Well, that's certainly an article title isn't it. But I mean it. Microsoft, don't you dare touch Valve. You're fat enough already and too big as it is.
They know that gaming is the one thing that often keeps people from switching to Linux.
They know this because they keep purposefully making Windows worse and less consumer-friendly. They want you to use Windows how they want you to use it, in a way that maximizes profit for Microsoft.
Refusal to let the user decide how they want to use the system. Examples such as:
If I uninstall Skype or Candy Crush, I expect them to stay uninstalled. Nope. Each update, Microsoft says "Nope, you need these" and re-installs them.
Pushing Microsoft Accounts hard. For most consumers, the copy of Windows 11 they'll get won't even allow them to use a local account. If they're savvy enough, they might be able to look up the PowerShell commands to bypass it, but it's pretty much a done deal for most average people: if you want to use consumer Windows, you're looking at needing to submit to using a Microsoft account for logging in.
Ads ads ads everywhere! I don't ever remember Microsoft being this pushy before. It won't shut the fuck up about Microsoft Edge. Hell, I had to put up with fucking Cortana on every install until very recently when they finally decided to drop her useless ass.
They have in general decided to say "fuck what the consumer wants, they'll use our OS how we say."
And then there's the administration. It's like they hired a billion Indians to make a billion random admin centre interfaces with random functions and random names that change once a year and make no sense. With 10+ years of enterprise windows administration behind me I suddenly have to look up guides on how to do basic things because they keep moving everything around to nonsensical places (probably so they can sell the newest certifications).
For me, it has essentially only gotten better, which is why I wondered what is getting so bad. With 10 or 11 I hardly have to help people with things. But yeah, privacy etc. is clearly getting worse.
Continue to use Linux as my primary go-to for operating system except in cases where I am in need of a Windows machine.
Then, when it comes to Windows, continue being informed about the inner workings of the OS and using Powershell and other tricks to get around the worst of Microsoft excesses.
I deleted Skype and candy crush once, years ago and its never showed up on my system since then and I forgot cortana even existed not long after it was introduced. How is your experience so much worse than mine?
It continues to lack real mandatory access control, for starters. You can deny system apps permissions and Windows update will just quietly revert them. It has a hidden "user" which cannot be restricted.
ads, start menu becoming tied to internet searches ultimately slowing it down, performance decrease win11 vs win10, Bloatware, Xbox locking game folders, the new context menu… these are the ones i can quickly come up with
Update to add: The goddamn shortcuts, can't just click and drag from desktop to start menu or taskbar, and vice versa anymore
They know this because they keep purposefully making Windows worse and less consumer-friendly. They want you to use Windows how they want you to use it, in a way that maximizes profit for Microsoft.
How is windows getting worse?
Refusal to let the user decide how they want to use the system. Examples such as:
If I uninstall Skype or Candy Crush, I expect them to stay uninstalled. Nope. Each update, Microsoft says "Nope, you need these" and re-installs them.
Pushing Microsoft Accounts hard. For most consumers, the copy of Windows 11 they'll get won't even allow them to use a local account. If they're savvy enough, they might be able to look up the PowerShell commands to bypass it, but it's pretty much a done deal for most average people: if you want to use consumer Windows, you're looking at needing to submit to using a Microsoft account for logging in.
Ads ads ads everywhere! I don't ever remember Microsoft being this pushy before. It won't shut the fuck up about Microsoft Edge. Hell, I had to put up with fucking Cortana on every install until very recently when they finally decided to drop her useless ass.
They have in general decided to say "fuck what the consumer wants, they'll use our OS how we say."
And then there's the administration. It's like they hired a billion Indians to make a billion random admin centre interfaces with random functions and random names that change once a year and make no sense. With 10+ years of enterprise windows administration behind me I suddenly have to look up guides on how to do basic things because they keep moving everything around to nonsensical places (probably so they can sell the newest certifications).
Good points. Non of them affect me personally or the family where I do support, but still. Maybe I don't see that as most are still on W10.
That's fair. I don't know why you got downvoted for asking a reasonable question. Not everybody deals with these issues front and center.
For me, it has essentially only gotten better, which is why I wondered what is getting so bad. With 10 or 11 I hardly have to help people with things. But yeah, privacy etc. is clearly getting worse.
@dingus @Eheran this sounds terrible. What are you going to do?
Continue to use Linux as my primary go-to for operating system except in cases where I am in need of a Windows machine.
Then, when it comes to Windows, continue being informed about the inner workings of the OS and using Powershell and other tricks to get around the worst of Microsoft excesses.
I deleted Skype and candy crush once, years ago and its never showed up on my system since then and I forgot cortana even existed not long after it was introduced. How is your experience so much worse than mine?
It continues to lack real mandatory access control, for starters. You can deny system apps permissions and Windows update will just quietly revert them. It has a hidden "user" which cannot be restricted.
That would be not getting better - not getting worse.
ads, start menu becoming tied to internet searches ultimately slowing it down, performance decrease win11 vs win10, Bloatware, Xbox locking game folders, the new context menu… these are the ones i can quickly come up with
Update to add: The goddamn shortcuts, can't just click and drag from desktop to start menu or taskbar, and vice versa anymore