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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]

104 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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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[–] RandomVideos 3 points 1 year ago

Out of the 4 laptops i used recently, 3 of them were using a pirated version of windows. 1 of them(my laptop) didnt use a pirated version of windows because it was already paid when i bought the laptop. I thought all laptops(that are not using macos or linux) came with windows preistalled

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

In all Latinoamerica, yes, in the 2000s the Windows xp license was a significant part of the price of a computer, so most people pirate it, probably 7 out of 10 copys of Xp were installed an activated by piracy

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

Even in China, Windows rules.

If you go to China and ask to build a PC in any shop, they will most likely install Windows by default.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

The vast majority of the value of a consumer facing computer system is in the people who help other people.

They know that.

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

Maybe, but there's also the thing where it works reliably and you have software you can use. But yeah, it's still part of the strategy

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

1111111111111.

Just saying.

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