Microsoft Says It's Not Forcing Anyone to Upgrade to Windows 10

[JMH]

Reports reaching the web lately claim that a number of Windows 7 and 8.1 computers are automatically upgraded to Windows 10, without actually allowing users to choose whether to start the install or not

It all happened following this month’s Patch Tuesday rollout, as some users also received the necessarily files to initiate the upgrade to Windows 10 via Windows Update. And while that is not at all a surprise, given the fact that Microsoft made the Windows 10 upgrade a recommended update in early 2016, it appears that after the download, users can no longer prevent their PCs from starting the download.

Unexpectedly, this led to further criticism against Microsoft, which has been accused of upgrading PCs to Windows 10 in order to boost adoption of the new operating system.

“Customers are in full control”

But in a statement sent to Softpedia this morning, a Microsoft spokesperson explains that this is not the case, and users are always allowed to choose whether they want to upgrade to Windows 10 or not. Customers are always in control, the statement reads, pointing to a post published by OS group head Terry Myerson in October.

Microsoft Says It’s Not Forcing Anyone to Upgrade to Windows 1�

 

[Digerati]

Unexpectedly, this led to further criticism against Microsoft, which has been accused of upgrading PCs to Windows 10 in order to boost adoption of the new operating system.

Unexpectedly??? You got to be kidding! Any time anybody even thinks Microsoft is doing anything without the user's permission, it should be totally expected that many - especially rumor mongering headline seekers in the IT press - will be screaming bloody murder!

Upgrade, or not, it is a Win-Win for Microsoft.

If you upgrade, you have a better chance of staying current and therefore more secure because Windows 10 is, by far, the most secure Windows yet. And that will likely just get better from here. That's a win for Microsoft because they always get blamed for security issues even though it is the badguys perpetrating the offenses and the user's lack of discipline for allowing the badguy in.

If you don't upgrade, you only have until July 29th to get your "free" upgrade. After that, you will have to pay for a Windows 10 license. Another win for Microsoft. And if you don't upgrade and you get infected or Windows crashes or whatever, Microsoft can say, "Hey! We gave you a whole year to upgrade for free and you chose to stick with an obsolete, superseded operating system!"