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Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

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Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#11

Post by userbinator »

city41 wrote: post #3
grawlinson wrote: post #2

Here's a better idea - show Microsoft that you don't accept this type of behaviour by switching products/services. I'm aware that Windows 10 is a "free" OS, but trying to ram this type of behaviour down my throat is despicable unethical behaviour and I don't condone it. It is why I've switched to Linux for my daily computing needs.

Windows 10 is not free. The "free upgrade" period is over. MSRP for Windows 10 Home is $119.

That's why the parent put "free" in quotes. Unlike all the previous versions of Windows, MSFT decided to make this upgrade "free" for a while, but AFAIK it's still ridiculously easy to pirate Win10, and the "accessibility technologies" free upgrade loophole, which was said to be closing "very soon" many months ago, is still open.

In other words, if you really don't want to pay, Microsoft still seems desperate to get you to "upgrade" to Win10... precisely so they can monetise you with ads (and might make more from you eventually even if you never paid for their OS). As a mass-exodus to Linux and macOS curretly seems unlikely, their strategy appears to be winning so far.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#12

Post by chc »

csdreamer7 wrote: post #6

> how to turn them off Switch to Linux. Windows 10 Home is now $119 and tracks you. Microsoft is trying to sell you a product and monetize your behavior. They are pursuing a way to maintain their cash cow and have an avenue to push Google out.

This works well if your hobbies include manually editing obscure config files and replacing perfectly good hardware, and if your hobbies do not include playing games.

I frequently explore the possibility of switching to Linux, and while it's not the garbage fire it was 15 years ago, it's still just not a peer to Windows for the way I use my computer.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#14

Post by djsumdog »

csdreamer7 wrote: post #6

> how to turn them off Switch to Linux. Windows 10 Home is now $119 and tracks you. Microsoft is trying to sell you a product and monetize your behavior. They are pursuing a way to maintain their cash cow and have an avenue to push Google out.

I have a primary Linux box, but my Windows box is still used for games.

For the PC gamer, the indie game market on Linux is growing, but it's still not the same as the Windows market. Microsoft had one of the last minimal-bloat systems up until Windows 10. I don't want to enter a world where we need to start ad-blocking the entire OS via custom DNS servers.

Microsoft is still making money of the initial OS license with every new machine. People will still pay for Windows. Why do they keep fucking it up?

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#16

Post by TAForObvReasons »

userbinator wrote: post #11
city41 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Windows 10 is not free. The "free upgrade" period is over. MSRP for Windows 10 Home is $119.

That's why the parent put "free" in quotes. Unlike all the previous versions of Windows, MSFT decided to make this upgrade "free" for a while, but AFAIK it's still ridiculously easy to pirate Win10, and the "accessibility technologies" free upgrade loophole, which was said to be closing "very soon" many months ago, is still open. In other words, if you really don't want to pay, Microsoft still seems desperate to get…

> As a mass-exodus to Linux and macOS curretly seems unlikely, their strategy appears to be winning so far.

... or people just install windows 7 / avoid upgrading to 10. Hard to call that a "win"

Take everything with a grain of salt, but metrics still point to Windows 7 dominance:

http://gs.statcounter.com/os-version-market-share/windows/de...

https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share...

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#17

Post by aphextron »

I'm so divided on Microsoft these days. On the one hand they are doing all the right things in terms of supporting FOSS and making Windows into a truly great OS. But then they pull stuff like this and you remember it's Microsoft.

I think this is just the price we are going to pay for "evergreen" operating systems. As a consumer, you now only buy Windows once. Microsoft has to make up for these lost sales so it makes sense. I don't agree with it, but having to toggle off advertising is not going to keep me from using what I consider to be the best operating system for my needs.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#19

Post by netsharc »

amaks wrote: post #5

Interesting. Chromebooks are cheaper and ChromeOS doesn't shove ads to users' faces. Who's scroogled now?

Playing today in theatres, Beauty and the Beast, a life-action version of the famous Disney cartoon. Starring Emma Watson, Ian McKellan, Ewan McGregor, and many more stars!

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#20

Post by AndrewHMoore »

csdreamer7 wrote: post #6

> how to turn them off Switch to Linux. Windows 10 Home is now $119 and tracks you. Microsoft is trying to sell you a product and monetize your behavior. They are pursuing a way to maintain their cash cow and have an avenue to push Google out.

I agree. To be honest I'm not even angry at Microsoft, just very disappointed and surprised. Windows 7 is a technological marvel in my eyes - it's stable and dependable with amazing backwards comparability. How many millions* of man-hours of productivity has it enabled I wonder? How can Microsoft be so quick to burn decades of credibility and trust?

I switched my very very non-technically savvy parents to Ubuntu several years ago and I don't regret it for a second. Once I got their wifi, browser and printer set up and reminded them about the UI once in a while, the tech support burden was minimal. They use their PCs even less now that they have large Android phones for email and messaging.

I'm still hoping Microsoft will come up with something to challenge Android. They have the resources and brains. Unfortunately they're copying Googles business model of dark patterns to swallow as much of their customers data as possible (whether you choose to call it smart business practice or privacy destroying unethical behaviour), but additionally charging them for the privilege.

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