Windows 12 May Require a Subscription

Microsoft would really help Linux out if they did this.

I'm looking forward to the Year of the Linux desktop ™️

Remember when Microsoft said that Windows 10 would be the last edition?

I don't believe for one bit that windows will move to a pure subscription based model. They are greedy, but not stupid.

What's more believable is that the base OS will be the same as usual, but if you want fancy AI assistants in your OS, you must subscribe, with the justification being that MS must pay for the servers running the models you're using.

The idea that windows would require a subscription for an OS pisses me off more than I thought.

Good way for them to guarantee a exodus of people switching their OS.

Time to contribute heavily to Linux open source and make Linux desktops super useful to everyone.

Incredibly unlikely to happen to home versions. MAYBE "pro" could be subscription, but I assume this will be a paid support model instead.

Because Microsoft's market share comes from everyone pirating copies and getting free copies from university. It is the same reason Apple has so many discounts for students and position themselves as "required for art"

Because when those people enter the corporate world? It is easier to support the OS that people sort of know how to use and like.

So yeah, there is almost zero chance of consumer grade windows requiring a subscription. And any outlet that would even entertain the thought mostly shows itself to not understand the market.

I have used Windows for a decade now and keep using it because my workflows and the application support are there. But as someone that uses Linux on my server, has tried out Linux desktops, and uses WSL, I can confidently say that I am gone if they start charging me a subscription. It will be annoying as hell but just like leaving Reddit I am willing to give up some niceties to keep my money and my morals.

So does Linux, I subscribe to the Arch rss feed, which is the operating system I use btw.

So the year of the Linux desktop is finally happening

The rise of Linux is upon us

With this subscription, the year of the Linux desktop will finally be here.

I knew sooner or later they'd push me to Linux, but that'd do it alright

I know there's always someone evangelizing Linux when you mention Windows anything, but when Microsoft requires a subscription for Windows is the day I will actually move to Linux.

This might finally provide the momentum to switch to Linux.

"We'll shut down your computer after this quick message from our sponsor!"

I can confirm if Windows ever required a subscription I'd be swapping to Linux so fast. So Fast.

Good thing I've been learning to use linux for the past couple of years, if they double down on this I'll switch permanently, just got to find a distro I like because I haven't been able to find anything that just "works" without eventually having to open the terminal for one reason or another.

I would switch to Linux.... Gaming has gotten much better on it thanks to proton.

Would fit in with the fact that Microsoft has just patched the remote activation exploit that was used for years.

I actually rather like win 10. Win 11 I'm holding off on until they fix the taskbar.

If they go subscription, I go Ubuntu.

Sometimes moneygrubbing shareholders do us a favor by steering companies into implementing terrible policies. If Reddit wouldn't have been so greedy with it's treatment of third-party app developers most of use wouldn't be on Lemmy right now. If Microsoft forces Windows users to pay a subscription I think it sends more people away from closed-source garbage and into the arms of the open source community. I've enjoyed watching Reddit implode, hopefully I get to watch a similar show from our friends at Microsoft.

Uhhhhh....

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/no-of-course-windows-12-wont-require-a-subscription-to-use

I will happily just not use it. My desktop usage is already 99% Linux, and it has been for considerable amount of time too. The only thing holding me back is my Destiny 2 guild. The moment that is allowed through Proton, I will be removing the partition completely

Linux. Again. Install Linux

Ubuntu Linux Debian Linux Fedora Linux Pop!os linux Arch Linux for all i care

Install Linux, stop accepting this bullshit from Microsoft. ALL of their software sucks, they care more about marketing and pulling money out of your pocket than actually giving quality software.

Open source software blows everything Microsoft out of the water, stop accepting the bullshit

Maybe this isn’t for personal editions.

I’d suspect Microsoft would prefer to move personal editions to being mostly perpetual and OEM licenses, while a subscription service for business/enterprise makes more sense. Windows licensing for business is a nightmare and a per-install subscription model could be much simpler to manage while still offering good breaks under Enterprise Agreements and putting license and support under one annual sku.

