Don't activate the "Let's Go" button in the Windows 10 Settings application

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 16, 2020
Windows, Windows 10
|
83

If you have updated your copy of Windows 10 to a recent version, you may have noticed a new banner in the Settings application that is displayed at the top.

The banner displays basic information about the account and is also used by Microsoft for advertising / informational purposes. Most users should see a "Get even more out of Windows" notification at the top when they upgrade Windows 10 to a recent version of the operating system.

It states: "with a few quick selections, you'll be on your way to enjoying the full Microsoft experience". There is a let's go button that is displayed prominently, and a "skip for now" link that is less visible.

If that reminds you of the operating system's out of box experience that is displayed after upgrades, then you are not mistaken.

A click on Let's Go opens a fullscreen interface that resembles the out-of-box experience of the operating system. There are some differences, but more about that later.

The start screen highlights the areas that Microsoft suggests you set up to get more out of the operating systems.

On a test system, these were:

  • Windows Hello helps you sign in
  • Link your phone and PC
  • Work seamlessly across any devices
  • Achieve more with a Microsoft 365 subscription
  • Keep your files more secure in the cloud with OneDrive
  • Enhance your web browsing experience

You can exit the screen with a click on "remind me in 3 days", or continue with the setting up by clicking on continue.

Use recommended browser settings is displayed when you use a non-default browser or browser settings. The screen suggests that you use recommended browser settings, and that entails making Microsoft Edge the default browser and Microsoft Bing the default search engine.

Since you have switched to using different defaults, it is very likely that you don't want that to happen. You can skip this but Microsoft will nag you again in the future to make Edge the default.

Another screen that may be displayed to you is a full page ad for subscribing to Microsoft 365. You may get a discount offer for the first year; I received a 50% offer for the first year on a test system.

You may select "no thanks" to skip this or next to start the sign-up process.

Once you are done, fullscreen mode is exited and you are taken back to the Settings app. The banner at the top displays different information after you have ended the out of box experience, and these display the last time updates were checked on Windows Update and a link to manage OneDrive.

Closing Words

A click on the "let's go" button opens a fullscreen interface that is part advertisement for Microsoft services, part an attempt to get you to use Microsoft Services and products such as OneDrive or Microsoft Edge. The experience offers little value to most users, especially those who have selected the skip option during the initial out of box experience multiple times.

Now You: What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?

Summary
Article Name
Don't activate the "Let's Go" button in the Windows 10 Settings application
Description
Wonder what the Let's Go button in the Settings app does? Find out where it leads to and why you may not want to activate the button.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Ronis said on November 26, 2020 at 10:28 pm
    Reply

    lol, ..you people are so paranoid of ad trackers, google and MS ….if you don’t give them any personal info all they have on you is browsing info..so focking what if they know what porn site I go too? they don’t know nothing who’s behind the IP..

  2. Joshua Baer said on November 22, 2020 at 11:42 pm
    Reply

    I clicked on “Let’s go” and then on “Remind me in 3 days”. Is it the same like just clicking on “Skip for now” ?

  3. Dianthus said on November 22, 2020 at 3:54 pm
    Reply

    Just use the best Windows out there=Windows 7 64bit Pro with 0Patch Pro and install W10 bare-bone on VM in W7. Set up W10 so that you just can work with programs that are not anymore on W7 and for the rest let it be. I will not ever ever install W10 like it is now on an SSD like I have W7.

    Anyway shit will hits the fan in the coming years and best bet is that Microsoft is on his last legs. You heard it here first :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSuCuoQxI20
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp4l3u6LVuU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPd5l2ekdu4

    Then after all is done I hope that we can opensource are real high tech OS bc that is still not happened and in 30 years still those bs problems… is made that way bc what if all where to run smoothly and that people have not to do anything for 10years+. Think about that.

  4. Sprite said on November 21, 2020 at 3:31 am
    Reply

    I would like to see the settings app getting dropped, removed completely off Windows 10, and the fools who made it fired. Also same for the fools who came up with all these new idiotic Windows 10 features. Windows 10 needs to be reconstructed like “Windows 7 was my idea”. Use Windows 8.1 as the base and return Windows to a normal desktop operating system.

  5. common sense computing said on November 19, 2020 at 6:44 pm
    Reply

    Strange, I get regular security updates on Windows 8.1 and never have these kind of issues.

  6. ULBoom said on November 19, 2020 at 2:38 am
    Reply

    “What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?”

    “Settings” maybe.

    That tiny little title in the upper left is ridiculous. They’re phasing out Control Panel for Settings (ETA 2095) without making Settings a place users would like to go. It’s still gigantic, badly organized, full of white space, loaded with trick switches, formatted totally differently from Explorer and other windows, blah, blah.

