The secret word is "telemetrics". Microsoft will track your actions and sells the data, just like Google or Apple.

The amount of data Windows and microsoft in general collect is worth billions and going straight to the hands of the US govt. for a price obviously, so yes they are profiting from your use regardless of whether you pay for it or not.

Not necessarily as a protest, but the answer is always hard yes.

During a public talk at the University of Washington in 1998, Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted, "Although about three million computers get sold every year in China, people don't pay for the software. Someday they will, though. And as long as they're going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade."

Source

Linux is worth it as the greatest protest to everything that is wrong with technology.

Windows is not making money on sales only. They collect data and then they sell them to data brokers. Those brokers then sell the data to advertisement agencies to serve you adds. Even if you buy just one item based on those adds (which may be unconscious choice) you have already paid. Even if you buy nothing based on adds, microsoft already got the money.

I do recommend linux but be aware of letting people to push you into something you don't want to do. Linux community can be very enthusiastic 😅. Top three to recommend are Linux Mint (most windows like design), Fedora (most stable) and Pop OS (best with nvidia gpu). Only one of these is favorite of mine but I will not tell you which, just search for them, look at screenshots and you will see what suits you.

It is worth installing GNU/Linux.

Kind of funny the link you’re sharing is msn (microsoft owned)

It's worth it for something more important than as a protest - it means ending Europe's dependence on Silicon Valley. And in this, every PC switch matters.

(not to mention it's a pretty good OS - and it's only going to get better if we make it part of the European autonomy strategy and give it the support it deserves)

If you're using Windows, you've paid for it one way or another.

Based on your country microsoft will run a varying amount of ads in the OS, and as mentioned by other users: telemetry.

Is it worth installing Linux as a protest? Depends. Switching to Linux will always come with a little bit of tinkering involved. So the answer depends on your willingness to spend some time to learn a new OS. But it offers you the opportunity to gain some control over your machine, privacy and learn some things.

One thing to consider is market share. While one user switching from Windows to Linux won't affect it one bit, but if, say, half of European Windows users would do the switch, that would cause a meaningful dent to Windows' market share. So, while you won't directly affect that number, you do belong to some circles of people. By making the switch, you would act as an example for others and bring some knowledge and expertise on the topic (like, how easy it was, what are the downsides/upsides...). If your example leads to other people do the switch, those people also belong to some circles of peoples, and so on. It might be enough to start a small avalanche that could grow bigger and bigger.

i just installed mint on my laptop and it runs way better than it ever ran with windows 11 plus it's super user friendly :)

People who are only now up in arms about Gates shedding hypocrisy on the climate crisis should look into the long history of abuses Microsoft have made on their way to near-monopoly, including the times when they lobbied and bribed governments, including here in Europe, to lock them and the educational systems into the Microsoft ecosystem. Instead of authorities saving money with Linux and FOSS in general, they spent public money on Windows and Office licenses! (Don't get me started about how they shouldn't have even been the benchmark for ECDL courses; having ECDL done should mean one can figure out how to use, say, a simple Linux distribution.)

I switched to Linux this month (finally, couple months in planning). Switch, donate, spread the word, make it easier for people to switch. Gaming has been very simple, the biggest hurdle being the drivers which most distros can auto handle I think.

They still profit. Windows is increasingly an ad platform with ads delivered directly to your start menu.

You also get included in their user statistics when they report such things publicy, and therefore help toward selling their value as an investment.

I switched to Linux and it was an improvement for me, but of course it depends on what you use your pc for.

Currently using ubuntu, switched in January because my computer can't swap to 11. I can still dual boot to windows if necessary, but so far it hasn't been necessary.

So far, haven't run into issues. Gaming through steam has been minimal effort. Gaming outside of steam a bit more so. VR has been somewhat persnickety, discord needs to be uninstalled and reinstalled to update.

I am in a very weird position because I use my PC on the couch with a 4k projector. Oddly enough linux has nailed the proper text sizing across applications better than windows ever did. Which is weird because my requirements for this kind of setup is kinda niche.

Mostly I swapped because I cannot upgrade to 11 without a hardware update, and new electronics are gonna be painful over the next 4 years.

If you aren't getting a free update to windows 11, then it's definitely worth as a protest. Even if you get it for free, it's less of a stranglehold that windows has over the computer space, and it's less data they farm off you.

Zorin is also a very beginner friendly distro and I believe the developers are Irish.

ZorinOS, stylish, modern and user-friendly check it out!