Tired of Microsoft’s invasive behavior? They are increasingly intruding into your digital life, collecting your data and blatantly disregarding your wishes. This would normally make me angry, but I don’t have Microsoft on my system and I’ll explain why.
From collecting data to manipulating its users, Microsoft has gone rogue in several key ways, setting the stage for its potential downfall. Microsoft’s attitude towards its users is wrong. They are complacent, and if they aren’t careful, they will do irreparable damage to their brand. Linux is waiting, and it naturally builds on Microsoft’s weaknesses: cost and freedom.
The sheer scale of telemetry collection on Windows is terrifying
Linux does not collect personal data
Some time after Windows 7, something changed at Microsoft. I don’t know if they were jealous of Google’s lucrative data collection model on their highly popular operating system (Android), but they went from collecting almost no user data on Windows XP to collecting an absurd amount today.
Just take a look their documents to recognize the jaw-dropping scope of this operation. It would be quicker to list what they don’t collect:
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The color of your underwear
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Your dog’s name
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What did you eat for breakfast?
Microsoft receives potentially thousands of data points about your system, and the collection occurs every time you change something or reboot. In addition, Windows 11 adds general information to each request, such as:
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Device identifiers, makes and models
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User IDs, both local and cloud
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OS information
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Application information (such as session data) to determine usage behavior.
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More
For the sake of brevity, I’m only scratching the surface and suggest you see for yourself. The page is technical, but the small scroll handle clearly shows its massive scale. This is not a small document.
Data collection is one of the reasons often cited for people moving to Linux. Users want privacy. They are not subjects; they are human. This is not correct and refusing to buy Microsoft products is your speaking their language.
Linux is free and doesn’t collect your data without asking. When they ask, a simple “no” is rarely enough – no game or settings can be changed without your consent. Your Linux system remains hidden forever.
Microsoft does not respect its users
Linux respects your boundaries
Is it any wonder Microsoft puts itself first? They are a multinational corporation and their main goal is to make as much money as they can. Given their historical monopoly on the desktop market, it’s no surprise that they take their users for granted.
In recent years, Microsoft has often used deceptive design patterns (aka dark patterns) to coerce and manipulate its users into taking specific actions. Although these tactics are common in marketing, they exploit biases in the human mind to achieve the desired results.
Let’s touch on the relevant ones soon dark patterns:
- Nagging: Persistent requests that force users to submit. For example, constant notifications to subscribe to the newsletter.
- Sneak into the basket: Adding an item to an unauthorized list or checkout cart. For example, when you check out and find an additional promotional product there.
- Misdirection: Use of misleading visuals or language. For example making close button as accept button.
- obstacle: When an undesirable action is more difficult than the desired one. For example, it makes it incredibly difficult to cancel an account.
- Forced action: When any action is inevitable. For example, a dialog box that won’t close until you provide an email address.
It is not wrong to use these examples. It requires a premeditated commitment to confuse people, and over the past decade, Microsoft has used a number of dirty tricks to get its users to comply:
- Nagging: They persistently sent notifications asking the user to upgrade to Windows 10.
- Sneak into the basket: They include Windows 10 upgrades as part of security patches and also Set Edge as the default browser.
- Misdirection: They changed the confirmation dialog so that the “X” button acted as a sign of accepting the upgrade.
- obstacle: When users set the telemetry collection to the minimum amount, Windows Update did not work properly and additionally put users at risk.
- Forced action: Resetting users’ ad preferences after upgrade and Override the default browser option for Start Menu searches.
It is desperate to use such tactics. This will only anger users, break their trust and lead them to places they don’t want to go. You don’t get any of that in Linux. You get a stable interface designed and written by people who use it. There is no ulterior motive to upsell or lock you in – you are free to leave as you please. With Linux, you get what you want and your preferences are respected.
Showing ads in addition to license fees is disrespectful
Linux doesn’t show you ads
Paying for the software usually gets you a premium package and premium treatment. Not so with Microsoft.
We saw the arrival of Windows 11 Start Menu adswith lock screen suggestions, promotional notifications and recommended content grown earlier. They charge license fees, limit your use, and waste your time and attention.
It’s time to push back, and you do this by moving the platforms. Hit them where it hurts: their pockets.
Linux doesn’t show you ads. He said enough.
Vote with your dollar, because that’s the only feedback Microsoft understands
You may have noticed that I’ve never talked about invasive AI technology or buggy software because I haven’t felt the need to. These are major issues, each of which alone is enough to force change.
The excruciating problems with Windows continue to pile up, and Microsoft, with its mind on its bottom line, shows no sign of caring what you think. They will give you as much capital as they can.
So what can you do? I think the answer is obvious: You vote with your dollar. This is not a personal crusade, just a reasonable signal to Microsoft that these breaches are not okay. Until they are willing to respect you as a paying customer paying for the privilege of ownership, not for the privilege of being dictated to you, Linux is waiting there and they won’t charge you a cent.
