The main GWX campaign may have wrapped up at the end of July, but it's continued to be available for free to anyone who uses "assistive technologies," a term which is so broadly defined that it includes the use of hotkeys -- not programmable keyboards, mind you, but the standard hotkeys which have been part of most Microsoft OS software since MS-DOS. Do you use CTRL+C to copy, and CTRL+V to paste? If so, then Windows 10 is still free for you... if you want it.
And that makes a kind of sense. Microsoft had to end the GWX campaign, because OEM PC vendors were obviously having a harder time selling new PCs when users could simply upgrade the OS on their existing machines. Previously, getting Microsoft's latest OS cost cash up front -- either the price of a new machine, or a couple of hundred dollars for the software by itself -- but the Windows 10 business plan requires rapid, widespread adoption of the platform, and giving it away was (as still is) the fastest way to accomplish that. The Windows 10 giveaway has quietly continued long after the July 29th free-upgrade "deadline" because that adoption hasn't happened yet.
With the Creator's Update imminent release, however, it would seem that Microsoft's stable of friendly tech writers are turning this continuing giveaway of Windows 10 into a subtle pressure tactic, one which will feel familiar to anyone who's ever been on the receiving end of a "hard sell."
A, B, C, goes the hard-sell mantra, "Always Be Closing," and one way that you can pressure people into buying now, rather than waiting for a time when a purchase might make more sense for them, is by convincing them that the deal on offer won't be offered for much longer. "Limited time offer," "Only while quantities last," "Offer ending soon," all these familiar siren calls are meant to increase the buyer's anxiety, pressuring them into buying now, just to make the anxiety stop.
Well, behold the latest version of that -- like this example from 1reddrop.com:
On April 11, 2017, one Windows version will be born while another dies. Windows 10 Creators Update is expected to drop to the general public on April 11; the same day, Microsoft will cease all life support for Windows Vista. If you’re on an older version of Windows 10, that’s how much of a window you have to upgrade to Windows 10.
Fortunately, the free upgrade option for Windows 10 is still available to you
Yup, we’ve been reminding our readers – almost every week, to be honest – that the free Windows 10 upgrade offer is still open, and that Microsoft is well aware of that fact. Though they’ve purportedly kept the porch light on for users of assistive technologies such as screen readers and so on, their secondary intent is to provide an alternative for those who’d rather not pay for Windows 10.
Why Get It Before April 11, 2017?
On April 11, when Windows 10 Creators Update drops to all current devices running Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft could stop the free option forever. From that day, there will no longer be an ethical and moral way to get a Windows 10 upgrade for free – well, not unless you’re a charity organization, anyway.
Yes, get it while it lasts, people! Because Microsoft might choose to end this offer once the Creators Update goes live. Maybe. But probably not. Because this is the thing about the limited-time-offer selling tactic: it's almost always bullshit. Most limited time offers are offered time after time, time and time again, repeated ad naseum until it stops being profitable to offer the deal in question.
Microsoft will continue to offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade until they achieve wide enough adoption to make their Windows 10 strategy self-sustaining. They have to; their Windows 10 strategy is built on the assumption that they can convince users of older versions of Windows to switch, thus giving Microsoft a captive audience for their built-in advertising, and a large pool of customer for their walled-garden storefront.
As long as Windows 10 is languishing at 25% market share, this limited time won't expire, because Microsoft can't afford to let is expire. Never forget, though, that Windows 10 is not free. One way or another, you're paying for Windows 10. And if you've refused to switch until now because of its annoying advertising, or its insidious invasions of privacy, then there's nothing magical about this April 11th "deadline." April 11th is no more meaningful than July 29th was, when it comes to Microsoft's Windows 10 giveaway.
If you ever see that Windows 10 has crossed the 50% market share mark, and then start hearing rumblings from Microsoft that they plan to tighten up the "assistive technologies" loophole, then you may want to give some more thought to this purchase decision. But until that day comes, you don't need to worry about it. Free and legal Windows 10 will still be available three months from now, or six months from now, or even a year from now.