Its pirates that have backed them into a corner and forced them to bite.
Evidence for this claim?
You don't have to buy every version. You choose the one that best suits your requirements, and buy that.
Why have different versions? Why not sell a single version that's suitable for every consumer's 'needs'?
No need for companies to protect their IP? Or no need to charge for operating systems?
No need for multiple versions. Read my whole paragraph. Or do you not understand the concept of 'paragraphs'?