The situation in brief

The Windows 10 operating system reaches the end of its life cycle on October 14, 2025, the date on which Microsoft will stop providing free security updatesquechoisir.org. This means that millions of computers – up to 400 million PCs worldwide by some estimates – will find themselves without software supportquechoisir.org. For many users, both individuals and businesses, this creates a dilemma: either pay to artificially extend the lifespan of Windows 10, or buy a new computer compatible with Windows 11quechoisir.org. Neither option is ideal, especially for those whose hardware is still in good condition. This forced expense is often called the “Microsoft tax” or “Windows tax,” referring to the additional cost imposed simply to keep using your device securely. Indeed, Microsoft does offer an extended update program, but a paid one: roughly US$30 (CAD$40) per year per device for individuals, and more for organizations (US$61 the first year, with the rate doubling each subsequent year)protegez-vous.ca. This sum, seen as a “technology tax,” is added to the costs already borne when the computer was first purchased, something many users consider unjustified.

From the users’ point of view, ending support for Windows 10 amounts to a form of planned obsolescence. Although the affected PCs still work perfectly well in hardware terms, they become vulnerable in the absence of updates, thereby pushing their owners to the checkout. Those who refuse to pay this tax or to invest in a new device face a double penalty: continuing with an insecure system, at the risk of exposing their data to vulnerabilities and cyberattacksquechoisir.org. This situation is all the more concerning because, in some countries such as France, an estimated 17% of the population is already held back from digital access for lack of adequate or up-to-date equipmentquechoisir.org. For modest households and small organizations, ending Windows 10 without a durable solution therefore translates into a financial burden or a worsened digital exclusion. Overall, the bill could reach more than 10 billion euros in additional costs if users of PCs incompatible with Windows 11 had to pay for extended updatesquechoisir.org – money that would swell Microsoft’s already colossal profitsquechoisir.org. It is in this explosive context that voices calling for resistance to this Microsoft tax have multiplied. As a Quebec software architect wrote back in 2012: “Sooner or later, we’ll have to resolve to get rid of the Microsoft tax and its monopoly”blogs.gplindustries.org. In 2025, on the eve of the end of Windows 10, that call resonates more than ever.

“No to the Windows tax”: the mobilization against forced obsolescence

Illustration – Visual from the “No to the Windows tax” campaign launched in September 2025. An international coalition of 22 organizations (consumer, environmental and other groups) is urging Microsoft to maintain free Windows 10 updates beyond 2025quechoisir.org. The movement denounces a form of “racket” against users through the end of support, likened to an unjustified tax to extend the life of PCsquechoisir.org.

Faced with this situation, a genuine protest movement emerged in the fall of 2025. On September 16, 2025, a coalition of 22 organizations launched an international petition titled “No to the Windows tax,” directly challenging Microsoftquechoisir.org. The signatories include a wide range of groups: the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, the NGO Halte à l’Obsolescence Programmée (HOP), environmental organizations (Les Amis de la Terre, France Nature Environnement), digital-inclusion advocates (Emmaüs Connect), and morevert.eco. All of them denounce the “unilateral and unfair” decision to end free Windows 10 updates, a decision that will affect hundreds of millions of computers worldwidequechoisir.org. Their message is clear: Microsoft cannot require users to pay for a reprieve or buy a new PC just to stay securequechoisir.org. This “shameful pressure” on the budgets of households and public administrations is deemed unacceptablequechoisir.org. The coalition therefore calls on the company to reverse its decision and to extend Windows 10 security updates free of charge “at least until 2030”quechoisir.org.

The arguments put forward in this petition touch at once on users’ wallets, social justice and the environment. On the financial and social front, the text stresses that, because many PCs are incompatible with Windows 11, millions of individuals, public administrations and SMEs will be “forced to pay for a reprieve or to renew their devices,” even though many of these computers are only a few years oldquechoisir.orgquechoisir.org. For the coalition, putting the cost of this forced transition on consumers amounts to an unjustified tax that weighs all the more heavily on tight budgetsquechoisir.org. It condemns “this shameful pressure [that] weighs on the budgets of administrations and on the wallets of households,”quechoisir.org even as those who cannot pay expose themselves to major IT risks – a no-win choice deemed inadmissible.

