Anyone who has a PC, especially with an older Windows operating system, has experienced the incessant pop-ups asking you if you want to upgrade to Windows 10. In some cases, users have reported that the OS will try to install itself without approval. Even tech-savvy writers have gotten caught up in the hard-sell tactics Microsoft has instituted to force an upgrade, making it almost impossible to say no.

Well, Microsoft has gotten its wrists slapped by a California court, ordering the tech giant to pay $10,000 to Sausalito-based travel agency owner Teri Goldstein, who reported that an aborted install of the OS slowed her work PC to a crawl and caused hurt her company. She sued for a new computer and lost wages after MS support was unable to help her. She won her case, with Microsoft choosing not to appeal to avoid further litigation costs, but denied any wrongdoing.

“I had never heard of Windows 10,” Goldstein said. “Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to update.”

While the fine is essentially pocket change for Microsoft, the ruling could have further ramifications if others decide to follow Goldstein's suit. While some business sectors may be able to avoid an upgrade, Microsoft is already making it nearly essential for gamers to install Windows 10 if they want to play any of the latest Xbox One games using Play Anywhere. Even newer PC games are going the Windows 10 route, as developers eschew the older Windows 7 and 8.1.

Of course, that could be moot come July 29, when the free upgrade ends and Microsoft begins charging for the OS. The reviews have been good, and folks may finally give in as opposed to having to shell out extra bucks when a game they really want only uses Windows 10.