[petepete]

Without guaranteed full Linux compatibility, it's not worth the risk on many of those vendors. OEM (adulterated) Windows just isn't an option and unless there's an ad-free version of Windows 10 (I haven't researched extensively but I don't think I can just buy one that won't spam my Start Menu) I'm going to have to revert to another OS - having ads built in simply isn't an option.

I'm no Apple fan but the competition is embarrassing at times.

For the record my two notebooks are a MBP 2014 and a Dell XPS13 Developer addition running Arch. Both are equally competent as development machines.

[oaiey]

My start menu does not have any advertisment. It had after blank installation but removing the tiles and initial apps solved that. Never came back.

Well, I do not have the store on the tile part of the start menu. But I think it is fair game that the store would show some advertisement when it is a tile.