Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need
Microsoft’s steady expansion of Windows with ads, cloud nags, and AI tie-ins like Copilot is seen by many users as a shift from a focused productivity tool to an intrusive, revenue-driven platform. Commenters contrast this with earlier versions such as Windows 2000 and 7, which they view as faster, cleaner, and more respectful of user control, and some describe moving to Linux or macOS despite their own trade‑offs. A recurring theme is that while power users can partially “debloat” Windows via scripts and group policies, most people lack the expertise, leaving them stuck with an operating system that increasingly prioritizes Microsoft’s business goals over user preferences.
Windows bloat, ads, and user-hostility
- Many commenters see modern Windows as actively hostile: adware in the OS, OneDrive/Xbox/Office nags, attempts to move home folders to OneDrive, and increasingly coercive OOBE flows that push Microsoft accounts and cloud backups, sometimes even bricking machines when account access is lost.
- Copilot, Recall, and AI-in-everything are viewed as “features nobody asked for” added to serve Microsoft’s revenue and lock-in goals, not user needs.
- Nostalgia is strong for Windows 2000 and 7, seen as peak “respect the user, get out of the way” OSs. Today’s Windows is described as a marketing platform rather than a neutral toolbox.
Debloating and power-user workarounds
- Power users report spending hours or days stripping Windows 10/11 via PowerShell, group policy, registry edits, and third‑party scripts (Win11Debloat, WinUtil, O&O tools).
- A few say once debloated, Win11 works well and stays out of the way, but note that settings can be reverted by updates and some components cannot be removed.
- LTSC and Tiny11 are praised as “real Windows again,” but seen as hard or improper to use for home users.
Alternatives: Linux, macOS, BSD
- Some have fully switched to Linux (often Mint, Ubuntu/Kubuntu, Debian, Arch), citing lack of telemetry, no ads, stable environments, and good enough gaming via Steam/Proton.
- Others push back: Linux desktop still has UX friction (sudo for common tasks, multi-user assumptions, config-file fragility, driver quirks, gaming edge cases). Distro fragmentation and inconsistent UX are recurring complaints.
- macOS is praised for hardware and cohesive design, but criticized for its own nags (iCloud, TV, services) and service upsells.
- A few look at BSD as a more reliable alternative; others argue for a hardware‑vendor Linux consortium, but note enterprise Windows integration as a huge barrier.
C# and the “Microsoft bloat” mindset
- A side thread argues Microsoft’s “add features forever” philosophy appears in C# too.
- Some decry added language features as mis‑prioritized versus long‑requested sum types; others say most additions are useful and that “bloat” just means “things I don’t use.”
- Various clumsy patterns for emulating sum types in C# are discussed and found unsatisfying.
Incentives, enshittification, and feature wishes
- Several link Windows’ trajectory to shareholder‑driven incentives and adtech; others contest the strict legal framing but agree incentives favor rent‑seeking over user experience.
- Desired OS improvements include: simpler audio device switching (partly solved in Win11), fully remappable shortcuts, movable taskbar, saner right‑click menus, multi‑monitor pinning, and fewer “dark pattern” dialogs.