Windows N and KN are still the best option to get working Windows without the wallpapers, game promotions, seasonal news in the start menu, weather apps etc. All windows editions should be like these.

I agree, it's essentially their proof of concept for "see ? it's not actually embedded we can work without"

I didn't realize the N ones dropped all those! I thought it was just that WMP wasn't installed by default.

Because that was the original pain point and the one that made the news ("Windows N is the version that can't play video or audio files" makes clicks), but Windows N is actually the version where every optionnal component is uncoupled and removed by default.

Now "nobody" buys Windows N on purpose, but its legally necessary existence force Microsoft to keep these components away from Windows' internals.

This is probably the first case I know of where software architectural design by legislation actually leads to improved software architecture!

Having a media player bundled with the OS is bad, but having it tightly coupled is bad and stupid.

I wish that the regulations would exist in America to begin with, and the American people would push more for it. Instead we have to adhere to whatever their laws are and try to play catch up with regulations. And when we threaten with lockout or gating, they threaten back to exit the market completely, because they don't have any ramifications in their own country, and are not super interested in the issues which the regulations try to address.