Creator's Update is creative about adding more ads, too

Why am I not surprised?

From techradar:

More adverts will be coming to Windows 10 with the big Creators Update which arrives in April, you’ll probably be not so pleased to hear.

There are already adverts scattered around the OS, most prominently on the Start menu and lock screen, and now they will be coming to the integrated Share interface which is being overhauled for the Creators Update.

As Winaero reports, the new Share box now appears in the middle of the screen rather than in the sidebar, and it features not just apps you have installed on your PC and can share files with, but ‘recommended apps’. Adverts, in other words.

[...]

Presumably you’ll be able to disable this feature, as you can do with the adverts elsewhere in Windows – if you don’t want ads on the lock screen, it’s easy enough to turn them off.

But naturally these things are all on by default, and may never be touched by more novice users. That said, inexperienced computer users may even appreciate the suggestions, although obviously these recommendations are taking up space where actual ‘live’ icons (for installed apps) could be displayed.

Don't worry -- by the time they're done, I'm sure that Microsoft will have found a way to plaster these kinds of "recommendations" on every nook and cranny of Windows 10, no matter how obscure or infrequently-travelled. Windows 10 was not free; it just didn't cost you anything up front. If you're not being asked to pay up front, then you are the product. 

Confirmed: Windows 10 will not make "1 Billion by 2018" target

From ZDNet:

A little over a year ago, with much fanfare, Microsoft execs drew a line in the sand, predicting that Windows 10 would be installed on 1 billion devices by mid-2018.

But Microsoft officials conceded today, July 15, that they likely won't make that deadline.

My ZDNet colleague Ed Bott noted at the end of a blog post Friday that Microsoft officials still think they can hit the 1 billion Windows 10 market, but that "it's unlikely to happen by 2018 as originally projected".

I asked Microsoft for further clarification and received the following statement from a spokesperson: "Windows 10 is off to the hottest start in history with over 350m monthly active devices, with record customer satisfaction and engagement. We're pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer than FY18 for us to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices. In the year ahead, we are excited about usage growth coming from commercial deployments and new devices -- and increasing customer delight with Windows."

This is when I'm supposed to talk about how I hate to say, "I told you so," but I'd be lying -- it's actually one of my favourite things. Also: called it.

Microsoft was apparently expecting Windows 10 to get a big bump from the sales of tablets and 2-in-1's (in spite of iPad Pro outselling Surface in that slice of the market) and from phones and other mobile devices (in spite of the fact that nobody wants a Windows phone). I've said all along that the only reason that made sense for pushing Windows 10 so aggressively on PC was if it was failing on other devices, and that's now confirmed, although Microsoft are apparently still hinting at "some kind of Surface Phone type device" launching in 2017.

I wonder if the long-term damage done to their relationship with PC customers, and the loss of trust and goodwill that comes with using deceptive and coercive tactics to push us into using an OS that's loaded with built-in adware and spyware, still looks like such a bright idea in Redmond?

Here's another prediction: July's OS market share numbers will show little to no movement for Windows 10. I think that today's admission that the 1B target is impossible is Microsoft getting out in front of that story before numbers become available, thus abandoning their previous strategy of pretending that they might still make their target. Put a pin in this one, folks, and place your bets.

Speaking of unrealistic expectations

I'm smelling some wishful thinking, from the direction of PC World:

Microsoft will end its free Windows 10 upgrade program on July 29, possibly giving an unexpected boost to PC shipments in the second half this year, according to IDC.

Buyers may opt to buy a new Windows 10 PCs instead of upgrading existing PCs with a paid version of the OS. Many businesses are evaluating Windows 10 and could also upgrade.

OK, so... Microsoft's Windows 10 giveaway is one of the reasons that PC sales are down, because people upgraded their old PCs with the new OS rather than buying new PCs. And they're down significantly:

PC shipments totaled 62.4 million units during the second quarter, declining by 4.5 percent compared to same quarter the previous year, according to an IDC survey released on Monday. IDC originally predicted a decline of 7.4 percent for the quarter.

Some improvements were thanks to gains in U.S. PC shipments, which grew by 4.9 percent during the second quarter.