    I don’t see any of the stuff Martin shows, maybe because the advertising ID was turned off in GP Edit but I do see a nag to fix Windows Update which is set to run manually; otherwise, not broken in any way.

    The leftover/legacy parts of Windows are still fine. The Modern Experience Rich Conversation Narrative Channel Reach Out Material Personalized Ads Cloud parts are just as nonsensical as this sentence.

    I’ve tried dozens of Linux distros, some that are pure hobby projects and none have two totally different wrappers randomly appearing throughout the OS the way Windows does.

  7. JORDANO SANTOS CERQUEIRA (BRAZIL) said on November 18, 2020 at 8:48 pm
    Reply

    I make the update by remote acess with my client, nut not work the login microsoft account… I fall in loop of error without possibilities to turn off pc remote… I need use a car to go in local place to turn off…

  8. MarkyMark said on November 18, 2020 at 12:19 am
    Reply

    Microsoft cares and has done very well. I’m not afraid of anything, I have nothing to hide. They don’t sell your private sex pictures. If u think of all that, you have to close Google Accs on your phones anyway, no photo services, no cloud drives – nooooothinggggg. Back to the stone edge … Hello Wilma and Fred Feuerstein! Get on with REALITY, folks. Please.

    Or you all believe in Santa Claus right ?!

    1. vanp said on November 19, 2020 at 7:13 am
      Reply

      Not using “Google Accs on your phones anyway, no photo services, no cloud drives – nooooothinggggg” is not going back to the stone age. Just about every product The Evil One has is a spy machine and an advertising machine. I don’t use any of ’em, and I’m getting along just fine. In fact, I try not to use anything that starts with the letter ‘G.’ Google can go straight to Hell, which is exactly where it belongs, not to put too fine a point on it. But, this article is about M$.

      1. Anonymous said on November 20, 2020 at 3:11 am
        Reply

        vanp, M$ is a spy machine and an advertising machine too, you should stop any of M$ spyware too, avoid the evil one is not enough if you care about your privacy.

      2. vanp said on November 20, 2020 at 6:48 am
        Reply

        If you want or expect complete privacy, stay off the internet–probably not attainable. Concerning M$, I don’t know of any viable alternative, including Linux (especially for non-tech types).

    2. ULBoom said on November 19, 2020 at 2:48 am
      Reply

      Wow. Programming into The Machine is complete.

      Phones you can’t do much about beyond buying a crate of burners, so we live with their inherent limitations. Computers are regulated differently and their private data can easily be kept away from MS. Not even trying is how users join The Fred and Barney Club with Mr. Slate as President.

      Actually, The Jetsons is a better analogy.

    3. Anonymous said on November 18, 2020 at 6:40 pm
      Reply

      It’s not major actions that concern most people, it’s the power they take away from the user. The idea of them selling your pictures isn’t really the problem because they would be hurting themselves if they did it, and they know it. What interests them is telemetry, personal information, usage patterns, installed apps, geolocation; things advertisers can use to target you with ads and suggested content. The big problem is that your computer isn’t yours,Microsoft is the true admin of any system running windows, read the EULA and you’ll see that. They reserve all rights to themselves regarding what they can install on their system (your computer) and all you can do is try to skate around it and trick the system into allowing only what you want. And none of that is ever guaranteed to work. I shouldn’t have to “hack” my computer to install only software I choose, and what I do with my computer is my business. And anything you install or modifications you make to circumvent that is actually also against that agreement, and they would be within the scope of their rights to revoke your usage of their software. But they don’t because they can still monetize a noncompliant user.

      1. MarkyMark said on November 18, 2020 at 9:43 pm
        Reply

        the one and only good statement here. I prefer to see a personalized ad than any bullshit. And we have opt-outs too…. It would be a big scandal and could result with an act of law against Microsoft.

    4. Anonymous said on November 18, 2020 at 7:53 am
      Reply

      They actually search your photos and delete nude photos from your onedrive lmao. But I don’t see anybody moaning about their privacy tactics, btw they are awful, I see people complaining about forcing them “to microsoft experience”, they don’t want it lmao and they shouldn’t be forced to have all this crap installed in their computers.

  9. RobG said on November 17, 2020 at 3:51 pm
    Reply

    The comments section of this topic is also available on paperback and Kindle.

    Seriously though. This is probably the most comments I’ve seen for a long time on any Ghacks topic. Well done Martin for generating the interest.

  10. Nicole Bailey said on November 17, 2020 at 9:59 am
    Reply

    I need help resetting my laptop it comes on but stuck on black screen. ?

    1. RobG said on November 17, 2020 at 12:04 pm
      Reply

      “I need help resetting my laptop it comes on but stuck on black screen”.

