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Random thought: Windows is largely successful because of Piracy (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Windows as a software package would have never been affordable to individuals or local-level orgs in countries like India and Bangladesh (especially in the 2000's) that are now powerhouses of IT. Same for many SE Asian, Eastern European, African and LatinoAmerican countries as well.

Had the OS been too difficult to pirate, educators and local institutions in these countries would have certainly shifted to Linux and the like. The fact that Windows could be pirated easily is the main factor that led to its ubiquity and allowed it to become a household name. Its rapid popularity in the '00s and early '10s cemented its status as the PC operating system. It is probably the same for Microsoft Office as well (it is still a part of many schools' standard curricula).

The fact that Windows still remains pirateable to this day is perhaps intentional on Microsoft's part.

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[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The past 20 years is what's relevant for all countries apart from Japan, China and those in North America and Eastern Europe when it comes to PCs.

I don't think any cost above ₹200 (~ $2.5) would have been justifiable for an OS in third world countries in the '00s, and the "dirt cheap CD keys" were certainly more expensive than that anywhere.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm afraid you're simply making things up. Microsoft donated computers with windows to all the third world countries. Literally the only way any schools had PC's in third world countries was because Microsoft delivered them there, and any business' that got computers used windows because they had office use applications and it was the only OS that anyone had previous practice with using, because of the donated computers.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's hilarious that you think Microsoft's charity is what brought computers to the third world. Do you even hear yourself?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course it has. Maybe try pulling your head out of your ass.

https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/14/business/worldbusiness/IHT-charity-in-poor-nations-has-2-purposes-microsoft.html

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Unbelievable. You genuinely think the rest of the world wouldn't have had computers had your god Microsoft not been so benevolent as to donate a few machines to a few schools for PR

Stay happy in your pathetic white saviours' world, I guess. There's no point discussing anything with you

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Oh shit. You're dumb AND racist. Lol. You poor fuck.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I don't think they think it. I think they got computers slightly faster, because a large corporation drew on the resources its home country had stolen from those places to leverage a monopoly.