Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#161

Post by dang » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:12 PM UTC

Windows 11 KB5023778 update adds promotions to the Start menu - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35346137 - March 2023 (251 comments)

Microsoft is turning Windows 11's Start Menu into an ad delivery system - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33694202 - Nov 2022 (143 comments)

Microsoft tests 'upsells' of its products in Windows 11 sign-out menu - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33532448 - Nov 2022 (32 comments)

Microsoft is showing ads in the Windows 11 sign-out menu - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33513622 - Nov 2022 (15 comments)

Microsoft mulling cheap PCs supported by ads, subscriptions - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33497625 - Nov 2022 (8 comments)

OneDrive Ad in Windows 11 Logout Menu - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33497269 - Nov 2022 (26 comments)

Microsoft accidentally reveals that it is testing ads in Windows Explorer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30711277 - March 2022 (168 comments)

Microsoft says Win11 Explorer ads were ‘not intended to be published externally’ - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30701289 - March 2022 (23 comments)

Latest build of Windows 11 has ads inside File Explorer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30689526 - March 2022 (12 comments)

Microsoft is testing ads in the Windows 11 File Explorer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30675908 - March 2022 (504 comments)

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#162

Post by Minor49er » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:13 PM UTC

StrangeATractor wrote: post #66

causi wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should've learned having taste is an instant disqualifier for employment at Microsoft after Windows 8.

Nobody with taste would have allowed the Zune.

The Zune HD was a fantastic device. I still use mine from time to time

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#163

Post by gumballindie » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:15 PM UTC

m4lvin wrote: post #160

gumballindie wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is crazy. Each day i find new tools and apps. Thanks for sharing owncloud.

Might as well jump to Nextcloud then :-)

All setup and running. Works a treat. But will try owncloud as well. I mean it’s linux, it will take a few minutes to install anyway.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#164

Post by Svip » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:16 PM UTC

LAC-Tech wrote: post #153

The only thing I need windows for now is to sign contracts, that come in PDF form. I have a laptop with windows 11 for that kind of stuff. Is there any software in linux that can insert my signature in a PDF, like adobes "fill & sign"?

If all you need is to insert an image of your signature onto a PDF, you can use Xournal.[0]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xournal

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#165

Post by hollandheese » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:16 PM UTC

hackinthebochs wrote: post #64

gumballindie wrote: post #60

Move over to linux. KDE has the eye-candy, XFCE has the simplicity and OpenBOX is distraction free. Games work well and so do dev tools.

Are fonts still ugly as sin? That was the biggest drawback last time I tried linux as my main desktop. That and having to muck around in config files for every little thing.

Fonts have looked better in Linux than Windows for over 15 years now.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#166

Post by whoopdedo » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:16 PM UTC

JCWasmx86 wrote: post #68

JohnFen wrote: post #54

> As Microsoft puts it: “We are continuing the exploration of badging on the Start menu with several new treatments for users logging in with local user accounts to highlight the benefits of signing in with a Microsoft account (MSA).” What is Microsoft really thinking here? You have to go out of your way (and probably do a web search) in order to figure out how to install Win 11 without using a Microsoft Account. So…

Companies should really accept a "No" from their users. No I don't want to use a microsoft account just to use my computer. (Without jumping through hoops) Don't ask me again the moment I say "No". You can see the same with all those dialogs that only have "Yes, do $THING" and "Remind me later".

It's what the phrase "the customer is always right" originally meant. It means you can do all the market research, development, testing, polling, and seeding to sell a product. But the ultimate decider of whether the product is "good" is whether or not the people buy it. If your sales plan flops don't say "it's not the product's fault, I just need to do a better job marketing it." No, the product is wrong, the customer is right. Don't try to change peoples' behavior, instead change your marketing to target what people are actually buying. That could mean scrapping the project because it's unpopular, but could also mean narrowing the focus to the smaller population that really does want what you're selling.

Well, that's what it originally meant. Nowadays it's been twisted to mean reacting to every minor complaint and demand in order to retain existing customers, no matter how unreasonable or costly the effort. Rather than helping increase productivity it's become a weapon to punish subordinate sales staffs.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#167

Post by pbz » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:16 PM UTC

These kinds of changes just make the OS look cheap (like a bazaar of sorts). They're visually ugly, but easily ignored (I rarely open the start menu).

What I'm more concerned / annoyed by is the trend of Windows fighting with you. For example, try to disable the real-time antivirus protection. The UI makes it look like it's off, but then it turns back on by itself. Then you go to group policy to make it explicit that you don't want it. It's off for a bit and then it freaking changes the group policy (resets it back).

First time I noticed it do this I though I got hacked because I couldn't imagine the OS doing something so malware-ish, but it does. What's the point of having a setting at all?

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#168

Post by sodapopcan » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:17 PM UTC

mixmastamyk wrote: post #159

sodapopcan wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

XP was the best OS and I miss it. You had to switch it to use the classic 95/97/2000 skin, of course :) I haven't used Windows since.

The shell yes. Lack of a decent terminal would sink it—besides the other reasons it is not suitable any longer... software support and security concerns. Reply edit: Guess you could putty into Linux, but not worth the hassle at that point.

Oh right. I was writing spaghetti PHP in those days so never had use for a terminal, so I guess that is required context.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#169

Post by xeromal » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:17 PM UTC

pengaru wrote: post #96

MS Windows is the daytime television of operating systems: If you're still using it in 2023 you have only yourself to blame. It's not like there aren't better options at your disposal...

Not many people use this excuse, but I'm honestly too old to give a shit about any other OS. lol I'm gonna die using windows and that's alright.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#170

Post by debug-desperado » Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 6:18 PM UTC

Microsoft Edge just created a logged-in profile on my machine for the second time. I'm not even sure how - maybe it's because I logged into Bing to play with their chat? I'm on a Windows 10 Local account and this is getting old.

EDIT, think I finally found out the option under Profile Preferences:

"Automatic sign in on Microsoft Edge

If you're not signed in currently on Microsoft Edge, we'll automatically sign you in by using your sign in info from other Microsoft sites like Outlook."