Years before people waited in rain or shine to get the latest iPhone, they lined up for the new version of Windows//
@It was 20 years ago next month that Bill Gates and Jay Leno presided over a gala launch at Microsoft headquarters while throngs of geeks queued up ahead of the midnight launch to grab boxes of a shiny new operating system called Windows 95//℗
@When Windows 10 launches later this month, it will be nothing like the spectacle of so many years ago// There will be no lines// There won’t even be boxes// On July 29, Windows 10 will roll out as a free upgrade to consumers running Windows 7 or Windows 8// It will go first to those who have tested the software and then to those who registered for an upgrade// Eventually, all home PCs capable of running the software will get a free update//℗
@Paid versions will be available on disks and thumb drives, but even those won’t arrive in stores by launch day// The only practical way to get Windows 10 on July 29 is to buy a new computer// And even then, not that many models will be available, as companies are holding out their new designs until the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons//℗
@The change in how Windows 10 is launching is yet another sign of a bigger shift at Microsoft// For the first time since the 1980s, Windows finds itself on the defensive, losing significant share to the Mac// Even its one-time stranglehold corporate computing is up for grabs//℗