Microsoft again bothers Chrome users with Bing popup ads in Windows

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Microsoft’s Bing Popups and OS-Level Ads

  • Many see Windows injecting Bing/Edge prompts into Chrome as crossing a “red line”: the OS tampering with a competitor’s product and user choices.
  • Others argue it mirrors how big players behave generally, but several note this is worse than website-level prompts because it’s at the operating-system layer and harder to avoid.
  • Some say this behavior makes them less likely to ever try Bing/Edge or even Windows again.

Comparisons to Google, Apple, and “Fair Game”

  • Multiple comments note Google’s long history of nagging users to install Chrome on Google sites, bundling Chrome with installers, and “Sign in with Google” prompts.
  • Some think Microsoft is just applying Google’s playbook; others insist there’s a key difference between advertising on your own properties and injecting into a rival’s app.
  • Apple is also cited for Safari nags on iOS.

Nagging, Dark Patterns, and Effectiveness

  • Nagging (repeated popups, modals, and “security” prompts) is described as a common dark pattern across OSes, TVs, and the web.
  • Several argue it’s effective: conversion gains outweigh the loss of annoyed power users; most “normies” just click through and accept defaults.
  • Some suggest such patterns should be illegal; others propose taxes or fines, but there’s disagreement on whether taxation would curb abuse.

Alternatives: Linux, macOS, and Cost

  • A set of participants report long-term success migrating non-technical family members to Linux desktops, with fewer support issues than Windows.
  • Others recount painful Linux experiences (driver issues, Nvidia/Realtek, Wayland/Xorg friction) and conclude it’s still not “desktop ready” for many.
  • Preinstallation and hardware support are seen as key barriers to Linux adoption; cost is cited as a barrier for macOS.

Browser Compatibility and Ecosystem Lock-In

  • Some report that enterprise sites, Microsoft SSO flows, or DRM-heavy services work poorly or not at all on Firefox, pushing them to Chrome/Edge.
  • Others say they rarely hit Firefox-incompatible sites and suspect misconfiguration, add-ons, or platform-specific quirks.
  • This contributes to a sense that both Microsoft and Google leverage ecosystem control to steer users.

AI/Copilot and Alignment Choices

  • Bing’s GPT-4-based chat is described as “rude” or overly restrictive, cutting off coding help and pushing users to “learn it themselves.”
  • Speculation includes: alignment to avoid misuse (e.g., homework cheating) and funneling serious coding tasks into paid Copilot.