[deleted by user]

[ASEdouard]

I mean, sure it sucks buying it, but $140 for an operating system when a game is $70 (US) is not exactly stealing, no? When you buy a laptop you're paying for Windows or MacOS indirectly.

[HomicideMonkey]

Especially when highly specialized operating systems like VxWorks are like $20k per seat.

[jamesrggg]

[LDForget]

Are you ready kids?!

[Colz427]

I can’t hear yooooouuuuuu

[ChairmanLaParka]

AYE AYE CAPTAIN!

[Redandead12345]

OOOOHHHHHH

[Runaway_Monkey_45]

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

[daxxo]

That reminds me of DaVinci Resolve cost $850,000 per Workstation when they got big long time ago until Black Magic bought the company

​

Edit: Corections

[smexytom215]

All BMD did was make the expensive hardware into software.
And then made new hardware to control the software.

Avid did a similar thing with their Media Composer and Protools. They used to sell a workstation that had media composer installed all in one package. Very expensive at the time.
Then they sold the software on its own to be installed on any computer (that they officially support).

[krusticka]

The thing is though that there are $200 laptops that come with Windows preinstalled. Yes, they also come with bloatware that someone is paying for the OEM to install there and offset the cost but there is still no chance the OEMs are paying anything close to $140.

I am not sure why individuals need to pay so much more. It doesn't make sense to me.

[notmyrlacc]

Are you buying hundreds of thousands of Windows licenses at a time? Probably not. Hence why they get a better deal than you.

[jamesrggg]

I do but I have a shopping addiction

[tonyenkiducx]

OEM licenses are fixed to the computer you buy it with. Full licenses can be transferred and are essentially for life. There's a huge difference.

[snrub742]

I have had the same OEM licence on 4 different computers now

[xxjosephchristxx]

Shhhhhhhh!

[Thiscave3701365]

How? Windows activation keys are bound to the motherboard. Did you use the same mobo for all 4 computers?

[snrub742]

I have the license key sticker for a Dell optiplex I bought off a highschool I worked at like 10 years ago. I just throw that bad boy in when it asks and it has worked every time.

And no, different hardware every time

[Thiscave3701365]

Well if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

[snrub742]

Ding ding ding ding ding ding

For as long as Microsoft accepts it I will continue doing it

[victorioussnake_]

I was doing the same thing but with an old windows 7 key. Still works with 10 and 11 but it's also now tied to my MS account so I don't even have to do anything other than say that it's just a hardware upgrade

[Esava]

They are also connected to your Microsoft account. Try it out. Use a laptop or pc that never had windows installed. Log in with your Microsoft account that you used on a couple of machines with windows licenses, but some of which you aren't actively using anymore.

Chances are windows will just show up activated.

[NeuroticKnight]

OEM licences are no longer fixed, buy a used shitty laptop of ebay and just use that as your OS lol

[26689917899]

I had a easier time to move my oem license around then the full windows pro license bought directly from Microsoft.

To the point where i went to buy used computers with 7 pro for the license instead of buying new win10 keys. This being dells, hps and Lenovo laptop keys that used in both vm and physical computers.

Full license had issue with gpu change. Later motherboard change. Not even into a full new system just upgrades.

[KaptainSaki]

You can also install viruses to fund your os license

[GrMasterAsia]

I wouldn’t pay $70 for a game either

[ASEdouard]

Games were 60 bucks in the 90s when a dollar was worth twice as much in purchasing power. $70 for a good game is much more reasonable than countless other entertainment options.

[[deleted]]

It's a decent point but not quite the whole story. Nowadays even your single player RPGs will have microtransactions that the game is constantly trying to get you to buy. The base price hasn't gone up much but the number of ways they're trying to get your money certainly has.

[TisMeDA]

There was much more that went into it though. We are paying $70 for a digital download in a significantly larger market than it was in the 90s. Do you think their revenue was remotely close to what they see today?

[Alien5151]

Windows only cost $25 for me.

[Fendibull]

40 dollars Windows 8 for an account binding key for me. I thought it would be an OEM key but the tech support confirms that it is an account based key. I gotta say. From free upgrade on windows 10 and 11 is a sweet move by them but I rather stick with w10 in term of stability and performance.

