Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...

Do you remember when Microsoft's vision for Windows 10 involved blocking normal program installation by default? When they had to make a big deal of the ability for users to enable "side loading," as if it was some sort of fucking gift that Microsoft were giving us out of the goodness of their hearts, rather than because Windows Store was a wasteland of shit that consumers wanted no part of?

They didn't stay backed down for long, though. It was only six months later that they were announcing Windows 10 S, a gimped version of the OS which didn't even allow the option of turning side-loading on unless you paid to upgrade from WX S to WX Pro. They ended up making upgrades free for the rest of 2017, because the Windows (later Microsoft) Store was still a wasteland of shit that consumers wanted no part of. Oh, and WX S was also unusably bad, because there were no apps for fucking thing.

Well, it turns out Microsoft still isn't done trying to force Windows users onto their horrible, horrible digital storefront for fucking everything, because they're trying yet again to do exactly that. Just, you know, not with people who've already switched over. No, it's only new WX users who'll get fucked.

From Tech Republic:

Windows 10: Get ready for more PCs that only run Microsoft Store apps by default

Microsoft is planning to update all versions of Windows 10 to incorporate S Mode, which will limit the machine to only installing apps from the Microsoft Store, according to a leaked roadmap.

Because of course they are. This has always been the plan.

Thanks, but I’m still saying no to Windows 10

This article, by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols at Tech World, really tickled my fancy this morning:

I’ve been hearing a lot from friends recently about how Windows 10 is the best Windows ever and people would be stupid not to switch. These being friends, I don’t want to be rude, but — cough, ahem — I don’t buy it.

Is security your No. 1 concern? Well, Windows 10 is no more secure than Windows 7 — which is to say it is a profoundly insecure operating system. There have been a lot of serious Windows security patches in the last year, and Windows 10 had all the same problems as Windows 7.

[...]

I also wouldn’t care to be “upgraded” against my will, as happened to Windows 10 users who had toggled what they needed to toggle to tell Microsoft, “Please don’t move me from Windows 10 1703, Windows 10 Fall Update, to 1709, Fall Creators Update.” As my colleague Woody Leonhard points out, this happened via Windows Update with the November patches, when there were “so many issues with this month’s security patches that it’s hard to decide where to begin.”

By the way, I want it on record that I don’t want Windows 10’s rapid release cadence, with its short-lived support timelines. Two major upgrades — or service patches, as I still think of them — a year is one too many. I can’t make sure everything works with a significant update every six months. I don’t know anyone who can.

[...]

What it all adds up to is that, while Windows 10 is certainly a good operating system, it’s far from great. For the time being, I’m sticking with Windows 7 on my Windows machines, and I recommend you do too. I know what to expect from Windows 7, but with Windows 10, every new forced update is a roll of the dice.

Great stuff, and well worth a read, so go give the man some clicks. And if you haven't switch from Windows 7 to 10 yet, either... well, I also recommend that you don't. I haven't, and still don't plan to. Not unless Microsoft get a handle on their anti-consumer bullshit, anyway, which doesn't look like it's going to be happening anytime soon.

Here we go again...

Just when you thought it was safe to update your Windows PC...

From PC World:

When Microsoft’s Windows 10 deadline passed, many heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that Microsoft’s obnoxious popup reminders had finally been laid to rest.

Surprise! Microsoft’s at it again, reminding users to sign up for Microsoft Rewards (formerly Bing Rewards) by using Edge, Windows 10’s built-in browser. My colleague Brad Chacos was hit by the ad above after hours, reported it, and immediately erased Edge from his toolbar.

...

A notification here, a suggestion there: Microsoft’s gently slipped in promotions for Office as well as its third-party apps off and on since Windows 10 was launched, and then sneakily reset those options once the Anniversary Update launched last summer. (Here’s a list to turn off those Windows 10 ads if you’re still seeing them.)

But here’s the problem. Brad turned off his ad settings; the Anniversary Update reinstated them. Brad says he turned off the ad settings again—and once again, Microsoft reinstated them.

I guess bribery didn't work, then, so we're back to coercion? So much for Microsoft getting their shit together.

The one bright spot in this fresh bit of Microsoft hell: unlike their horrible GWX campaign, this will only affect Windows 10 users. Those of us who were smart enough to avoid switching in the first place, or to have switched back, don't have to worry about this one. Maybe this will convince a few more Windows 10 users to roll back to an OS that doesn't come loaded with quite so much of Microsoft's shit. Windows 7 may not be the new Windows XP yet, but Microsoft certainly seem to be working at making it happen.

Never10, bitches! Windows 7 forever! Woo!


#Windows7≈WindowsXP2.0
#Never10
#Windows7forever