Microsoft Forces Windows 10 Restarts -- To Install 'Unsolicited, Unwanted' Office Apps (theverge.com) 292
The Verge's senior news editor complains that without permission, Windows 10 restarted to install "unsolicited, unwanted web app versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook onto my computer."
OK, it's not as bad as when my entire computer screen got taken over by an unwanted copy of Microsoft Edge. That was truly egregious. No, this time Microsoft is merely sneaking unwanted web apps onto my PC — and using my Windows 10 Start Menu as free advertising space. Did I mention that icons for Microsoft Office apps have magically appeared in my Start Menu, even though I've never once installed Office on this computer?
These aren't full free copies of Office, by the way. They're just shortcuts to the web version you could already access in any web browser of your choice, which double as advertisements to pay for a more fully featured copy... They're the latest proof that Microsoft doesn't respect your ownership of your own PC, the latest example of Microsoft installing anything it likes in a Windows update up to and including bloatware, and the latest example of Microsoft caring more about the bottom line than whether a few people might lose their work when Windows suddenly shuts down their PC. Luckily, I didn't lose any work today, but a friend of mine recently did...
Microsoft seems to think our computers are free advertising space, a place where it can selfishly promote its other products — even though they were told roundly in the '90s that even bundling a web browser was not OK. Now, they're bundling a browser you can't uninstall, and a set of PWA web apps that launch in that same browser. (Yes, they fire up Edge even if you've set a different browser as default.)
These aren't full free copies of Office, by the way. They're just shortcuts to the web version you could already access in any web browser of your choice, which double as advertisements to pay for a more fully featured copy... They're the latest proof that Microsoft doesn't respect your ownership of your own PC, the latest example of Microsoft installing anything it likes in a Windows update up to and including bloatware, and the latest example of Microsoft caring more about the bottom line than whether a few people might lose their work when Windows suddenly shuts down their PC. Luckily, I didn't lose any work today, but a friend of mine recently did...
Microsoft seems to think our computers are free advertising space, a place where it can selfishly promote its other products — even though they were told roundly in the '90s that even bundling a web browser was not OK. Now, they're bundling a browser you can't uninstall, and a set of PWA web apps that launch in that same browser. (Yes, they fire up Edge even if you've set a different browser as default.)
"...onto my computer" (Score:5, Insightful)
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Even if you paid for it. It's theirs
Re: "...onto my computer" (Score:5, Informative)
That actually depends on how much you pay for it. If it's one of the cheap versions, meaning anything up to Windows 10 Pro, then yes, it's theirs, since you got a discount in exchange for watching ads and being trackef.
Now, if you want a version of Windows 10 that had no ads, no tracking, and no bloatware, it's available, but for the actual full price of Windows. It's called Windows 10 LTSC. It's an alternate download option for buyers of Windows 10 Enterprise, so you need a license for that one first.
So, want a Windows 10 without Cortana, Edge, ads, tracking etc.? It exists. It's just as expensive as Windows ever was before ad-based subsidies entered the picture.
Re: Stop whining. Bent over and take it like a man (Score:2)
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That part comes after choosing an OS.
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We have so much better options available today.
Citation needed.
Re:Stop whining. Bent over and take it like a man! (Score:4, Insightful)
linux just isnt for your everyday user
Why do you say that? I have set up family members with Linux as I get fewer support requests from things failing, than for Windows.
The only advantage of Windows is that it comes pre-installed.
Re:Stop whining. Bent over and take it like a man! (Score:4, Informative)
If you run Linux, you'll hit a wall when you want to play some game, or want to read a document that somebody sends you from MS Office and uses some features that aren't supported in LibreOffice (Such as tables in Excel).
Play some game? Somebody hasn't looked at what is available recently then. With the exception of exclusive titles, Linux can run just about any game now. Yes, you may have to load a specific library for your distribution, but I wouldn't call that "hitting the wall."
Tables in Excel format have been workable in LibreOffice since 2015.
To quote the political buffoon running for office. Get with the program, man.
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As someone who has tried "gaming" under Linux, I went to Steam, and started using Proton. Seems to work pretty good, until it doesn't.
In particular, updates of the game seems to break Proton. Of the 84 games I've got in my Steam library, about half will play, but break in some way shape or form, and several is particular (Armoured Warfare comes readily to mind) flat refuses to work.
