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Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

theverge.com

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Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#111

Post by phendrenad2 »

tivert wrote: post #41
stetrain wrote: post #31

I got a Windows Notification the other day while playing a game telling me about a "Grand prize giveaway" Nope, not malware. Just Windows. https://i.imgur.com/xVstzqc.png https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/15u6gx8/windows_...

> I got a Windows Notification the other day while playing a game telling me about a "Grand prize giveaway" > Nope, not malware. Just Windows. Yeah, I got one the other day promoting some game or game studio. Honestly, there outta be a law. We don't need this kind of "innovation."

No, there shouldn't be a law, unless you intend to outlaw in-app advertising entirely, which will make a lot of people sad that there are no free smartphone games anymore, but okay.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#112

Post by userbinator »

thesuperbigfrog wrote: post #5

"You might argue that this is Microsoft’s operating system, or that when using Microsoft’s browser and search engine it’s well within its rights to try and sway people away from Chrome." "Microsoft’s behaviors here are totally beyond a simple webpage prompt. I shouldn’t have to be dismissing pop-ups that appear on top of my apps and games, or ones that magically appear after I update my copy of Windows." Windows 11 i…

What should Windows 11 users do to let Microsoft know that such behaviors are intrusive and offensive?

Downgrade to Windows 10.

If enough users did this, they might realise that people still want to use Windows, but without the user-hostility, so will be more incentivised to change things back to how they were instead of just squeezing harder on what remains of their userbase.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#113

Post by phendrenad2 »

jrm4 wrote: post #104

I want everyone here to completely get over the fantasy fairytale idea that Microsoft can be moved on this by typical "consumer feedback" types of responses. We've been here too long, and we know what Microsoft is and what they do. Switch operating systems, or push for EXTERNAL changes in law and policy. The other stuff is futile .

If I had a dollar for every time HN confused HN for the real world, I'd be a trillionaire.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#114

Post by gumballindie »

jwells89 wrote: post #99
gumballindie wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not Linux (depending on your line of work). Wider hardware choice, easier to upgrade, and no corporate oversight. Doesn't cover all use cases but it's a good option these days.

The frustrating thing about shopping for x86 laptops (as you probably will be if you’re wanting to run Linux) is how few models come even a little close to comparing to MacBooks in terms of battery life even with tools like tlp running and CPU throttled down as far as it’ll go, and that’s to say nothing about heat and fan noise. I’ve been looking around and the only two 12-14” options I can find that match that descr…

Battery is indeed best on macbooks.

> ASUS Zenbook S OLED (AMD)

I went for the asus proart studio book. high screen resolution, high refresh rate, the oled display is gorgeous (although the touch screen overlay is slightly visible, not an issue once used to it) and it feels more robust than a macbook. also trivially upgrade-able short of cpu and gpu. had to patch my acpi tables for sound support, and no asus dial compat yet. every now and then i get my hands dirty and i might be able to hack something to get it working. thus got a new hobby as well :-)

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#115

Post by intelVISA »

mythz wrote: post #53

I'm a big fan of WSL, which has kept me on Windows for years more than I otherwise would have. But I can't stand the scammy adware infused OS Windows has become and will be moving to Apple Silicon full-time when the next gen M3 Desktop hardware is out. As a recent M2 Macbook Air owner I'm surprised how much software supports ARM/Apple Silicon natively, where everything I use daily as a .NET developer worked OOB [1].…

Modern hardware can power VMs within 1-5% of native and passthrough PCI-e devices... there's virtually no excuse to risk your machine's health and security by exposing it to Windows on bare metal in 2023.

Stay smart, stay protected.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#116

Post by falcolas »

thfuran wrote: post #87
tivert wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I got a Windows Notification the other day while playing a game telling me about a "Grand prize giveaway" > Nope, not malware. Just Windows. Yeah, I got one the other day promoting some game or game studio. Honestly, there outta be a law. We don't need this kind of "innovation."

We should ban advertising with only very narrow exceptions.

No exceptions, particularly when it comes to your operating systems.

Apple does it. Canonical does it. Windows does it. Google does it (kinda a duh, I agree). Stop this madness.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#117

Post by lern_too_spel »

newaccount74 wrote: post #103

Everyone is doing it. Google is using Google search to shove ads for Chrome in your face. Microsoft is using Windows showing ads for Bing in your Face. Apple is using the settings app to shove ads for TV, Fitness subscriptions, etc. in your face.

> Apple is using the settings app to shove ads for TV, Fitness subscriptions, etc. in your face.

And system notifications to shove ads for Safari in your face. Same with Windows using system notifications to advertise Edge. Luckily, the popular Linux distros aren't that tacky yet.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#118

Post by userbinator »

tchbnl wrote: post #10

Windows 7 really was the last good Windows release. After that we got the hideous Metro redesign, then all the telemetry and shoving of Edge etc. down our throats.

I'd call it the last acceptable one. 2000 felt like the last one that was actually controlled by the user.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#119

Post by ChrisArchitect »

All the HN MS/Google bashing when it's not clear in the article what caused the popup. Who knows what the person's got running in their systray, what gaming apps are all tied into the browser engine and triggering the popups etc.... It's not as clear cut as "MS is throwing crap at you".

I've got multiple installs of Windows 11 going, which I only did minimal pref settings to eliminate default search toolbars, and not using Edge or anything.... Chrome default. Never any popups.

Re: Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Win11 to get people to ditch Chrome

#120

Post by dorkwood »

> “We are aware of these reports and have paused this notification while we investigate and take appropriate action to address this unintended behavior,” says Caitlin Roulston, director of communications, in a statement to The Verge.

I wonder what the intended behavior was.

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