VMware Workstation Pro no longer requires a license key and is now free

02k-guy

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/desktop-hypervisors/workstation-pro/17-0/release-notes/vmware-workstation-1762-pro-release-notes.html

VMware Workstation 17.6.2 Pro Release Notes

Broadcom Techdocs
https://techdocs.broadcom.com
7 days ago — VMware Workstiation Pro no longer requires a license key and is now free for commercial, educational, and personal use.

...and they misspelled "Workstiation"

I'm betting it's the end of an era.

02k-guy

For some time now - even before Broadcom acquired VMWare - you had to create an account, log in, and "know" what files you wanted to download.

Currently, have found 2 places where it's just click and save:

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/vmware_workstation_for_windows.html
(win/linux/mac)
https://archive.org/details/vmware-workstation-full-17.6.2-24409262.x-86-64
(win/linux)

Have downloaded from both links, and hashes do match.

SimpleDiskette

I Think Broadcom is going to end up just like IBM, they are very popular and innovative and now they're leaving the VM industry and moving to stuff like data center solutions, Enterprise Security solutions, RAID Controller cards, there is so much stuff on their website to name that if I were to name everything on this comment, would probably take over 95% of the whole comment. They even made their own embedded processors:
https://www.broadcom.com/products/embedded-and-networking-processors/embedded-socs/bcm1140x
https://www.broadcom.com/products/embedded-and-networking-processors/embedded-socs/bcm11107 (Somewhat not a processor?)

They have only 2 embedded processors released right now. Just the amount of products that they're releasing could possibly make them forget about VMWare since they already have a lot of stuff to take care of.

They're even making their own supercomputer by 2027: https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/12/broadcom-building-three-one-million-gpu-ai-supercomputers-for-2027
Even google, meta and possibly Microsoft and amazon are collaborating to create this monster. It's even rumored that they're making their own AI chip with ByteDance and OpenAI.

Some information may not be right since all of the info & source came from the article.