This is on vanilla versions of Ubuntu, tested from 14.04 LTS all the way up to 20.04 LTS, The latest Manjaro and at least one v
Everyday users are the PERFECT fit (Score:5, Insightful)
People who do a lot of Powershell, enjoy tweaking their registry, etc have a learning curve to switch to Linux. They may or may not prefer the scripting on Linux after they learn it, but there is a definite learning curve for those people.
For 99% of users, for whom the OS is a way to launch the web browser, Linux is *perfect*. I've set up several family members who aren't computer nerds. The launch Chrome or Firefox and use it just like they always have - except with about 95% less concerns about malware and PUP adware. A few times per year they use LibreOffice (or Google Docs) to update a resume or something. If they had been using Microsoft Word, LibreOffice is pretty much the same, for everyday average users.
That's exactly the people who most easily switch to Linux, in my experience - the people who don't go digging deep into the OS anyway, so they don't care about the details of the OS. They just want to launch their web browser and maybe a music or video player.
Another group of people, people who were Windows power users, get really excited when they find out how much more power a "power user" has in Linux - how easy it is to script or otherwise deal directly with the raw hardware, etc. For example, rip or burn a CD: /dev/cdrom > cool.iso
cat
Re: "...onto my computer" (Score:2)
And back in Vista development times, the Content Mafia was promised, that is would be theirs . . .
*points at Mafiosi*
Haaa-haaa!
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Time for another anti-trust investigation. Maybe time to break Microsoft up, separate out the OS engineering, Office and the Windows Store stuff.
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MS: "ok customer, do you want to pay a lot or a little for this software?"
CUSTOMER: "as little as possible!"
MS: "OK then here you go, fewer features, and we're throwing in some ads for accessories to get back some of the features you've chosen not to purchase, in case you change your mind."
CUSTOMER: "OMG so unfair! I paid for this software, it's MINE!"
MS: "No, actually you only paid for some of it. The ads you're seeing paid for the rest of it."
Nothing's free.
Re:"...onto my computer" (Score:5, Insightful)
Nothing's free. If you're getting a discount on the front end, you should expect there to be a "cost" somewhere. Advertisements are that hidden cost.
Lots of things are free. More specifically, I just checked the EULA and there's nothing about either myself or MS accepting ads in lieu of payment. I was certainly never asked if I would like a cheaper version of Windows for the price of viewing ads.
I also just checked my copy of Windows Pro and sure enough, there is a new icon in the start menu for Office.
Re:"...onto my computer" (Score:5, Informative)
Monopoly doesn't mean 100% market share.
Most people can't just switch to Linux, and even if they did they would have to use Windows at work. They need apps that only run on Windows. Their limited knowledge about computers is Windows based.
Many, many people have run this experiment. Sell some PCs with Linux pre-installed, couldn't be easier for the user. They get returned in high numbers.
MacOS is more practical as it does have more Windows app ports.
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Once again this seems to be a fringe issue though, something most of us don't see.
What's the bet he's using some free version of Windows Home or whatever and then complaining that Microsoft are "using my Windows 10 Start Menu as free advertising space". Yes, it's free advertising space, that's why you paid fuck all or nothing for the free/cheap version of Windows, that's how it gets paid for.
It's like using Facebook and complaining they're using your wall to show you ads, or using Google and complaining the
Re:"...onto my computer" (Score:5, Insightful)
You're wrong on two fronts.
First of all, W10 is not 'free'. Not sure where you got that idea from, but it's not free, not then not now. The only thing they offered for free was to upgrade from W7 to W10. Now speaking of W7, that was pretty much ad-free. It was an OS, no more no less, if you wanted to have certain software you'd have to install it. Which explains the free upgrade since you'd have to sign a new EULA to update.
Second, this auto-restarting thing. Yes, Windows pro has an option to disable that, or at least delay. And guess what? At times, it just happily gets ignored. Doesn't matter that windows home edition is even worse. The sad reality is that those update settings don't do what you expect them to do. Even with pro chances are you return next morning or after your lunch break only to find your PC happily waiting for you with a log-on screen and all your open applications gone and unsaved stuff lost.
My views on this: it's short term-thinking strategies, in order to grind a few extra coins for their office or whatever they try to sell. In the long run, every time they pull stunts like this they alienate a few more users. As long that offsets population growth on this planet they don't care. Is it a surprise? no. Despite MS' charm offensive and them 'embracing OS' - it's still the same company with the same attitude as when Bill Gates founded it. They will not do anything unless they can make a coin out of it. They believe heir strategy makes them more coins and they may well be right - for now.