The quarter’s numbers reverse a sustained double-digit decline in PC shipments dating back to the second quarter last year. PC shipments may be better in the second half, but declines will continue.

“The PC market continues to struggle as we wait for replacements to accelerate, along with some return of spending from phones, tablets, and other IT,” said Loren Loverde, vice president at IDC.

IDC is projecting year-over-year worldwide PC shipments to decline until 2018, but positive growth could return earlier than expected.

That's the very analyst that PC World are quoting, quoted in their own article, saying that PC shipments are going to continue declining until 2018, which is a year and a half after Microsoft stops giving away Windows 10... assuming, of course, that Redmond don't extend that "free" Windows 10 offer. How does that translate into "The end of free Windows 10 upgrades may boost PC sales?"

In what parallel universe does another year and half of declining sales constitute a boost to sales?

An offer you can refuse

OK, I'll admit it: I was just tickled by the title of this PC World piece:

The clock is ticking, folks. If you want to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, you only have until July 29, 2016 to do so. And most people should! Windows 10 is the best Windows yet, chock full of handy new features, sleek under-the-hood improvements, and headache-killing extras.

But it’s not for everybody. There are some very real, very valid reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10.

If you’re on the fence about whether to accept or reject Microsoft’s freebie, read on for some concrete justifications for staying put.

Their list of reasons?

1. No Windows Media Center or DVD support
2. No desktop gadgets or widgets
3. No OneDrive placeholders
4. No control over Windows Updates
5. Privacy concerns
6. Ads and more ads
7. Microsoft's aggressive upgrade tactics
8. Software compatibility
9. Hardware compatibility
10. Ain't broke, don't fix it

I'm not using OneDrive for anything, or any desktop gadgets or widgets, but I find it easy to agree with all the rest of these. In fact, the last one (highlighted in bold), were all included in the list that I posted in June, although I think I'd combined the advertising and privacy issues into a single bullet point.

Well, that didn't last long

Because Microsoft are Microsoft, and Microsoft are the worst, they've now got a new GWX strong-arm tactic to replace the one they just did away with: a full-screen nag screen. Yes, that's right: they took something that was already wildly unpopular, and made it worse. Again.

From Myce:

Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users who didn’t want to upgrade to Windows 10 and deleted the ‘Get Windows 10’ application from their computer, are now targeted by Microsoft with a full screen message urging them to upgrade to Windows 10.

The message is caused by KB3173040 and its headline states, “Sorry to interrupt you but this is important, Windows 10 free upgrade offers ends July 29”. The message goes on with, “Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10 – the most secure Windows ever built. The upgrade is free and you can easily roll-back to your current operating system within 31 days if you decide Windows 10 is not right for you. We’ll check for compatability before starting the upgrade. Over 300 million people have upgraded. Upgrade your PC before the offer ends”.

Users can then select to either upgrade now or to be reminded later. It’s also possible to select to be notified three more times or to be never notified again.

They just won't learn, will they?

Microsoft to finally fix GWX alerts

Victory! Kinda.

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.

Full court press

After weeks of horrible PR surrounding their strong-arm GWX tactics, Microsoft seem to have weathered the storm and are now bringing the hardest sell they can to bear on remaining non-Win10 users. Pro-Redmond outlets are flooding the 'net with articles urging users to switch, even if they only switch to Win10 so that they can switch back, reminding us over and over again that time is running out, and that it will cost us later if we don't switch now.

Don't believe the hype. If you're running Windows 7, and you're happy with it, then you don't need to switch to Windows 10, and here's why:

Turn off the ads in Windows 10

Thanks, Cybershack:

How to disable ads on the Windows 10 lock screen
Disabling ads on the Windows 10 lock screen simple requires you to disable a setting called Windows Spotlight. You can find this by following the steps below.

1. Open the start menu and open the Settings app
2. Select "Personalisation"
3. Select "lock screen" from the menu on the side
4. Under background, change "Windows Spotlight" to either "picture" or "slideshow"
5. Toggle "get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen" to off

How to disable ads in the Windows 10 start menu
Windows 10 will occasionally show "suggested" apps in your start menu. Once again, these are fairly easy to get rid of.

