Quote:
Originally Posted by frolinmod
Just remember that it is free to you, therefore you are not their intended customer...
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That's not really the case.
Firstly, direct retail sales of Windows (either as a purchase for a new install, or as an upgrade to an older licence) was always a tiny percentage of sales volume - the real cash cow is for OEM licences for new machines, and you will STILL pay for a Windows 10 licence when you buy a new PC / laptop. (And you'll pay for the Windows 10 upgrade if you don't take the free upgrade within the first year.) I think the reason for the free upgrade is basically an acknowledgement that Microsoft got it totally wrong with Windows 8 / 8.1, which people stayed away from in droves; this is their best bet at getting a large part of the Windows user-base back onto the current iteration of the OS.
Secondly, the OS is just the "host" for sales of other software and services. (Google seems to do OK by giving away the Android OS, but selling other services, and taking a cut of every purchase on the Play Store; Windows 10 doesn't ship with a native DVD player - but Microsoft will sell you one for $15.) THAT'S where Microsoft will be making their real money from Windows.