I'm the most vocal about this pen issue, that could potentially cost MS billions of dollars if they need to recall those devices. I once posted a pen issue thread that got banned from /r/Microsoft once. https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/82ilso/the_worka...

There is a perpetual hostility towards Windows users on this site, maybe you should address that first.

And do you really think someone working for Microsoft would post something like this? https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/7of68m/surface_pro...

If you're already on Windows 10, at the very least embrace UWP to get some control over your privacy.

Very soon it won't be 30% anymore.

https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2018/05/07/a-new-micr...

> Linux package management works like an app store with an official source and the ability to add whichever sources you choose. A search of available packages shows results giving sources the priority set by the user. Updating the system updates packages from 3rd party sources same as others.

There exist 3rd party package repositories on Windows too.

> On windows nothing much is on the store mostly because people don't want to give Microsoft 30%

There is plenty of stuff in the MS Store. https://youtu.be/GCVhmKVRkk0

All my software, except for some dev tools and some games are from the MS Store.

> on Linux charging 30% is downright impossible because people would trivially publish an alternative source instead.

Steam is on Linux and charges 30%.

> Basically your cure is worse than the disease and since Microsoft wont fix the situation in a reasonable fashion so the only solution is to move off their platform.

Microsoft already provided a fix, called UWP.

https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2018/05/07/a-new-micr...

It doesn't have to be that way, since there is a Windows/Microsoft Store since plenty of years now.

But then you have gamers and game devs spreading FUD about UWP and the the MS Store, while they praise 3rd party platforms like Steam and GoG that actively refuse UWP apps in their store, while allowing Spyware like this.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/psa_red_shell...

Yet, nobody dares to hold those platforms responsible.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/8sg294/16_studios_re...

> The long term solution is to get off the platform.

No, the long term solution is to embrace the MS Store, or at the very least modern platforms like WinRT/UWP that would prevent most types of malware attacks.

Why do we still accept the violation of the principle of least privilege in this day and age?

Also there will be new mobile Windows devices very soon. https://www.windowscentral.com/upcoming-microsoft-hardware-w...

> Ok, to clear a little bit of this so it’s not a complete freak out. This WiFi Sense has been known about for a while now and has been in various tech preview builds. Plus Windows Phone. Second thing is that WiFi networks are not shared by default. I just checked this on my Surface Pro 3. The WiFi Sense service is indeed enabled by default, but you must specifically pick which of your saved networks get shared. Non of your saved WiFi networks are shared automatically without your knowledge. When you connect to a new network, there will be a check box you can select to share the network after connecting. It is not checked by default. The Outlook, Skype, and Facebook friends are checked by default, but that only means that they are enabled for sharing. You still have to pick which networks are shared first. Also WiFi Sense needs you to grant it permission your Facebook first before any sharing takes place. I hope this clears some of this up a bit. The article made it seem like this is a huge deal to freak out about when it’s really not.

That said, Firefox still has the best performance with hundreds of tabs open.

* https://pixelprivacy.com/resources/windows-privacy-settings/

And even more controls have been added with the recent Spring Update.

They got a major upgrade for free with major improvements accross the board, they should be happy.

> And according to the link you provided, "Although you can't completely prevent Microsoft from collecting diagnostic data, ...". Thanks, microsoft! but no thanks, even if you let me view what you are sending 3 years after you started snooping on me.

The basic telemetry is just harmless diagnostic data that's on every modern mainstream OS. MS isn't snooping on you.

> How exactly does the OS support "privacy controls" against 3rd party apps?

https://pixelprivacy.com/resources/windows-privacy-settings/

And even more controls have been added with the recent Spring Update.

> Do you remember that its default setup was sharing your WiFi passwords with all of your facebook acquaintances?

Nonsense, this wasn't the default.

But Chrome doesn't and I don't use Linux or Mac, but if I were primarily using a Mac, I would be using Safari. And If I were primarily using ChromeOS, I would be using Chrome.

> I have no way to verify exactly what Microsoft sends to their servers (and their description is incomplete and out of date, if you care to trust it).

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-view-and-manage-diagnosti...

> The upgrade-to-windows-10 dark patterns are what you should consider when you think "windows control & privacy".

How is this a dark pattern? Windows 7 and 8 also have telemetry, but they don't let you view it as conveniently as in Windows 10. Also the OS itself supports more privacy control against 3rd party apps, which should be the biggest concern.

> Not in my experience of Edge vs Firefox, unless things have changed very dramatically in the last few months.

Firefox is among the most resource heavy, on both Windows and Mac OS.

> In my biased sample of the world, PCs have gone back to being work devices, and everything else is being done on the phone, with cloud sync bridging the gaps. I know a few people who bought a 2-in-1 but no one uses them except as a laptop except on very very rare occasions.

I do all my work on a Surface Pro 2-in-1, more than 50% of the time in tablet mode. I also keep a close eye on ChromeOS and iPads, but unless they support most of my software and use-cases, I see no reason to switch from Windows anytime soon.

Edge on iOS and Android will have a built-in adblocker soon.

Why is it a problem that it uses webkit on iOS and Android? Why reinvent the wheel, when those rendering engines are already optimized for those platforms? The thing I care about is that it supports syncing of settings.

> If you primarily work with Windows 10, Edge makes some sense, otherwise it makes no sense.

If you primarily work with Mac OS, Safari makes some sense, otherwise it makes no sense. Why do I never hear that complaint?

Also, Edge on iOS and Android will soon have a built-in adblocker.

> The only downside to it I see is that you are using Windows 10... I value privacy and control of my devices a little more than 10% of battery efficiency.

Have you ever looked at the privacy controls of Windows? Also the battery efficiency is significantly more than 10%, and try find me an as versatile and user friendly alternative OS for pen capable 2-in-1s, that has better privacy controls.

It also has nice features such as the set tabs aside session manager that even retains history and session cookies, and it a nice PDF and ePub reader with support for notes and highlighting with the pen, and Cortana integration. Before Edge, I primarily used Firefox and dabbled with Chrome and Vivaldi.

Edge is on both iOS and Android, and no I don't work for MS, I just value proper modern OS integration and battery efficiency, so that I can use my device as intended.