Windows 7 is reaching its end of life and needs updating.
Windows 7 is reaching its end of life and needs updating.
Microsoft must generate revenue, which probably means you should consider purchasing a new license. The free upgrade was mainly a promotional tactic; if everyone had been required to pay, fewer people would have upgraded. They created the impression of a limited-time offer, since offering free software while still needing profits isn't feasible.
I recently improved from 8.1 to 10. After setting it up the way I wanted, I’m happy. Previously, I always did new builds with W7 or W8.1 and let customers pick based on their needs. I never liked W10Beta (though I still called it that after retail), since early gaming tests showed memory issues and extra problems I didn’t want to handle. Then I switched back after hearing about broken W10 updates—thankfully I spoke up. Now, after about 1.5 years, it works much better and is reliable enough for daily use.
My Windows 7 has stayed updated only since 2015 and still works well. It's been much more dependable, steady, and efficient compared to my Windows 10 setup. After 2020 it shouldn't differ much from the years before. For Windows 10, if you wish to retain the Windows 7 feel with minimal data collection, no major feature changes, but regular security patches, consider Windows 10 LTSC. You can purchase a license affordably on eBay. It's Windows 10 stripped down—no feature updates, just security fixes, and you can limit data collection to the bare minimum. In my opinion, it's the only viable version of Windows 10 worth trying. I've used Windows 7 without updates since 2015 without any problems. Still, $13 USD for Windows 10 LTSC seems reasonable: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Windows-10-Ente...2716568185
Paul's hardware offers a video for a platform where you can purchase keys around $30. I've tried it myself and had no problems. His content is reliable.