Well “had to use” is a strong phrase here. Linux was already around and you could have used it too with your hardware. I think you can always bend an argument to fit your point.

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detourdog 14 hours ago | parent [-]

The PC manufacturers had to pay MS for a license no matter what operating system was installed.

	▲	SvenL 4 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Didn’t knew that, but only if they also sold windows pc? Like, if a company would only sold blank PCs without any offering associated to MS they wouldn’t need to pay MS anything.
	▲	LocalH 13 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Indeed. Pepperidge Farm remembers Microsoft's campaign against "naked PCs"