What if they're not?

What if it really is economically better for Microsoft to "double dip" and try to monetize Windows beyond its purchase price?

Of course they are. It's just not practicle to track long-term consumer sentiment around Microsoft, and life-time customer spending. So they track something else and convince themselves it's close enough.

I think you raise a very important point. What if it's economically better for you to let men have sex with your wife for money? If you _don't_ do this, you're just sitting on untapped value.

Not a fan of the analogy, I like to think that would be her own decision, not her partner's.

Anyway, companies are capitalist entities, so all that ultimately matters for them is to make more money. The majority of decisions happen along the axis of short term revenue vs long term revenue (e.g. not ruining your brand, not getting fined etc).

In an environment of insecurity and fear, I've seen companies focus more on the short term, since it's less speculative. But it sure doesn't look very good from the outside.

She has the choice to get a divorce just like I have the choice to not use Windows.