They’re doing a free upgrade for W10 users, and making a new “numbered version”, to signify the significant changes.

I’m not sure why this is that problematic?

So, Windows 10 is my daily-driver (Enterprise eds), and I love it. I'm a big fan of Windows in general.

But Microsoft did say that Windows 10 was going to be theast version of Windows, with incremental updates thereafter; I don't see why they need to change that to accommodate what appears to be little more than an unwanted UI refresh with more crappy AI-driven news feeds that nobody wants. From everything I've seen, Windows 11 looks like it's very much an incremental update over the Windows 10 of today.

So why not have a Windows 10 feature update? What is the point of this?

Yep, I mean, who the hell actually wants this kind of rubbish:

> Windows 11 brings you closer to the news and information you care about faster with Widgets – a new personalized feed powered by AI

Also, I can already have the weather as a tile in my start menu if I wanted (why, tho?).

> I don't see why they need to change that to accommodate what appears to be little more than an unwanted UI refresh with more crappy AI-driven news feeds that nobody wants

It's obviously a lot more complex than that.

For example, they are dropping 32-bit support. You can't release an update that does something like that.

Ah, I confess I'd missed that. Would he interesting to know how many users were still on an x86 build though (I would have guessed around 7 ;)

Is there anything more of substance though?

TPM hardware requirements. it's related to security so again

By "anything more of substance", I meant, well, features!

Also, this TPM requirement seems like something they shouldn't be doing - it's not a benefit for end users to have less choice. I mean, if I don't want to use a TPM, then why should I have to?

Why does it matter to you as an end user, if they change the version number?

It bothers me simply because they said they wouldn't, and I don't understand the point of it for a UI refresh. Also bothers me because I don't want a UI refresh.

Because of new hardware requirements and built in Teams. If you don't want that you are now an a system with designated end of support.

because I don't want all my stuff to break and I don't want to configure everything again, which is something that happened with all numbered Windows updates to date

> They’re doing a free upgrade for W10 users

> *Look for PCs that indicate they are eligible for the free upgrade, or you can check with your retailer for more information.

Are they, though?

They don’t indicate any specific requirements, so presumably it will be free for pretty much everyone with a windows 10 license.

This is probably required by their legal department. Reasons that someone would not update:

1 - No licensed W10

2 - Too old PC - can't work with W11

3 - No MS account or internet connection (as this is a requirement for upgrading)

So I'm not going to need to buy a new license for this? I'm on board. If it pisses me off enough I'll just roll back.

The article you link is pretty clear that they did not commit to the "windows 10" name forever ("We aren’t speaking to future branding at this time"), but rather to a model with more smaller regular updates. Which a no-cost update fits in, even if they change the name.

Windows 11 needs TPM 2.0. So older hardware don't get the update and because it's a new Windows the update support for Windows 10 has time frame.

A few years ago, I decided to buy a Windows 10 Pro retail license, which I figured would last pretty much forever since "Windows 10 is the last version of Windows". I wonder if my Windows 10 license will be able to activate a new Windows 11 install or if I'll need to buy another.

My guess is that Microsoft didn't want to move away from the 10 moniker, but Apple's release of Big Sur as macOS 11 meant that they had to keep up with versioning to stay competitive with marketing.

How many people bought Windows 10 thinking they wouldn't need to buy another one? Class-action lawsuit incoming?

It's a free update according to the article

Maybe not for everybody From the MS website Minimum system requirements: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0