[ccouzens]

I still have Windows for multiplayer games (everything else is done on Linux). When I built this desktop, I had to buy a Windows 11 license. It wasn't free. My laptop's old license did not transfer.

OEMs have to pay Microsoft for Windows licenses on prebuilt Windows computers.

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>>Why do they allow the Crap And Turds department to piss all over their work?

>Because Windows is a free-in-practice product and it needs/wants a revenue stream.

Windows is not free. It's because 2 revenue streams are better than one revenue stream. If your goal is to make money, why wouldn't you? (To answer my own question, it's short term thinking that will eventually drive people away from your product).

[Dalewyn]

>My laptop's old license did not transfer.

OEM licenses are tied to the motherboard, which is why that didn't work. It'll probably activate Windows 11 on the laptop just fine.

>Windows is not free. It's because 2 revenue streams are better than one revenue stream.

While you have a fair point and I agree it would be nice if Windows was either paid-for or free-adware, fact of the matter is it's doubledipping right now if one chooses to buy a new license.

It's still possible to run Windows perpetually without activation with no loss in practical functionality, so I stand by my position that Windows is free in this day and age.

[SpaghettiCthulu]

It is absolutely a free-in-practice product. You can use Windows 10 & 11 indefinitely without activation.