What is the actual $l Value of Windows 10

[motherboard1]

Retail stores will have this OS for like $150 while I can apparently get keys on ebay for like $5.00. How/why, are these cheap Keys a scam or does Microsoft just want to trap me in their ecosystem and mine my data so hard that they are just about ready to pay me to install it?

Serious question though. Can I reasonably expect to find Windows 10 for $10 bucks?

 

[ihrsetrdr]

I don't use Windows, but I've heard that a person can use W10 "indefinitely" without providing an activation key number. Disclaimer: I am sure that non activation would violate the MS EULA, so....

 

[JLK03F150]

I've used this site to buy Windows 10 Pro OEM keys. So far two of the three keys have been used and activated without a problem.

https://www.urcdkey.com/microsoft-windows-10-pro-oem-cd-key-global_1966-20.html

 

[Alaric]

does Microsoft just want to trap me in their ecosystem and mine my data so hard that they are just about ready to pay me to install it?

Pretty well sums it up.
The sites selling licenses are operating outside the terms of Microsoft's EULA, absolutely. They're selling OEM keys at the retail level, which they are technically not allowed to do. However, M$ has allowed it for quite a while, and not just by those places. You can get OEM keys from newegg, Tiger Direct, etc.. Unless Microsoft decides to crack down on it by enforcing that section of their EULA it's relatively safe. Especially for Windows 10 which, as you noted, is more of a priority to distribute than sell because that's not where their money comes from.

 

[stompah]

Ebay is the best spot. I bought 2 keys, 1st for $3.40 and the 2nd for $1.99. Both keys have activated with no problem. To me a $10-20 key is just a sketchy as a $2 one.

 

[habbajabba]

In other words, nothing. That's pretty pathetic coming from MS.

 

[stompah]

In other words, nothing. That's pretty pathetic coming from MS.

Personal information is much more valuable than Win10 sales.

Look at Facebook. Their whole business model pivots on selling/using personal data. In 2017 their value passed the $500bn mark when Microsoft was at $571bn. Now MS has shifted their plan away from charging for software. Giving away Win10 away as a free upgrade and now caring little about how users get their version has increased their value to $851bn a year later. Nearly $300bn of growth in a year is hardly pathetic. While I know there is more to their growth than giving away free software. Motherboard1's comment about keeping people in their ecosystem carries a lot of weight.



Sources:
https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/27/investing/facebook-amazon-500-billion-bezos-zuckerberg/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46365239
https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/26/facebook-officially-loses-123-billion-in-value/

 

[Alaric]

No worse than Adobe trying to foist Chrome off on every Flash update. We teach 5 year olds not to take candy from strangers, grow up, and get in line for strangers on the internet to do the exact same thing.

 

[Mandrake4565]

No worse than Adobe trying to foist Chrome off on every Flash update. We teach 5 year olds not to take candy from strangers, grow up, and get in line for strangers on the internet to do the exact same thing.

Damn I knew I shouldn't have taken candy from you.....

 

[Alaric]

Well, now, bribes are a different story....

 

[habbajabba]

Free is always a good thing. Unless you're in jail lol.

 

[Alaric]

Well, there is the old adage, "You don't always get what you pay for, but you almost never get what you didn't pay for".

 

[storm-chaser]

Windows 10 is essentially free. If you are paying anything for licenses you are paying too much.

 

[wagex]

about tree fiddy.