Why Windows Sucks And How To Fix It, According To A Former Microsoft Engineer

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• A erstwhile Microsoft developer thinks Windows sucks and explains why.
• Windows has go much of a trading instrumentality to waste Microsoft services.
• A Microsoft exec touts Windows arsenic an agentic OS, and nan responses are brutal.

I've utilized Windows for much years than I attraction to count. Starting pinch Windows 95, I've worked pinch each caller version, some personally and professionally. And though I've sometimes been tempted to move to a Mac aliases Linux arsenic my main platform, I've stuck pinch Windows arsenic my OS of choice.

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But my allegiance to Windows has been tested complete nan decades. That's ne'er been truer than complete nan past fewer years. And I'm not alone.

Windows needs a Pro mode

In a recent YouTube video, erstwhile Microsoft programmer Dave Plummer, who helped create nan Windows Task Manager and nan ZIP archive tool, shared his thoughts connected Windows. "It sucks," Plummer said correct astatine nan apical of nan video. However, alternatively than leaving it pinch that provocative statement, he went connected to explicate why he feels that way.

By trying to beryllium each things to each group -- from beginners to powerfulness users to developers -- Windows takes a elemental approach, often trying to clasp your manus aliases steer you to different apps and services that you don't needfully need. In this regard, Plummer thinks location should beryllium a "Professional" mode for powerfulness users that dispenses pinch nan hand-holding and lets you usage nan operating strategy nan measurement you want, not nan measurement Microsoft wants.

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That's not a bad idea. Other products connection different modes depending connected your acquisition and accomplishment level. I usage Adobe Photoshop Elements to edit photos and images. Here, Adobe provides 3 modes: Quick mode, which displays only nan basal tools; Guided mode, which guides you done circumstantial tasks; and Advanced mode, which displays each devices and features. I typically enactment successful Advanced mode, but I sometimes usage Guided mode erstwhile I request thief pinch an unfamiliar feature. Why can't Windows adopt nan aforesaid concept?

Too overmuch telemetry

But Plummer's gripe goes beyond nan existent creation of Windows. Rather, he besides faults Microsoft for turning Windows into little of a usable OS and much of a telemetry instrumentality that doesn't respect your privacy.

"If you perceive to nan gripes that make existent power today, location are 3 aliases 4 large buckets," Plummer said successful nan video. "Privacy and telemetry, being forced into a Microsoft relationship during setup, updates that astonishment for illustration a SWAT squad advance, and nan wide emotion that your desktop is nan past unmonetized aboveground successful a world that hates quiet space."

Plummer argues that Microsoft needs telemetry connected really group usage Windows to create nan OS. That's a bully point. But he besides believes nan institution needs to beryllium much transparent astir each nan information it wants to collect. Here, Plummer suggests that Windows should see a "privacy ledger," a strategy log that would database each portion of telemetry pinch clear specifications connected what it's for and why Microsoft wants it.

Why nary section account?

Next up is nan choice, aliases deficiency thereof, betwixt a Microsoft relationship and a section account. Certainly, location are valid reasons for utilizing a Microsoft relationship successful Windows. However, nan institution forces this action down your throat, progressively eliminating immoderate workarounds for going local. It's almost arsenic if Microsoft sees its users arsenic children, arsenic it takes distant their state of choice, insisting that it knows what's champion for them.

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As Plummer suggests, why can't nan institution simply coming a clear surface pinch 2 choices: Continue pinch a Microsoft relationship aliases proceed pinch a section account?

"No tricks, nary link to nan net to spot what your options are," Plummer said. No acheronian patterns. And if you take local, nan OS should explicate erstwhile and past extremity asking."

After discussing really Windows updates work, aliases don't work, Plummer moves connected to what he calls "ads, nags, and suggestions." Here, he argues that Microsoft has crossed nan statement to wherever nan operating strategy feels for illustration a income transmission for each of nan company's different products.

Stop disrespecting users

"When nan OS suggests, hey, possibly you should move browsers aft you explicitly chose different one, that's not onboarding," Plummer said. "That's conscionable disrespect. When nan Start paper shows sponsored apps, you put a value connected my attraction connected my machine."

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With Microsoft's desire to monetize everything, including its users, personification successful nan institution would request to push difficult to move Windows into little of a trading machine.

"But it's worthy it," according to Plummer. "Trust is much valuable than immoderate click-through metric. And correct now, this is what group mean erstwhile they opportunity Windows sucks. They're not complaining astir nan anti-thread scheduler aliases nan IO stack. They detest nan acquisition of being sold to by your ain machine that you already own."

The eventual irony present is that Microsoft continues to beryllium Plummer's points, particularly nan 1 astir promoting its ain products and services.

Who really wants an agentic OS?

In tweet posted Monday, Microsoft president Pavan Davuluri boasted that "Windows is evolving into an agentic OS, connecting devices, cloud, and AI to unlock intelligent productivity and unafraid activity anywhere." He invited group to subordinate nan institution astatine Microsoft Ignite to spot really "frontier firms are transforming pinch Windows and what's adjacent for nan platform."

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Of course, erstwhile he speaks of connecting devices, cloud, and AI, he's people referring to different Microsoft products. Yes, nan income transportation is beardown here.

Undoubtedly, Davuluri expected his station to beryllium greeted pinch cheers and huzzahs. That did not happen. Instead, nan station was inundated pinch hundreds of angry responses astir what Microsoft tin do pinch its agentic OS.

"Here's a crazy idea, really astir mmm…just springiness america Windows 7 back? Clean UI, cleanable icon, a unified power panel, nary bloat apps, nary ads, conscionable a axenic capacity OS," said 1 person.

"You can't moreover correctly instrumentality mini taskbar icons, which is thing users really want. You are getting overwhelmingly antagonistic feedback astir each this AI stuff. And yet you persevere. Why?" said another.

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"I've been a Windows personification for >35 years and it's still my go-to for productivity some astatine location and astatine work. This imagination of nan OS evolving isn't really thing I want. Consider creating a robust, simple, lightweight, and distraction-free type and letting nan customer decide," said a 3rd person.

Bloated messiness of a trading instrumentality  

Past versions of Windows surely had their flaws. But astatine slightest they served much arsenic basal platforms connected which to tally your applications and activity pinch your files. That's nan meaning of an operating strategy -- astatine slightest it should be. Now, Windows has turned into a bloated messiness of a trading instrumentality pinch promotions, come-ons and updates that interrupt your activity alternatively of helping it.

So does Windows really suck? Yeah, it does, astatine slightest successful definite ways. Of course, I'm still utilizing it aft each these years. Maybe it's go for illustration an old, worn footwear that still feels comfortable contempt each nan problems.

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And Plummer's eventual take?

"So, does Windows suck?" he asks. "Only erstwhile it forgets who it's moving for. Most days, it's for everybody, and that's fine. But immoderate days, it has to beryllium for nan personification who knows precisely what they want and is consenting to return work for asking. Give that personification a switch, springiness that personification respect, and past get retired of nan way."