      Google is your friend…..

      https://www.google.com/search?q=windows+10+laptop+boots+to+balck+screen&oq=windows+10+laptop+boots+to+balck+screen&aqs=chrome..69i57.14771j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

  11. Yuliya said on November 17, 2020 at 9:00 am
    Reply

    I have two Pro VMs, one 1909, aother 2004, both attempt to show me that OOBE-like screen whenever I run them from a cold boot.
    Never seen anything like that on LTSC/Server LTSC.

  12. Vishv said on November 17, 2020 at 7:57 am
    Reply

    First of all nothing is free. Second, every company tries to collect as much user data as they can. Be it Windows, Mac, ios, Android or even Linux (Ubuntu). Some do it without telling you upfront and by hiding all the terms and conditions in little text on a 10-15 some page t&c. While others tell you upfront that they will be using your data. Apple, Google fall into the first category, Microsoft in the second. Linux IDK (some distros are shady some fall in the first category and some are truly genuine).

    1. viber234 said on November 19, 2020 at 12:15 pm
      Reply

      @Vishv

      So first you proclaim that “nothing is free” yet conclude by saying some Linux distros are “truly genuine”. Well, being that most of those “truly genuine” Linux distros are free, then that conflicts with your “nothing is free” rule.

      Hmm. It seems you haven’t thought this all through proper.

      I can only wonder what other mistakes you make. Hmm.

    2. LeonA said on November 17, 2020 at 7:24 pm
      Reply

      I do agree that nothing is free in life, but Windows is not free.
      Windows 10 Home: From $139.00
      Windows 10 Pro: From $199.99
      Until they start giving Windows free of charge and put their advertisments on it, Microsoft wins the crown of greedyness and evilness.
      Paying our sweet dollars for getting Microsoft advertisments, what an honor lol.

      1. viber234 said on November 19, 2020 at 12:07 pm
        Reply

        @LeonA

        Many things in life are free.

        Also, note that bulk OEMs of Windows 10 go for as low as $3 each.

        Also, users can use Windows 10 unactivated for free.

      2. LeonA said on November 20, 2020 at 3:07 am
        Reply

        @viber234

        Sure you can find illegal keys at $3. They are illegal because you are break their TOS.
        There is no reason to pay 3 dollars for something illegal, just pirate it.
        These are the consumer prices of Windows $139.00 and $199.99, it is what it is.
        They should include all these ads and promotions in unactivated Windows then, and don’t throw them to people who pay for a Windows license.
        Until they do that, Microsoft wins the crown of greedyness and evilness.

      3. viber234 said on November 21, 2020 at 10:23 am
        Reply

        @LeonA

        “Sure you can find illegal keys at $3”

        A false agreement, ha. That’s a rather evil tactic to try to use on me, ha.

        Point being, there was nothing illegal involved with what I said, which was:

        “Also, note that bulk OEMs of Windows 10 go for as low as $3 each.”

        What that means is, Microsoft is selling OEMs for cheap in bulk, thus PC manufactures can pass those saving to consumers, and they often do.

  13. vanp said on November 17, 2020 at 7:21 am
    Reply

    “What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?”

    What are you talking about? Why would anybody want that nonsense to appear at all? Honestly, what a ridiculous question. Just because you’re owned by Softonic doesn’t mean you have to adopt a corporate mindset and assume that anything the big boys do is legitimate.

    1. RobG said on November 18, 2020 at 10:28 am
      Reply

      >What are you talking about? Why would anybody want that nonsense to appear at all? Honestly, what a ridiculous question.<

      Calm down dear! You're taking this too seriously.. It was simply a semi serious lighthearted question from Mark, made to stimulate some debate, thats all.

      1. vanp said on November 19, 2020 at 7:00 am
        Reply

        The question shouldn’t be whadya wanna see in the banner. It should be is there any way around this latest attempt by M$ to hijack our computer and tell us how we should be using the thing. Just show me Settings and leave me the hell alone.

        But thanks for your input.

  14. Hilton said on November 17, 2020 at 5:14 am
    Reply

    I see nothing wrong. I use o365 one drive, edge and Bing already. What’s the problem

    1. Nick said on November 17, 2020 at 9:31 am
      Reply

      Good for you, but we don’t and we don’t want to have onedrive pre-installed or edge or use Bing. At least EU and hopefully USA too should do what they did for Android. They need to force M$ to give us choice screens. It’s known M$ bribes politicians but this is getting ridiculous.

  15. Just a rando on the Internet said on November 17, 2020 at 2:45 am
    Reply

    I have updated to 20H2 and I don’t see that banner. I also never saw the Let’s finish… blue screen. Maybe because I use ShutUp 10 ??

