It’s a pretty sad statement to say a company has managed to irk you to the point of hating their newest product before you have even had the opportunity to test it out, but that is exactly what Microsoft has managed to do with they way they have tried to shove Windows 10 down peoples throats.
- Malware-like pop-ups with no way for the user to opt-out
- Hidden download of installation files (people report files between 2-6GB) without user knowledge or authorization
- 45 page end-user agreement in which people basically give away any and all their rights and allow Microsoft to do as they please
- The fact that with Windows 10 (and now with recent updates they have push this onto Windows 7 & 8 users aw well) Microsoft is using advanced telemetry to gather data about their users. What data exactly, no one truly knows. What they are doing with the data, no one truly knows.
- And to top things off, Microsoft will be changing the Windows 10 ‘update’ so it becomes a recommended update in the New Year so it will automatically get installed if you use default Windows Updates setting which the vast majority of users do.
The entire process has been extremely poorly thought out and show a complete:
- lack of transparency
- lack of ethics by the simple fact that there is no mean to opt-out of the ‘upgrade’ process
- lack of ethics by using the Malware-like pop-ups that initiate the installation when all you wish to do is get rid of the unsolicited pop-up
- lack of respect for they clients (see the above & read the license agreement)
At the end of the day, they have shown very poor moral and ethical judgment.
Apparently, I’m not the only thinking this way. If you want a chuckle, take a look at the comic Sandra and Woo found at: http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2016/06/09/0793-an-offer-you-cant-refuse-ww/ that’s pretty much how I’m perceiving Microsoft’s approach to Windows 10.
Too bad Microsoft has sunk to this level!
How to Stop Windows 10
The standard approach to stop the Windows 10 Upgrade process is to uninstall a series of Windows Updates:
- KB 2952664
- KB 2976978
- KB 2990214
- KB 3021917
- KB 3035583
- KB 3044374
The problem with the standard approach, as I have found out, is that it would appear that Microsoft is playing dirty games and resetting various computers settings to get around users trying to stop the process (I have had this confirm by fellow MVPs). I set my computer to always prompt me to download any update, yet when I checked recently, it had been switch to automatically download and install. I also, uninstalled an update associated with Windows 10, chose to hide it so it wouldn’t reinstall, yet it did.
Luckily, some programmers have gotten tired of fighting Microsoft and have come up with a utility to stop the Windows 10 upgrade. Please refer to GWX Control Panel
A few more references on the subject
‘Get Windows 10’ prompt adopts malware-like tactics to lure you into upgrading
How to remove Windows 10 upgrade updates in Windows 7 and 8
Fix Windows 10
Windows 10, Should I Upgrade or Not?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/10/06/windows-10-spying/
A Windows 10 Petition is Now Available
Update 2016-06-07
The net is full of posts, articles, … regarding the disgraceful tactics to promote Windows 10. No one is arguing whether or not Windows 10 is a good OS. The issue is the unprecedented manner Microsoft has employed to force people to download and install it, and the fact that Microsoft is now collecting all sorts of data (telemetry) on their users.
A petition has been started on Change.org requesting a formal investigation into Microsoft and Windows 10. The petition highlights accurately a number of criticisms with Microsoft’s methodology and what I personally qualify as unethical approach.
Microsoft used to distinguish themselves from Google, Apple, … by not collecting data, not forcing users into things and now they have done a complete 180. They used to be trusted, no longer. They no longer distinguish themselves in any manner and now there is no reason to privilege them over any of the competition anymore.
Install it man. On at least one machine. Either you are using the product and living the experience (good and bad) or you’re sitting on the sidelines reading sucky comments from people who like writing sucky comments. It’s like being an anti vaccine campaign.
It has absolutely nothing to do with sitting on the sidelines. I have a number of clients who decided to install Windows 10 when it was first released to the public and have had extensive exposure to it (I do support it as required by my clients, but will not adopt it myself).
I have seen many driver issues, issues with MS Office not working properly, the Start Menu is back (well a poor version of it) …. It does run smoothly, but it is still a far cry from Windows 7 or Windows XP! I have seen 0 reasons to consider migrating (ignoring the privacy issues for a second).
Moreover, there is no logic un rushing into production a new OS. Any smart IT professional always waits until SP1 comes out before deploying any application into official production use. I know Windows 10 will not be having standard SPs, but waiting 9-12 months is simple common sense!
Regardless, the agreement giving away all your privacy rights and much more is simply unacceptable for me (and would be for most people if they actually read the 45 page document – which next to nobody does). The underhanded approach used to force Windows 10 upon people is also unacceptable to me.
I also view the agreement as a possible breach of confidentially agreements with several of my corporate clients, which puts me in a legal incapability of installing it.