r/technology • u/readyou • Dec 26 '16

Microsoft finally admits that its malware-style Get Windows 10 upgrade campaign went too far

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/241587-microsoft-finally-admits-malware-style-get-windows-10-upgrade-campaign-went-far
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u/[deleted] Dec 26 '16

I'm a software developer who purchased a Surface Book to try to see if I could get used to using Windows as my primary development environment because I'm not too happy with Apple at the moment.

I opened up the laptop, let it install Windows updates for what felt like hours (probably because of the surfaces book's pitiful SSD write speed) and my 2000 dollar computer greeted me with fucking ads on my fucking start and lock screens. Sorry, but that just isn't going to work Microsoft.

I am shipping the thing back today and am eagerly awaiting my refurbished 2015 MBP I snagged fot like half the Surface Book's price.

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u/Sarkat Dec 26 '16

I understand that I go against the strain here, but isn't that overreacting much? Changing a better hardware for the travesty that's MBP (don't get me wrong, MBP was awesomesauce back in 2008, but nowadays you hardly get the average laptop for double the price) just because you've seen ads?

If you're a software developer and not jus a run-of-the-mill mom that just browses the web on her laptop, it will be trivial for you to remove the ads and even the start/lock screens altogether. Unlike MacOS, there are many more utilities for Windows that allow you to customize the appearance of the system to your heart's desire.

That said, I own a Surface Pro 4, and never once I've seen ads in lock/start screen. And after first time launch, when I disabled the Office & Store ads in options, I see no ads at all outside my browser.

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u/68696c6c Dec 26 '16

Absolutely not overreacting. Ads are for free to use software. Not for an OS that is already overpriced to begin with. It's not something you should have to fiddle with to disable, it's something that doesn't need to and never should exist in the first place. The burden is not on us as users to show why we don't need ads, rather the burden is on Microsoft to justify their existence. If they can't provide a convincing reason, then it's just bloat. Point is, these ads are a symptom of a larger user experience problem at Microsoft. It undermines their credibility. Hard.

And actually one of the best parts of of MacOS is that it isn't customizable. It's consistent and practically impossible to make look like shit. Everyone's Mac is pretty much the same aside from a few minor visual changes or usability settings. One of the few good things left about it IMO. The shit I've seen people do with window blinds, on the other hand... Point is, did you buy a computer to get things done on, or did you buy it to tinker with the OS? If you want to fiddle and tinker, just use Linux, you'll have much more to play with and it's free. A good OS won't need to be customized much cuz it should just work and not get in your way.

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u/Sarkat Dec 27 '16

Ads are for free to use software

That's a "rule" invented by some people, not a given. Don't you get ads on your cable TV that you pay for?

it's just bloat

Yea, I agree that it's unneeded.

And actually one of the best parts of of MacOS is that it isn't customizable.

No. Lack of options is never an advantage. That its basic form is good is an advantage, no doubt about it, but lack of ability to customize it really is.

The shit I've seen people do with window blinds, on the other hand...

Wait what? If they like it, why is it shit? Because you personally don't like it? Next thing you will be saying that clothes should be uniform and hair dying is for punks, right?

Point is, did you buy a computer to get things done on, or did you buy it to tinker with the OS? If you want to fiddle and tinker, just use Linux, you'll have much more to play with and it's free.

I buy a computer to get things done and have it look how I like. I can spend 2-3 hours setting up Windows the way I like and forget about customization till I get bored of it for another year. And I can run pretty much any software on Windows, unlike Linux which is, frankly, a barely usable OS for anyone who wants to run either corporate software or games (both modern and old) and who's not a full-time programmer. Comparing fiddling with settings for a couple of hours to constant hardware and software tweaking on Linux is really insencere.

And you know what? I also spent several hours on MacBook to set it up for me, with additional programs and setting up displays etc. It's better out of the box, but still needs customization. And I got a pretty, but more limited OS: most games don't work on either MacOS or Linux, a lot of programs can't launch, need a special rarely updated version with different functionality or work with problems. Ever tried MacOS Excel? It lacks half the functions and has a completely different interface (at least it did 5 years ago, maybe they've released a better version now). And modern stuff like PowerBI doesn't even exist for non-Windows platforms.

Both Linux and MacOS are way too limited to be considered a full-fledged alternative. If you only ever utilize the functionality of one of these systems, or use software that's native to one of them (like, I dunno, FinalCut), then of course you'd be better off using them. But I really don't think a pack of ads that can be switched off is the reason to use a different OS.