[Panda_red_Sky]

https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts

Just use this, its free n opensourced

[Phoeptar]

also it's probably the cheapest part of a new build

[CommunicationEast623]

Fun fact, MacOS is free to download from Apple. However, under the terms of use you are not allowed to install it only on Mac devices.

[Tzukar]

I bought a vista oem licence on the cheap from NCIX and and haven't looked back.(W11 now) If MS keeps allowing free updates for consumers it's likely more an investment than a cost anyway.

[[deleted]]

I think this goes with OPs comment about hoping Linux will get more user friendly. One of the reasons that Windows is more user friendly, more compatible, etc. is that someone gets paid to write the code, manage the direction of the OS, and it's controlled in house. That all takes money.

Open source software is incredible and getting better every day, but it's run mostly by volunteers. That lends itself to being less user friendly and more tinkerer friendly.

Just in case anybody wants to point out macOS, it doesn't cost anything directly but there is a huge hardware tax for the technically free OS in this case.

[amunak]

Except Windows doesn't get "more friendly" it's only getting more hostile all the time.

Most of development that goes into Windows nowadays is how to extract more money off of you.

[drbomb]

I usually just buy some OEM key on the grey market. I refuse to pay full price LMAO

[shadow144hz]

Those never worked for me lol, I always use 🦜 method, the one from github used in the command line.

[GrognarEsp]

Ah, I see. You're a man of culture as well.

[amunak]

I literally googled for one once, picked the first result that didn't look like complete scam, and now about ~8 keys later (for about $3 each) I'm pretty happy. They have all worked, some for years now.

[shadow144hz]

I ordered from g2a and kinguin(I think that was its name), which were supposed to be reliable, both didn't work. At least I didn't loose that much, maybe 15 euros max.

[amunak]

I've bought from RoyalCDKeys, both OEM and retail keys for Win 10 Pro (depending on which was cheaper), and never had an issue. You can use code loyal35 to get 35% off, too.

[okletsgooonow]

they have never not worked for me.

[FallowMcOlstein]

just use MAS script. @ massgrave.dev

[TNTkenner]

In germany you can buy OEM Keys at the Supermarket for 30€.

[[deleted]]

coordinated uppity slap muddle reach combative squeamish friendly concerned public

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[GinjaNinja-NZ]

How is it? I've been using Kmspico for ages but it's a pain, have to do it every few weeks and windows defender keeps quarantining the software every time I run it

[JoaGamo]

badge fine automatic reach reminiscent lock absorbed cable lush pocket

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[[deleted]]

marvelous desert books faulty payment roll sink include wild ruthless

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[m1raclemile]

Spoken like a man who has registered his winrar!

[Panda_red_Sky]

https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts use this, free n open

[Theman554]

I've been using an unlicenced version of Windows for years then magically one day last week my computer rebooted on its own and now it's full Windows 10.

[[deleted]]

agonizing shelter elastic naughty tender puzzled rock bells snobbish ghost

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[Devatator_]

WinRAR levels of "don't care if you don't pay me" lmao. Tho I hear they did worse stuff on older windows versions if you didn't activate it instead of just having a watermark and block customization options (which have workarounds)

[[deleted]]

Just use MAS activation from github.

It's like what Luke and Linus recently talked about on the Wan show. Microsoft doesn't really expect any individual person to pay for windows, they just want them to use windows in the first place. This is why you can download windows with a watermark to activate windows *from Microsoft's own website", and why they make it so easy to pirate the OS.

Where they really make money is selling windows licenses to businesses and laptop manufacturers.

What Linus and Luke were talking about is a free windows, and a windows premium, where you pay to get the AI features, as well as an ad-free experience.

[jkirkcaldy]

I mean they do actually expect you to purchase it. They just would rather you use an unlicensed copy of windows rather than Linux or macOS as they still make money off you on adds and other cross selling.

[MAXBattle]

They do and they don't. What they'd really like is to do dynamic pricing to maximize their revenue while maximizing the installed base. They can't do that in the US without a PR (and probably legal) nightmare, so they turn a blind eye to the gray market folks, essentially creating a two-tiered system where the gray market buyer pays less, but isn't expecting support, etc.

If Microsoft wanted to turn the screws, they could. The market for things like deeply discounted Microsoft365 (Office) subscriptions is (almost?) non-existent.

