• Fun fact: Lenovo sells some laptops without Windows license too. The amount saved will depend on the laptop and region. Unfortunately this isn’t available for all laptops.

      Example:

      Compatibility image link

      If you’re just buying a laptop/desktop normally, you’re paying this without realizing it.
      In this case, it’s 22.5% of the price.

      • kiranraine@reddthat.com
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        10 months ago

        Wish more did that tbh…esp as a tech person who MS and apple ran off with choices they made. Plus I like having more freedom on shiz to customize things more without risk it’ll break that easily(without a major yearly update withstanding but still not as often as windows…)

      • pancakesyrupyum@kbin.social
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        10 months ago

        Skimmed the US site. Unless I’m dumb, there’s no Non-Windows Key options on any products other than a Linux-variant that they currently up charge for.

        What a shithole company.

    • neomis@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      There are people selling oem keys on eBay for $5-$7. It’s too easy to buy a “legit” key at this point.

      • kopper [they/them]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        10 months ago

        but why would you when you can get it for free it’s not like ms is gonna give two fucks about you. they make their real $$ from business licenses

        • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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          10 months ago

          And it’s super easy to activate it while having pirated it

          Not to mention that Windows is basically completely functional without being activated

          • datwillpowerdo@lemm.ee
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            10 months ago

            And most of the stuff they disable can be reenabled via group policy. Only thing I need personally is dark mode.

      • nfh@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        But what’s the risk you’re buying keys purchased with stolen funds like on sketchy video game key resellers?

        • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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          10 months ago

          You lose your 5-7€ because the code doesn’t exist or has already been used.

          That literally is it.

          It is just a short string of letters and numbers, nothing nefarious can be done with that.

          • nfh@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            My concern was around situations where someone buys keys with a stolen credit card, and sells them as a form of money laundering.

            That feels nefarious, and not participating in marketplaces with a high likelihood of participating in money laundering seems like a good method of harm reduction.