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And this is treated as a bad thing?!
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Send only info about your device, its settings and capabilities, and whether it is performing properly.
In other words, even after turning off all the settings, your data still gets collected.
The rest of the installation process wasn't fun either. It was worded in this weird, condescending tone, like "Let's get everything set up for you", and "Let Cortana help you get things done!".
Thank goodness for FLOSS and GNU/Linux.
Oh, the people who don't use enterprise editions of Windows...
I'd buy it IF THEY WOULD SELL IT TO ME!
The best legal version of Windows I have figured out that you can actually buy as a regular consumer is Windows Server Essentials 2022. (maybe they're up to 2024 now?)
Server Essentials is regular Windows 10 GUI with absolutely no spyware, OneDrive, or pre installed ads hiding as shortcuts. It doesn't even require a TPM. The only nonsense that comes pre installed is Edge.
Updates are for 10 years minimum and they only install when you tell them to.
500$ for a Windows license just to have it not have bloat preinstalled? Hmm pass XD
Windows server obviously isn't intended for consumers so no, it's not cheap. The pricing for Windows Server datacenter is extremely high at 6 155 USD
Windows Server Essentials is $300. It is a cut down version of server. It's pretty much regular Windows that includes an extra Windows license for an extra VM. If for some reason you needed to run two copies of Windows legally, that brings the cost down to $150 per VM.
Yes I know what essentials edition is. I just wanted to point out that datacenter edition is very expensive because it's funny.
Btw, essentials is actually 500 USD and standard is 1070 USD
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/pricing
The price on the MS website isn't the price you can buy it in stores. For example MS lists Windows 11 as $139 when it's $119 at Newegg.
I bought Sever Essentials from Lenovo for $285.
Yeah, the price is lower if you buy the OEM versions.
I personally believe the msrp to be the actual price though.
It was $300. It's Server Essentials, not the full Server. Server Essentials doesn't have network controller or unlimited Windows VM licenses.
Buying Windows? What kind of lunacy is that?
I've been running so long with "Activate Windows" in the lower right corner on one of my computers that I don't even notice it anymore.
But for other PC's, as a rule, I don't pirate executables because of the virus risk.