    Someone I support on Windows 10 got the Let’s finish blue screen after 2003. Very inconsistent of Microsoft.

    And the comments on this site are funny. Why do these people read Martin is something I do not understand. Most of his stuff is about Windows and lots of commenters are always going on about “I’ll never use Micro$oft, Linux forever”..

  16. Farmers said on November 17, 2020 at 1:17 am
    Reply

    You don’t get this at all if you’re signing in with a Local account instead of a MSA. There is, however, a ‘Rewards’ button in the banner, inviting you to Sign In.

    1. fhj said on November 17, 2020 at 4:09 pm
      Reply

      wait.. what rewards button? i don’t see anything like that and i use a local account (as above)

  17. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 9:38 pm
    Reply

    The warning should be unnecessary.
    Whenever Microsoft says, “user experience”, alarm bells should jangle. When they say, “… the full Microsoft experience” you know they mean to take you through all of their privacy data scrapers.

    QUOTE: Modern cyberspace is a deadly festering swamp, teeming with dangerous programs such as ‘viruses,’ ‘worms,’ ‘Trojan horses’ and ‘licensed Microsoft software’ that can take over your computer and render it useless. – Dave Barry

  18. John Sellers said on November 16, 2020 at 8:29 pm
    Reply

    I’m up to having feedback on Microsoft almost daily when they do something invasive and annoying. I think I have done this about 50 times since I got my new laptop with Windows 10.

    Each time I say:

    “GET OUT OF MY FACE”

    They are definitely overzealously aggressive.

    For example, in settings “DEFAULT BROWSER” is a complete fake. It only talks about Microsoft Edge and ignores the fact that I have set my default browser to Google Chrome.

    In other words, what kind of settings claim to be about the default browser don’t mention the competition’s default browser?

    But that is not all, when you try to find a path to setting through several different paths or offer you a choice of defaults, Google Chrome is not offered as a choice and they all steer you to the Microsoft app store.

    Worse yet, after walking around these roadblocks and finally find a way to set Google Chrome as default, every time you follow a link from a Microsoft app or whatever, it opens up Edge instead.

    We are still not done. In file extensions, it is a constant battle to set file types to my favorite apps such as Google Sheets. The choices offered constantly steer you toward Microsoft Office, which I will NEVER USE. Why should I use apps that I have to pay for when the Google Apps are free? It is awful. Microsoft points you away from your chosen app and opens up Office and the when office opens it won’t let you use it unless you buy it.

    1. Ross said on November 16, 2020 at 11:25 pm
      Reply

      > Why should I use apps that I have to pay for when the Google Apps are free?

      If you’re not paying for something, you’re being sold.

      (FOSS is an exception. I’m still on the fence whether it is a long-lasting exception.)

  19. Bob said on November 16, 2020 at 8:26 pm
    Reply

    As a Linux user, this headline makes me LOL. I shouldn’t have to fear clicking on the dialog boxes that my OS displays.

    Come to think of it, it barely ever displays any, unless I go to delete a file, close a program with unsaved work, or request a system shut-down.

    The computer just leaves me alone and never nags me or anything; this is similar to how Windows 2000 used to behave 20 years ago, and just how I like it.

    1. RobG said on November 17, 2020 at 12:01 pm
      Reply

      “The [Linux] computer just leaves me alone and never nags me”

      And that’s how Windows 7 is – with an estimated 200 million PCs users worldwide, including myself. No issues here at all with Windows 7 (touch wood), which I’ve ran every day on my current PC since 2011.

  20. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 6:54 pm
    Reply

    Its time EU hits Microsoft with a huge fine. I will never use their cloud garbage or online services.

    They need to let go the management team responsible for settings. A new team needs to completely rebuild settings from the ground up to work and look like the control panel. Setting is not a good foundation. Windows 7/8 and the control panel never had any of this intrusive garbage all over.

  21. Mothy said on November 16, 2020 at 6:26 pm
    Reply

    What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?

    Nothing, in fact get rid of the Settings app and go back to just using control panel.

  22. Kent Brockman said on November 16, 2020 at 6:21 pm
    Reply

    I chalk this stuff up to annoyances nothing more, there are ways around them and it doesn’t take rocket science to do it. Linux ( which I used daily for a few years) has it’s own issues and after some deal breakers I finally had to come back to Windows. I don’t expect “privacy”(a lost cause I once spent too much time worrying about) on the internet and as long as I can curtail the blatant marketing( I can) my life isn’t impacted to any significant degree that bothers me. Others who have their persons at risk via the internet may rightfully disagree.

  23. Corky said on November 16, 2020 at 5:55 pm
    Reply

    What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?

    I guess nothing isn’t an option. ;)

    Seriously though i find the Settings app a bit like one of those adventure books from the 80’s, if you choose to run away turn to page 132, if you choose to open the box turn to page 40, if you choose to run down the dark corridor turn to page 240.

