Sounds about right.

Windows and Office are incredibly easy to generate an activation key for using MASgrave. As I understand it, it tricks MS into giving you a valid Windows key, but the Office side does some trickery to fake activation.

Either way, very easy and no need to install shady cracked versions. Just install like normal then use MASgrave after.

If you want to go more legit for any reason, you can find OEM key resellers for Windows (and for Office too I think). OEM Windows keys are only good for one install, but they're also only around $30.

There's also a ton of benefits to installing Windows yourself instead of using the manufacturer's version with even more added bloatware from the manufacturer. There's a lot you can do to roll back Microsoft's bullshit through customizing the installer ISO yourself. Unfortunately it's pretty technical though. Not something easily explained in a single comment.

As a note to myself: When I get around to upgrading to Windows 11, record all the shit I do so there's at least something vaguely reputable for the community instead of bits of good info across tons of otherwise crap SEO spam articles. Remember to cite the sources too.

Here's my advice for Installing Windows:
When getting an ISO from M$, select "English International" even if you're in the US, to avoid a lot of bloatware.
Use Chris Titus' Winutil. It's open source and really easy to use.
- Yeah the international one has less bloat due to eu laws. Also u can use tiny 11 to make a minimal iso removing more bloat.
- format c: /fs:ntfs
Unless they patched it, you can just use the installer and not put in an activation key at all. The only downside is that it will have a mostly transparent text in the bottom right hand corner telling you to activate windows. Otherwise its completely free, and not piracy as its the official installer.
- Well that and forced light theme.
please tell me more
i don't want the products
i just want PIRACY
do you know any programs for writing music
- That heavily depends on what you mean by writing music. Musescore (the software, not the website) is pretty good for writing notation, and open source.
  If it's more about producing a track, there's Ardour, also foss. If you wanna pirate an "industry standard" daw, there's FL Studio and Ableton, I guess.
  Depending on what you want to do exactly, there might be a lot of other software that fits the bill.

is that prince

But what if I love paying 1 million dollars to license outdated software? 🤡

Do they not know LibreOffice exist? What world do they live in lol

windows is an upselling system, guess they just want to participate in generating revenue by making customers experience worse while only acting as if they're helping ;-)

Adobe being adobe.

People use microsoft office at home?

I'm an accountant. My life would be plenty hard without Excel. Google or LibreOffice are nowhere near sufficient. As much as I hate to admit that, because I'm definitely no fan of Microsoft, but for me there's also no alternative.
I'm also old enough to wish that LotusNotes and Lotus123 won the race. LotusNotes especially, it was the shit.
- You do accounting at home?
Yes, because Outlook is still superior to Thunderbird (sadly)
- How so?
- No its not.
- That's not the only email clients in existence, surely there are other ones that better? How many people even use desktop email client anymore?

Ugh, adobe amirite

The only software I have paid for in the last couple of years are games. The licensing is still crooked but they are ephemeral entertainment so its not like they control your life.

The problem with commercial software isn't the price. It is the lock in. They have you by the balls whether you pirate or pay so I don't pirate as it doesn't address my main issue with closed source software which ismt price but control. I prefer to adapt, sometimes live with less features and use free and open source.

Its hard if you have to work with others which is the whole network effect BS, everyone is on Reddit and shitter so why aren't you. If you can work independently though you can get a lot done and have more control.