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Random thought: Windows is largely successful because of Piracy (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by people_are_cute@lemmy.sdf.org to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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Windows as a software package would have never been affordable to individuals or local-level orgs in countries like India and Bangladesh (especially in the 2000's) that are now powerhouses of IT. Same for many SE Asian, Eastern European, African and LatinoAmerican countries as well.

Had the OS been too difficult to pirate, educators and local institutions in these countries would have certainly shifted to Linux and the like. The fact that Windows could be pirated easily is the main factor that led to its ubiquity and allowed it to become a household name. Its rapid popularity in the '00s and early '10s cemented its status as the PC operating system. It is probably the same for Microsoft Office as well (it is still a part of many schools' standard curricula).

The fact that Windows still remains pirateable to this day is perhaps intentional on Microsoft's part.

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[-] puppy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Unless the work is only using a web browser, you need programs and stuff,

My employer is a sizeable tech firm that uses the Microsoft suite. The irony is that developers use WSL because the software they need are on Linux. We haven't switched to Linux just because the IT department doesn't know shit about managing a Linux fleet of devices. They haven't bothered to get the training/certificates because Windows is the status quo for big corps. This will stay this way until the next gen of sys admins form the majority, I guess.

this post was submitted on 28 Oct 2023

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