What Will You Do If Windows 12 Isn't Free?

If they do this, and I didn't want to do anymore VR simracing I'd switch to a Mac and console.

Hopefully gaming will start supporting linux, but I'm not holding my breath.

The reality is I'd use a key from work.

I wouldn't mind paying if Windows was actually a decent OS, but it isn't. It's riddled with bloatware, ads, telemetry, a god awful update system, and MS apps you never wanted or asked for.
 
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Wouldn't surprise me if they tried this, Microsoft have shown themselves to be completely tone deaf and out of touch with it's core audience at times (Windows 8 springs to mind and the whole 'mobile/touch screen style interface. Saying that I didn't mind that OS, once you installed classic shell and set the default to classic desktop it was fine).
 
I think it will be a monthly subscription. That's how their enterprise licences works now. I would just hang on to Windows 10 or 11 as long as I can and then move back to Linux full time when that was no longer tenable. I find Windows more convenient for gaming but Proton/Steam have come a long way now and I'm no longer a hardcore gamer.
 
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I think it will be a monthly subscription. That's how their enterprise licences works now. I would just hang on to Windows 10 or 11 as long as I can and then move back to Linux full time when that was no longer tenable. I find Windows more convenient for gaming but Proton/Steam have come a long way now and I'm no longer a hardcore gamer.

They never going to do that with end users no way IMO.

If they do people will move away to alternitives. Moving to an OS subscription model for consumers is sucicide.

I can understand services like 0365 being subscription but not the OS.
 
They never going to do that with end users no way IMO.

If they do people will move away to alternitives. Moving to an OS subscription model for consumers is sucicide.

I can understand services like 0365 being subscription but not the OS.
For most people there isn't an alternative. Yes there is MacOS but that involves not only buying expensive hardware but also getting used to a new way of working. Most people don't know about Linux, FreeBSD, ReactOS, Haiku, etc, and even fewer would be willing to try them. Chrome OS is a viable alternative for many people though. Perhaps they could move there. But if presented with a small fee such as £20 a year or £2 a month then they would just pay the fee. Realistically I'm not sure why we expect Windows to be free nowadays. Microsoft used to sell a stand alone copy of Office but it moved to a subscription model years ago.

I hope I'm wrong but I can see it coming.
 
You can do that now if you want. You can deploy an OS in the cloud for a subscription cost.
Deploying an OS in the cloud has nothing to do with the EOL and ESU support.

An OS in the cloud has the same EOL as a locally installed OS.
As for the updates in 2025 for windows 10, yes there will be an on-going subscription for these users.
ESU is only for three years so no, not on-going.
Microsoft used to sell a stand alone copy of Office but it moved to a subscription model years ago.
So far MS seem to have no plans to stop selling non-subscription versions of Office, the last one was Office 2021 and then next it planned for 2024.
 
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Deploying an OS in the cloud has nothing to do with the EOL and ESU support.

An OS in the cloud has the same EOL as a locally installed OS.

ESU is only for three years so no, not on-going.

So far MS seem to have no plans to stop selling non-subscription versions of Office, the last one was Office 2021 and then next it planned for 2024.

I’m not on about that I’m on about the OS subscription model.

They may charge for EOL updates, which is fine they do t have to continue with updates at all if they retire an OS to EOL.
 
I’m not on about that I’m on about the OS subscription model.
Kind of seems strange to mention that in a reply to ESU being offered to normal consumers, but OK.
They may charge for EOL updates, which is fine they do t have to continue with updates at all if they retire an OS to EOL.
There's no may about it, they are. Did you not read the post you were replying to or the link?
 
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Apple could make a fortune if they released x86 OSX as a paid/subscription model OS without the hardware paywall.

Unpopular opinion maybe, but despite all the talk of "will goto Linux", the majority would not as it is still experimental garbage and still needs CLI for the most basic stuff at times, which in 2023 is madness. If Linux did not do it "out the box", good luck.

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If it turns out to be a subscription it would largely depend on the cost and what's included.

I would imagine something like they have done with Office and business licening.

OS only, Office and OS ETC.
 
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