1. Open the start menu and open the Settings app
2. Select "Personalisation"
3. Select "start menu" from the menu on the side
4. Toggle "occasionally show suggestions in Start" to off

How stop Windows 10 tracking you for targeted ads
This is a bit more ominous than it sounds, but Windows 10 is able to track your usage across apps you've gotten from the Windows Store. This information is then used to provide you with more personalised ads in other apps. If you want to switch this off, you can do this be following the steps below.

1. Open the start menu and open the Settings app
2. Select "Privacy"
3. Toggle "let apps use my advertising ID for experiences across apps" to off

Don't forget to install SpyBot Anti-Beacon, too, and update it frequently, and make sure you check your privacy settings after each Windows Update, since Windows 10 can (and will) add new privacy settings and reset your existing privacy settings, all without notifying you or asking your permission.

Unintended consequences of #upgradegate

From makeuseof.com:

Personally, I do like Windows 10, but I also appreciate the reasons of those who oppose the upgrade. And I think what Microsoft has been doing is deeply disturbing and unethical. Microsoft acts as if its goal for 1 billion Windows 10 users supersedes the company’s responsibility for its existing Windows customers.

This reckless battle has unintended consequences, which not only hurt Microsoft’s customers, but also its business.

At this point, the article lays out the five consequences in question:

1. Lost trust in Windows

2. Users completely disabling Windows updates

3. Lost time, money, and bandwidth

4. Home users abandoning Windows entirely

5. Undermining consumers' faith in consumer protections

Change.org petition garners 5000 supporters in one week

From Softpedia:

A petition that went viral earlier this week raised nearly 5,000 signatures in just a few days, as more users consider that the Electronic Frontier Foundation should investigate Microsoft for its practices regarding the very aggressive Windows 10 push.

Specifically, the petition claims that Microsoft is violating users’ right to choose and privacy by installing Windows 10 on their computers without them first giving their consent. Furthermore, it points to cases when the Windows 10 installer was launched all of a sudden, without users being prompted about it first.

[...]

Neither Microsoft nor the EFF has offered statements on this new petition so far, but the number of those who are supporting the idea of an investigation against the software giant is growing. And comments posted on the petition page pretty much speak for themselves.

“I own my computer. I say what software is installed. When ANYBODY willfully manipulates me into installing ANYTHING I do not want then they are acting against me; Microsoft, at this point and through their actions in this case are WORSE than the **** that writes malware with the goal of profiting from me. Microsoft are WORSE because I am their customer - not their product. They don't own my computer, they don't own me,” Simon Dainty from Bradford, United Kingdom, posted.

While the EFF may not have offered an official statement, I'm not so sure that Redmond's PR team is keeping silent; I'd guess that they're just being very selective who they talk to, and making sure that they have a few apologists out pleading their case, like WinBeta:

While the majority of user who make up the 300 million active Windows install base are content with Windows 10, some believe Microsoft’s upgrade is a nefarious undertaking executed by a barbarous company scrambling for relevance in an irrelevant industry. Others are a bit more forgiving, chalking up the mishaps to a woefully inept plan poorly enacted by a forever-bumbling enterprise.

However, there is a third, much smaller and soft-spoken group of people who see Microsoft’s supposed Windows 10 upgrade fiasco as an entirely different affair. At best, the Windows 10 upgrade is a calculated measure to bring an aging user base into a foundationally superior computing experience and at worst, a poorly timed enforcement of socially engineered practices that have coalesced as 30 years of misunderstandings.

That "third, much smaller and soft-spoken group" apparently include WinBeta themselves, who then go on to dismiss pro-consumer advocates and angry Window 7 users as "would-be social justice warriors," and compare Microsoft to "the fabled imp-like creature Rumpelstiltskin who is coming to collect its promised first born child," with Microsoft's customers cast in the role of "the daughter of the lying miller in the story" (did you know that Rumpelstiltskin was the hero of that story? 'cause I sure didn't), faced with an unexpected necessity to honour the terms of Windows' EULA, which we all signed in full knowledge that it gave Microsoft the right to do whatever the fuck they want, apparently.