    They should take a leaf out of KDE’s system setting, having to jump back to the home screen and between different sections when something’s clicked makes it super easy to get lost an not know where a particular setting is.

  24. Chris said on November 16, 2020 at 4:17 pm
    Reply

    >What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?

    ‘Never show again’ ?

  25. fhj said on November 16, 2020 at 12:29 pm
    Reply

    … i upped to 20h2 a couple of weeks back or so…. didn’t see this. i use local account though. and i also block one drive from autorun on startup.. (did that a few years back)

    1. Lucky Star said on November 19, 2020 at 11:49 am
      Reply

      @fhj

      Same here. I updated to 20H2 about 2 weeks ago and I don’t get this banner, and I use a local user account, with no Microsoft store accounts or such.

      Long ago I blocked what I can with O&O ShutUp10, and I keep that updated. Unlike some past Windows updates, 20H2 didn’t remove my O&O ShutUp10 settings.

      I wonder why we didn’t get this banner?

      Note that I use MS Edge. Do you use Edge? If so, then perhaps this banner is a way to get other users on Edge?

      Also, there are MS settings to turn such stuff off, of which I have done.

  26. Jake said on November 16, 2020 at 12:09 pm
    Reply

    The Microsoft monopoly is unethical. Big tech companies Apple and Microsoft now push users around with restrictive options and enforced updates which install unwanted apps and mysterious resource sapping background processes.

    They have a developer stranglehold making it hard for users or developers to migrate profitably to any alternative while MacOS and Linux are the only options. This is not real choice.

    Microsoft also intend to abuse the open source world and may find a proprietary way to disable the credible threat from user friendly Linux distributions to keep us shackled to them.

    Huge tech duopolies should be stopped, so competition isn’t suffucated, and it would be stopped but big tech is now so big, so powerful and so integral to our social infrastructure even governments now are too cowardly to stand up to them.

    The Windows and MacOS user experience today is truly awful and if any real competition emerged Microsoft would sink like a stone as people fled for a user friendly experience elsewhere.

    They once served us, now we serve them. It’s time it stopped.

  27. TacoT said on November 16, 2020 at 11:07 am
    Reply

    Ugg. Get a clean copy of LTSC or Enterprise and never connect a MS account to it no matter what.

  28. RobG said on November 16, 2020 at 10:44 am
    Reply

    “What would you like to see displayed in the banner in the Settings app?”

    I’d like to see a warning sign advising users to disable the ‘driver auto-update’ function on their Windows 10 machine.

    The auto updating of drivers shouldn’t be required for the vast majority of PCs, and in many instances these updates simply leave devices disabled. I’ve seen many instances of this on clients’ PC over the years, the worst one being last week when my clients W10 laptop -which had previously ran fine for three years – had nearly every single device driver disabled after a W10 update, i.e. wifi, ethernet, video card, audio, and most usb slots, etc. all showed a yellow exclamation mark in the device manager. Beyond belief.

    ‘ How to disable automatic driver updates on Windows 10 ‘
    https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-automatic-driver-updates-windows-10

  29. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 9:50 am
    Reply

    No forgiveness of Micro$oft for being on the bandwagon, but:
    https://apple.slashdot.org/story/20/11/13/1726224/your-computer-isnt-yours

    1. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 10:47 am
      Reply

      Nothing to worry about, that’s lovable, cuddly, smiling Apple seeking to enhance your user experience..
      Unlike harvesters like Facebook, Google, Microsoft et al, Apple is only doing that because they care.

  30. NavJack27 said on November 16, 2020 at 9:22 am
    Reply

    I use all of these things. I link my microsoft account. Onedrive has value. This is only a new thing to you because you weren’t using any of the Microsoft features any of the value that they offer… You should legitimately take a look at all of these things and tell your readers how these things could help benefit them.

    1. @M$ said on November 16, 2020 at 11:03 am
      Reply

      These are not Windows features or services, these are Microsoft products. Onedrive is not in any way a windows program and is also a paid Microsoft service. Microsoft should be sued for using their market monopoly is desktop operating systems to advertise their other products and kill competition (other cloud services, other office suites etc). It doesn’t matter if you are a Microsoft fanboy, this is a respectable site, it can’t promote onedrive when there are better cloud services out there.

  31. ard said on November 16, 2020 at 7:44 am
    Reply

    Ii think it would be proper for transparency and honesty form Microsoft to include clearly visible inside the banner a warning; “this feature will change your default settings”

  32. Tom said on November 16, 2020 at 7:21 am
    Reply

    I suppose that’s the price we pay for free upgrades from Windows 7/8.1 to 10?