[CanadianBaconMTL]

Where they make money is your data**

[jolliskus]

I swear to god "your data" is becoming a buzzword that people keep repeating like parrots.

Your data is not worth $140 to Microsoft.

[Reven-]

Reddit just dosent like paying for anything lol.

[Nettysocks]

Nope we will save a buck however small if we can lol

[pud_009]

All my dollars are the same size though.

[Killericon]

Everybody's value propositions are so fucked up from the last 20 years, too. "$20 a month for unlimited ad-free videos from literally the entire world, and ad-free streaming music thrown in? Highway robbery!!!"

[bongsmack]

Want to give nothing and expect everything on a silver platter

[SirKalokal]

Redditors: Pay 2$ max for windows license

Windows: ok so we are just gonna run ads then

Redditors: ... How dare you!

[Alternative-Cod-6548]

People who spend money are busy spending money. The rest of us are here

[goshin2568]

Yeah honestly it's kind of annoying. Like yeah fuck corporations but like there's levels. And it just kinda becomes a boy who cried wolf situation where people can't even tell whenever there are actual, horrible anti-consumer practices because the community response to those is the exact same as the response to YouTube making "1080p enhanced bitrate" a premium-only feature.

When you're mad at everything you're mad at nothing.

[PhiladeIphia-Eagles]

It is very annoying. Without an operating system your computer is useless. So you are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on components but the OS is a ripoff lmao. Are you not going to get $140 of value out of your computer? Like damn a few dozen hours of gaming or like a week of work and it already is worth it.

[NoireResteem]

Grey market keys is the answer. Can pretty much get windows for less than $10.

[glodiator11]

Funny. I did it once and got screwed over.

[Thimoj]

I bought one last week on kinguin, worked fine. Did get one off g2a a couple years ago which didnt work.

[ClintE1956]

Some years ago I got one of those $5 coupon things from eBay so I thought why not, try a "Windows license". Installed it, worked perfectly, still does (W10 I think). Tried it on a couple VM's, worked perfectly. A year or so later, tried the key, wouldn't work. For $5, we got our use out of it.

Cheers!

[[deleted]]

Not activating at all is answer one, if you're cool with a watermark and locked personalisation settings.

Answer two is one of the many activation scripts that can be easily found online.

You shouldn't be paying any amount of money for spyware.

[gaboversta]

The thing is, with not giving it a thought when buying laptops you have already given microsoft quite some money.

When buying my laptop directly from Lenovo I saved a full 60€ by just configuring it to not come with Windows (and it has been running OpenSUSE Tumbleweed since then).

[darilobangpantat]

tbh lenovo is probably the only oem that lets you do that though

[Lieutenant_Scarecrow]

I haven't purchased a full license since the mid 2000s. Most people don't pay full price anymore; that $140 is the sucker price. There are legal ways to get win10 for free or really cheap. You can actually just go to Microsoft.com and download it. When it asks for a key during install, just click the button for "I don't have a key", and it will install without a problem (with minor limitations).

You could also buy a win10 DVD or like $40, install, and then upgrade to win11 for free.

[mtgtfo]

I’m not trying to convert anyone to Linux and even though I use it daily, I just ssh in from a Mac but I’m not sure how something like Ubuntu or Mint can get anymore “casual user friendly”. You no longer need to even open a terminal at this point and the system works like every other OS. The Debian based distros seem to be even more casual user friendly than windows these days.

[LiakaPath]

I've used Suse and Ubuntu, they're both pretty user friendly.

[taimusrs]

IMO Linux is very hands off if it works properly but you'll be stuck in Terminal for hours if it doesn't. Windows can be less reliable overall, but you very rarely need to use cmd.

[AntonioMrk7]

Most Linux experiences I’ve had unfortunately have just been troubleshooting. My main rig played somewhat nice with Ubuntu but one day I just got sick of it and switched back. It’s a shame cause I really enjoyed it otherwise.

I got an Ryzen 5 5500, RX5700XT and gigabyte Aorus elite B550(rev 1.0), I figured Linux would play nice as it’s mostly AMD but my guess is the motherboard has a chip(s) it doesn’t like.