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Windows 10 is kinda free. You can install it without a licence key and it will work pretty much normally. There are a couple of minor things, you have a permanent watermark in the bottom right of the screen and can't change the wallpaper, that's about it.
Enterprise is the version you want for full control. It lets you disable telemetry and control updates. Like those special telescreens with an off switch in Nineteen Eighty Four.
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Currently people have to pay for the OS and then get ads. Maybe MS thinks the licenses are too cheap? Just increase them but stop disrepecting users like that.
Btw, I'd be more than happy to pay some more for my smartphone and then be able to remove any apps including many Google apps I have no use for.
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Not Free is a terrible argument. Using a Windows computer, particularly a company or school issues laptop, is as free as taking a taxi ride.
At one point is was just a simple way for a private capital owner to rent out their property for profit. And you get a ride from point A to point B.
Now it's a monetizable experience. You will see ADs. Your ride may be quite poor because corners can be cut on cleanliness and quality to extract further profit from each warm butt in a seat. The route may be ordered t
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Once again this seems to be a fringe issue though, something most of us don't see.
Just another case of PEBKAC.
(Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair)
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Things like Linux and warez set the precedent that software can be both free of cost and free from advertising, given the availability of so much free software the price people are willing to pay for any software is pushed down.
Services like google and facebook have always been supported by advertising, and so are their competitors. There is no expectation of anything else.
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only the operating system belongs to Microsoft. the computer belongs to mastercard
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Lets all go back to XP
Go back?
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Microsoft
They want to be Apple. (Score:2, Insightful)
In their own weird way [knowyourmeme.com].
Condescending nannies.
Except with more sternness that wouldn't be necessary with enough "nice and cheerful" psycho-grinness.
As usual 1/2 (Score:2)
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I like having a job, and the software needs to run on a Windows box. I would love to have just stayed on Windows 7 forever, but I don't know how to upgrade it to 7 and its currently out of updates anyway.
Any good guides on how to lock it down/prevent the worst of this?
As usual 2/2 (Score:3, Insightful)
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> explained by incompetence.
It would take next level of incompetence to make software available in "Microsoft Store" in a way that user can't disable it or remove it completely.
Don't attribute to incompetence what can be explained by abuse of monopoly/os control.
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You wanted this (Score:5, Insightful)
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I don't know anyone who wanted Windows 10 to remove control. It's not like there were two versions you could choose which to install (well, you can buy an enterprise license and get more control). It was "continue to get security updates" or don't. Or pay more to switch to OS X. Or install Linux, unless you need things that only run on Windows (or Window and OS X).
Re:You wanted this (Score:5, Informative)
Have you, as an individual, tried to buy the Enterprise version of Windows 10? You apparently need an Enterprise license to run Windows inside a VM on any non-Windows platform, so I tried to figure out how to do that. You can license per device or per user, and then there are multiple additional licenses per server, and you need to go through one of their reseller "partners" because reasons.
Buying an "enterprise" license for Windows now is not just a question of money, it's a significant time and effort investment plus multiple thousands of dollars.
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Just wait (Score:4, Informative)
There'll be a workaround to remove these "apps".
Just like you can uninstall Edgeium with a little tool called Powershell, or prevent it completely with Microsoft's own "MicrosoftEdgeChromiumBlockerToolkit.exe"
I'm not saying either of these issues are trivial. MS is definitely in the wrong to force these things on users.
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Do you have a good link to any guides covering all these things I can forward to people to secure their computers?
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LMGTFY
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-uninstall-the-edge-browser-in-windows-10/ [techrepublic.com]
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-blocker-toolkit [microsoft.com]
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And another thing - add a task to Task Scheduler.
shutdown /a
and run it every 30 seconds.
It aborts a scheduled shutdown/reboot. Make sure you give it sufficient privileges. It'll also "fail" unless a shutdown has been scheduled by that pesky Windows Update.
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There'll be a workaround to remove these "apps".
Right click and click "uninstall". Ha MS didn't see *THAT* one coming.
SHUTUP10 and PiHole (Score:2)
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Why is this moderated informative? If your neighbor dumps their trash onto your lawn it's easy to remove but is it acceptable?
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If at least they improved anything. (Score:2)
That's one of the reasons I have been avoiding anything MS after W2k.
