John: I am sending you back in time.

Reese: To save Sarah Connor?

John: No, to bring me back a non ad-laden PC.

Terminator: [Breaks down door] I still love Vista, baby!


Taken from a feedback comment on:
https://forums.theregister.com/forum...ows_10_exiles/

Alternatively . . . .

John: No, to bring me back to when you bought software and didn't lease it.

frankbell,

I totally agree.

Unfortunately there is probably worse to come.

It is almost certain that Microsoft will go the way of Adobe, Google et al and introduce the subscription model, Software as a Service (SaaS), just like they already do with Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365).

Eventually W11 or W12 or Microsoft W365 (or whatever Microsoft decides to call it), will only be available via subscription, instead of a one-off payment which is included in the initial purchase price of a computer.

That will be the new reality for Windows users wishing to use Microsoft’s software.

Microsoft hints that Windows 11 could become a fully cloud-based subscription
service:
https://www.techspot.com/news/99227-...ke-windows-11-
cloud-based.html

Microsoft copies the Mafia business model as epitomised by Paulie in the Goodfellas.

Quote from Henry Hill:

I don't see the logic of that. The reason that everybody uses Windows is that it apparently comes free with your computer. Of course, you are in fact paying for it; the price of it is included in the overall price. But it feels free. You can get Linux for free too, but you will have to do some work downloading and installing it and learning how to use it. That's what economists call opportunity costs. Most people don't want to pay those when they already have a working "free" OS?

But if Windows is no longer "free", if users have to pay an ongoing subscription for it, a lot of people are going to decide that it isn't worth the cost. They will turn to Linux instead because Linux still comes free (as in free beer) and Windows doesn't any more.

If I were running Microsft, I wouldn't go down this path.

hazel,

Microsoft will follow that well-trodden SaaS path used by Adobe, Google et al because they are typical mega corporations who will try to extract as much cash as possible from their customers.

Even cars will follow it, you will need to pay for features time by time, otherwise they won't work.

"Driveabilty as a service."

Unfortunately, given how rapacious businesses have become, that notion is not nearly so unbelievable as I wish it were.

That is already happening for EV. EV cars are priced above ICE cars in most jurisdictions. However they have connected features which are now charged. There are packs which give certain functionality only if a subscription is taken. Batteries perform optimally only if a pack is subscribed too. Otherwise speed and range are reduced.

We are going to miss the good old ICE and gasoline engine days.

Moved to <General> now that it is open for posting. Remember 'NO Political Post of any kind'!

Yeah, the moment windows goes cloud/subscription totally, is when I ditch it completely.

In my family the last person running Windows was my 22 year old. I migrated her Dell laptop to Linux in April. It feels great to be M$ free!

So THAT is where my Altos 5G went! (MPM-II OS running up to 15 concurrent CP/M sessions on a boosted Z80)

Any reboot of something is highly windows related, lol.
Including the terminator one.

So when you buy a new computer in this brave new world, what exactly will it have on it? Just a thin client like a chromebook?

A "strong" thin client which will be able to run games or whatever you need as long as you pay for it. Yes. I guess.