At the same time, the “No to the Windows tax” movement emphasizes the environmental waste that the premature scrapping of millions of functional devices would cause. Microsoft, through its repeated messages urging Windows 10 users to “buy a new computer,” is encouraging a wave of premature hardware renewalquechoisir.org. According to the coalition, replacing all the PCs that cannot migrate to Windows 11 would amount to a genuine ecological disaster: it would be equivalent to extracting a quantity of raw materials “the weight of nearly 32,000 Eiffel Towers,”quechoisir.org for a carbon impact estimated at more than 70 million tonnes of CO₂vert.eco. Such overconsumption of resources, driven not by machine failure but by an imposed software obsolescence, is described as an “environmental scandal” by the petition’s authorsvert.eco. It is worth recalling that manufacturing a new computer concentrates most of its ecological footprint (more than 75% of emissions over its entire life cycle); extending the use of existing equipment is therefore one of the best ways to reduce electronic waste and the associated emissionsendof10.org. Forcing massive replacements runs counter to this ecological imperative.

Finally, the coalition does not stop at criticism: it sets out concrete demands and possible solutions. Beyond keeping Windows 10 updates running until 2030, it calls for legislative change to regulate this kind of practicequechoisir.org. The organizations argue that, in future, software publishers should be required to provide free security updates for at least 15 years after a product’s releasequechoisir.org. Such a measure would give devices a reasonable software longevity, in line with their potential hardware lifespan. In addition, the coalition proposes establishing an obligation to inform users about open-source alternatives when an operating system is discontinuedquechoisir.org. In other words, when support for a proprietary OS ends, users should be made aware of the option of installing a free operating system (such as Linux) instead of discarding or replacing their machine. This last proposal clearly shows the movement’s openness to existing alternative solutions, and echoes the idea that, with a little knowledge and support, one can “make a current computer fast and secure again” by installing an up-to-date GNU/Linux system on it rather than throwing it awayendof10.orgendof10.org.

It is worth noting that consumer pressure has already had some effect in the past. In the face of general concern, Microsoft partially reversed its position in late 2023: initially, the end of support for Windows 10 in 2025 was to be total, but the company ultimately announced an extended patch program (Extended Security Updates) for a few additional years – unfortunately on a paid basis – following a petition and criticism relayed by consumer advocacy groupsvert.eco. For the “No to the Windows tax” coalition, this concession is insufficient and merely reflects the company’s desire to further monetize its installed base. Hence, in its view, the importance of a collective surge to demand a change of model.

A similar issue in Quebec and Canada

While the backlash against the Microsoft tax has gained particular momentum in Europe, Canada and Quebec are no strangers to this challenge. Here too, a great many individuals and organizations are still using Windows 10 in 2025 – sometimes on relatively recent computers – and find themselves facing the same difficult choices. According to StatCounter data, Windows 10 still accounts for nearly 45% of Windows computers worldwide in mid-2025, compared with 49% for Windows 11gs.statcounter.com.

From this, we can deduce that a significant share of the North American computing fleet is still running Windows 10. In Canada, many small businesses, schools and households have PCs bought in the 2010s that, although in good working order, do not meet Windows 11’s raised hardware requirements (for example, the presence of a TPM 2.0 chip and a latest-generation processor). These machines therefore risk ending up “obsolete even though they still work very well,” as the Montreal organization Insertech notesinsertech.ca.

Insertech, a social-economy enterprise specializing in refurbishing computers, sounded the alarm as early as 2022 about the “enormous waste” to be expected with the end of Windows 10insertech.ca. In a blog post titled “toward an environmental waste?”, Insertech explains that many recent PCs will not be able to migrate to Windows 11 due to heightened technical requirements and will be unfairly “left out”insertech.cainsertech.ca. The organization speaks of a “flagrant case of obsolescence [...] because the hardware side keeps working”insertech.ca. It also stresses that this situation will complicate the lives of all those working to extend the lifespan of IT equipment. On the environmental front, Insertech echoes the European assessment: replacing hundreds of millions of PCs will have disastrous consequences in terms of electronic waste and pollution, not to mention the squandering of non-renewable resourcesinsertech.ca. “Unfortunately, this complicates things for all the well-intentioned people who want to extend the lifespan of devices,” Insertech writes, noting that hardware manufacturers, for their part, “won’t complain” about selling new machines to replace the old onesinsertech.ca. The post even points to the industrial alliances between Microsoft and manufacturers: “Microsoft has partnerships with computer and chip makers... Windows couldn’t be distributed without the manufacturers’ machines. So hardware has to be sold. And when someone tries to stretch the life of their computer, they lose a potential sale”insertech.ca. These remarks echo the idea of a primarily commercial motivation behind the end of Windows 10, to the detriment of sustainability and consumers.

