I still have Windows for multiplayer games (everything else is done on Linux). When I built this desktop, I had to buy a Windows 11 license. It wasn't free. My laptop's old license did not transfer.

OEMs have to pay Microsoft for Windows licenses on prebuilt Windows computers.

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>>Why do they allow the Crap And Turds department to piss all over their work?

>Because Windows is a free-in-practice product and it needs/wants a revenue stream.

Windows is not free. It's because 2 revenue streams are better than one revenue stream. If your goal is to make money, why wouldn't you? (To answer my own question, it's short term thinking that will eventually drive people away from your product).