[everdrive]

This pattern is actually how I decide whether or not a piece of software is worthwhile. First Windows install, what do you do? spend an hour or so attempting to disable or remove all the junk being pushed on you and fix terrible default settings. It's been a while for me with Windows, so I haven't had to battle with the online account requirement, Onedrive, etc. But, the general pattern remains. If an OS or software is just packed with stuff that's hostile to you, then it's either got to go (Windows) or be minimized as much as as is feasible. (smartphones & apps) This is actually what turned me off Ubuntu. It's not even close to being as bad as Windows, but I realized that on a fresh install I was attempting to get rid of snaps and the "buy premium" message when running apt, and a couple of other things.

If something is being pushed on me, it's obviously bad for me, and good for the pusher.

[suby]

I don't think the notion is always true of something being pushed on you automatically being bad for you. I agree that Windows is very user hostile, but something like mandatory updates where you cannot defer forever are good for less technical folks who, prior to this policy, were never updating and we had huge problems with botnets and malware running on people's machines. In a way it is like herd immunity where you benefit a bit from these botnet malware rings being less prominent than the past thanks to aggressive auto updates, even if you personally hate the policy and it's an annoyance to you. Or for another similar example, people going to remote parts of the world to vaccinate people to eradicate diseases like polio - things can be pushed on you, sometimes aggressively, and they can be a net benefit.

That being said, I do agree that windows is user hostile and i won't run it myself.

[everdrive]

> I agree that Windows is very user hostile, but something like mandatory updates where you cannot defer forever are good for less technical folks

Maybe if those were only security updates. Windows pushes new features, new crap, and re-enables and re-installs (!) stuff you've removed via this path as well.

[gausswho]

I sometimes wonder what's really in that Candy Crush binary.

[Krutonium]

Honestly, probably just Candy Crush. Lets be real, if Microsoft wanted to hide code somewhere, the world is literally their oyster, they don't need to Trojan Horse it into a game.