer them a very reliable, inexpensive option to upgrade to RTM from their RC installation.

See that RC install will have had been in use for almost a year and every little area will be tweaked in and setup exactly to the users liking.  Of course they could always wipe that install out prior to the Windows 7 RC expiration and go back to their Windows XP, OS X or whatever distribution of Linux they are using.

In the long run I think this will build on the positive momentum that Windows 7 is gaining through the user base – even from some Mac users – and really turn Windows 7 into what I believe will be seen as the same thing that Windows XP was to Windows Me – a better, faster version of Windows than its predecessor.

Related Posts

• Windows 7 Release Candidate Public Availability Info
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• Windows 7 Release Candidate Expiration Approaching
• Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate Official Download Links
• Windows 7 Release Candidate Public Downloads Are Available

Richard Hay  (3357 Posts)

Richard is the Owner of WindowsObserver.com and has been involved in tech for over 25 years. His first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then he used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and what you see here today is the result of the work he has continued on the site since 1995. In January 2010 his community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when he was awarded the Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for Windows Desktop Experience. In January 2011 he was renewed as a Microsoft MVP but in a new category called Windows Expert - Consumer and in January 2012 he received the award for the third time.