Message-ID: <67bf867c@news.ausics.net>
From: not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev)
Subject: Re: Microsoft notepad.exe paywall
Newsgroups: comp.misc
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Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
> After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
> =====================================================================
> <https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_213332_microsoft-just-
> put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.png>
> 
> If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
> pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the
> 'freemium' model.
> 
> TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a
> Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered
> Rewrite tool.

Besides putting ads in Notepad, the other night the ABC TV news in
Australia had a report about people complaining against price hikes
to M$ 365 in exchange for added AI features that were quietly
enabled by default. Clearly the word has gone out that AI needs to
start paying its way, and it'll be interesting to see if there
really are enough users willing to pay for it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-25/microsoft-365-subscription-price-hike-consumer-complaints-accc/104965682

This, somewhat long-winded, article expresses strong doubts
about the future of the AI industry as a whole:

https://www.wheresyoured.at/longcon/

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