Open source is the future.  IMHO eventually all information will be free,
including OS's and software.  M$ has a big market right now, and fortunate
for them Linux hasn't been easy to use for the layman.  One day open source
will surpass M$, and all they'll have left to prop themselves up on is NTFS
and their other proprietary hardware layers.  The internet lets the good
people of the world unite and create things that couldn't otherwise be
possible.  Imagine developing open source by mailing stacks of floppies
around... lol.  Enter gigabit+ internet, exit $1000 software licenses.  The
things that will generate income will be support, hardware, and security.

But until then, Windows is objectively superior in terms of ease of use /
installation, and maintenance.  Hence they can charge for it.

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