From Silicon Beat:
Microsoft has heard the complaints about the tactics it’s using to push Windows 10 on users, and it’s finally doing something about them.
Later this week, the company plans to roll out an update for Windows 7 and 8 that that will change the alerts it has been using to promote Windows 10. Unlike before, the alerts will now offer users a clear choice to decline Windows 10. And if users click on the red “x” button to dismiss the alert, Windows will no longer consider that a confirmation that users want to upgrade to Windows 10.
[...]
In addition to changing how the Windows upgrade prompts work, Microsoft is offering free tech support to all customers who are having trouble with Windows 10, [Lisa Gurry, Microsoft’s senior director for Windows] said. If users whose PCs were upgraded to Windows 10 want to return them to their previous operating system, Microsoft’s customer support staff will walk them through the process free of charge, she said.
[...]
Many users have complained that they have been unwittingly upgraded to Windows 1o or have had to repeatedly dismiss notifications pushing them to upgrade. Last month, a Sausalito woman won a $10,000 judgment against Microsoft after she sued the company because her computer became almost inoperable after trying and failing to install the Windows 10 update, which she hadn’t authorized.
Windows users can return their computers to an earlier version of the operating system, but some have found that their files have been corrupted or drivers used to interact with printers and other accessories have been deleted.
After months of terrible PR, it seems that $10K settlement really was the turning point, since Redmond is now "working really hard to address" issues with their GWX strong-arm tactics. And it's not some nameless PR flack they've sent to announce this course correction, but rather their senior director for Windows, which shows a seriousness which I'd honestly stopped expecting from Redmond. For weeks, it was clear that trouble was brewing, but Microsoft didn't much seem to care; now that trouble has arrived, and they suddenly care a whole lot.
If Microsoft is hoping to avoid the looming threat of more lawsuits, or possible class action lawsuits, over their GWX tactics.... well, that ship may already have sailed. That said, the fact that GWX will finally give users a clear "No, thanks" option, Microsoft's sudden interest in respecting users' wishes, and the addition of actual help with roll backs and other technical issues related to the "upgrades," are all positive changes. It all makes for a very different tone from their previous stance, i.e. that switching to Windows 10 was the solution to every problem that Windows users might be experiencing, even when Microsoft themselves had caused of the problems.
If Microsoft is hoping to avoid the looming threat of more lawsuits, or possible class action lawsuits, over their GWX tactics.... well, that ship may already have sailed. That said, the fact that GWX will finally give users a clear "No, thanks" option, Microsoft's sudden interest in respecting users' wishes, and the addition of actual help with roll backs and other technical issues related to the "upgrades," are all positive changes. It all makes for a very different tone from their previous stance, i.e. that switching to Windows 10 was the solution to every problem that Windows users might be experiencing, even when Microsoft themselves had caused of the problems.
I have to say, though... I'll be fascinated to see what Windows 10's market share looks like, when we get independent numbers at month's end. Microsoft were making wholly unbelievable claims to have gained 13 points through their GWX push, but I suspect that the reality will look much less rosy for Windows 10.
In the meantime, don't forget:
Until users receive the new update for Windows 7 and 8 that changes the upgrade prompts, they will continue to see the old ones that are difficult to dismiss and will schedule the upgrade if they click the “x” box. Users who don’t want to wait for the new update already have several other options for blocking the upgrade notifications and permanently preventing their computers from upgrading to Windows 10.