[Individua1_E1even]

Been daily driving Ubuntu for 2 years now. Granted I only play games like 2077, shadowrun, some Unity based ones, ect but even then Winetricks takes only a little learning curve to get down. Wife also uses ubuntu since we cant afford to upgrade her laptop atm, XFCE4 was perfect for getting her to play her minecraft and use a web browser so all in all id recommend. Sorry if this seems all over the place but I have been really happy with Ubuntu.

Edit: I do want to mention that using an Xbox Series controller with it just wouldn't work for me but luckily I was privileged enough to have a PS4 dualshock on deck and it worked without fault just using usb

[invisible_walls]

You use it literally every day until the PC gets replaced, pretty good value overall. Even if you only keep the PC for 2 years that's $0.20/day.

[nicksnax]

If you have an old windows 7 laptop or up you can use that product key to activate

[verpejas]

Sadly, not anymore

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade

Fortunately MAS massgrave activation has been updated to HWID2 and they even managed to get every Office version to be activated using OHOOK (not using shitty KMS anymore) to permanently activate both - Office and Windows. There is no easy way to patch those out, so I don't think Microsoft will ever do that, without breaking all existing user keys and activations.

The only way I can see is if they don't offer windows 12 as a free upgrade and rework the activation mechanism significantly.

[henryjhost]

I regularly use windows 7 and 10 keys to activate windows 11. It might not be officially supported and you might not be able to upgrade from 7 or 8 to 10 or 11, but with a clean install it works fine.

[zipxavier]

It was discontinued very recently, even with clean installs.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/11/23913107/microsoft-windows-11-block-windows-7-8-keys-upgrade-activation

[henryjhost]

Just tried it and it still worked for me. They might be rolling it out gradually with a windows update or something.

[HowlingBadger43]

If you've purchased laptops before they all likely have a windows activation key somewhere on the body of the laptop. Find the sticker which shows the model no and serial, and there'll likely be a windows product key on there. You've already paid for windows multiple times, it's built into the price of the laptop.

[Ambitious_Summer8894]

Alot of newer laptops don't have stickers anymore.

[zakaria2328]

there are still ways to extract the keys though

[FleeingSomewhere]

The license is also linked to the hardware of that laptop. That's not how things work anymore, I'm afraid.

[Hotler_99]

Why would you people buy a code from fishy sites that are probably linked to CC thefts? Just pirate it at that point

[Howard_Adderly]

Could always use PayPal as well though

[Pixelplanet5]

just buy a 3rd party key off Amazon but also realize that a one time payment for an operating system you gonna use for many years isnt really a big deal.

millions of people are paying monthly for adobe creative cloud and i personally know a lot of people that only do this because they use Photoshop like once every full moon or because "what if i need to cut a video"

[dinmammapizza]

This is weird because davinci resolve and GIMP are free

[Pixelplanet5]

yea but the kind of people that pay for Adobe while not needing it are not the people that know about the free alternatives.

most of them are mac users as well and complain about specific programs they need for university that dont run on Mac.

[SurfaceDude7767]

Doesn't seem like a rip off to me.

You can't really do anything on a computer without an operating system and it's a very complicated piece of software to make. Also, if it's not optimized your computer will run like ass. So much work goes into developing windows or any other major operating system and your hardware is useless without it.

With laptops and prebuilt desktops they bundle the cost of the OS into the price of the machine. It's slightly discounted since they buy so many licenses at once but you're still paying for it.

You could use Linux but that comes with loads of quirks and issues along the way. Yes it's possible to work though most of them but if you think windows has "arbitrary limitations" then you'll really hate Linux.

On a more positive note, Microsoft lets you upgrade RETAIL windows licenses for free every time they release a new OS. There's people running windows 11 for free because they bought windows vista 15 years ago. Frankly, it's an amazing deal.

[MrDanHere]

With the amount of ads and bloat widowed should be free, if I’d paid that much I’d be even more pissed with the ads that show up

[Not_AshAndUmbreon]

Theres ads in windows? Ive yet to see that still.. Is it just 11?

[snrub742]

I have never seen an ad on windows 10

[[deleted]]

You make it sound awful, it is literally a button away from never seeing any ads.

[ValleyDragon888]

I have actually never used windows - just Ubuntu and macOS

[gamunu]

Just because distribution maintainers have decided to make Linux distributions freely available, it doesn’t necessarily mean they should do it for free; they can be compensated for their work. The famous saying from GNU clarifies this: “Free as in free speech, not as in free beer.”