Microsoft's Windows 10 Panic Explained

One of the bigger problems with Microsoft's overly-pushy GWX push, for Microsoft themselves, is that it makes them look desperate. If Windows 10 really is as good as Microsoft is claiming, then why are they going to such dishonest, underhanded lengths to push it on users who aren't interested? Why can't they just sell it to those users on its merits?

It doesn't help that Windows 10's merits mostly aren't that impressive. Yes, it has a slightly smaller footprint, and runs a little faster, than earlier versions of Windows, but if your system already runs just fine on Windows 7, then Win10 just isn't a big performance upgrade. And, given that Windows comes laden with a lot of "telemetry" (i.e. spyware), and its hybrid Start Menu/Metro interface, complete with "sponsored" tiles (i.e. adware), the upside of switching just isn't enough to offset all the downside.

The result: people simply aren't switching at anywhere near the rate that Microsoft had projected, or needs them to. And that's a big problem for their efforts to revive or grow the XBox Live ecosystem, or establish a foothold in PC Gaming that's comparable to Steam.

From GamingBolt:

We already do know that the Xbox One is performing below expectations- the fact that Microsoft won’t even share numbers for the console, which is widely estimated to be trailing its competition by as much as 20 million units, should be evidence enough. But on the other hand, we’ve generally expected the company to be doing well on other fronts- after all, Windows 10 is supposed to be the fastest adopted OS of all time, Minecraft is the most successful game in the world, and games like Halo 5 have all sold at least a million copies, right?

It turns out, though, that relative to Microsoft’s projections, everything might be underperforming. In a long and extensive feature on Kotaku about Lionhead and their closure, and the demise of Fable Legends, a former, unnamed employee discusses the fundamental problem that Microsoft is facing- that of volumes, which they are no longer meeting, thanks to all their products underperforming relative to projections.

“Let’s be honest – we make our projections based on a series of assumptions,” said a former employee who worked closely with Microsoft. “There are supposed to be 2x as many Xboxes out there as there are right now. There are supposed to be 2x as many Windows 10 installs as there currently are. So now, when we look at how much money Legends could make in the free-to-play universe, you have to halve it. Because we can only reach half the audience that was projected.”

This halving of the potential audience, or market, for Microsoft's products isn't limited to Microsoft-produced games. The situation looks even more bleak when you consider how poorly Windows Phone is performing, and what that means for Microsoft's future in the critically-important smartphone market, which spent recent years growing in exactly the way that the PC market wasn't.

Microsoft to put even more ads in Windows 10’s Start menu

You know, when I started this blog, I really was intending to blog about things other than Microsoft, and how they're being such incredible jerks about everything surrounding their new OS. Hell, there was a moment when I was even looking forward to Windows 10; when my planned summer project was switching to MS's new OS, and not turning my Windows 7 rig into a dual-boot Linux/SteamOS system.

But that was then, and in the now, the hits just keep coming:

Microsoft is planning to put even more ads inside Windows 10’s Start menu in its upcoming Anniversary Update. There won’t just be an extra one or two; the software giant plants to double the current number from five to ten.

Start menu ads are typically promoted tiles for apps and games available from the Windows Store, and according to The Verge, they mostly appear on new PCs to encourage new users to check out the titles available in the Store.

[...]

Microsoft confirmed it was doubling the number of ads at the WinHEC conference, where it also announced fingerprint scanner support is coming to Windows 10 Mobile. The company did not provide a reason for the move, but it’s likely to boost Windows Store downloads.

Of course it's to boost Windows Store downloads. Windows Store is a major focus of Windows 10's Universal Windows Platform, after all. Apparently, nothing else matters, including users' privacy, or their continued trust and good will. We will upgrade whether we like it or not, and we will download from the Windows Store after "upgrading," because UWP will ensure that we don't have any other options. At least, that seems to be Microsoft's plan.

It seems to me like it's just about time for Microsoft to face another antitrust action, and maybe more EU regulatory action, also.