Microsoft's Windows 10 EULA Re-confirms What We Already Knew About Home Edition Updating

It's interesting to me that a dead horse just can't seem to stay dead for very long no matter how hard you beat it. And, don't take that the wrong way. I don't say that in an effort to get my name filed into any animal cruelty group, but only to use the old idiom to make a point.

How often it seems that we're taking bits and pieces of things we already know to produce just one more piece of fluffy content. Take, for example, Microsoft's COO, Kevin Turner at WPC 2015 this week. Kevin quickly mentioned that a Microsoft Band 2 is currently in development. That's sort of old news (we talked about it HERE) but it caught the attention of a number of drive-by news outlets. It's exciting for sure, but we already knew it was coming.

Another piece of this type of news is making its rounds and one that we've covered before over on WindowsITPro in, Update Servicing Branches Available for Each Windows 10 Edition.

The basic premise is that users of Windows 10 Home Edition will receive updates before anyone else as part of the "Current Branch" of updates. Additionally, as stated in that article:

Security Updates, Features and Fixes are automatically applied and there is no option to delay or customize the updates.

Home Edition users are essentially the guinea pigs for updates. And, that's made clear by Helen Harmetz, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft, in a recent partner presentation: Keeping Windows 10 Up-to-Date for Enterprises, CBB Will Have 8 Months to Update

The reason for the reemergence of this topic is the recent inclusion of the EULA for Windows 10 in Build 10240 that Microsoft made available to Fast and Slow Ring Windows Insiders this week. The license agreement says this:

The Software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you.

You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorized sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates.

By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.

This was a good thing when originally announced, and it's a good thing still. This horse is now dead.