I’ve been utilizing Home windows because the days of Home windows 3.1, and over time I’ve realized to find it irresistible – regardless of its quite a few idiosyncrasies. I’m so used to the best way Home windows works, that when issues break, or don’t work in any respect, I can often overlook these annoyances, and may provide you with a repair or a workaround.
That is the primary cause why I’ve by no means been tempted to change to Linux or macOS. Even when issues break much less typically with these operating systems (particularly macOS), when issues do go fallacious, it takes me far longer to troubleshoot and repair it. Whereas it’s not a ringing endorsement, I’ve caught with Home windows as a result of I understand how it really works.
Nevertheless, with Windows 11, Microsoft is making me severely take into account shifting over to macOS as my foremost working system. The truth that I stored utilizing Home windows by means of such nadirs as Home windows ME and Windows 8 proves that I can put up with loads – however even I’ve a restrict.
Pushy behaviour
So, why has Microsoft gone too far with Windows 11? It’s not as a result of Windows 11 itself is a foul OS – it runs wonderful, and is fairly stable for a Home windows launch. Thus far, it doesn’t appear to be affected by as many faulty updates as Windows 10 had (the truth is, macOS Sonoma seems to be suffering from more troublesome updates).
As a substitute, it’s Microsoft’s pushy behaviour that has irritated me. From making an attempt to get me to enroll to varied companies after I’m putting in Home windows 11 (or making an attempt to get me to vary my default net browser when updating), to moderately desperate-feeling pleas for me to present the Edge browser an opportunity whereas I’m utilizing it to obtain Chrome, it seems like Microsoft is turning into moderately overbearing – and I’ve had sufficient.
I wrote a number of weeks in the past about how Microsoft’s attempts to get me to sign up to OneDrive actually put me off doing so for quite a long time – and as soon as I did join, I discovered it to be a extremely good service. However Microsoft’s pushiness made me not need to give it a attempt.
The identical may be true about Edge, the online browser that comes pre-installed with Home windows 11. I do know a number of individuals who actually charge it, and because of Google Chrome’s propensity to gobble up all my RAM, I might be open to switching.
Nevertheless, Microsoft is so decided to get me to make use of Edge through the use of techniques like pop-ups, home windows suggesting I alter my default browser, and making web sites open in Edge from sure apps regardless of my default browser being Chrome, that I refuse to make use of it. It’s not that I’m cussed (OK, it type of is), however I don’t need to reward that type of conduct.
The most recent annoyance got here at the moment. I used to be utilizing Home windows 11, and a garish new pop-up popped up on my desktop. It was giant and ugly, and it blocked various different notifications. Worst of all, it didn’t disappear – I needed to manually get it to depart my desktop.
The pop-up was about GPT-4, the artificial intelligence expertise that powers AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s own Copilot. We reported on this new pop-up last week, however this was the primary time I had seen it seem on my PC. Like my colleague, Darren, who wrote concerning the pop-up, I used to be not impressed.
Not solely was it ugly and obtrusive, however it wasn’t precisely clear what would occur if I clicked the ‘Sure’ button. If I had, the default search engine in Chrome would have been modified to Microsoft’s far much less well-liked Bing search engine. A Bing plug-in can also be put in into Chrome, making an online browser that may already really feel bloated even worse.
Evidently, I used to be not impressed with this new pop-up. I clicked ‘No, thanks’ and it disappeared, however I concern that gained’t be the final I see of it.
Turning to macOS
Whereas Microsoft would possibly argue that Home windows 11 is a free replace, that doesn’t imply it has free reign to attempt to power me to make use of its different services and products. It’s a very poor look, as I’m discovering myself utilizing my 13-inch MacBook Pro much more nowadays.
As with Home windows 11, my MacBook Professional acquired a free working system improve to macOS Sonoma late final 12 months. In contrast to Home windows 11, nevertheless, I’m not often made to really feel like I’m renting or borrowing macOS Sonoma.
Positive, there’s the preliminary suggestion to maintain the Safari browser moderately than change to Chrome, or to log into my Apple ID to sync my gadgets, however they’re much less widespread and fewer intrusive. Crucially, it looks as if Apple takes no for a solution – it doesn’t really feel prefer it retains making an attempt to get me to change again to the default Safari browser, in contrast to Microsoft and Edge.
The top result’s a way more pleasing expertise, and fewer pop-ups means my focus isn’t impacted both. Whereas I nonetheless really feel Home windows does a number of issues higher than macOS, and I do know Microsoft’s OS inside and outside, I’m starting to dread firing up my Home windows 11 PC after utilizing my MacBook for some time.
If Microsoft continues to fill Home windows 11 with pushy adverts and sneaky pop-ups, I’ll cease utilizing my PC for something apart from enjoying video games, and use my MacBook as an alternative. And I’m certain I gained’t be the one one.
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