Why doesn't Microsoft take action on the millions of pirated copies of Windows?

Why doesn't Microsoft take action on the millions of pirated copies of Windows?

Because nobody would use their products then. They'd instantly lose 30% desktop users.

They understand that their extremely lean approach to pirated copies of windows was a tremendous contribution to the popularity of their platform.

It was what allowed them to get hold of almost (like 90%+) entire desktop market.

Windows was always a product oriented at 3rd party software.
They knew that letting people pirate it was the only way of becoming a monopoly and thus getting all relevant 3rd party software companies focused on supporting your product and by that increasing the attractiveness of it.

Enterprise/companies (the milking cows) will always pay for legal copies. That's what matters.

They would suddenly have only 40% of the market share they have currently, if not less. Which would hurt them in the long run.

>Enterprise/companies (the milking cows) will always pay for legal copies. That's what matters.
This. They're actually pretty strict on corporate piracy and hands off on personal. Windows 10 by default as well as some other programs like Security Essentials and Defender already scan for pirated software. This is mostly a feature for them to track piracy in enterprise not in the home (yet).

In some countries like China illegitimate software probably makes up the vast majority of Microsoft's marketshare. If they tried to crack down on them they might end up going after innocent people who happened to buy illegitimate software and didn't know the difference. It's a huge waste of resources and makes Microsoft look bad. It's easier and more profitable for Microsoft to sue businesses who use fakes of their software rather than end users.

The company is wealthy enough without it.

Microsoft diversified its activity too much, attacking pirates after 20 years could hurt every branch of the company.

Pirated windows is basically advertising

Then Linux would become relevant on desktop too, which is currently the only place windows is winning. With all the effort put into making Linux more accessible it would truly become the year of Linux desktop a year or two after windows bans illegal copies.

Good question. I think Windows 10 is so shit because many don't pay for it. They had to reduce the costs for updates, so every Windows gets the same (forced) updates now. Also they "had" to build in ads to generate more money and I can imagine that they made all this botnet to make the user data to money somehow. So they make money by the user and not the OS itself.
Possibly they only want to make MORE money and actually could make a good OS by the amount of people who pay for their OS.
Companies for example have to pay for Windows or they must pay high fines.

Interesting topic. I'm thankfully that's so easy (too easy) to activate Windows.

>1/4 at least of Windows users switch to Linux or buy Macs
>New software is releasef for Linux and OSX instead of Windows
>Microsoft loses literally it's only weapon, exclusive software compatibility
>Windows is dead
>Year of the Linux Desktop

Microsoft has not cared about piracy for a very long time. It's very common sense. Look at how they never check for hardware, or even if the Key itself has been ever used, you can just re-install on an entirely new machine and nothing will happen (provided you don't mix Home with Pro, or you don't use an obscure laptop-only version or something rare like that).
It would be REALLY easy for them to make your life hard in re-using a key or plain pirating.
The conclusion is easy, they literally promote the free distribution of Windows 100%.

They'd rather have people using pirated Windows than another OS entirely.

They actually do check the hardware with OEM copies or least they did I don't know if they still do that. The keys for OEM copies are in the mobo so you can't change them without invalidating your key.

If they aren't willing to buy Windows why would they ever buy overpriced Macs? Those who don't buy windows will either go through extreme measures to get it for free or switch to Linux.

Because taking legal action against millions of home users is too expensive.

This isn't aimed at consumers though. It's done so computer shops don't fuck them over.

I'm pretty sure that's only a Laptop thing and possibly they are sold cheap in bulk. Yeah user above might have a point, that you can't just steal them off shops.
Bottom line is I have a key from a University and it works since Vista to 10 on like 2 or 3 different (completely different) machines since then.

Yeah or just so you can't lift them off the laptop shops that have them on display.

I think Microsoft completely lost control over their product activation stuff. Vista was a complete disaster so they were forced to offer free upgrades for 7 as compensation to people who got screwed over. After that they tried to make 8 work but it flopped, and then they just said "fuck it" and let everyone from 7-8 get an "upgrade" to 10. Of course 7 users included a lot of people who still had keys from the Vista years, so Microsoft has apparently been forced to keep the same series of keys in use for like 10 straight.

10 years straight*

>New software is releasef for Linux and OSX instead of Windows
>Year of the Linux Desktop

it's nigh impossible with fragmentation more severe than birdshot ammo after leaving the barrel

Ubuntu have a chance though.

>fragmentation
There are literally 3 relevant distribution types
>debain based
>arch based
>SUSE based
Anything working on Debian will work on distros derived from it (aka Ubuntu/Mint/Zorin/Elementary/SteamOS...). Fragmentation isn't a problem when it's non existent. Majority of linux normies use debian distributions. So as said, Ubuntu (and it's direct derivatives) would be able to pull it off.

Well, its like software like Photoshop. Adobe doesn't try hard to protect Ps because that way students and (poor) people can teach themselves using it for free, before buying it for work. Same goes for Windows, if its what you've used your whole life, you're gonna end up buying it.

Because the billions of third worlders will switch from xp to linux ending ms monopoly.

cause controlling the ecosystem and having a monopoly are more valuable than windows licenses in the long run

>XP
XP is only used in companies, and they pay Microsoft money. Nobody runs it on desktop except people who do it for the lulz xd. What you mean is billions of people will switch from 7 to linux.