Moreover, I have noticed that simple things in windos got worse, more difficult to access or useless (windows networking for example, but also sound and desktop recording, native even in W311). I think this is normal when a company buys a product they didn't create. They only leave parts that make them money.
all downhill after W2K (Score:2)
W2K fixed a lot of problems with WNT4. For example, it was necessary to reboot a WNT4 box about once per week, or it would crash and do it for you. W2K would run for months (I usually needed to do something else with the box after that, so it could have been longer). XP was horrible in comparison. In exchange for a couple of features that should have been in WNT4, you got poorly implemented DRM that would lock you out of your own files and "validation". Down the road a bit more and they added a couple
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Nobody cares (Score:3, Insightful)
The problem is that nobody cares. Some people might care enough to just complain on the net. But almost nobody cares enough to make an effort trying to move to an alternative.
And yes, there are alternatives, they just might require some additional effort.
Windows always does this (Score:5, Interesting)
I boot Windows only on rare occasions, usually because someone has sent me an MS-Office-specific file or one of those horrible interactive PDFs. Today was the first time in maybe a year. Of course, I knew there would be a massive pile of updates - that's no surprise. However, there was also all the usual pain. This happens every time there is a major WIndows update:
- Windows rewrites the boot-loader, so that it is the only boot option.
- Windows installs various applications, without asking (see TFA)
- Windows resets some or all of the privacy settings
What is also annoying is that they move stuff around. Finding the list of installed programs - moved from a year ago. Finding the privacy settings - moved from a year ago. There is no longer a program-menu entry for the terminal (or powershell, fwiw). Oh, and they add icons to the toolbar and the desktop - no, I still don't want to talk to Cortana.
Business as usual for Windows.
How many? (Score:3)
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I would think that 10 restarts to install a couple of html links is probably a little excessive.
Probably more of an indication how fundamentally broken Win10 is. They may _need_ these restarts.
The old MS (Score:5, Informative)
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Um, no, MS is definitely not "as bad as ever". Yeah, they're still doing weird shitty controlling things, but it's nowhere near as bad as the full-on FUD days of the 80s to 00s.
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What about the randomly induced fsck-ups that Microsoft keep visiting upon people's machines?
Literally yesterday morning I had my machine running to play the PC version of "Horizon Zero Dawn". Switched off to do some chores... went back to it last night. Turned the machine on and my nVidia Surround had been turned off. All my desktop icons had been moved to a random mess on one of my monitors. Nothing whatsoever in the "Update" log to suggest that any software or updates were insta
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That sounds like a bug with nvidia drivers and multi-monitor support. When one monitor isn't detected properly at startup by the driver, it tells windows that there's only one monitor connected, which messes up your pre-arranged desktop icons.
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These monitors are all driven from an RTX2080Ti card. All 3 monitors were fully active and visible when the machine booted - and their arrangement relative to each other (i.e. which appeared as the left, center and right screen was correct).
The monitor to my "left" has a DisplayPort plug in to the 2080Ti and an HDMI plug in to the monitor. The center screen is HDMI to HDMI. The screen to my
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Yes they're as bad as ever. But Google and Facebook are so much worse they make Microsoft almost look decent in comparison.
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It is not your computer (Score:4, Insightful)
At least that is how Microsoft thinks of it. It is theirs to do with as they please. Laws against computer sabotage and unauthorized changes of data, software and configurations (which can get you prison time, in Europe at least) do not apply to Microsoft.
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Laws against computer sabotage and unauthorized changes of data, software and configurations (which can get you prison time, in Europe at least) do not apply to Microsoft.
The next obvious question is why...
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Exactly. One would think that at least the under the GDPR thoroughly illegal and criminal "telemetry" that is not opt-in only and, worse, cannot be disabled would have gotten some extreme fines leveled on MS by now. But no, smaller companies had to change their software, but MS got away with some token changes. The GDPR states very clearly that _no_ data whatsoever may be sent home unless the user gives consent and that the defaults _must_ be "off".
I never let windows automatically reboot (Score:5, Informative)
If you want to stop Windows 10 from automatically rebooting, do this:
Win+R to go to %windir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator
Rename every file starting with "reboot" to "reboot.old" or similar. Then, for each file you renamed, create a directory with the old name (it will prevent Windows from recreating the reboot files).
Re:I never let windows automatically reboot (Score:5, Informative)
Rather than screwing up a file that is pretty much guaranteed to be replaced on next update you could simply:
Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options and untick "Restart this devices as soon as possible".
But I mean sure you could just start moving system files rather than setting up your system settings to suit you.
