Why is there no price mention in Windows EULA?

I 've been recently thinking about putting together a new PC, so I 've looked at various Windows licensing options available.

I understand this is more on the legal side of things, still what made me wonder is this: what exactly will I be purchasing (and paying for) when ordering, say, an ESD licence on-line NOT from the Microsoft Store as this option is a bit more expensive but from one of its authorized distributors/partners?

I mean, the Windows 10 EULA really makes it look like the right to use WINDOWS is granted for free, subject to having a valid key and having passed activation. There is just no price or any other compensation for granting that right of use (a digital licence) stipulated. Why?

Why is there no mention in EULA that Microsoft will charge for a license separately as one purchases a key to validate, and will grant the license only then?

What do the mentioned partners/distributors sell under the ESD channel? A license and a key or just a key? If it's the former, the purpose of the EULA is then to simply make me click "AGREE"?

Would be great if someone could explain this to me (links would be OK, too)

You will be paying for the key that will activate the Windows 10 install. I would recommend paying the extra price for the retail version instead of the OEM version. The OEM version is tied to the first computer it's installed on. The EULA also states that the OEM version is to be installed on a newly built computer that you are going sell. The retail version can be transferred to another computer as long as your not running it on more than one computer.

Winuser said:

You will be paying for the key that will activate the Windows 10 install. ...

Well, yes, I understand that.
The question is then that I purchase THAT key, not the license. Hence Microsoft provides the license for free?

usikpa said:

Well, yes, I understand that.
The question is then that I purchase THAT key, not the license. Hence Microsoft provides the license for free?

I'm not sure what are asking about the license being free. If your computer was already activated and you do a clean install of Windows 10 you don't need to enter a key to activate. You will have a digital license for that computer. You can use a previous qualifying version of Windows such as Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to update to Windows 10 for free. Other than that I don't know how to answer your question.

Winuser said:

I'm not sure what are asking about the license being free.

Nowhere in the Windows 10 EULA does it say that I have to pay in order to be able to use Windows. But it does mention having to have a valid key to activate the software. Hence my question if that key is exclusively what Microsoft sells (under ESD channel), not the license itself

If your asking if you have to activate Windows 10 this link will help answer your question. How long can you use Windows 10 without Activation?

@usikpa,

All legitimate product keys for Windows 10 must ultimately come from Microsoft to begin with. Those product keys end up with the end user in a large variety of ways, but each legitimate product key must originate from Microsoft. Yes, Microsoft grants the license to use Windows 10 for free, provided that the users proves to Microsoft's satisfaction that they have a legitimate product key that originated from Microsoft. Since there is a wide variety of ways for the end user to end up with a legitimate product key that originated from Microsoft, such as included in the firmware of a factory built computer, purchased at retail, volume licensing, etc., it is impossible for Microsoft to set an amount in the EULA.

Now, let's say Microsoft did put a price on granting the license to use Windows 10 in the EULA. Something like once you provide Microsoft with a valid product key for a Windows 10 product, Microsoft will then activate the Windows 10 product for 10 USD. Or, better yet, Microsoft will then activate the Windows 10 product for 1 year for 10 USD and you must subsequently pay 10 USD each year afterward for the product to remain activated.

Would that make it better? Now I pay the purchase price of a computer from a manufacturer that has the product key for Windows in firmware, and in addition, I have to pay Microsoft to activate it for me. Or I purchase an ESD retail product key and then have to pay Microsoft to activate it. I think I prefer things the way they are now.....