    1. RobG said on November 16, 2020 at 11:08 am
      Reply

      “…free upgrades from Windows 7/8.1 to 10”.

      Very many users end up paying for these ‘free’ upgrades in terms of lost time and lost data when W10 / updates go wrong.

    2. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 9:21 am
      Reply

      I have bought windows 10. So why I will get them too? Microsoft = pay us for giving you ads. The mosty disgusting tech giant out there.

  33. Gordon said on November 16, 2020 at 7:09 am
    Reply

    An operating system with integrated advertising? No thanks.

    Will not consider using Windows 10 because of this sort of intrusive nonsense. It’s a deal breaker. Full stop.

    1. ULBoom said on November 19, 2020 at 4:35 am
      Reply

      General comment:

      Linux is OK if you get the right distro for your device. My test machine is a 10 year old laptop and it runs every Linux distro I’ve tried, some well, some not so well. I have minimal Ubuntu on it and also on a Xeon home server. Ubuntu is invisible on the server, updates almost every day, no issues at all. Windows there would scare me; which update will kill it?

      The laptop’s a little uneven but very usable; it never was that smooth with Windows, either. Manjaro was a problem on the laptop, likely the KDE Plasma desktop, very configurable and beautiful but hungry. A rolling release distro, an update scrambled it, so I reluctantly uninstalled it.

      The big issue with Linux is it’s not a Windows replacement if you want to do all the same things just as well and haven’t done much beyond clicking buttons in Windows. Linux is great if you’ve done some programming, like CLI’s and are willing to accept the mainstream limitations of weird, minimal graphics card interfaces, few photo and video editor options and in the case of Ububtu and some others, the awful fat fonts, puffy gnome desktop. Linux is great for networking, easy to set up, wifi is faster and much more stable than in Windows.

      Mint installs easily and with Cinnamon is similar to Windows desktop. A good intro distro.

      Regarding overheating, my laptop’s fan ran a lot with Manjaro, not with Ububtu. Anecdotal reports of overheating don’t align with my ancient testbed’s performance although big distros seem to use more power, as expected. Idle overheating isn’t from a properly functioning OS, something is wrong. Stuck indexing, maybe?

      Privacy. Every distro I’ve used allows you turn on or off data uploading, some on by default, some off. I do trust that the OS isn’t uploading stuff, mainly because the Linux world is overrun with networking gurus who would find these things and they don’t seem to.

      If you use a browser in Linux, there’s no magical browser bubble that forms protecting your privacy, browsers have to know who made a request to answer it; you have to configure the browser for privacy the same as in Windows.

      AFAIK, there are no laptops or desktops “made for Linux.” There are plenty that ship with Linux and some, say Pine, were developed to be inexpensive and run Linux. They’re using Manjaro at the moment. MS sold Linux laptops for a while, must have been that year’s pipe dream, followed by what, the Candy Crush initiative? Fools!
      :)

    2. some1 said on November 16, 2020 at 12:23 pm
      Reply

      An operating system with integrated advertising like Android? it didn’t stop Google from conquering the world, why not Microsoft too?

      1. SanctimoniousApe said on November 16, 2020 at 6:10 pm
        Reply

        Android does not have integrated advertising. The bulk of the apps in the Play Store do have ads in order to pay for offering them so cheap or for free, but most of them have a paid alternative that remove the ads. There are also alternate app sources like F-Droid which are mostly ad-free (which also contains apps like Blokada to block ads, trackers, etc.). If there are ads on your Android, it’s because you agreed to allow them – not because it’s being shoved down your throat over and over again like Microsoft is doing.

      2. Ross said on November 16, 2020 at 11:22 pm
        Reply

        “most” is a violent exaggeration. There are *zero* games of the “incremental” variety that enable you to turn off ads. Many of them let you spend real cash for game coins, but I defy you to find one that does not also offer advertising.

    3. Zelanium said on November 16, 2020 at 7:30 am
      Reply

      I use Windows 10 2004 (20H1) Pro. I don’t have the banner, have automatic updates disabled and an ad-free OS thanks to Winaero Tweaker. The general direction of Microsoft is worrying and I do not intend to upgrade anytime soon.

      I also will not say that Windows 10 is superior to Windows 7 or a Linux OS of your choice.

      1. Allwynd said on November 16, 2020 at 8:35 am
        Reply

        It’s a change that appears in 20H2. In the future you will be forced to update to this version whether you like it or not.

        I’ve tried switching to Linux many times, but it’s an unusable OS if you want to do real work or gaming. Most Linux users either have virtual machines or they dual boot, because Linux just does not suffice.

        So eventually you will have to get the latest build of Windows 10, assuming you do work or play games on Windows 10, because programs and games will drop support for older builds of Windows 10 after some time.