Just my $0.02, but ... (Score:5, Informative)
I have 3 current, fully-patched Windows 10 Pro systems (2 - bare metal, 1 - VM on Ubuntu) and none of them have experienced this. One of the bare metal systems has Office 2010 installed, the others have no Office products and no Office web-app links -- so far anyway.
Re:Just my $0.02, but ... (Score:5, Informative)
This should be of no surprise. This is The Verge after all, you should see them build a PC.
The reality is Windows Update doesn't automatically reboot a computer unless you have "Restart this device as soon as possible" ticked in the advanced options, or you're running a Windows 10 version from 2016 back before they introduced this option.
Additionally "suggested apps" in the start menu remains a thing. A thing that most normal people disable in the settings. That said it's too soon to say if this would also prevent these apps from showing up since apparently it seems they were delivered via an Edge update.
But yes, I concur I have not seen anything similar, and Windows hasn't "forced" a reboot for me for a good 4 years now (though apparently it will eventually force if you ignore it).
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
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Makes me wonder why he's using windows (Score:2)
Forced, Unsolicited, and Unwanted? (Score:2)
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Not many real journalist left in the lamestream media,
Just like there are very few Democrats(which I used to be, maybe still am) left in the Democratic Socialist party.
Apple? (Score:2, Insightful)
Apple does things like this all the time and gets defended by their cultists, Microsoft does something and it's pitchforks and torches time.
It's not like Microsoft has your RAM or NVME soldered down or anything. As for the "browser you can't even uninstall" *pearl clutching and gasps* The whole user interface is built around their web browser. Can you yank Dolphin out of KDE or Nautilus out of GNOME? Wouldn't be easy.
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Microsoft does something and it's pitchforks and torches time.
It's not even that nefarious. It's stupid users who don't know how to change system settings. There's literally an option in Windows Update to not reboot as soon as possible, and providing that is unticked you'll get a full week worth of warnings that pending updates are waiting reminding you to reboot to install them.
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Windows Update? What's that? Oh, is that when it asks me to log in again?
Never underestimate the ignorance of the average user.
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I did not see a good user interface build around browser yet. That includes Win10.
The typical problems are:
Add to that the stupid flat user interface of Win10 and at most 1 point wide window borders and i
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Re:Apple? (Score:5, Informative)
Apple does things like this all the time
Except I've never seen Apple do any of the things metnioned in TFA:
- forced installation of OS updates without user confirmation
- restarting without restoring your desktop including unsaved documents
- inclusion of applications in forced OS updates, other than the applications that are included for free with the OS
- inclusion of ads for other applications
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Um, no. Apple's auto-updates are easily turned off. And guess what? They stay turned off. I've never had an apple computer or iOS device ignore me switching auto-updates off. And they've never spontaneously rebooted mid work day.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I do find Apple's trending towards despicable in more and more ways, but this isn't one of them.
Re:Apple? (Score:4, Informative)
macOS: Shows a notification and asks for permission to restart, won't do it on its own, ever. I think it might require a password, too.
iOS/iPadOS: Definitely requires you to enter your phone's passcode (if you have one) to start the download. Then prompts again for permission to restart. Won't restart without that first prompt.
Watch OS: Pops a notification telling you it will happen, will only update while on the charger.
tvOS: This one, I think, will update on its own, if left for long enough. I usually manually update it.
HomePod: Same as tvOS
Actually, on macOS and iOS I get more annoyed that I have to babysit the update process. I can't just press one button and walk away, I have to wait for the second prompt to actually get the update started. Frequently on macOS, at least one app I have open will "cancel restart", so usually while I'm waiting for the second prompt I'm manually closing every app.
As for pre-installing ads, I guess the default dock on macOS does have TV, Music, News,
Apple also doesn't have 8 tiers of OSes with varying price points and availability. You don't have to pay extra to have more control of your updates. There's One Version of macOS, and you can disable all forms of automatic updates through System Preferences > Software Update > Advanced.
My roommate has a Windows 10 laptop, though I don't think he's used it in months, ever since I gave him my old MBP. I remember he bought the upgrade to Pro so he could run docker. He went through the built-in UI to buy the upgrade, and when it was done the update crashed and he eventually ended up in a state where Windows wouldn't activate (I forgot that was a thing). It then tried to charge him full price for Windows Pro (even though he had just paid for the upgrade and had a valid Home license). We had to call the number and try to convince a button pusher we weren't thieves to get his computer working again. I still have no idea what he did wrong, I watched him do it and all he did was click through the wizard and follow its instructions.
