Sales of Windows 7 and 8.1 licenses to OEMs has ended

[Brink]

Just a few months after Microsoft celebrated the first anniversary of its latest operating system with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the company has finally stopped selling Windows 7 Professional and Windows 8.1 licenses to PC OEMs as of yesterday, October 31 (via VentureBeat). While some retailers may still have stock of these old machines, Windows 10 has now become the only way to go for PC manufacturers.

As a reminder, Microsoft already stopped selling Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 licenses to consumers back in October 2013 and September 2015, respectively:

Read more: Microsoft's sales of Windows 7 and 8.1 licenses to OEMs has ended ? WinBeta

See also: Windows lifecycle fact sheet

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
BYOB was always known as Bring your own beer
Now it's bring your own build

 

[pikxma]

Just a few months after Microsoft celebrated the first anniversary of its latest operating system with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the company has finally stopped selling Windows 7 Professional and Windows 8.1 licenses to PC OEMs as of yesterday, October 31 (via VentureBeat). While some retailers may still have stock of these old machines, Windows 10 has now become the only way to go for PC manufacturers.

As a reminder, Microsoft already stopped selling Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 licenses to consumers back in October 2013 and September 2015, respectively:

Read more: Microsoft's sales of Windows 7 and 8.1 licenses to OEMs has ended ? WinBeta

See also: Windows lifecycle fact sheet

I don't want Windows 7 to go out of support in the next 5 years... like XP they should add 2 more years..

 

[Barman58]

Of course if you decide to run Windows 7 Post 2020 when Free Extended Support ends then there will very likely be other options - Either Paid services from Microsoft themselves, As available fro XP after the end of free support, or from private companies. This a good possibility as the Business world, (for many reasons), are only now going over to Windows 7 completely so will need support for several years yet, and they are prepared to pay to receive it

 

[Layback Bear]

Their is also a possibility by 2020 W10 will be very desirable by those of us still hanging onto Windows 7.
Their is also a possibility that another operating system will be created by somebody.
I guess I will just wait and see.

Jack

 

[NoN]

As Jack said let's hope (this is not a very nice way to think...but) Windows 10 "code name xxx" will be the ultimate OS by that end of cycle for Windows 7.

Those that have bought this year and earlier have some time to prepare themselves for the upgrade. By next year it will not be the same. This is the end my friend!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Not over till the fat lady sings

 

[alphanumeric]

The same discussion comes up at each end of support. The only exception may be Windows 8/8.1? It seems most of those users either went back to 7 or on to 10? I moved on to 10, but see why some prefer 7. I did at first.
Large Corporations can afford to pay for extended extended support. Legacy, proprietary software usually dictates what they do.
Joe consumer doesn't have much choice though. Take your chances or move on.
Eventually, Microsoft will only have the one, continuously evolving, consumer version of Windows to support. The writings on the wall. The current (Windows 10) mandatory Windows update means your always current. Eventually, when extended support for Windows 8.1 ends, there will only be one version of Windows supported. Assuming your PC updates OK,
Even in Enterprise there will only be Enterprise or Enterprise LTSB.

 

[Layback Bear]

A good read. All versions of W-10 should have options for LTSB.


Windows 10 Without the Cruft: Windows 10 LTSB (Long Term Servicing Branch), Explained

LTSB fixes many of the problems that many people like me have been looking for.
Why Microsoft doesn't offer this option to small business and home users is not answered.
My Tin Foil Hat belief would be no telemetry. The user chooses what to download and install not Microsoft. What a novel idea. As a home user I would buy Enterprise LTSB if I could get it just to stay away from Microsoft garbage.

 

[alphanumeric]

You don't get any new features with LTSB. Your build is basically frozen. And I do believe you still need access to Windows Update for Business or WUS to control what updates get delivered. I can get it via MSDN but haven't tried it as of yet. I've run Enterprise here at Home and it updates like my regular version of Pro does. I don't have access to Windows Update for Business, I basically have to take what Windows Update gives me just like everybody else. I'm no expert on this but my understanding is what updates are delivered are determined by what settings are done on that companies WUS server. The IT guy decides not the individual user. Same deal with Windows Update for Business. The IT guy sets it up and choses what updates get pushed to the PC's that use it for updates. There are also some options you can configure on the PC's via Group Policy.

 

[alphanumeric]

My read on it is, LTSB is what you want on mission critical devices where bad things will happen if they fail.

 

[Layback Bear]

To me the point is simple.
Whether it is a mission critical devices or my home computers; one should be able to choose what updates or upgrades or even enhancements get downloaded and installed.

My understanding is LTSB gives the owner/operator those choices.

 

[alphanumeric]

I agree, we should have choice over what updates get applied, especially drivers.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
No doubt
My iphone updated the other day
After the install it asked to activate icloud = no thanks
It also asked to activate siri = no thanks
Also asked to activate location services = no thanks
If apple can do this so can ms imho

The main difference I notice saying no to ms means nothing the installer activates everything apple does not.

Group policy is getting striped of settings and reserved to enterprise in 10 the anniversary update doing so was unacceptable to me and is just a taste of what is to come.
No more workarounds I have too many and it is too much to keep applying after every update or major update to keep up with
An os should not need many workarounds anyway