Microsoft: Windows 10 Preview Users able to Update to RTM  

I'm sure that they would get a key when purchasing a RTM copy though.

Jimbo does have a good point. The computers used to operate scientific equipment often has software specifically made for that equipment and has to be setup and calibrated for that specific machine. Just to give an example, I've been doing research lately with Raman spectroscopy. The software for using the machine is a good example of one that has to be setup specifically for the individual piece of equipment. As in, if one part on the Raman spectrometer had to be replaced, the whole software would have to be setup all over again. I was told by the only person at the university who knows how to do it, that it literally takes days, and that's assuming you actually have time to mess with it all day for several days in a row. Naturally the university has a lot of rules about using that computer. If you were to put a flash drive in that computer, you'd be banned from ever touching it again. The one precaution they never took, however, was actually backing up the whole computer, and the hard drive crashed last month. Big mess. Can't get any work done until the start of next semester. If Microsoft does do a continual update/upgrade thing with Windows 10, it would be a royal pain to do a clean install to upgrade computers with that kind of software on a regular basis. But at the same time, I'd bet MS would say "If you don't upgrade within 2 months, you won't get any more security updates" or something similar. Its all speculation at this point, but it will be interesting to see what happens.

Petey, computers like that, that are essentially one job machines should not be messed around anyway let alone modify OS in any way unless maker of that specialized SW agrees it's completely compatible. I know few machines that are still working of a 386 computer and using windows 3.11. As there's absolutely no chance to use anything else in this case, I found and keep 3 MBs, RAM and video cards from that era. There's no telling how long will they have to last as machines they are controlling (saw mills) are still going strong and nothing better is needed.

Winuser said:

I always try to save as much install info as possible. Doing so has made it easier when I'm setting a new computer or in this case a new test OS.

I keep a "back catalogue" of installers and I have my Product Keys stored (multiple backup images too).

I don't believe that I indicated that there were not specialized circumstances and programs that some people have.
I did not stipulate that others should Clean Install. I stated that is the way I prefer to do such things.

Their is always going to be special needs and methods considering their are billions of computers around the globe.

I presume that people that have special programs also have a special place to keep the proper codes to reactivate such programs again when maintenance or other things are done or a problem arises.

I also presume that the special programs would have several backups just in case it's needed.

I'm not a enterprise person but if I was I would have a backup computer up to date with my special operating system and programs that I could switch to if need be in case their was a problem.

Planing ahead for updating operating system, programs and hardware is nothing new or special. It is done by many all the time.

Windows 10 RTM Won't Require a Clean Install

The biggest enigma, however, remains the price of the upcoming operating system, as some people initially believed that Microsoft could give Windows 10 free of charge to those running Windows 7 and 8. It turns out that this isn't the case, as Microsoft might be planning a different pricing model inspired by Office 365 and offering Windows on a subscription-based system.