average people are, don't count people who visit HN as average not at all, what I mean by average is most people that use something like games, media production etc
they dont have a choice because windows still has best ecosystem in this respective areas
And how is any of this stupid? It makes them more money. Short term? Apple has existed as an alternative since the beginning of Windows 1.0 and has a tiny fraction of the market but a much higher monetization rate. After 40 years and dozens of competitors they still are on top despite hundreds of examples of alleged stupid anti-user behavior. Windows 12 requiring a subscription is only stupid if making money is stupid.
> Windows 12 requiring a subscription is only stupid if making money is stupid
Making money short-term at the price of making sustainable money long-term is stupid. Microsoft is not Apple, so if this really is their goal, I'm glad I sold my stocks high.
If this really is their strategy, it's incredibly short sighted. I doubt it is though. These guys have been in the game for a lot longer than most, they're not stupid.