The (still limited but better) choice exists now in large part because of many years of activism[1][2][3][4] similar to that in the linked article as a consequence of Microsoft actively abusing their market position to make it hard to avoid paying for Windows.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Refund_Day

[2] https://www.wired.com/1999/01/the-non-refundable-refund/

[3] https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/...

[4] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/279926.stm