3 ms·

Giving something for free is not monopoly (without preinstallation). You can say other things about this strategy, but you're misusing the word.

• yrgulation 4y ago
  The price of acquisition is 0$ but costs telemetry and branding. So microsoft is charging you for this just not money. Even if that wouldnt be the case microsoft did distribute ie and the media player for free, so there is precedence. It may not be distributed part of the os but it is a product set at a price that severely undercuts competition. Worse even the product is developed using free labour yet microsoft benefits in brand recognition. Google does it and in the process it killed plenty of startups or small businesses and got grief for it yet microsoft can get away with it.
  • alejoar 4y ago
    VSCode is open source and you are free to alter it (MIT license), removing those parts that you say Microsoft is using to "charge" you. Or just use vscodium.
    • yrgulation 4y ago
      I'll just use intellij products to support engineering companies.