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The Downfall and Enshittification of Microsoft in 2026 | Caio Bianchi (caio.ca)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 14 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 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 4 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 4 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 4 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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