Microsoft plans to introduce Windows 10 during the second half of the year – and it’s offering free upgrades for Windows 7 and 8. Free? Well, sort of.

Although nothing is set in cyberstone, early indications are that Microsoft will provide a free upgrade for qualified customers for a year. After that, you may have an option to continue with whatever version you downloaded; buy a copy or sign up for a subscription.

That last possibility may be the way Microsoft will go. The company has been pushing subscription-based software for a long time – at least as far as time is measured in technology – and it seems to be successful. Office 365 is a major part of their business, and when it’s time to upgrade software, Microsoft upgrades Office 365 first.

We like Office 365, and our customers who have subscribed like it. We know email will always work, and we know that all the performance and security updates will be installed. If Windows 10 follows the Office 365 model, we believe it will be a great product, especially for homes, home offices and small businesses.

The upgrade offer will likely apply to Windows-based computers and devices, and that makes sense for Microsoft as the company tries to expand and strengthen its customer base through integration. The company believes that as customers start to learn better how the software works, they will grow to appreciate (or become dependent upon) the innovations and will pay to stay on board with the most up-to-date software available.

So, who may be left out of the free offer? Enterprise users will not qualify for the free upgrade. In not so many words, Microsoft notes that enterprise customers are already on subscription for the service and that they will see the value of maintaining Microsoft across all of their platforms.

Many anti-virus programs and other applications are already available through subscription, and we advise you to take advantage of the benefits. In almost all cases, the subscription works out to be less expensive when you factor in all the benefits of performance and security – especially as hacking becomes more prevalent.

Now would be a good time to start assessing how you can take advantage of Windows 10. Most of the systems on Windows 7 and all of the systems on Windows 8 or 8.1 should be able to migrate to the new OS. We can help you evaluate your current system and see how it can meet your ongoing needs over the next 6 to 24 months. That can help you budget for seamlessly moving forward with your technology. Call us at 973-433-6676 or email us to set up an appointment.