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Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

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Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#181

Post by copper-float »

JCWasmx86 wrote: post #92
giancarlostoro wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I went ahead and installed Linux the moment I realized I had to go through a ton of hoops in order to install Windows 11 offline. I'm only ever going to use Windows for work machines that someone else is paying me to use, and even then, I might just start asking for a Mac instead. I'm over this awful OS nonsense they're doing to Windows. Whoever is in charge of the OS clearly does not care. If I were manning the ship…

I recently installed Windows 10 in a VM to port a program to Windows (Was a horror story). On the left side in the start menu I have ads and other crap: "Trending searches", "Trending videos from the web", "Games for you", "Trending news" and some other stuff like a reminder for the International day for Monuments and Sites. On the right side I have a weather/news widget from some really shady or local newspapers abo…

All of these gross advertising decisions baked into the operating system disgust me. Not to mention all the tracking they probably do to you on top of it.

The best solution I've found is Windows 10 IoT Enterprise. It feels like an alternate timeline where Microsoft didn't dive headfirst into manipulative advertising practices. None of those pointless bloatware apps, no blatant advertising loitered across the OS.

I don't want tabloid trash baked into my start menu. It would be one thing if we were actually allowed to curate and choose the news, but it's all selected for us. It feels like they're trying to manipulate the way people think with decisions like that.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#182

Post by JohnFen »

afandian wrote: post #158
xattt wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Companies should really accept a "No" from their users. At some point, it gets into “creepy pervert” territory.

I got this from BBC Sounds app. https://imgur.com/a/CSMwv96 A full screen dialogue box with no other way of dismissing it but “maybe later”. “Switch on notifications and we'll find new releases that you might like, so you don't have to. Sounds good Maybe later” No shred of concern for consent. I get if you’re a scrappy startup growth hacking taking ethical shortcuts. But a public service broadcaster should have bette…

> I get if you’re a scrappy startup growth hacking taking ethical shortcuts.

Nope.

Scrappy startup or established corporation, it doesn't matter. Taking ethical shortcuts makes you a Bad Guy.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#183

Post by mihaaly »

jimbob45 wrote: post #52
whywhywhywhy wrote: post #51

Please please MS just put someone in charge with taste who can veto this trashy rubbish. Whatever gains you're perceiving from this on your profit chart isn't worth the compounding deterioration of your products experience.

On the other hand, Windows is on a lot of computers these days. They may be making absurd amounts of money off of this arrangement.

It is on at least one less computer than it could be.

I decided not to have Windows at home (I'd choose Pro version as preference for several reasons). It is enough suffering with it working hours, I feel relieved almost every day when I can turn it off finally.

They make no money here. Not from license, nor from advert or other whatever they try to push down the throat.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#184

Post by copper-float »

dylan604 wrote: post #80
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…

So you're saying Windows has become nagware?

Absolutely, well beyond nagware at this point (with default settings).

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#185

Post by JohnFen »

com2kid wrote: post #142
dotty- wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think Apple recurringly hounds you to sign in when you hit "Do it later" though. I read "Do it later" here as a subtle reminder that "the option is not gone. You can do it later on your own in your system settings if you want", as opposed to "ok we'll ask you again later unprompted :)"

Everytime my BT headphones connect, Apple Music opens up. Own and iPhone and you are reminded quite often of the benefits of an iCloud subscription. Try setting up an iPhone w/o an apple account for that matter, or using an Android phone (that hasn't been de-googled) without a Google account. Not to mention, users expect their files to be with them everywhere. IMHO Microsoft should make OneDrive free with some obscen…

> using an Android phone (that hasn't been de-googled) without a Google account.

This is still very doable (or, it was when I got a new phone a couple of years ago). It wasn't even hard to avoid using a Google account.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#186

Post by kayodelycaon »

com2kid wrote: post #142
dotty- wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think Apple recurringly hounds you to sign in when you hit "Do it later" though. I read "Do it later" here as a subtle reminder that "the option is not gone. You can do it later on your own in your system settings if you want", as opposed to "ok we'll ask you again later unprompted :)"

Everytime my BT headphones connect, Apple Music opens up. Own and iPhone and you are reminded quite often of the benefits of an iCloud subscription. Try setting up an iPhone w/o an apple account for that matter, or using an Android phone (that hasn't been de-googled) without a Google account. Not to mention, users expect their files to be with them everywhere. IMHO Microsoft should make OneDrive free with some obscen…

> Every time my BT headphones connect, Apple Music opens up.

Sounds like your headphones are issuing a play command during the connection process. My car does this. It’s very annoying.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#188

Post by mihaaly »

spicyusername wrote: post #10

The only reason I use Windows in 2023 is for video gaming. Every other non-gaming PC I own is running Linux. Windows has become inferior to Linux in every other way. More upgrade headaches, worse resource utilization, worse desktop environment, more crashes, data collection, and now embedded ads. These technology companies have really demonstrated over the past few decades that they are unable to maintain reliable pr…

I recently had the choise building home server with Windows or Linux, and due to diminishing and frustrating experience, not least with the unavoidbale spinning fans on my windows computers (I call them vacuum when I talk about them to my wife), due to the misfortune I have to work with Windows I started to dig myself into Linux matters instead and now have a satisfactory quiet and cheap home server setting at home.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#189

Post by elforce002 »

windowsrookie wrote: post #131

I moved my whole family to Mac OS years ago. I primarily run Mac OS, But I keep a couple windows machines around just to stay familiar with the OS. I think I will switch my gaming desktop over to Linux at this point. I actually enjoy Microsofts other products like VS Code, Xbox, Etc. But Windows has never been my favorite OS, and now I actually dislike using it.

I recently switched to Mac OS and I won't go back to Microsoft.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#190

Post by NoMoreNicksLeft »

websap wrote: post #15

It's outrageous that once a great OS builder, is now resorting to pushing it's subscription services through it's OS. Imagine MacOS and iOS showing in menu ads, I hope Apple never stoops to this level.

When were they ever a great OS builder? It was always mediocre at best, and that not very often.

For many years, I had hoped they'd pull an apple and run linux under the hood with a graphic shell that made it look like Windows. But times have moved on, and it will never again be an important enough product for them to fix in that manner now.

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