So no, Apple doesn't do this. Almost every Apple critic's problem with Apple boils down to one thing: the hardware is expensive and they can't afford the up-front cost.
SIgh... The Verge (Score:2)
A magazine who demonstrated they have no knowledge of how to assemble a PC, just demonstrated that their editor is too dumb to disable "Restart this device as soon as possible" in the Windows Update settings.
What's the bet he also has "Show suggestions occasionally in Start" ticked.
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A computer journalist who reviews Windows left the settings on default as most users would ... so they can experience the same as most users
And yet. . . (Score:3)
it's Google which is under investigation for being a "monopoly".
Too good to last (Score:2)
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It is, however, annoying and disturbing (Score:2)
I hit windows button and there are little advertising panels in the popup crap for years. This isn't new.
Could this be Illegal? (Score:4, Interesting)
For this observation, I'd have to concede that whether or not the CFAA applies may well boil down to what agreements end users accept when they accept Microsoft's "Terms and Conditions". But if it isn't absolutely crystal clear that end users are granting Microsoft the right to change *application* features on Windows 10, then they have no legal basis for installing applications on your PC without permission [thereby taking up your disk space]. Technically, when they do this, Microsoft would be accessing your computer and making unauthorized changes without your consent: the textbook definition of "hacking", hence my looking to the CFAA.
If Microsoft are voluntarily adding content that a User has not asked for, which is not "maintenance", but in fact adding optional new features and applications, then this is getting very close to the sort of anti-trust behaviors that have seen them sanctioned in the past. It's like a new version of "illegal bundling" - only now they're not embedding IE functionality directly in to the OS as an attempt to kill off Netscape, they're leveraging their OS dominance by adding their application products to your machine - without being asked - in a manner that would put all competing products at an immediate disadvantage.
But even if we're generous and we assume that Microsoft have granted themselves the legal write to add application software to your PC during an ***OS*** Update, and even if the Terms and Conditions that end users agree to in order to run Windows 10 allows them to do this, then it is possible that what Microsoft are doing falls within the realms of what is legally known as unconscionability [wikipedia.org]. This is a "legal term of art", which in plain English means that even if you write a contract or agreement that is technically legal, you can't write it so that it robs one party of all rights and confers complete authority to another party. That would be the legal equivalent of a "stacked deck", which the law doesn't allow.
In other words, if someone has the time and/or funds to take issue with this, I think there's a half-decent chance that this might be thoroughly illegal.
Obviously the DoJ won't care about this - at least not this side of the November election - but perhaps the EU can step in again?
I am not a lawyer. This post does not constitute legal advice.
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Maybe I'm Unique (Score:3)
But I never notice the little tiles in the start menu. On the rare times that I use it instead of the search bar, I just scroll through the list of programs. My brain has literally tuned out those portions. Of course, the same thing happens for unfolded laundry, so this could be a personal failing.
Microsoft does something worse (Score:2)
They force the computer out of sleep mode all the fucking time. I have put my computer to sleep, only to watch it turn itself back on several minutes later.
I'm sick of Microsoft stealing my electricity, using it without permission.
It is my computper now! (Score:2)
Ubuntu 20.04 with KDE has been working great since it rolled out.
For "me" the Linux desktop has arrived after all these years of dual booting, etc. Six months and still no reason this time to go back.
Windows 10 pro is not a computer operating system it is an advertising, spying and data stealing system.
The Borg analogy still fits (Score:3)
We are the Microsoft. Disable your security and surrender your computer. We will add your computational and storage capabilities to our own. Your computer will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.
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If your job will take six months to complete, isn't that sufficient reason to choose, and pay for, an OS version that you can configure to NOT behave unpredictably?
I mean, losing six months' work, and the risk of losing it again, and again, has to be worth the price of W10 Enterprise.
It might even be worth the price of paying a team to rewrite your software for an alternative platform.
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"Why would you walk away from a computer without saving your work? And then why would you try and blame someone else when that work wasn't there when you got back?"
Probably for the same reason people sometimes leave their drink unattended when they go for a quick pee. They trust people not to do disgusting things to it while they're away. Based on your comment, though, you sound like the kind of supercilious twat whose attitude ensures that you can't rely on normal social forbearance.
You have probably
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Why would you walk away from a computer without saving your work?
Because you already have your docs in the cloud?
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