You can download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft for free. There’s a gajillon different ways to activate it for free, too. But if you only need it to run some software, you don’t need to activate it.
Comment on Microsoft wants $30 to let you keep using Windows 10 securely for another year
ohitsbreadley@discuss.tchncs.de 2 weeks agoWhat am I dual booting if I can’t use win10 because it’s not secure, and I’m not paying for win11?
superkret@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
If whatever programs you need don’t require internet access and you aren’t at risk of evil maid attacks then it hardly matters if win10 isn’t secure. It definitely isn’t ideal, but if the options are:
A) Do all your personal stuff on linux and only boot w10 when you have to, offline.
B) Only have w10 and run hope.exe for security.
I’d choose A.