I have zero nags or reminders.  I'm happily oblivious to all on my prime system still running MS's best OS [7].

It's likely to be a cold day in hell before this one goes to 10 ...;)

You've been 'obliviously' lucky, unlike so many who had nags galore and Win 10 forced down their throats.

So what's your take on Win 10 going to a subscription service?  Like would you go to it when Win 7 is unsupported and becomes unviable/unsafe as a net connected machine?

As for the cold day in hell, I was given no choice but go to 10. MS did it behind my back.  However, it'll be a steamy tropical day in the Antarctic before I go to a subscription service for my OS.  It's bad enough they force crap down our throats once a month without this subscription debacle that's fast approaching us.

The proggy I used was "Never 10" which clearly worked.

Along with those win 7 'updates' [about 4 of them] that were permanently 'hidden'.

I don't get anything like a 'reminder' to upgrade/whatever .... just the 'usual' Win 7 updates as expected.

If/when 7 is no longer getting security updates I'm sure that best-practices will keep me secure enough anyway.

I have other machines I can use if I want to 'enjoy' the pain that is win 10 ...;)

As far as I know MS stopped pushing Windows 7 systems to upgrade to Windows 10 via Windows Update some time ago.

Also running Windows 7 here.

This wasn't directed at me, but I don't think you have to worry about that. MS operates similar to Google now. They target all users inclusive poor users in India and other places with even lower income.

Google lets handset makers make official Google backed Android phones if they include Google Play services. The agreement is that all handsets from the handset maker must include Google Play services. That's why no Android handset maker dares to make an Android phone without Google Play services. Because then they would never be allowed to make a phone which uses Google Play services. Google wants data and users so it doesn't drive costs higher than even the poorest can afford. Google has even released special low-bandwidth Android phones for those who have a hard time paying for data consumption.

Microsoft is very similar to Google. It wants Windows 10 everywhere. I don't think devices with screen size under 10" even require a license fee. Windows 10 for Raspberry Pi is free.

So I would be willing to bet the farm (luckily I have no farm), that we won't see Windows subscription in the consumer space.

What can happen in the next decade is that Windows 10 may come with "S mode" by default on new computers. Today it's free to unlock "S mode" computers, but I think MS will start charging $50+ for unlocking "real Windows" once the Windows 7 userbase is small enough. But that will only apply to new computers. You can freely use Windows 10 on existing hardware until Windows 10 doesn't support your hardware anymore.

Subscription would be counter productive for Microsoft. They have a Store with software they want to sell, but right now half the userbase is on Windows 7 and another 100 million or so are using Windows 8.1 and even XP.

If a lower cost option like Linux would become a threat (like it was on netbooks ten years ago), Microsoft simply gives Windows away for free. It's about market dominance, not about extracting the last dollar from poor people.

If you can afford roof over your head, water and bread, you'll be able to afford Windows too. What Microsoft has done with Windows 10 is the opposite of what Apple has done with macOS which is clearly aimed at rich users (who don't care about hardware).

I think the oligarchs are happy with this setup:

Apple - Premium

Google - Mainstream (mobile)

Linux - Hobbyist

Microsoft - Mainstream

I expect Microsoft to lose users because not all Windows 7 users will make the jump to 10. But in essence what you see above is what it will look like for the foreseeable future.

Ok, rich was an exaggeration just as writing that Mac users don't care about hardware. Nevertheless, outside US Macs are really expensive and nowadays even Mac enthusiasts complain about Apple's design decisions. The new Macbook Pro keyboard, Touch Bar, throttling CPU because of too thin design etc. Apple should fire "designers" and start letting "engineers" design the products instead.  

Anyway, I found an article that shows that Windows subscription as presented by Computerworld is not happening.

https://www.howtogeek.com/360938/no-microsoft-isnt-turning-windows-10-into-a-paid-subscription-service/

Finally a bit of that 'common sense' [elusive as it is]...;)

In the past I subscribed to Technet ... which was a yearly fee....and that gave me SEVERAL licences to all sorts of MS OS and Apps - far more economically than buying them one at a time retail.  But even that was not really for the every-day user/consumer...;)

Yup, same as what I was using on my HP 2-in-1 when Win 10 was forced upon me.  I didn't any get nags or popups... nothing.   Then one night, MS covertly bypassed my preventions and used Scheduled Maintenance to download and install Win 10.   BASTARDS!!!

I've decided that when Win 10 goes to subscription that one of my main machines will go to Win 8.1 - maybe even both of them - and disconnect it/them from the net if I have security concerns.  I can always have a Ubuntu and/or Mint machine when I need to be connected to the internet.  Point is, I'm not going to miss out.  I'll have Win 8.1 for all my programs and main tasks, and a Linux based machine to surf the net if I have doubts about connecting the Windows machines.

I recall somebody saying not to believe everything you read in the internet, not sure who it was, but I don't... and I sure as hell don't believe anything Microsoft says.  So until this subscription thing is sorted one way or the other, I'll go with my gut. 

Oh look, dinner time.  

To be honest, I doubt very much that Stardock would ever develop its customisation products for MacOS.  I'm not saying it won't ever happen, but at this time I do think it is rather unlikely. Thing is, if Micronut goes down the toilet, who knows what'll happen.

Apart from 3 Windows based PCs I also have a MacMini that I'd like to customise with Stardock apps, but I do recall somebody saying a while ago that Stardock apps would only be made for Windows.

