Microsoft stops selling Windows 7

[History Hunter]

Microsoft has stopped selling the consumer version of its Windows 7 software, which means upgrading customers will have to opt for 8.1 or a newer version.

The software giant revealed in April that October 31 was the last day Windows 7 and Windows 8 would be available from retail stores.

This means it’s no longer possible to buy the software on CD or download it, or get a new PC or laptop with Windows 7 installed.

This applies to the Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate editions of the operating system.

This means if you want to buy Windows you’ve got the choice of buying Windows 8.1 or waiting until Windows 10 is unveiled in 2015.

The business edition of the operating system, Windows 7 Professional, will still be available for a year or so preinstalled on PCs and laptops. Predominantly because many businesses didn’t upgrade to Windows 8.

With its innovative Metro interface replacing the start screen, Windows 8 was dramatically different to Windows 7 – but it was deemed too different by many users and was not a consumer hit.

Numbers from Netmarketshare (which tracks browser use) reveals that Windows 7 is still the OS of choice, with 53% followed by 17.18% for Windows XP, 10.92% for Windows 8.1 and 5.88% for Windows 8.

In September Microsoft unveiled Windows 10, which moved towards a Windows experience more akin to Windows 7.

[Related story: Windows 10 – everything you need to know]

Microsoft has confirmed it will continue to support Windows 7 until Jan 13, 2015, with extended support offered until Jan 14, 2020.

Published By Hannah Bouckley on BT News

[History Hunter]

What I would like to know is will Microsoft stop you from activating your windows 7 on Jan 14th 2020? Will windows 10 have backwards compatibility for older software that you have which is very expensive or will you have to upgrade that too?

[Puffin]

I've bought OEM discs at computer fairs for earlier versions that came with the activation codes that still work. I should say that they will work Tony.

[Georgian Tim]

Like most big corporations, Microsoft has disappeared so far up their own yingyang, they have lost sight of what the average customer wants.

[Deetektor]

What I would like to know is will Microsoft stop you from activating your windows 7 on Jan 14th 2020?

I would have thought that by 2020 most people with Win 7 would have long since activated it ?
Windows 12 should be out be then

Will windows 10 have backwards compatibility for older software that you have which is very expensive or will you have to upgrade that too?

I would have thought compatibility of software wouldn't be a problem. Hardware is usually the issue.
Either way, I shall wait until win 10.1 is released

[coreservers]

ms have and always will work with 2 opertaing systems active at any one time. as 8.1 has proven to be unpopular, they are pushing through 10, so will again have 2 active systems. therefore dropping support for 7, however the activations servers will remain online.

[History Hunter]

ms have and always will work with 2 opertaing systems active at any one time. as 8.1 has proven to be unpopular, they are pushing through 10, so will again have 2 active systems. therefore dropping support for 7, however the activations servers will remain online.

I certainly hopt that their activation servers will still continue to operate as normal.

[ageezer]

theyre losing their grip on the market as others have muscled in so have to keep dishing not very old systems in order to make sales

[Deetektor]

Ok if you can afford an expensive Apple machine, or want to play around with Linux.
Otherwise what is there apart from Microsoft ?

Which will run most available software and hardware.

I've had no trouble at all with Win 7, and avoided Win 8 - 8.1

[popsandme]

I must be an exception to the rule, as just a casual windows user, and Waaaaaaay too poor to own an mac, I have found that once I got used to using Windows 8 it aint that bad, my 14 year old gaming and general computer nerd even prefers it over Windows 7, he uses macs at school and hates them, if we had the cash I would get a mac in the blink of an eye much to the annoyance of my son because the gaming side of them apparently is pants.......might have to sell my remaing kidney just to annoy him lol