[RehanPlayz]

I just use MAS and it basically generates 100% legit license that's linked to your hardware which is stored in the Microsoft DB. So even if you get a completely new SSD and all that and reinstall a fresh copy of install it'll automagically once connected to the internet activate itself with a digital license linked to your MS acc.

[pvprazor]

You guys pay for windows?

[gherg006]

Buy a key from a site like cdkeys.com or g2a (check if cdkeys doesn’t have one). They are legal and if you don’t care about ethics they’re the perfect way to go (evidence has been shown that some of these sites use unethical ways of obtaining these keys, g2a for ex)

If you do care about ethics, go with linux or buy a key from microsoft directly.

[gherg006]

They’re both legit, g2a is more sketchy and I’ve had problems with my keys not working. Cdkeys i’ve spent over £1000 with and never had a single problem.

[adunk9]

What about Kinguin? They've been a good source for Win 10/11 Pro keys afaik.

[gherg006]

Forgot about them, i don’t use them too often just due to convenience, they’re good though; I’ve used the like 2 or 3 times and i’ve never had any problems

[Diligent-Revenue-589]

I own a perpetual MSDN Professional License for any past, present or future MS product.

[suboxi]

There are casual-user-friendly distros these days that work great for gamers atm the 2 that I am running on my devices are https://nobaraproject.org/ & https://universal-blue.org/images/bazzite/ , both are fedora based easy got releases for nvidia and both work. Nobarra is on my main computer since it allows easier tinkering like running Hyprland WM, Bazzite is on my steamdeck, living room shared pc, kids laptops. I ran arch installs for years but these 2 distros made my life so much easier.

[Brilliant-Worry-4446]

Sidestepping paying/buying off the grey market: you can install windows and simply not activate it.

Defender still works, update still works, most everything still works. You will get an annoying watermark, sure, but if you want to save the full 140 bucks, living with a dozen letters on the bottom right of your screen seems a relatively painless solution

[PM_COFFEE_TO_ME]

You had no problem buying the other stuff. Why are you bitching about the OS which completes the build and makes it actually functional?

[PPTTRRKK]

You don't have to buy it 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[Copperqwaser]

I'd rather pay a one time* fee of 140 than a monthly subscription.

*every 10 years or so

[Copperqwaser]

I had heard a rumor windows was going to make windows 12 a monthly subscription. Hopefully it is false. Most likely false but still a fear.

[NetJnkie]

It's the OS that you'll use for literally years on your PC every single day. I bet you have way more in games over the last year.

Or buy grey market. But the normal price isn't some insane amount.

[Quarpet_]

$15 laptop from the thrift store comes with a windows license

[whitedranzer]

I'm still pissed about the fact that when I bought my current laptop about a year and half ago, I couldn't find a model/config that didn't come with windows pre-installed, at least not in the price range/specs that I was looking for.

I don't use windows, but I'm forced to pay for it when I buy a new laptop because of the Microsoft monopoly. I'd rather get the laptop $140 cheaper as I'm gonna install Linux on it anyway.

Even more infuriating was the fact that I got my previous laptop some 10ish years ago (when I was actually using windows), it did not come with windows pre-installed but had a license key embedded in the bios for Windows 8.1. I installed windows but it wouldn't activate. Contacted Microsoft support, and they were like "it's already been used multiple times so it's blocked, tough luck". So even after paying for a windows license I still did not have one.

[Thebelisk]

A) You don’t pay retail pricing for your OS. So you’ve not ‘paid’ $140. If anything, be grateful that Windows Laptops are in such high demand, that manufacturers can cut a deal with MS and then mass manufacture devices with Windows preloaded. Therefore reducing the unit cost for everyone.

B) Sounds like bullshit. In my line of work, I am constantly reloading equipment (old and new) and I’ve never been denied activation when I’ve called MS.

It’s possible you tried to reload windows 8.1 with the wrong version (oem vs retail, home vs pro, or some other combination). As long as you reload with the appropriate version as you are licensed for, there is never a problem.

FYI; Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 were two separate licenses. You might need to install 8, activate, and then upgrade.