I'd also like to see Stardock products developed for Linux Ubuntu and Mint, but I won't hold my breath.  Regardless of what happens with this Windows subscription thing, however, I will be running 2 Win 8.1 machines with the must-have ObjectDesktop installed to get my customisation fix, then Linux Ubuntu and/or Mint on my 3rd rig if/when I have to ditch Win 10 on it.

They still try sneaking in Windows 10 updates....caught 3 of them just recently which is why I keep the list.

Now that I find disgusting, selling Win 10 in stores yet still trying to push it on Win 7/8.1 users for free.  I mean, they wouldn't be pushing it on 'stubborn' Win 7/8.1 users at a cost, now would they. 

That'd be unethical... but then, this is Micronut we're talking about.  

That is certainly the version that they push. But there has been Office 2016 which is not subscription, and a while back they announced Office 2019 which will not be subscription. Doesn't mean they will keep doing that forever, but for now it is still an option.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3228116/software-productivity/microsoft-announces-office-2019-for-customers-who-dont-want-to-pay-forever-for-office-365.html

The 'Window' in 'Windowblinds' is the exact-same 'Window' as in 'Microsoft Windows..

The site's Forums from which you are posting is 'Wincustomize.com'.  The 'Win' in 'Wincustomize' is the same 'Win' as in 'Microsoft Windows'.

It's a pretty sure bet that the answer will be 'no'.

Apple could spend a penny of their ONE TRILLION DOLLARS on developing a sense of style and creativity/artistry themselves....;p

I stick with run of the mill PCs. IMO they're more versatile and a lot more forgiving. They have a wider range of hardware and software that are not proprietary like Apple's. Not to mention cheaper. That I can do, Apple, not so much.

With that kind of success expect more dongles...

To their credit there seem to be nice improvements to Finder in "Mojave".

And with this program desktop sanity isn't far away...

https://brawersoftware.com/products/ubar

Only one problem to solve, their hardware or lack thereof. Try buying an Apple desktop PC without a screen baked in... Oh, I forgot, there's the Mac Mini from 2014 still on the shelves with the same 2014 price tag attached to it. Did someone say Apple and Microsoft are competing or do they make ads just for fun?

At least MacBooks and Surface devices compete to some degree, another reason subscription won't come to consumer Windows.

I think Windows will be mostly Cloud-based before consumer subscription. If you can stream games you can stream a desktop OS, right? When hardware is only a cheap terminal, a subscription service actually makes sense.

Eheh. Nice. So someone brought the Windows taskbar to MacOSX.

Fair enough, we did the same with the MacOSX dock.

Yes, absolutely!  I haven't used my MacMini in a while due to other stuff going on, but I plan to set it up later today to have a look at the Ubar app that Anotherside linked to.  It looks very interesting indeed.  However, Apple itself, not could, but should develop apps to allow its users to customise their desktops easily and quickly.... and with a trillion in the bank, Apple could well afford to make those apps free... or at least VERY inexpensive.

There ya go, thinking like Satya Nadella and entertaining the prospect of Windows as a subscription service.  Thing is, we have various tech writers giving their opinions as to why Win 10 will become a subscription service, and others as to why not, and that, to a large extent confuses and clouds the issue.

Frankly, I don't take too much stock in what these writers say.  No, I look at Microsoft and past examples of its behaviour, and it's there that I see the Windows subscription service becoming a reality.  For example, Office was never ever a subscription service, and now it is.  My sister is a Microsoft Digital Image Pro owner, and she was recently contacted with regard to a subscription for that, and was she interested.  She wasn't!

As for Windows becoming 'cloud' based, well there's the perfect way to make it a subscription service... "you pay a monthly fee and we stream it"  I don't like that idea, either.  While I currently have ample internet speed to stream most anything, I may not when I move back to Tasmania. Then 'streamed' Windows could very well be useless to me.

In any event, I believe Windows as a subscription service is inevitable... it may not happen overnight, but it will happen.

Imagine (me repeating me). Stardock has created amazing programs that millions of people world wide use. Stardock took their time and adapted their proggies to Win 10 and for the most part it has been a success. Now, Stardock is also known for the games they have created. All that takes a world of talent. That's a fact. Twenty years of experience, a good portion of Windows lifetime, creating something that caters to not a select few but across the board. With all that good stuff SD could (should?) step up and show what's his name how its done. At least we'd have an OS that is reliable, endlessly flexible and, most importantly, very user friendly. But that's just me. 

Sometimes I play the devil's advocate... I think we are on the same page, it's just the time-frame that differs. I don't believe we'll see Windows as a consumer subscription within ten years. It's important to understand that Microsoft wants as many as possible to use Windows 10. If people ditch Windows 10 because they can't afford it then that's a huge failure for Microsoft.

If you try the Ubar program it would be interesting to know what you think. I have used docks and they are pretty, but for "getting things done" I prefer a taskbar.

The struggle to hide identities from some stupid agency is harder than I thought.

And what's worse is that so many [gov't and non-gov't] are looking into your personal information.... even when they say they don't... or trade/give it to other agencies [gov't and non-gov't]

There is NO such thing as anonymity or privacy on the internet... even when they say they respect your privacy and/or anonymity.  The main aim of online companies, bar a few, is to beg, borrow AND steal whatever to make a profit.... entitled to it or not.  In most cases, because the identities used to beg, borrow and steal are NOT theirs, they're NOT entitled, just financially and legally more powerful.