Microsoft backtracks on free Windows 10 update for pirates

People running pirated copies of Windows are going to have to pay — or keep pirating — if they want to update their computers to Windows 10. That may sound painfully obvious, but there's actually been quite a bit of confusion up until now.

The confusion has revolved around Microsoft's offer to give free Windows 10 updates to people running Windows 7 and 8.1. In a statement last March, Windows chief Terry Myerson was reported to have said that the offer would extend to pirated copies, too. Microsoft quickly began issuing vague clarifications, while still implying that there would be a way to upgrade at no cost, even if pirates would be required to pay eventually. Now, we're finally getting a full clarification: there's no free upgrade at all. Pirates just have to pay.