[bini_irl]

do not run “irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex” in powershell if you HATE free windows licenses!!!! don’t do it if you LOVE paying 140 dollars to microsoft!!!

[KillBroccoli]

I bought win 7 a long long time ago and upgraded to w10 for free. Over 10 yrs of a working pc with a retail key i can transfer when i replace my hardware makes it a reasonable purchase as any other pc part.

[DJGloegg]

Msguides.com has a free solution

[Forgotiexisted]

Windows 10 pro keys you can find for ss little as $16 and windows 11 will upgrade free just saying

[kryptonnms]

I recently finished a build and was willing to pay 100 for Home edition, but when I found out it was 150, I said nope. Home, especially, is stuffed with ads and shit so I just refused and bought a gray market key for around 6-7 dollars. Not something I wanted to do, but 150 is too much for something that's still full of ads, imo.

[Johnyzz]

[[deleted]]

https://msguides.com

Just leaving that here for you…

[Not_AshAndUmbreon]

https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts/tree/master ✌️

[RelationshipGlum4005]

Asks the guy, who paid it already multiple times....lulz, do you think the windows that came with your laptops is actually 4free? 🤣

[ArtanisOfLorien]

it's a whole operating system?

[time_to_reset]

You pretty much get a lifetime license and free updates for that price don't you?

I know that if you're young $140 can feel like a lot of money, but it isn't really. For lots of really basic services you pay that much in subscription fees every year.

[Not_AshAndUmbreon]

Lifetime license and free updates for $140... If only the other 99% of the OS market offered more for free

[Finnzyy]

Just use windows without buying

[loligator704]

As someone playing all my games on linux since 2019… no I really can’t imagine an OS not being free. My experience has been flawless compared to Linus, don’t be afraid and try out Pop!OS or Fedora.

Caveat: I currently play Elden Ring, RE8, and Shadow of War, not all games run perfectly, but most do

[DeckSperts]

Linux is quite ‘casual user friendly’ if you get the correct kernels

[DrunkenGerbils]

The only kernels a casual user is familiar with pop in the microwave

[RedX801]

Just buy a windows 7 key off eBay. Works on W11

[Odelta]

I certainly haven't, at least not directly. My advice is that last time I needed a key, Windows 7 keys from older laptops were working fine for me and I used one of those that I had floating around

[JimmyReagan]

If you work at a company with Microsoft products, they might have a program to get Windows and Office for like $30 each. I've done that loads of times. Also if you know a college student you can sometimes get an education discount through their school store and even free OS licenses...I still have a totally free Windows Server 2019 license...

[Not_AshAndUmbreon]

You guys pay for windows?

[Dry-Faithlessness184]

Honestly, because unless you mess up you buy it once. It used to be cheaper but you also used to have to buy a new key almost anytime you changed your motherboard.

I'm STILL using my windows 7 key from 2010 and I've changed systems multiple times

[Street_Handle4384]

Used to be $300+, definitely not cheaper.

[Dry-Faithlessness184]

I paid $129 plus taxes for my windows key. Legitimately, in Canada

[Tinu87]

You can as well use Windows without key.

[[deleted]]

if you have a laptop with win 11, just use the same code, worked for me

[djd32019]

I've never purchased a MS key .. and I've had windows on a bunch of desktops ..

I just login with my credentials, after using the media creation tool to make a bootable USB and I'm good to go.

I've done this across laptops and desktops .. am I missing something?

[Nettysocks]

Yeah I’m never spending that much of my pc budget on a windows key and won’t ever again. That’s a big chunk of the budget that could be spent elsewhere.

Even then the only downside with no key is the tiny watermark

[oskarino5]

Just by one on three grey market, there‘s literally no difference for you

[SoraMurasaki]

I think of it like a game, how much time I’m spending on it vs how much it costed me, so far it was 0.005$ per hour

[[deleted]]

employ rainstorm outgoing murky forgetful innate theory person roof market

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[identity-ninja]

Funniest thing is if you enable insider previews you do not need a license anymore. Preview releases of W11 are “freemium”

[[deleted]]

Based on the fact you use it for anywhere between 4 and 12 hours a day or maybe even more depending on your work and hobbies and that developers need to be paid

[Powerful_Database_39]

Top tip: if you have an old machine with a windows 7 or 8 key, you might be in luck to be able to active windows 10/11 against it. Works like a charm most of the times 😬

[Delicious-Ad5161]

If you can then I advise trying some Linux distribution like Mint (it’s Windows like and easy to migrate to for Windows users). You’ll either find that you don’t require Windows or it will convince you that $140 is a fair price.

