This is probably my 6th system since I bought my first used desktop back in 96 and the first time I've had no access to ANY type of document writing software without paying.
Windows has a simple built-in Word Processor, originally Write and now Wordpad (as Geek mentioned) which are often sufficient for most people's document needs. It is the manufacturers that have given you Office/Wordperfect or other Applications. A good portion of prepackaged software included a full version of some Office Suite, but the decision to include it (and what to include) is more a cost analysis by manufacturers.
Also, one might think: "Ahh. well, Microsoft should include Office with Windows". That sort of falls apart when you consider what happened when they included Internet Explorer into Windows.
All that said, very few people actually use Word in such a way that makes what they need to do incompatible with Wordpad. Basically, for most people, Microsoft Word is overkill for their document processing needs, but Word has somehow become synonymous with "Word processor" so people are under the impression that they
do need Microsoft Word.
And even if you do need a feature in MS Word that isn't available in WordPad, Usually that feature is in something like OpenOffice/LibreOffice, which is free. I think Wordpad and Open/Libre Office can even open and save standard Word documents, too.
There was always a "product key" to activate windows software.
Yep, that would have been provided by the manufacturer. Usually Manufacturers (Dell, HP, etc) purchase hardware in bulk (for a bulk discount), build the machines, buy OS and full software licenses (eg Windows and Office, things like CD Burners, etc) in bulk, and then try to make that back by offering trials; for example, Things such as "Norton AV" aren't added by manufacturers to help consumers, but more because Norton pays them to do it. The purpose being that Norton will make more back in the resulting sales than they paid the manufacturer, and the manufacturer, in turn, saves a bit of cost and can pass that saved cost on to the consumer in the form of a lower price, making their PC more competitive. It's a big industry and it's a huge balancing act for them to create a PC that looks and works well but uses the cheapest possible components and the most installed crapware to offset the cost. I guess in this case Lenovo couldn't justify giving a full Home version of Office for some reason. Which actually makes no sense since Thinkpads are usually associated with "businessey" tasks.
I've already called Lenovo and let them know what I think of this scam so today I will go to best buy and let them know as well. In the meantime, I will try the alternatives.
Well in fairness, if anybody lied to you it was the salesman. Usually if something is a trial it will quite clearly state as much, but Salesman are a bit more apt- thanks to commissions- to leave out such "minor details". On the bright side, this gives you a chance to give some good free software a go, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