ETA: Also, worth remembering that “Windows 365” is a thing and it’s very useful for DaaS. Term-based licensing makes tons of sense for DaaS/Cloud Desktop/VDI environments.

And actually, that could make a lot of sense in a future home/personal market with purpose built thin clients. Or perhaps even a set top box. Maybe, even, the Series S. A small monthly/annual fee to to make your Series S into a full-fledged desktop PC, sounds like a hell of a deal to me.

Not even confirmed but people here are already losing their mind.

Bahahaha okay. Linux here we come!

I have ran GNU/Linux since the early 1990s. Practically since it first existed. Distributions like MuLinux, Yellowdog Linux, Slackware, Debian, etc. This generally has lead to multiple difficulties. Sometimes I had to dual boot to get around said difficulties. Around 2010, I got good enough with WINE, software work arounds and alternatives that I didn't need to dual boot anymore. I did like to play various games still back then, but around 2010 Valve's GNU/Linux support was improving (unless my memory deceives me)

This post has made me feel that for the first time, all that struggle was worth it, heh.

On a side note, there's some sort of dark irony with personal ownership dying under capitalism. I feel like the majority of us hate all these subscriptions models, but we keep playing along .vs. becoming cave hermits.

Generally curious how many people that have clung to Windows largely due to gaming have made the switch or plan to make the switch now that Valve has done such great work with Proton. I know I am certainly considering it and this is the kind of thing that will expedite that.

Looks like the push I'll need to finally move all my gaming over to a Linux box.

"Windows 12 is now included with game pass ultimate "

After seeing what the Steam Deck does with Windows emulation for games, my interset in having a windows gaming computer is barely hanging on.

This would 100% influence my next gaming computer to shy away from Windows 12

Fuck that noise

I don't even want windows 11. What makes them think I'm gonna actively buy and pay a subscription for Windows 12. Linux exists and I will absolutely buy a computer, wipe it and put a Linux distro on it. Microsoft is way too invested in this subscription nonsense.

A subscription really would push me to linux. I already prefer it at work anyway.

I am not convinced this will make people switch to Linux btw. That has been said about every new Windows edition. Especially in case of an ad supported free tier (as the article mentions as possibility). Then most consumers will just use that.

Sign me up! I need yet another monthly subscription!

Hmm, I’ll be running Windows 10 after EOL then. I won’t pay for Adobe subscriptions, I won’t pay for ANY monthly subscriptions. I will license lifetime software with 1 year of updates but that software works after the update phase has passed.

That feel when you just moved to Linux and you still enjoy Halo and Forza.

And Windows 12 will become business use only.

edit, i only see this being the case for an enterprise version tied to azure ad. There will still be a retail version.

They’re seemingly making windows less and less enterprise friendly. Which I thought was their bread and butter. It’s crazy since they’re not even competing with other OS on a price level. Linux is free and MacOS is free but with hardware. It’s like MS is purposely tanking Windows I don’t get it.

I've started to transition into linux to prepare for the future. It's been good so far.

I'm only on windows because it's easier for my setup and game support. The second that becomes costly or annoying is when I nuke my C drive and reinstall Mint. I used to use it as my daily before I started gaming heavily, I can easily go back.

I’m just so sick of it. God I miss the early 2000s era of just about everything.

autokms is gonna get a lot more popular if microsoft do this

Looks like M$ really got to like Linux! It does everything to promote it! :D

Guess it's time for templeOS then?

I mean, how the hell wouldn't it? What's more surprising to me is that they didn't do this with 11. Everyone is totally used to this model at this point and while we all hate it, it's become the accepted way of living for most tech products now. If you are a big corporation and can get away with making customers rent your product instead of buy it, you are going to make so much more money. Of course they will choose this.

I'm somewhat amused by the fact that lots of people are suggesting Linux as an alternative but can't agree on which flavor to use as the alternative.

Don't get me wrong, I think Linux is awesome, but this is the problem. You're never going to get the saturation necessary to bring average consumers over in significant numbers until they have a clear choice.

This has already been debunked.

This is good news for everyone.

