Post #1464313 · Elektrine

2026-04-19 09:49 UTC

>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?

Replies (4)

@popekingjoe@lemmy.world 2026-04-19 10:36

> 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.

Open ##1464314
@chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world 2026-04-19 14:49

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.

Open ##1464315
@lemmyng@lemmy.world 2026-04-19 13:12

...you guys paid for Windows?!

Open ##1464316
@Regrettable_incident@lemmy.world 2026-04-19 10:00

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.

Open ##1464317