References to subscription 'edition,' 'type,' and 'status' found in a test build of Windows.

[A]n INI configuration file in the Windows Canary channel, discovered by German website Deskmodder, includes references to a “Subscription Edition,” “Subscription Type,” and a “subscription status.”

  • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    27·
    1 year ago

    There might be a subscription option or a subscription tier with a windows suite like office and stuff included in it, but for normal windows OS, they’re decades away from going to a subscription only model, at best.

    • cmbabul@lemmy.worldEnglish
      261·
      1 year ago

      I imagine they’ll split it into an enterprise version and then multiple consumer tiers, with a “free/lite” version with ads and progressively more function or less ads. Folks that dont use a computer for more than web browsing will jump on that

      • Norgur@kbin.social
        11·
        1 year ago

        might as well be that they change their licensing model for businesses to some sort of Subscription. The resale of volume keys has been a pain in their butt for a long time.

        • cmbabul@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          1 year ago

          That honestly makes sense B2B, wouldn’t hate that as a policy but I do dislike it on the consumer front. But I’ll never use windows personally again so I really only care for how it affects the rest of the computing world

      • Crackhappy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        31·
        1 year ago

        Too true brother. I went from decades to years to months to weeks to, ah fuck… tomorrow?

    • Neato@kbin.social
      41·
      1 year ago

      Why? They could roll out W12 with subscription-only plans. Besides the contracts they currently have that specify a specific amount of security updates for X years, they can let W11 and previous versions die. No more updates besides what they need to protect themselves.

      It’s not like governments and businesses will balk. They already pay a premium for Windows licenses and they’d probably get deals, anyways. Average home users might not upgrade, but all new PCs sold will have W12 and require a subscription if you want to be able to use most of the features.

      This is what happens by not breaking up MS more or imposing penalties for anti-competitive behavior.

    • hamsterkill@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I could see them releasing hardware that’s tied to a subscription that Windows would track, perhaps, or offering subscription as a payment model for Windows.

      You’re right, though I can’t see a straight migration to subscription-only happening. They haven’t even gotten Office to subscription-only yet, despite their wish to.