I would definitely pay a subscription for windows 12 if hell froze over and it was the only operating system on Earth. I have very little experience with Linux, limited entirely to my steam deck, and it certainly hasn't been awful. It isn't what most of us are used to but it's not like it's completely insane and unusable.

Hello Linux my old friend..........

I would assume that the subscription they found is similar to existing subscription models for enterprise like E5, which includes Windows 11. I doubt this will get to the consumer level.

They can't even consistently get people to pay for one time and they're expecting a subscription? Lol they're massively out of touch.

Bye bye Windows, bye bye

Ha! They can blow me all the way to my full Linux conversion at that point.

How to lose marketshare speedrun?

That will be the final kick in the pants I need to switch to QubesOS. How much fucking money do they actually need?

If they do this. I'm going to use WINE on QubesOS...but then again. If the only penalty for not paying is ads, there's going to be ways of blocking those.

I have been using computers since before there was an internet. I have used DOS and now Windows 10. Is there a good place to learn about Linux with a GUI and which one I should purchase? I'm so tired of M$.

Edit: I am primarily a PC gamer that uses Steam and this is what has kept me from using another OS in the past.

Windows was kind of cool until Windows XP (Windows 2000 was also really good), because at the time you felt like you had software where you could see that lots of engineering went into it, and most importantly that you could feel you owned (EULA-aside obviously): you pay once for the license and it's done, the OS is immediately usable. Recent Windows versions went through enshittification and Microsoft now harasses you from time to time to join their online services. Even on the first boot you immediately get harassed to create a Microsoft account and allow them to use your data, and you need to say no many times. Microsoft still makes you feel like you aren't done paying.

It's frankly hilarious how Microsoft is killing its own product. Windows went from something that used to be good and felt like a real software engineering product (Windows 2000 and XP) to something now that feels like a sketchy malware-infused phone app.

Subscriptions need to fuck off. I made a stand a few months ago. I will not subscribe to anything at all unless i'm getting INSANE value.

Cancelled streaming, random apps, patreon etc. I now have usenet and backblaze b2 for about £3 a month each. Saving me a fortune 🏴‍☠️🦜

I L O L from Linux.

I doubt that Windows 12 itself will require a subscription. There will probably be a subscription for all the AI trash Micro$oft has been implementing into the OS.

I've seen some people saying that there's no way Microsoft is this stupid. Some really, really, really obviously bad choices (see: Wizards of the Coast's OGL debacle) have been made because MBAs got greedy and convinced themselves it would be fine. I find it hard to believe that Microsoft would fuck up this badly, but it's not out of the spectrum of possibility. What I think is more likely is that this is one of those 'leaks' where they're testing the public reaction, like when Wizards leaked the changes to the OGL via journalists. Hopefully (or not, if you're a Linux fan) Microsoft plays it smarter than Wizards, because Wizards saw the immense public backlash, gave the sorriest corporate half apology ever, and then proceeded to double down, and it blew up in their face big time.

I'm probably going to get flammed for this, so let me just say I'm already a Linux user.

We need to cool our jets here. Windows 12 isn't even confirmed yet, and there's no proof that it will require a subscription. That being said, a subscription service isn't necessarily a bad thing if it will allow users to have access to features they need, or replace other existing subscription services like xbox game pass, cloud storage, media, etc...

If only Photoshop and After Effects worked on Linux / Wine I wouldve switched long ago..

I don't think this is anyway a serious option. They aren't idiots.

I mean, Windows has been basically free(as in beer, of course) for some time now. I don't think this will gravely affect personal users. I don't think they're stupid enough to actually expect personal users to understand SUBSCRIPTION OS. Maybe Enterprise edition gets the subscriptions model for the support?

Either way, Windows sucks. Surface laptops are real great though.

Microsoft please make the default OS a subscription. I want what happened to Reddit+Lemmy+etc to happen to Windows+Linux

Proton will be ready by then.

Yeah, I'll just get Linux.

They are doing the same with Windows that they did with Office. Win12 will come as either one time purchase or subscription based but over the course of 10 years they'll push harder and harder on getting people into the subscription version. Once it has enough uptake, and it will get there, they will then start pushing the "Why run it on local hardware when you can put it in our cloud and access it from anywhere?".

