Everything is turning into disgusting subscription services. Most recently I saw home printers that required a monthly subscription service in order to print.

So, how long before Windows is a subscription? They have already brought ads into Windows.

Yes, I think I’ll sign up for the…hm, the “Casual Gamer” tier, which allows 2 hours per week of gaming. Although I could always watch an ad to unlock 30 more minutes.

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    It already is.

    For years, I was predicting that the TPM 2.0 requirement for 11 was going to mean that Microsoft would end up extending the security update end-of-life for years, just like they ended up doing with Windows 7.

    However, what I didn’t predict was that instead of making that available to everyone like they did with 7, they’re now going to make consumers pay for the benefit of continued security updates on Windows 10. They’re just using it as an opportunity to demand more money.

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates

    Individuals or organizations who elect to continue using Windows 10 after support ends on October 14, 2025, will have the option of enrolling their PCs into a paid ESU subscription. The ESU program enables PCs to continue to receive critical and important security updates through an annual subscription service after support ends. The Microsoft Security Response Center defines the severity rating for security updates.

    They used to only charge organizations for this, now they’ve decided the regular users have gotta pay, too.

    • krellor@kbin.social
      3·
      1 year ago

      All the way back to Windows NT Microsoft sold extended support for business customers while security updates stopped to the home customer. For the past several major releases Microsoft has a five year mainstream release, 5 year extended support, and then a paid extended period for business. That was the same for Windows 7 as far as I can tell. Honestly, it seems like selling individual esu’s is giving the individual more options. I mean, I don’t get it personally. But if I had some reason to absolutely stay on Windows 10, I would appreciate the option to pay for security updates for years 11, 12, 13+ of the OS.

      That being said, I’m not sure who these people are that both love Windows 10 to the point of staying with it past regular support, loath Windows 11, and don’t want to give Linux a try. Like, barring weird technical requirements, that’s a Venn diagram that I just can’t square.

      And I’m aware of the shenanigans Windows 11 pulls, but also know the savvy or opinionated user can disable most anything undesirable that makes it different from Windows 10. It’s a bit clicky, but you can disable or hide most things. And if it’s the principle of the thing… Get thee to a nixery!