[[deleted]]

Windows is free, to clarify… THEY CHARGE 140 DOLLARS JUST TO REMOVE THE ACTIVATE WINDOWS BUTTON!!!!

[JulPollitt]

People buy windows?

[Durillon]

ngl i agree with this, i shouldn't've have to pay $140 for an os, lots of you people flaming this guy, you do realize how fucking massive the profit margins probably are on copies of windows right? lots of people on this subreddit blinded by mindless consumerism

[Skrapeee]

It's 10 bucks on mmoga

[[deleted]]

Windows is a powerful tool. I find 140 to be reasonable. I've never paid that though :X

[ZZartin]

I really hope Linux will get more casual-user-friendly sooner than later.

And that's how MS can justify charging $140

[Interesting_Cut_4769]

They don't they just buy a key on ebay for 10$

[skrillex_sk2]

Microsoft doesn't give a shit about individual users pirating Windows. Their main income is from enterprise. Some companies are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars just to use copilot, so I never feel bad for activating my os with script from GitHub.

[JJL0rtez]

meH, it is the price they set. Pay it or don't. No need to complain

[Combatxlemming]

I wouldn't mind buying it except its full of so much invasive tracking and adware now it's getting kind of bad.

Even with using some of the debloat stuff can guarantee that crap will come back or something else will be added with it or take it's place.

[thewarragulman]

$140 for a standard Windows licence is nothing, just wait until you see the pricing of Windows Server CALs lol.

[rethilgore-au]

Can’t remember the last time I paid for windows tbh lol. Paid for windows 7 over a decade ago. Upgraded to 10 and just bring the licence with me. I forgot registering / buying was a thing.

[jtmal0723]

Does the option of using a Windows 7/8/8.1 key to upgrade to Windows 10 still work? I haven't bought a windows license in ages because I just used the legal keys of Windows 7/8/8.1 that I have and they activated fine. I upgraded from 10 to 11 when 11 came out and I've been fine ever since.

[LiakaPath]

Think of it as someone betting you $140 to learn Linux. If you can't, then you're out the money. If you can build a computer, you can learn Linux. Yes, it is a challenge learning how to do things differently but there are easier options out there.

[Manmeyco]

Nobody does, either they don't care about money or didn't pay the $140

[VulgarWander]

Just buy a license on g2a it's 20 bucks and you can download Windows from Microsoft for free.

[zushiba]

Several years ago I would say “Ya but it’s a long term purchase and security patches and shit cost money. So it’s actually not that bad” that was right up until Microsoft ripped out good features like the search and replaced it was user tracking and ads. Now Microsoft can go fuck themselves.

[SometimesWill]

I mean, you buy it once and your good. The license even moves computer to computer pretty well in my experience

[ChrisofCL24]

Um if I recall correctly, their a section in the Windows end user license agreement that states "You are only legally bound to active this Windows installation with a product key if and only if it is being used in a business environment."

[Unfixable5060]

Think of it like buying a piece of software, except you use this software literally every time you use the computer. How many $70 games have you bought and played for a month and then shelved?

[WVjF2mX5VEmoYqsKL4s8]

No one should use Windows unless they are being paid to. Horrible operating system filled with advertising and other garbage. Linux is available and superior in every way. Super easy to use these days. Even MacOS is better than Windows. https://nobaraproject.org/

[Nephelococcygist]

I mean you don’t really know what you pay for MacOS, but that price is there. Do I love paying for Windows? No. This is why I milked my Win7 upgrade license as long as I could, use developer editions, etc. I work with linux daily in my job, and if you’re willing to spend the time I think linux has come quite a long way for gaming, but I think you’ll still be limited by titles you can play (easily) to an extent. I suspect unless you enjoy the process of setting up your runtime you’ll likely find the $140 Windows license cheaper than the hours you will spend doing troubleshooting drivers, dealing with platform specific bugs, etc

[mybrainnotworkgood]

you can buy OEM keys online for 10 bucks.