How long is a Windows license valid for?

Question

Windows

The question in the title is slightly incorrect...
Our university has begun to change the OS on computers from Winows 7 to Linux Mint. So far, these changes have begun only in the library computers, but they say that they will soon be changed throughout the university.
When asked why to change, if everything is working fine anyway and the system is "debugged" under Windows, they say something like "the contract with the company that services computers has expired ....".
I don’t understand a little how the end of the contract and the change of OS are interconnected. Isn't the license for Windows for 1 PC unlimited? (Probably said nonsense ..)

Answer 1

How long is a Windows license valid for?

For education, MS has annual, three-year and perpetual licenses.
See original source: Overview of Educational Licensing Programs... .

Answer 2

no. not nonsense
1 - the (real) license is indefinite - read the license agreement
2 - everything looks like another (domestic) reality - mutually beneficial cooperation for the management and the new contractor .. (management cannot directly appropriate funds ...
ps with what all over the world it has already been recognized that *nix maintenance, and even more so development for them, is significantly more expensive .. and often the total cost of ownership outweighs Windows .. sometimes even at times
pps unfortunately, this answer is only a personal opinion, and cannot be used either in which litigation
ppps mint is just a contender for the lowest cost of service .. (see assumptions above ..

Answer 3

Our university has begun to change the OS on computers with Winows 7

The "educational" license, as I remember, has a time limit (again, as I remember, in Russia - one year). Same for MS Office. And I remember there was a lot of controversy when the Ministry of Education announced a tender for a software package. "Subscription" - The same temporary license could be provided by the service company.

Answer 4

The Windows license is perpetual. Read the text of the licensing policy.
The only question is that you will not be able to operate the old OS on new .NET modules, receive updates and technical support, and also, support for the old OS is already (or may soon be) completed.