They're already doing the Virtual Desktop thing in both M365 and Azure now so it'll be a pretty easy transition when comes.

Honestly OneDrive is actually very good as far as cloud storage platforms go. It just works. I paid for a subscription for a few years.

But starting around the 1000th time Microsoft tried to install even more bloatware I started looking for alternatives. For the low low price of "spend a few minutes learning about Tailscale" and buying a few extra hard drives, I've got 24TB of storage. My most important stuff gets encrypted locally and backed up to B2. I use Immich to manage my photos, so now I dropped my Google Drive subscription as well. Still on the fence about Nextcloud's office suites but LibreOffice works great.

The only reason I still use Win11 is because gaming on Linux still has some issues with the games I play.

It's Linux time then.

And then Linux will finally get the attention it has always deserved.

My desktop PC kicked the bucket after 10 years a few months back and I ended up using my Steam Deck as my primary computer for about a month. In that time I learned that Linux isn't so bad.

If forced to either pay a subscription for Windows or switch to Linux the choice seems simple for me at this point.

the only reason why I still using windows is gaming. give me a platform where I can use steam and gog and I will not be touching windows ever again if not in a professional capacity.

Fuck subscription models

This will be the first day in years I will try to make gaming work on Linux once again.

I hardly think MS is going this route. It maybe for AI stuff they are pushing in the OS and not the OS itself

This is great for linux, but I think many laptops come with a protected BIOS that won't allow you to boot other OS's what do you guys do in this case? Also, correct me if I'm wrong!

At this rate I'm gonna be on 10 for forever

@billiam0202

Windows is nothing but a nightmare. It's privacy invasive, uses too much resources, breaks 24 7, has a boring UI, limited customization, more susceptible to viruses than any other OS, etc...

People should just switch over to Linux IMO.

I'll just use the pirated versions with the malware ripped off of it, thank you. Tiny11 is a beauty to run already.

I don't really know how your gonna sell people on this exactly. Like people will just stop buying laptops. The average person just buys a laptop at walmart in the desired size, from any brand. They don't even really think about windows. I just don't really see this working for anyone. What will end up happening is Chromebooks will overtake the laptop market if microsoft goes all in on this.

Ahoy Mateys 🏴‍☠️

yep i guessed it end of windows 11 will begin growing of linux

I would happily subscribe to an operating system for a fair price, as long as it's stable, compatible, has timely security updates and - and I highly doubt MS will do this one - without any bloat-, nag- or crapware. Make your default browser a browser, not a spying shopping coupon Bing AI mess. Let me choose the search engine the start menu uses (or use none at all), stop telling me to sign into OneDrive every chance you get, fuck off with your widgets, etc.

If I pay, you have no business trying to fuck me over, Microsoft.

Lmao!

Look at reactOS for a redo of golden-age windows.

I can't imagine this is entirely true. I bet they will charge for advanced features

Please do this microchumps

Microsoft would be as stupid as your typical League of Legends player for going down that route. Doing this would be an own-goal and would give Linux market share instantly.

So basically, finally Linux time? I actually like Windows but I ain't putting up with that shit.

As much as I'd like a Linux rise from this, I think it's not unlikely Google will make a desktop OS (not the half done chrome OS.

I dare them to try

Good thing that not one OS is Windows in our household and workshop.

There is literally no advantage in using Windows anymore for us.

Laughing in Debian 12

Wondering how will F2P games with anti-cheat react to the news. Knowing that much of their player base may jump ship to Linux to avoid the subscription fees, will they relent and start using less invasive anti-cheat programs, or will they try to adapt specific versions of Wine / Proton to work in rooted mode?

Windows 12? Did they ever explicitly revoke the "Windows 10 will be the last"?

I thought 11 was an exception die to the hardware requirements.

But I guess any big enough change can be a new reason for the next.

Fck them. Fck all subscription models. I ended every subscriptions which I was forced into apart from proton ecosystem which is worth 10$ monthly to me. Either I own it or go fck yourself.

