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Mainly because the enterprise is guaranteed to buy at least a few hundred copies.

Also this is pretty common in other areas too, the rich and celebrities always seem to get more for less.

"Mainly because the enterprise is guaranteed to buy at least a few hundred copies."

Or a few thousand, or a few hundred thousand.

So here's a question. Suppose a 1000 consumers get together, and petition MSFT to buy a copy of the Windows du jour. Will MSFT give them the same price as a 1000-user company?

Consumers already do, if like 99% of people they get the license with a new computer. MS only soaks the people who buy retail.

It's called a bulk discount.

And note that this story is about government. If they're being suckered into cut rate deals that disadvantage small businesses, education and consumers with discounts then there's a failure somewhere.