      2. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 5:22 pm
        Reply

        Desktop Linux user here, no dual boot, no VM. Use for daily use, video editing, productivity, you name it. Microsoft doesn’t support Linux and thus M$ office isn’t available. Adobe doesn’t support Linux therefore the Adobe suite isn’t available. If you look at the task, rather than the tool, you’ll find Linux more stable, quicker, more reliable, and more respectful of your person. E.g. “I need a word processor” instead of “I need MS Word” Ultimately it works different because it is different, and just because you only know one way of doing things, that doesn’t mean that’s the only way.

      3. RobG said on November 17, 2020 at 11:41 am
        Reply

        “Desktop Linux user here….”

        Hi. I was actually talking about laptops, and how Linux makes many laptops run hot, even on idle.

      4. Anonymous said on November 18, 2020 at 12:28 am
        Reply

        I was talking about how there are solutions and ways you can fix that sort of problem. Linux is what you make of it, like any other system. The advantage being that the power to fix, or not fix, issues is in your hands, instead of praying microsoft fixes it.

      5. adam said on November 16, 2020 at 1:43 pm
        Reply

        Linux is compatible with like 90% of steam’s library due to valve’s compatibility layer. Not only that, but I have yet to find a piece of software that doesn’t have an open source alternative.

      6. RobG said on November 16, 2020 at 2:29 pm
        Reply

        “Linux is compatible with like 90% of steam’s library due to valve’s compatibility layer”.

        Sadly Linux isn’t compatible with very many laptops, since Linux often causes high cpu levels and high fan speeds. Sure there are tweaks and scripts etc. to workaround *some* of these issues on *some* laptop models, but they involve a lot of tinkering and aren’t always effective enough compared to PCs custom made for Windows.

        ‘Linux makes laptops run hot and high cpu’

        https://www.google.com/search?q=why+linux+makes+laptops+run+hot+and+high+cpu+fans&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:y&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwifisnClIftAhXNEcAKHRY-BDwQpwV6BAgVECM&biw=1280&bih=881

      7. Anonymous said on November 16, 2020 at 5:14 pm
        Reply

        There are laptops and desktops both which are made for Linux, and they’re optimized for Linux just like windows laptops are optimized for windows. Linux offers the freedom of truly owning your system and what happens on it. If you want to use it, you can, if you don’t optimize, that’s your choice too. Everybody talks about hacking together solutions but no one holds manufacturers responsible for supporting their hardware on anything other than windows.

      8. RobG said on November 17, 2020 at 11:36 am
        Reply

        “There are laptops and desktops both which are made for Linux, and they’re optimized for Linux just like windows laptops are optimized for windows”.

        Sure, but most Linux users who come on this Windows site suggest installing Linux as an alternative to Windows…not chucking out a perfectly good laptop just because it has Windows 10 installed.

        Yes there are laptops with Linux pre-installed, but these are few and far between and leave the buyer with limited choice and greater expense compared to the vast range and lower cost of Windows PCs.

        I’m not anti Linux. Ive tried numerous times over the years to get various Linux versions to run properly on ex Windows laptops …but all met with frustration and failure for various reasons, but mainly due to the high cpu/fan speeds that are a common Linux bugbear on laptops. Its like the now famous line from various past blogs: “Linux if free if you don’t value your time”.

      9. Oliver said on November 17, 2020 at 6:26 pm
        Reply

        I am using Linux and Windows on laptops for years now. So far my experience with Windows have been contant frustration : Endless and annoying updates with long download times and frequent restarts. Excessive use of power and disk space. Forced installation of unwanted features. Botched systems because of careless implementations. Etc.

        I am not anti Windows. But if it bothers you, delete it and use something else.

      10. Oliver said on November 16, 2020 at 4:20 pm
        Reply

        The last time I heard the fan on my notebook was when I was running Windows 10. Now with Linux it’s silent and battery lasts longer too. Guess I’m lucky.

  34. Daniel Shaver said on November 16, 2020 at 6:54 am
    Reply

    Microsoft’s predatory practices to gather everyone’s data is getting old.

    1. Tomasz said on May 15, 2021 at 12:06 pm
      Reply

      I just paid 50% off the family subscription on this blue setting update Window, but it hasn’t appeared on my account. A guy from Microsoft said it’s a scam. But how it can be a scam, scammers don’t have access to windows updates.

    2. Jennifer McManus said on November 16, 2020 at 3:46 pm
      Reply

      People with their collect my data, spy on me nonsense this long after launch. It’s websites looking for clicks.

      Oh no Microsoft is offering you a service! Better run and use one of Google’s even though they actually do want..have all your info.