There ins no fcking way I'd pay monthly subscription for social networks.. 🤣

I want to see MICROSOFT burning along with streaming services, not only for the subscriptions they want to offer, but because they think they can do what ever they want, and that we will say yes and hand them the money! (harsh I know) What they want to achieve with subscription idea? profit monthly ? make more money than before? Yet people can install linux, but in our side as linux users, we have to provide safe interaction in linux environment to new uers.

Too sad that there is not the Office suite for Linux because it's really powerful
(I do use Open and LibreOffice at work. Personally they are mostly worse in comparison.)

Besides that I don't have a high dependance except for games. And looking at my SteamDeck it's not a high dependency.
If Steam can solve the anticheat and maybe even releases SteamOS as a desktop distro it would be very tempting to switch if I can't get anything else than a subscription or a free key.

Fair enough. Give me a clean windows without ads, auto installs from the store, telemetry and other data theft, Cortana/copilot/clippy, onedrive, edge, teams, Microsoft account and nag screens and I will gladly pay 1€ per month. Otherwise, Linux it is.

Steamdeck ahoy, then. The only reason I have a Windows box at all is for gaming.

So there is already a thing with Windows 11 where you can, as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription, upgrade your Windows 11 machine from Pro to Enterprise.

The idea of having the base OS be a subscription is really just a stones throw away.

... but the Pro -> Ent activation process is really a PITA and often randomly PC's will revert back to Pro after they've been ugpraded, so I guess we'll have fun with that.

I hope so the Linux adoption can grow up

I'll switch to fucking Apple before I pay a subscription for Windows.

You can already purchase Windows through a subscription. Windows Business and Windows Enterprise are 365 subscription based editions.

Microsoft can suck the juices out of my ass and thank me for it.

Hopefully this is just some business related version and not for standard consumers

BWahahahahaaaaaa! Ahhhh shoot that’s funny.

That’s the most Microsoft thing ever.

We need to support true open hardware or less ACPI-WIndows first one. MS can do whatever they want with their OS BUT it should not mess with hardware.

I expected Framework to be a FOSS first laptop but eventually, it just became a wintel derivative.

At which point I guess I get a steamdeck? The only reason I have a windows box at all is for gaming.

Ok and I'll just crack it like I do with every other windows version.

Once I paid $250 for Windows pro and a month later my licence key stopped working, and Microsoft didn't do shit.

I even bought it directly from them!

Never paid money for Windows since.

If it ends being true, Linux will grow exponentially, but again, Microsoft and other companies will collect more money from people with limited knowledge and/or lack of time to search for other options. Ugh.

at this point is there even a reason to use windows? I genuinely want to know from windows users, why are you still on this operating system?

for many years (since windows 8.1) I switched to using only linux (and at times macos), and I have never regretted my decision; what keeps you using this hellish platform?

Guess Microsoft is set on enshittifying itself to death like a sort of disgusting business dysentery.

IF there is going the be a subscription based windows version, it's most likely going the be the cloud version of Windows 11

already on linux. The only reason i ever load windows is my capture card doesn't work with linux yet (so like 2 times a month) this is how windows dies

They should make everything subscription corporations cant have enough money.

Maybe this will finally convince the world to move to Linux Mint

Aha-a-haha-hahahaHa!!!! Oh lord, that's so dumb.

Id rather be a femboy then use subscription windows

Please don't make me go back to Linux. Linux has become an unusable clusterfuck of bugs, poorly implemented trash, and garbage over the last several years and after using it since the late 90s through a few years back when it was good, I've recently decided to free myself from it because I couldn't take it any more. I've accepted that Windows is the only OS that has itself together these days (fuck Apple and its trash, overpriced, hardware-tied OS, fuck the extremely limited ChromeOS, fuck NODRIVERS *BSD, and especially goddamn fuck horrible user interface crappy system mobile OSes), so if Microsoft makes some shit moves to make their OS unusable, I'm just going to throw all the computers in the trash and go live in the wilderness in a shack chopping wood.

Is it possible to invest in Linux?