Microsoft is at it again (or, another reason why I'll never switch to Windows 10)

Let's just cut right to it, shall we? Here's a new report of Microsoft's intrusive, user-hostile, monopolistic practices, as reported by Sean Hollister of The Verge:

If I told you that my entire computer screen just got taken over by a new app that I’d never installed or asked for — it just magically appeared on my desktop, my taskbar, and preempted my next website launch — you’d probably tell me to run a virus scanner and stay away from shady websites, no?

But the insanely intrusive app I’m talking about isn’t a piece of ransomware. It’s Microsoft’s new Chromium Edge browser, which the company is now force-feeding users via an automatic update to Windows.

Seriously, when I restarted my Windows 10 desktop this week, an app I’d never asked for:

1. Immediately launched itself
2. Tried to convince me to migrate away from Chrome, giving me no discernible way to click away or say no
3. Pinned itself to my desktop and taskbar
4. Ignored my previous browser preference by asking me — the next time I launched a website — whether I was sure I wanted to use Chrome instead of Microsoft’s oh-so-humble recommendation

[...] Did I mention that, as of this update, you can’t uninstall Edge anymore?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Microsoft has turned Windows into malware. But don't worry! It gets worse. Because apparently Windows 7 and 8 are also receiving the unwanted gift of a new web browser that they didn't ask for and can't uninstall, in spite of the fact that Windows 7, in particular, is supposed to be out of service and not receiving updates anymore.

Needless to say, questions abound, and Hollister wasn't shy about asking them.

Microsoft isn’t trying to hide most of this, by the way: it lays out the so-called “First Run Experience” in this update changelog. So I figured I’d see if the company might say more. Here is a list of questions I sent Microsoft, which the company declined to substantively answer on the record or on background:

• What was the goal and reasoning here?
• Why does Microsoft feel that this is appropriate?
• Was it a success, and if so, by what metric?
• What does Microsoft’s telemetry show users are doing in response to being confronted with Edge pins, desktop icons, auto-launch, and reset default apps?
• Would Microsoft do this again?
• Will Microsoft stop this now, and/or change anything about this update?
• What is Microsoft’s philosophy on dark pattern software design?

The only justifications the company could provide me are that, technically, the new Edge is replacing the old Edge that already comes with Windows 10; Microsoft wants you to use the best, most secure version of its browser; and you can still say no — though in this case, a “no” involves force-closing Edge, reaffirming your default browser choice, and having to spend a minute deleting unwanted junk on your desktop

Here’s one more question: Microsoft, do you think this behavior makes Windows users actually want to try Edge?

I can answer that last question: No. No, it doesn't. In fact, this latest example of Microsoft's user-hostile bullshit only deepens my determination to never use Edge... or Windows 10.

So... I guess it's time to stop procrastinating, and actually make that switch to Linux that I've been threatening for months now, before my system is infected by more of Microsoft's unwanted malware. And I somehow doubt that I'm the only one, which may be why Linux's user market share keeps creeping upwards.