Microsoft will no longer sell retail copies of Windows 8, consumer versions of Windows 7 to OEMs

[Himanshu Arora]

As planned, Microsoft has ended retail sales of Windows 8 as well as stopped offering some versions of its Windows 7 operating system to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

This means that retailers will no longer be able to order more copies of Windows 8, which went on sale just over two years ago on 26 October 2012, although it'll still come pre-installed on new PCs as the software giant will continue to offer it to hardware vendors such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more.

As for Windows 7, the Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions of the OS have been withdrawn from sale to vendors, which means that these editions will no longer come pre-installed on new PCs. However, that might not happen any time soon, considering that manufacturers as well as retailers still have large stocks of Windows 7 PCs.

While the end of Windows 7 will definitely frustrate consumers, given the fact that it still maintains a 53 percent market share, enterprises can relax for now, as Microsoft will continue to supply Windows 7 Professional edition to OEMs. The Redmond-based company says that it will provide one year of notice prior to the end of sale date.

Another point worth noting is that enterprise customers can still downgrade to earlier versions of the OS they have licensed. "To use prior versions of Windows software on PCs installed with newer versions, it is possible for consumers to obtain a license for downgrade rights. These downgrade rights will vary depending on if the software was acquired via Volume Licensing, OEM, or FPP", Microsoft said.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58682-microsoft-no-longer-sell-retail-copies-windows-8.html

 

[SirGCal]

Well, DUH?!? They have to 'force' their new Windows 10 on users somehow... Who didn't see THAT one coming?!?

 

[Guest]

I loathe pre installed operating systems. People get laptops, and PC's preinstalled and sometimes... well lots of the time as far as I have seen, come without a little sticker saying, this is your windows key, just incase something goes awry.

So am I not going to be able to buy my preferred copy of Windows 7 Pro anymore ? To go on my self built system ? I don't want 8, and not sure I want 10. I may of wanted 9, but seems we are not allowed to have options. Communism at work.

 

[Guest]

This is actually one of the longer running retail sales of a Windows version. Looking back, Windows XP sales ceased 17 months after Vista was released, and Windows Vista sales stopped 12 months after the Windows 7 release. Now considering Windows 8 was released in October 2012, they gave over two years before stopping sales for 7. A testament to its popularity, Microsoft is also continuing sales on Windows 7 Pro so businesses can still get by on current infrastructure.

The wheels keep turning and with two versions of Windows 8 released and Windows 10 on the way, it's time to start moving forward.

 

[texasrattler]

Win 10 is Win 9, they just decided to rename it. So if you didn't want 10, you sure wouldn't want 9 as they are the same.

 

[MoeJoe]

Cool story bro!

 

[captaincranky]

Well, DUH?!? They have to 'force' their new Windows 10 on users somehow... Who didn't see THAT one coming?!?

Hey, don't feel ashamed, I've been caught flat footed with this news as well....

In fact, I'd go so far as to say, "I'll bet NOBODY saw this coming"....

Gee, I hope all my XP programs will run on Windows 10! If they won't, I doubt I'll see that coming either....

 

[GhostRyder]

Shock and awe, who didn't think this was coming.

 

[mailpup]

So am I not going to be able to buy my preferred copy of Windows 7 Pro anymore ? To go on my self built system ? I don't want 8, and not sure I want 10. I may of wanted 9, but seems we are not allowed to have options. Communism at work.

Although MS has stopped selling it, at the moment you can still buy your favorite version of Windows 7 for your self-built system from vendor's stock. So if you plan to build a PC in the future, you might want to stock up now.

BTW, I'm not sure you are clear on the concept of Communism. Just saying.

 

[Chazz]

This article is a joke right? I mean, you gloss over the fact that they will sell windows 8.1 instead? Which is like the same freakin thing???

Why would you not mention that at all? From these comments it seems nobody even knows.

 

[captaincranky]

This article is a joke right? I mean, you gloss over the fact that they will sell windows 8.1 instead? Which is like the same freakin thing???

Why would you not mention that at all? From these comments it seems nobody even knows.

It might be more that nobody cares, but that's just a guess on my part.

Strangely, if you put the "G" on the end of "freaking", Firefox spell checker doesn't blow up a red line under it. I only say that to make conversation, and because red lines under words bother me to no end. Plus, there isn't anything else about the article that's interesting or unexpected...

So am I not going to be able to buy my preferred copy of Windows 7 Pro anymore ? To go on my self built system ? I don't want 8, and not sure I want 10. I may of wanted 9, but seems we are not allowed to have options. Communism at work.

Mailpup is correct, you don't understand "Communism". The type of government more applicable to this type of behaviour would be, "totalitarian", or perhaps, "Fascist". But Communism, in its purest sense, is share and share alike. It has to be noted the humans have never lived successfully under the true Communist doctrine. The Soviet Union, and Red China, purport to be, "Communist", but in actuality are "police states", as is North Korea. Well, maybe to US has been leaning that way recently as well.... (I hope I don't get my phone tapped for that).... ;paranoid: