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The Downfall and Enshittification of Microsoft in 2026 | Caio Bianchi (caio.ca)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 52 points 5 months ago (11 children)

I hate how the author frames Linux as "cheap". Just because it's open source and free does not mean people use it because it's cheap. They use it because they're tired of the shit. Windows is "free", too, if you never activate it.

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  • [–] 22 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Microsoft Activation Scripts: https://massgrave.dev/

    What Is MAS?

    MAS (Microsoft Activation Scripts) is a fully open-source Windows and Office activation tool distributed as batch scripts. It implements multiple activation methods that operate against Microsoft's software licensing subsystem (SPP / OSPP / CLIP) to activate Windows and Office without a purchased product key.

    https://deepwiki.com/massgravel/massgrave.dev/2-microsoft-activation-scripts-(mas)

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (6 children)

    I hate how the author frames Linux as “cheap”.

    I don't like it either but it's definitely an aspect. Why should I continue paying money for (or even pirate) something that exploits me and makes my life worse? Linux is cheap and legal. E.g. I can use it to experiment with old hardware without needing to make a cost-benefit evaluation first.

    "Free" has a double meaning that should be pointed out each time one says FOSS, but "as in beer" is not a bad thing.

    Windows is “free”, too, if you never activate it.

    OK now I'm stumped because it's so long I actually used Windows. I rcently installed Windows on some work computers but I had to enter the code on the laptop or I couldn't even finish the installation (I think). AFAIU that code was purchased with the laptop. Did I get that wrong?

    And in what way is usability hampered if I don't activate it?

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago

    And in what way is usability hampered if I don't activate it?

    It's been awhile for me too, but iirc, you can't change the wallpaper or other theme options and you get a persistent watermark in the lower right corner trying to shame you into activating. Otherwise it's mostly normal functionality. Pretty sure you even get updates, though I may be wrong on that one.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    You can click the small link at the bottom of the installer that says "I don't have a product key" and proceed through. It will then ask you what edition of Windows you want to install. This is because many PCs have hardware entitlements, so they never got a key.

    The only limitation is you can't customize your desktop/themes and there will be a permeant watermark in the lower right corner asking you to activate.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah, I thought windows was only free if you pirate it? Can't imagine why someone would want to do that, but people are weird sometimes.

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