Grr, why no 30 day free trial with Windows 8, Microsoft?

Another tick against MS and Windows 8. No more 30 day trial. I found a way to install the OS without requiring a key but it asks to activate after a day. This is problematic when you try to troubleshoot someone's PC, doing product reviews, testing, etc. I have MS TechNet which is fine and all, but I shouldn't have to waste an activation to validate or test hardware that only takes a few days to a week.

 

Well...I'm no expert on the subject matter but the cynic in me says that they need as many copies of W8 activated under any set of circumstances, so that the lack of love that the OS in question is receiving from general public remains hidden from the shareholders for as long as possible...

 

That goes beyond simple cynicism and into the territory of conspiracy theories

The activation change has been there since RTM, and RTM was nearly 3 months before Windows 8 went on sale. Therefore, by your theory, Microsoft must have known at least 3 months in advance of any sales data that Windows 8 would be a flop - likely more, as decisions on big changes like this are usually made well in advance of the release date.

And if Microsoft could see that far into the future, don't you think they would've done a lot more to please their shareholders than simply requiring immediate activation?

 

No I don't.

On the other hand, what's your explanation for the 1-day activation nonsense?

 

My guess it just to make it that much harder on anyone who is looking for a work around to avoid the purchase of a key to use the OS. BUT they should make the customer preview edition available with limited features for the 30 days trials.

 

Simple. Abuse of slmgr -rearm got out of hand.

Then again, I suppose it's impossible to have any sort of meaningful discussion with conspiracy theory lovers - accepting the truth would, after all, ruin your fun.

 

I am sure M$ knew well before the 3 month mark that Win8 would be released forcing certain not too popular options down desktop users throats. The fact they did not share this with us common users until the last minute does not mean this was not well planned out. The fact you think such a large company did this as a last minute change without purposeful forethought says about it all..............................

Edit; not that I agree with any particular conspiracy theory. I do agree they need every registered user possible to try and get metro developers on board claiming a sizable user base...............

 

Guys, this is an easy one: Who would buy the crap once they have tried it? So, no trial licenses=at least some sales...

 

Alt F4 or drag top to bottom and you're good to go for another day. Sure, it's still annoying...

How about using the Enterprise Evaluation for hardware reviews?
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx
Edit: Nevermind, it still has to be activated.

 

Why not apply the same 1-day rule to W7 then?

All of my senses are open for the truth, but I fail to find it anywhere in your posts in this particular thread. You'll have to come up with something that actually makes sense the next time around.

The lengths that people will go to defend corporate decisions they had no part in will never cease to amaze me.

 

I am sure most new PC purchasers at least went to a B&M to hands on with a Win8 PC. Otherwise there would be more sales and subsequent returns............

 

Most of the Average Joes would indeed at least try something in store first before buying. Some will still end up buying online, but I also know too many people who are too afraid to even consider that and only buy in B&M stores. I'd imagine that some of those people loved Windows 8, some were "meh" about it, and some just accept it whether they like it or not (most people only upgrade when their computers die, and most don't fiddle with installing their own OS or even doing a fresh install).

I find it interesting that even the computer illiterate as a whole are shunning Windows 8. Not surprised about the love/hate relationship on tech forums like NBR, but normally people don't seem to care about what OS they use. Now it looks like they do (at least some majority of them).

 

That abuse of the rearm command may be, but still that would mean a full reinstall every 90 days. And they don't need to even incorporate such a "feature" in Windows 8. Heck give me two weeks. But one day?

I realized that actually. Plus there's a link on that screen something to the effect of "why am I seeing this screen"? And it takes me to the desktop, opens a browser, and I can continue to use the OS. Kinda silly, and yes annoying. Wonder how long before it completely locks you out?

Exactly. I see this all the time. Users that find no fault in any corporate decision, and for a company that they have nothing to do with it, yet they feel they are compelled to defend them like they are their own family or something. "It's just business, they're just trying to make money." Whatever happened to "Let's please the customer"? You know the ones that pay for your products and services?

 

Didn't MS offer a $15 upgrade option for a while? Not free nor a free trial, but i guess it was....something.
I've done my level best to avoid spewing hate towards win8. However, we just got a new desktop in the office...with win8. And it truly is a nightmare, from setting everything up to making sure our programs run to the new employee learning how to use it. Just a giant mess of stupid all around.

Sometimes i think there must be some joker in the engineering lab at MS that once heard the every other OS joke about MS and has been trolling us ever since.

 

As for how long it would take before an unactivated Win 8 to lock you out. Like Win 7, a pretty reallyyy long time + eventually stop prompting.
I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you how long though. I prefer everyone have an activated genuine license for their copy.

 

Work for Microsoft or something?

 

No, he's just been using it since launch without activating it.

I've paid MS enough money, and am MCSA certified (although not my every day job), I just want to HELP users WITHOUT all the annoyances.

 

It's no more and no less crazy than consumers who didn't buy Product X and don't have to buy Product X but feel compelled to complain about Product X for months and months and months like it killed their family dog or something.

That criticism is a two-way street.

 

Actually it is not as we want to purchase product x as it an evolution to product y that we have but product x has been funkified buy the corporation those same others are blindly defending. Criticism is a one way street as it is discussion of pros/cons of a specific object. What then falls is variation of critique.

Now cynicism can be a two way street....................

 

Nice try. However...

This thread is not about the (extremely polarizing) product itself, but about a particular corporate-level decision.

 

So users have to buy a crappy product to complain about or criticize it? You are commercialism's best friend.

 

I used it for more than a week before I entered the key and activated, nothing else happened.

Think about it, Alt F4 is pretty easy to press...