With Windows 10 offered at zero cost to most users, it is not surprising that Microsoft is looking at other ways to make money off its latest and last operating system.

Earlier, Tech Times reported that Microsoft is charging users $1.5 a month or $10 a year to remove the ads in Solitaire, but the Redmond-based software company is not likely to generate income just by offering ads in the classic card-based game alone.

It looks like Microsoft is also looking to make money by selling certain apps, apps that were previously available for free in earlier versions of Windows. Windows Central blog has discovered that one of these apps is Windows DVD Player, which Microsoft now charges users to download for $14.99 upfront.

The description of the app does not say much about its DVD-playing capabilities, but it says it "makes it easy to watch your favorite DVDs" including both "commercial and homemade discs in the DVD-Video format."

For now, Windows DVD Player is free to all Windows 10 users upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate and Professional and Windows 8.1 with a Media Center but only for "limited time." Others who purchased or are planning to purchase Windows 10 and those upgrading from Windows 7 Enterprise will have to pay the entire $15 to get a DVD player app.

However, users do not have to do that, as there are other DVD players that offer more functionality than Windows DVD Player and, more importantly, are available for free for good.

One such example is VideoLAN's VLC media player, which can play not only DVDs but also an entire array of media formats as well. Power users have been touting VLC player for years, and it is one of the best media players anyone can get for free.

Additionally, VLC can play Blu-ray discs, provided users have no qualms about doing certain workarounds, while Windows DVD Player will not be able to run Blu-ray movies at all.

Just remember to download the full desktop version of the media player from VideoLan's official website, not the lightweight app that is available on Windows Store.

Photo: C.P. Storm | Flickr