Then the comparison on pricing between Windows and MacOS that grandparent made doesn't make sense if one cannot be bough without accompanying hardware, unlike t

Then the comparison on pricing between Windows and MacOS that grandparent made doesn't make sense if one cannot be bough without accompanying hardware, unlike the other, effectively making MacOS priced into the hardware itself, so the comparison falls flat from the start. By that logic iOS and Android are also free and you can alo get Windows for free with various OEM Laptops and system if we use that logic with the difference that you can choose to purchase Windows licenses to use on a machine you build yourself vs the inability to purchase an separate MacOS license without any Apple hardware. So any comparisons on the price of the OS are moot since the cost of MacOS is priced into the accompanying hardware, MacBook, iMAc, etc as you cannot buy it without.