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Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

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491–500 of 647 posts

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#493

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"?

I wish there was a linux app as intuitive as Mac os's stock pdf viewer/editor, it's as good as it gets when it comes to signing and reorganising documents

Preview.app! It’s seriously awesome. It’s the one thing I miss when using a flavour of Linux.

You can fill and sign, but also redact (actually removes vectors under the redaction blob), combine multiple PDFs and rearrange pages. Does everything I would ever want to do with a PDF and it’s hidden inside what most people think is just the image viewer.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#494
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".

Not just the account. The telemetry should have a complete off switch too.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#495
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and it's a pool not paying them for services so they probably don't care about losing them.

So then why bother targeting them in the first place?

If the numbers go up, somebody looks good. Maybe even gets a promotion.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#496

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I highly doubt people buying a Windows 11 license with their own money is even 0.1% of the installed base. If they had hundreds of millions of people, or OEMs, sending them $150 USD per license, it would be unlikely for them to put in ads. As in windows 7. But when it's almost freely given away...

> But when it's almost freely given away... If that's a problem it's one created by Microsoft themselves. They're the one that sets their license fees. Their execs set stock guidance.

Perhaps they figured they could rake in much more cash by giving the license away for free and charging someone else for showing ads.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#497
post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do what I did. Buy a xps 13 (dell has 'developer edition variants of these, so it fully supports linux). I actually bought the windows version because it was cheaper, instantly wiped it on boot and installed linux. I've upgraded to a 1tb ssd and might upgrade to a 2tb ssd given how cheap they are right now. Great experience though!

I need Serif (Affinity Suite), Ableton, Arturia, and Native Instruments to port everything to Linux or at least make it equally functional in Wine first. I could understand going to the trouble if I had anything remotely like the issues people say they have with Windows, but it's been an absolute breeze for me. Always has been. The few ad-ish things I see were trivial to remove. Staying on a local account was effortl…

I know its probably not what you're looking for, but Bitwig has a similar workflow to Ableton, and has first class Linux support.

A few years ago I was in a similar situation, but decided in the end to not allow myself to be tethered to an operating system, and did away with all the software I couldn't use elsewhere.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#498
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…

How about fucking Signal. You know, the privacy oriented app that's written by one of the supposed good guys. On iOS at least the prompt to gain access to your contacts provides two choies: Yes" "Remind me later".

No. Fucking. Thanks.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#499

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't be surprised if some shitty Bluetooth headphones send a "play" command on connection, which then opens the default music player if no others are running, and by default the Music app has some Apple Music stuff (though as you say it can be disabled). While there should ideally be a toggle in the OS to be able to ignore play commands completely from bluetooth devices (to deal with such defective ones), but I…

> I wouldn't be surprised if some shitty Bluetooth headphones send a "play" command on connection, Bose's highest end headphones. > While there should ideally be a toggle in the OS to be able to ignore play commands completely from bluetooth devices (to deal with such defective ones), but I don't see it as outright malicious unlike putting spam in the start menul Windows does the "proper" thing here and starts playin…

> And Windows really goes the extra mile to remember what was last playing, sometimes resuming sound in a browser tab I haven't looked at in several days!

And sometimes calling up some random contact on Teams because it sticks around in the "media" panel. Good times.

Re: Microsoft plugging more ads into Windows 11 Start Menu

#500

Plenty of us at MSFT won't even use a windows desktop because of decisions like this. I don't know who's in charge here, but way to go on killing the goodwill of everyone elses work with stupid features everyone actually hates.

I dunno what it's like nowadays, but when I was at MSFT during the win8/early win10 times, the internal mailing lists where 10x as angry and vicious as what you saw in public. Microsoft employees loved Windows and were fucking pissed that it was getting ruined. I guess they've all been beaten into submission and/or managed out by now..

Well yeah, I would be pissed too if I couldn't go home proud of the work I did. Like what is even the point of pouring you heart and soul into a thing if by the time anyone sees it it's just a wall of ads?
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