Although no major national petition appears to have been launched in Canada, the advice given to users and SMEs points in the same direction as in Europe. Experts encourage people to avoid the Microsoft tax trap by exploring alternative solutions. For example, the Quebec magazine Protégez-Vous – the consumer-affairs equivalent of UFC-Que Choisir – recommends that people whose PCs are not Windows 11-compatible simply consider abandoning Windows in favour of another system. “You can also leave Windows behind and turn to Linux, a popular, free alternative operating system that is lighter than Windows,” Protégez-Vous advises in a July 2025 articleprotegez-vous.ca. This advice, coming from a credible mainstream source, illustrates that the idea of using Linux to replace Windows is beginning to become normalized in public discourse in Quebec. Likewise, community initiatives are emerging to support the transition. The collaborative site EndOf10.org, backed by various open-source organizations, lists volunteers and resources in Quebec (and elsewhere) to help people install Linux and keep their computer alive after Windows 10endof10.orgendof10.org. In other words, resistance to the Microsoft tax takes the form here of a mutual-aid movement to extend hardware lifespan thanks to free software.

Finally, Quebec benefits from an active network of associations promoting free software. The Association québécoise du logiciel libre (AQLL), for example, has campaigned for years to promote the adoption of free software in governments and businesses of all sizesaqll.quebec. Through lobbying and awareness-raising, the AQLL encourages policies that would reduce dependence on proprietary solutions and open the way to alternatives such as Linux. The very existence of this association reflects a local awareness: it is strategically advantageous for Quebec to diversify its digital tools and to stop systematically paying this “licensing fee” to outside multinationals. The AQLL also offers transition-support services for moving to open sourceaqll.quebec, which directly meets the needs of SMEs or public bodies wishing to migrate away from the Microsoft ecosystem. This support generally includes technical assistance, advice and user training – all key elements for successfully carrying out such a change (we’ll return to this). In short, in Quebec as elsewhere, the end of Windows 10 is a catalyst for rethinking our practices: rather than enduring yet another “Microsoft tax,” why not seize the opportunity to adopt sustainable, cost-effective solutions supported by a dynamic local community?

Linux: a viable alternative for SMEs

For many small and medium-sized enterprises, the best way to escape the Microsoft tax is to embrace the Linux alternative. Linux is not a new product: it is a free and open-source operating system that has existed for more than thirty years and today powers the overwhelming majority of internet servers, supercomputers and even Android devices.

On the desktop (whether a desktop or laptop computer), Linux was long perceived as a system reserved for insiders, but that is no longer the case. User-friendly distributions such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint offer a user experience similar to Windows or macOS in many respectsinsertech.ca. Installing Linux has become simple and within everyone’s reach; moreover, a multitude of communities and businesses offer help in taking the plunge, whether through online forums, local workshops or professional support servicesendof10.org.

Adopting Linux offers several concrete advantages for SMEs. First, cost: the system is free to download and can be installed on an unlimited number of machines with no licence to buy. Security updates and new versions are also free, and that for life – there is no hidden subscription or scheduled deadline beyond which you would have to pay upendof10.org. For a business, this means direct savings on software costs. As an example, the city of Munich in Germany, which migrated roughly 15,000 workstations from Windows to Linux, estimated that it saved more than 10 million euros in licences not paid over the life of the project, while also supporting the local free-software economyopensource.com. Of course, it had to invest in the migration and in staff training, but in the end the municipality gained independence and control over its IT infrastructureopensource.comopensource.com. This experience shows that a well-executed open-source strategy can be economically advantageous in the long run, even for a large organization – and all the more so for SMEs, which often seek to optimize every IT expense.