      Does anyone realize that any telemetry can be disabled with a powershell script? Did the author mention it? Of course not, they never do. They don’t wanna help you they wanna scare you for clicks.

      1. ULBoom said on November 19, 2020 at 3:33 am
        Reply

        @ Jenny

        Uh, yeah. You’re correct but only have about 2% of it in that rather conflated picture. Data is gathered from many places and has other purposes beside ad sales. Some of it’s good but who can tell?

        Basic Stuff:

        1. Win 10 Home is an ad server, can’t do squat about its lack of privacy.

        2. Pro and Enterprise can be mostly shut down with gp edit. There are many, many telemetry settings. Learn what’s in Services and Scheduled Tasks, disable what’s not needed.

        3. Browsers. FF, especially ESR, is the only mainstream browser that inherently can be configured for privacy using about:config. Brave can be also but they use a proxy server to strip out or block all the telemetry stuff that can’t be disabled in ANY Chromium based browser.

        4. Don’t ever use Defender, use a good third party AV (NOT Avast, they’re a data broker). Why send even more of your data to MS with Defender? ESET, Kaspersky, Bitdefender…

        4a. Windows Firewall is OK, blocks what you don’t like; it will even block Edge. Yeah it will, just check a box.

        5. A system level ad blocker is useful for stopping ads being requested by everything in your computer (they work on phones for the most part, too). Doesn’t matter what browser you use with one of these. AdGuard, it’s sold in Deals, top of page.

        7. If you need high levels of privacy, get a REAL, paid for, VPN and use Tor inside it. Mullvad’s one of them. The top three that are constantly hyped through native advertising are not; their clients have ads!

        6. Use Open Shell Menu or similar to get rid of that stupid, gigantic Start Menu and its recurring tile ads.

        7. Avoid Utilities that claim to do most of the above in one little app. In general, avoid privacy and cleaner utilities, they can easily make an unfixable mess. Better to learn what’s in the OS, it’s worth the time.

        8. You do not need an MS Account to make Windows work, login, upgrade from Home to Pro, download apps from the Store or most of the other things MS claims but they will nag, hide switches, blur pages, anything to obfuscate that fact. You do need one for most remote activities done through the internet.

        Start with your PS script, learn the rest and you’ll have a fast, good looking OS that barely resembles the kindergarten junk MS ships.

      2. Bing Ads is our friend said on November 17, 2020 at 9:20 am
        Reply

        @Jennifer McManus, before posting nonsense do your homework. I have news for you, Microsoft wants our info too, they sell ads since 2006. Open your outlook’s web page, you will see a huge banner at left with Bing Ads. Its size is disgusting. Not even Gmail/Google hasn’t gone that low.

      3. vanp said on November 17, 2020 at 7:27 am
        Reply

        “Does anyone realize that any telemetry can be disabled with a powershell script? Did the author mention it? Of course not, they never do. They don’t wanna help you they wanna scare you for clicks.”

        Why don’t you show us the script?

        Why don’t you stop clicking?

      4. I3racI said on November 17, 2020 at 1:51 am
        Reply

        “telemetry can be disabled with a powershell script”.. no, I did not know that. I don’t even know what a powershell script is. I’m no Luddite, but if there is a like or a site that can run the details by me that’d be awesome.

      5. No Thanks, M$NBCIAGooglesoft said on November 16, 2020 at 8:24 pm
        Reply

        “Oh no Microsoft is offering you a service! Better run and use one of Google’s”

        Democrat or Republican only, eh?

        Microsoft and Google are BOTH spying on users. What are you denying exactly?

        “Does anyone realize that any telemetry can be disabled with a powershell script?”

        Yes, the average computer surely knows powershell. /s

        The same tired old excuses from ignorant apologists–or do you work for one of these tech companies? Are you in the advertising business? Do you even know what the Five Eyes are? Ever heard of PRISM? Vault 7? Do some search before you post disinformation and criticize others.

      6. vanp said on November 17, 2020 at 7:24 am
        Reply

        “Oh no Microsoft is offering you a service! Better run and use one of Google’s” . . .
        Microsoft and Google are BOTH spying on users.

        Uh, she’s being sarcastic.

      7. SanctimoniousApe said on November 16, 2020 at 5:59 pm
        Reply

        Did you contribute anything of value? No, you just wanted to be a snarky, smug little $#!+ so you could prop up your frail ego. You’re more pathetic than you claim the author is – at least he demonstrated the reason for his statement, even if he didn’t have a solution for removing it.

      8. Corky said on November 16, 2020 at 5:43 pm
        Reply

        Or use Linux.

        And no telemetry can’t be disabled, at least not for anyone who’s not using Education or Enterprise versions.

        If you’re going to criticise someone perhaps it would be a good idea to get your house in order first.

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