cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/53923014

Did you donate today?

FCKGW

echo $1 | unzip

I'm so proud of Billy. 🥹

It's getting easier to get computers without Windows but for a while, it was nearly impossible. You didn't have to go out of your way to pay the license, as its price was conveniently included with the computer. No choice but to pay for the license.

In fact, there was even a movement demanding Microsoft to refund the price of the license, and protests.

Unfortunately it's still very common to pay the Microsoft tax when someone buys a new computer. Most people pay for it whether they want it or not.

RHQQ2

Those letters rang a bell, but I couldn't place them. DuckDuckWent and it turns out they're the first block of my Win7 registration key.

There are 2 options

1. Linux
2. Putting windows in massgrave where it belongs

Even though GrapheneOS is not a Linux distribution, I still wire them 100€ just because how awesome the OS is.

I have never paid for windows in the 30 years I've been building and using PCs. It just never felt worth it. I have however happily donated to the dev team of each linux distro I've used for as long as I used it. Right now that means a hundred bucks a year to Glorious Eggroll. I've already spent more on Nobara than a windows key would cost me and I don't regret it one bit.

The trick to avoiding this if you can't build a rig yourself is to find a shop thats independent from any of the big corps and tell them very clearly you will not be using windows on it. They tend to hate dealing with microsoft too. There's a shop in Toronto(PC Shop computers) I send friends to for this very reason. They'll knock 100 bucks off a new machine and breathe a sigh of relief for the time and money you saved them.

I paid 3€ for a Windows7 licence from eBay once. Worked fine for years, until proton became good enough to finally move my gaming rig to Linux

Thanks, greymarket OEM sellers

DDTPV-TXMX7-BBGJ9-WGY8K-B9GHM

...When I'm 90 and trying to remember my own damn social security number, this stupid activation key is going to be the only thing I can come up with. I can see it already. I have no idea how many Windows 2000 machines I used it on, but there was at least one corporate deployment involved so it was a lot.

Not today, but I donate when I install or reinstall.
Usually just about $50. Cause I'm old and that's what OS's used to cost.

Technically speaking, GrapheneOS does use the Linux kernel. Because that, I think GrapheneOS is a Linux distro in my book.

I'm saying this because some people don't consider AOSP a Linux distribution.

Never remembered the Win2000 key, worked flawlessly without need to reinstall unlike 98. Until XP came out. Then I had to install XP on so many machines, I learned the key by heart. 😅

Understandable.