[Steven W]

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/03/2 ... er-places/

Microsoft plans to reduce ads in Windows 11

The company is in damage-control mode, and it’s taking steps to win back Windows 11 users’ trust, including plans to roll back the requirement for a Microsoft account during OOBE.

That broader reset also appears to include Windows 11’s built-in promotions.

“Yes, a calmer and more chill OS with fewer upsells is a goal,” says Scott Hanselman, VP, Member of Technical Staff at MSFT.

Fewer?

The real solution is simple: Windows shouldn’t have ads because you’ve paid for it when you bought the operating system or the device that came pre-installed with it.

That boat sailed away in 2015, didn't it?


Huhu. Let the shilling begin. Here's your program, repeat far and wide:

Windows a good OS now because less ads.

Copilot is good now because Microsoft is being strategic with its use

I trust Microsoft again because they're not forcing me to get a Microsoft account, therefore they care about my privacy.

Microsoft Windows is worth paying for again.

[Steven W]

https://www.theverge.com/tech/897849/mi ... op-movable

It's like 90s tech!!!!

waow.png (53.81 KiB) Viewed 113 times

[Steven W]

double-WAOW!

theverge apparently wants me to pay to read how Windows 11 is getting a moveable taskbar!!!! The world is full of brainlets.

[Steven W]

pure_soy.png (911.87 KiB) Viewed 110 times

[Steven W]

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/03/2 ... omponents/

Microsoft has confirmed it’s moving more Windows 11 features and apps to WinUI as part of its efforts to reduce latency and make the OS feel faster. This change benefits features like the Start menu, as Microsoft plans to replace React shell with WinUI in the Start menu, at least for some parts.

For those unaware, React powers the Start menu’s Recommended feed, and even the All apps list. In 2023, at the Chain React 2023 event, Microsoft confirmed that it was betting on React native and “choosing to trust this platform with not only some experiences… but some of our key experiences for our users.”

Microsoft’s leadership has now confirmed that it’s moving the “shared UI infrastructure” to WinUI to reduce interaction latency.

Make a bunch of idiotic changes, revert enough of it that the dumbest of the dumb think it's 'good' again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Pretend really hard that it's progress!

[!]

Hahaha... very fucked up the state of Microsoft nowadays. My friend (and basically me in spirit lol) went Linux and never looked back again. Manjaro so good. Although, there seems to be some kind of drama, might get forked into something new or something, hopefully, they will get their shit together, that distro is really amazing.

Have you read the drama around systemd? Many years ago when it came out I knew it was bad, those days I didn't even know much about Linux but I knew it was trouble. Now the chickens are coming home to roost. It starts with nasty crashes and birthday field at OS level and then yeah, downhill from there it will go.

Good thing, there are systemd free distros coming out now, but they are kind'a too new yet it seems but will probably mature later on.

[Steven W]

https://nosystemd.org/

https://www.devuan.org/ -- These folks dump it early.
Slitaz was a bit flaky when I tried it, although that's been a DECADE AGO.
Tiny Core has a good reputation, especially on really OLD hardware.

Eh, as far as forking goes, I don't believe that forking in and of itself is a bad thing. I did read up (a bit) about what's going on with Manjaro, I can see that some things need addressed, at minimum.

Regarding Windows, yeah let's all brag that the taskbar is moveable, just like Windows 95!

Code: Select all

95 > 11

[Steven W]

https://www.devuan.org/ -- These folks dump it early.

*DUMPED it early.

[Steven W]

Seems timely:

https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/24/ ... ai_trixie/

[!]

Cool links, thank you! Seems Artix can be ok too but not sure, seems a bit too "new", but I have to say, I really like Arch, it's SO... FUCKING... FAST. I'm definitely sad about Manjaro but it's not "dead" yet, let's see how the fork will go but yeah, I think systemd free is better, unless they decide to dump it too. I'm disgusted by systemd. Seems the guy making it or something worked for Microsoft or something something, I don't remember it exactly but seems fishy as hell.