Distribution "popularity" - unlicensed Windows

Posted Dec 10, 2011 0:30 UTC (Sat) by anselm (subscriber, #2796)
In reply to: Distribution "popularity" - unlicensed Windows by giraffedata
Parent article: Distribution "popularity"

When the automatic license check fails, you can call Microsoft on the phone and they will usually register you anyway.

If Microsoft was to really crack down on pirated copies of Windows, which they certainly could if they wanted to, that would only drive more people to Linux, which is free of charge, without silly license restrictions, and frankly no longer that bad (especially for home use and in situations where you don't need to be able to exchange files with other users of Microsoft Office). That would spread the word that one didn't actually need Windows, and that would be the worst possible outcome as far as Microsoft is concerned. It is better for Microsoft to tolerate a certain amount of illicit copying because it preserves the 95%+ market share that is so important to them, and at the end of the day that creates more revenue than is lost by people copying stuff that they wouldn't want to or be able to pay for in the first place.