cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/3405817

Have to use Windows for work (I’ve asked), the ads have been getting worse and worse on my work laptop. Today got a game ad notification… That’s clearly too far, right? Like I have to clear notifications, so I have to see it

  • pollocks@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    When Windows started getting pre installed bloatware is around the time I made my full switch to Linux. When Samsung phones started doing the same, I switched away from them too. Srsly, I will become a luddite before I use any devices that force apps I don’t want on me. It’s abusive and shouldn’t be legal.

    • kyub@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 year ago

      Yes. Even though not using all this crap may sometimes feel like you’re missing out on certain stuff, it is still the right thing to do. I don’t support abusive behavior, bloatware and spyware, so companies doing that will not receive any money from me if I can help it.

      We’re basically just one step ahead of the general population, who basically (still) eats up anything that’s being served by big tech corporations, without any second thoughts or hesitations. The general population IMHO is currently at the stage that nerds were like 25 years ago, in that they tend to be naively enthusiastic about every new piece of tech. But nowadays, tech can be abusive towards their users, and so it’s important to choose the right tech. The general population hasn’t made that realization yet (or they don’t care, which also must change).

      The media is also partly to blame for this, for example almost every new review of any Samsung or Apple phone is usually very positive, usually just reporting about the advancements in hardware and UI, without even mentioning any of the downsides these have on the software side. And so when reviews don’t even mention downsides anymore, there’s a lack of information available.

      And it’s not even that regular users don’t like the alternatives. For example I convinced a friend to move from a regular spyware-infested Samsung Galaxy phone (which he was using all the time, and he even wanted to buy a new one) to a Pixel with GrapheneOS. He’s not missing anything, even though his transition wasn’t super smooth, overall he’s happier now, and he mentioned that he likes the OS being so clean and unencumbered. He doesn’t particularly care about the privacy and security improvements which he now also enjoys, which is a bit sad, but at least he’s happy with the lean and unmodified Android (open source) experience.

      So, as usual, information/knowledge is power. People need to know that alternatives exist and that some alternatives are actually really, really good. And they need to know what the problems are with the “default stuff everyone uses”, so that they can make better informed decisions in the future. They also need to become less dependent on big tech companies. The alternatives have little to no PR and thus little public visibility in comparison, except via word of mouth, so we need to make the most out of that.

    • Senex@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      Just out of curiosity what phone did you switch to? My Samsungs getting a little old and I’m thinking about buying a new phone.

    • rog@lemmy.one
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      1 year ago

      Im sure people do see these ads, and its definitely starting to go a bit far, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how. Ive never seen anything like this using multiple personal and work windows machines for ~10+ hours a day, every day.

      Work makes sense, I believe its a couple of GPOs, but even at home when I boot a fresh image I tick like 3 boxes and just never see any ads.

      The only situation I can think of is prebuilt machines and laptops with preloaded configurations that people dont bother to change, but even then im pretty sure 5 minutes in settings will sort it out.

  • redfellow@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    You can uninstall the Xbox app. Why that’s not done by your work domain admin is peculiar, or are you using random consumer installations?

    • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
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      1 year ago

      I think more people would try Linux if it wasn’t for the superiority complexes of people that type comments like this in every. fuckin. thread…

  • speaker_hat@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    If you can Install Ubuntu and use Windows on a VirtualBox as a guest.

    Non-techy colleagues cannot tell whether it’s a virtualized OS or not.

    Microsoft as a company profit over its users obsessively

  • kyub@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 year ago

    Well, ever since Win8 or Win10 I stopped having much sympathy with Windows users. They deserve things like that, when they still remain on that ship. Since these things are being introduced in small portions (salami tactics), the users will slowly become familiar with these things and just accept them because they can’t change anything anyway, thus slowly incorporating a defeatist’s attitude towards all the bloat, ads and spying. AKA, learned helplessness. In a couple of years, Windows will be absolutely horrible, but people will be used to it. I’ll just say this: Windows used to NOT have this kind of crap integrated.

  • 1984@lemmy.today
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    1 year ago

    This is how I remember windows yes. Pop-ups, disruptions, annoyances, and ads.

    People think it’s normal until they try Pop OS.