Next, there is the question of hardware durability. Linux is generally less resource-hungry than the latest versions of Windows. A somewhat older computer, sluggish under Windows 10, can find a second youth once reinstalled with Linuxinsertech.ca. Many SMEs have PCs that are 5, 6 or 7 years old: instead of replacing them to meet Windows 11’s requirements, it is often possible to keep them in service under Linux with excellent performance. This life extension is part of a virtuous ecological approach (“good for the planet,” as the EndOf10 campaign points outendof10.org), but also part of an economic logic: every computer reused rather than replaced is one less investment to make. Not to mention that, in the event of expansion, an SME can recycle its own machines or acquire low-cost used hardware and install Linux on it with no licensing fees, which significantly reduces initial equipment costs.

In terms of features and everyday uses, Linux can now cover most of a small or medium-sized business’s needs. For office productivity, free suites such as LibreOffice or OnlyOffice make it possible to read, edit and save documents in formats compatible with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Web browsing is done via Firefox, Chrome/Chromium or other well-known browsers, which are also available on Linux. Email and professional communications are handled by software such as Thunderbird, Evolution, or online solutions (many line-of-business applications now being accessible through a simple browser). For more specialized applications (accounting, business management, design, etc.), there are often free alternatives or cross-platform web versions. It is true that some proprietary line-of-business applications have no native Linux equivalent, which can be an obstacle for certain SMEs that are heavily dependent on a specific Windows program. However, we observe that more and more vendors are offering cloud or cross-platform solutions, and the general trend is toward greater compatibility. In many cases, SMEs can opt for satisfactory alternative tools or, as a last resort, use virtualization/emulation to keep an isolated Windows application running while switching the rest of the environment to Linux.

Another asset, less tangible but important, is control over one’s infrastructure. By freeing itself from the imposed cycle of Windows updates, a business running Linux gains autonomy. It is no longer forced to follow the end-of-support timelines set by Microsoft or to buy new hardware dictated by software vendors. It can plan its software migrations at its own pace, benefit from regular updates at no additional cost, and even customize or have tools adapted to its specific needs (thanks to open source code). This increased independence strengthens organizations’ digital sovereignty and can even stimulate the local economy: instead of sending licensing cheques to Microsoft every year, an SME can choose to invest in local technical support, training or custom development, thereby putting providers in its region to work. Here we find the spirit of the Munich initiative, where elected officials wagered that, by migrating to Linux, the money once spent on proprietary licences would go to paying local companies able to support the city’s Linux fleetopensource.com. For a country like Canada or a province like Quebec, encouraging the adoption of open-source solutions in SMEs could likewise strengthen the local IT ecosystem, by reducing the outflow of capital to foreign software giants.

Naturally, not everything is rosy, and migrating to Linux requires thought and preparation. But more and more resources are available to make this transition easier. Simplified guides and tools exist to, for example, move step by step from Windows 10 to Linux Mintyoutube.com. Mutual-aid collectives (Repair Cafés, Linux clubs, forums) offer support and advice, often free of chargeendof10.org. And if a business prefers professional support, there are service providers specializing in free software (listed in particular by the AQLL in Quebecaqll.quebec) that can handle the installation, maintenance and support of Linux workstations in a company. In short, for the majority of SMEs whose IT usage is essentially office productivity, communication and day-to-day management, Linux today constitutes a perfectly viable alternative to Windows. By avoiding the Microsoft tax, these businesses can redirect their resources toward what really matters – training their staff, growing their business – while embracing an approach centred on innovation and durability.

Training and support: the key to a successful transition

While the scenario of an SME switching to Linux looks promising on paper, its success largely depends on the human dimension of the project. Changing operating systems inevitably upends users’ habits: a different interface, new software, altered points of reference… Without adequate support, it is understandable that some employees feel destabilized, or even demotivated, by this transition.

That is why training and support are absolutely essential so as not to “lose” teams along the way. A well-known IT adage reminds us that “the greatest difficulty isn’t migrating the machines, but migrating the users.” In practice, this means investing time to explain, reassure and build the skills of the people who will use Linux on a daily basis.

