They allow it though, because a cheap licence is better than non, and once you are using Windows you can be sold Office and various online subscriptions. Much l

They allow it though, because a cheap licence is better than non, and once you are using Windows you can be sold Office and various online subscriptions. Much like they turned a blind eye to a lot of piracy, particularly in some parts of the world, in the 90s and 00s. Though as I said in a post above, I bet they'd like to do away with Windows and concentrate on those subscription services (Office, everything Azure, etc) instead. Windows is no longer one of MS's cash cows on its own and has not been for a long time. I've used keys like that to upgrade Windows home on laptops to pro to get access to Hyper-V. I doubt they'd ever void those licences, the fallout would be too great, and they don't want that sort of ill will pushing people away from what really makes MS money.