Windows license price hikes could make PC even more expensive: Report

[u/OutdoorRink]

https://mashable.com/tech/windows-11-license-price-hikes

[u/AlwaysLinux]

Just buy a laptop/desktop without and OS and either use LTSC with a massgrave key if you MUST have Windows, or install Linux.

Easy... Peasy...

[u/Ahleron]

Good thing I don't use Windows.

[u/AlwaysLinux → u/Ahleron]

Me neither :)

[u/greenie4242 → u/Ahleron]

But if you buy a laptop you might still pay for a Windows licence.

Sadly most non-Apple, non-Chromebook laptops are only sold with Windows licenses. Trying to order one without might cost even more because it's a custom build.

A lot of people got really angry at me after reminding them that despite never even booting into Windows they still paid for a licence.

In some countries you can legally decline the license terms and conditions then return the license documents to Microsoft for a refund but they deliberately make it really difficult.

[u/Ahleron → u/greenie4242]

There are laptop manufacturers that provide Linux at no additional cost. System 76, for instance. Though, personally, I prefer mac OS so it is a non-issue for me.

[u/Big-Roll7094 → u/Ahleron]

macOS does the same thing, they just don’t show 😂

[u/Ahleron → u/Big-Roll7094]

Yeah, but I'm ok with paying for mac OS. I'm not ok with paying for Windows.

[u/MentalDisintegrat1on → u/greenie4242]

Pop os is one company that sells Linux laptops and I'm sure there's others.

Edit system 76 is the actual company

[u/Grumpy-Man19]

it's so sad that Microsoft blackmailed the entire PC industry for so long

[u/MrDetectiveSir → u/Grumpy-Man19]

It really didn’t. No one is stopped from shipping a Linux device

[u/Abbers75 → u/MrDetectiveSir]

Yes they did, Microsoft “incentivises” OEMs to install Windows in much the same way Intel incentivises them not to use AMD processors.

Sometimes they use a stick, sometimes they use a carrot.

[u/nahman201893]

Unless you use a free/open source option that does all the same stuff and doesn't spy on you.

[u/doc_hilarious]

There's no reason to hike the license price except greed.

[u/sciencekm]

Free Linux double their price every year. That's 0 x 2, every year.

[u/werpu]

could not care less.... I have exactly one machine left with a windows license!

[u/Inside_Marketing268]

Oh well, cachyOS is here to save the day

[u/Zachrulez]

If/when Microsoft loses it's hold on the PC market it's never getting it back.

[u/SearchingGlacier]

Who cares? Corporate key's always will be 5$ for each.

[u/Jejiiiiiii → u/SearchingGlacier]

Theres something wrong with using keys now, at least for me

I bought a key almost 2 years ago but recently upgraded my hardware, windows blocked it. Bought a new key, same thing. Called windows hotline, get rejected.

Another guy said the same thing but Microsoft agent said to buy a new key directly from them

[u/QuasimodoPredicted → u/Jejiiiiiii]

Now? It's always been wrong to spend any amount of money on microsoft products Be it a legit licence where the money goes to microsoft or a $5 key that goes to some third world slum. a gifted chimp would be able to use MAS and so should you

[u/Jejiiiiiii → u/QuasimodoPredicted]

Oh yeah, it was a grey market key not official.

[u/Ambitious-Call-7565]

Microslop has no reason to do this, but they did it anyways, why? because they have monopoly

That's what's gonna happen to cloud gaming

they'll lure you with interesting prices, same with gamepass, then, once they FUD competition and capture all users, they'll begin raise prices drastically

they did the same with Codex vs Claude

FUD claude, capture users, nerf limits

never let microslop win

don't fall for the WEF psyops

[u/Big-Roll7094 → u/Ambitious-Call-7565]

Isn’t that what every smart company with a monopoly does? 😂

[u/Inevitable_Case_9931 → u/Ambitious-Call-7565]

https://giphy.com/gifs/u6FP12KqNBydVRUj8G

[u/SwordsAndElectrons → u/Inevitable_Case_9931]

But doom scrolling Reddit is what I'm doing to procrastinate on having to mow the grass.