Concretely, before and during the migration, it is advisable to organize training sessions to introduce the new Linux environment, the equivalents of common software and basic best practices. For example, showing how to open documents in LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office, how to install applications via the Linux software library, or how to perform daily tasks (printing, connecting to the network, etc.) on the new system. These training sessions can be led by the internal IT department if it has the skills, or by specialized external trainers. The important thing is to adopt an educational tone, accessible to non-specialists, in order to defuse the change. Teams must be reminded that their core skills (writing a document, managing a spreadsheet, sending emails…) remain valid: only the tools change, and it is a matter of learning to use them. With a little practice, most users adapt very well, all the more so because modern Linux environments have been designed to be intuitive and close to what people already know (there are distributions whose appearance recalls Windows, precisely to make the transition easier)insertech.ca.

Beyond the initial training, it is wise to plan for ongoing support during the first weeks or months following the migration. This can take the form of responsive technical assistance (a help line or a technician who can step in when someone is stuck), practical guides or internal FAQs, and a tolerance for productivity being slightly reduced at the very beginning. The idea is to create a climate in which employees feel supported and encouraged to get to grips with the new system, rather than left to fend for themselves. Managers must stay attuned to feedback from the field: if some aspect causes problems, it can be adjusted (for example, installing additional software to cover an unforeseen need, or changing a setting to make it more familiar). By involving end users in the process (through pilot tests, gathering suggestions), you avoid leaving them feeling dispossessed of their work tool. On the contrary, they become agents of the change.

Several organizations offer services or advice to facilitate this kind of transition. As mentioned, the AQLL offers transition support toward open source, possibly including user-training workshops and troubleshooting guidesaqll.quebec. Local service companies can also handle training your teams on Linux. And the free-software community itself is often a great help: many passionate volunteers are happy to share their tips and help newcomers, whether on forums, at gatherings (install parties, etc.) or through online documentation. In short, the resources exist – don’t hesitate to draw on them.

Ignoring the training aspect would be a major strategic mistake. As one observer noted, much IT training has long been “all Windows,” to the point that “few people know Linux well enough to ensure a smooth migration”blogs.gplindustries.org. If this knowledge gap is not filled through training, you risk running into strong internal resistance, or even deployment failures. Unprepared staff might feel frustrated by technical misunderstandings, which would erode their motivation and buy-in for the project. Conversely, by betting on your employees’ skills development, you can turn a challenge into an opportunity: the chance to develop new in-house expertise, to highlight your teams’ adaptability and to stimulate their interest in open technologies. Several companies that have migrated to Linux report that, after an adjustment period, their employees feel proud to use a more personalized system and to contribute to an ethical approach (software freedom, waste reduction, etc.). The key is to manage the transition period well in order to convert the potential initial demotivation into a collective enthusiasm around the change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the planned end of Windows 10 has triggered a vast movement questioning dependence on Microsoft solutions. From the “No to the Windows tax” petition to the rollout of local initiatives in Quebec, the idea is gaining ground that it is possible – and perhaps time – to break free of the Microsoft rent. Free software, with Linux at the forefront, now offers a credible answer to the needs of the majority of users and SMEs, without the recurring costs or the obsolescence constraints imposed by private vendors.

Of course, a migration to Linux must be carried out seriously, putting people at the heart of the process. But the potential benefits are worth it: reducing your spending, extending the lifespan of your hardware, gaining in security and stability, and regaining control of your IT tools. As 2026 dawns, the message sent to businesses and individuals alike is clear: you can refuse to accept the Microsoft tax as inevitable. With vision and training, it is entirely possible to embrace alternative solutions that make computing freer, more sustainable and more respectful of usersblogs.gplindustries.orgendof10.org. A paradigm shift is on the horizon – one not dictated by a vendor, but chosen collectively for the common good.

Sources: Windows 10 EOL and the “No to the Windows tax” coalitionquechoisir.orgquechoisir.orgquechoisir.orgquechoisir.org; Vert article on the petition (Poncet, 2025)vert.ecovert.ecovert.eco; Protégez-Vous (Passalacqua-Loli, 2025)protegez-vous.caprotegez-vous.ca; Insertech blog (2022)insertech.cainsertech.ca; EndOf10 campaign “End of Windows 10”endof10.orgendof10.org; AQLL (2025)aqll.quebecaqll.quebec; GPLIndustries comment (2012)blogs.gplindustries.org; LiMux case study in Munichopensource.com