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A PR disaster: Microsoft has lost trust with its users, and Windows Recall is the straw that broke the camel's back (www.windowscentral.com)

submitted 5 months ago by lemmee_in@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world

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It's a nightmare scenario for Microsoft. The headlining feature of its new Copilot+ PC initiative, which is supposed to drive millions of PC sales over the next couple of years, is under significant fire for being what many say is a major breach of privacy and security on Windows. That feature in question is Windows Recall, a new AI tool designed to remember everything you do on Windows. The feature that we never asked and never wanted it.

Microsoft, has done a lot to degrade the Windows user experience over the last few years. Everything from obtrusive advertisements to full-screen popups, ignoring app defaults, forcing a Microsoft Account, and more have eroded the trust relationship between Windows users and Microsoft.

It's no surprise that users are already assuming that Microsoft will eventually end up collecting that data and using it to shape advertisements for you. That really would be a huge invasion of privacy, and people fully expect Microsoft to do it, and it's those bad Windows practices that have led people to this conclusion.

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[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I've heard this a few times lately. It makes me curious how recent the impenetrable experience was.

I'm shocked at the idea that an average Windows user who tried this year's version of Debian Stable would find it even mildly confusing, much less impenetrable.

I switch between Windows 10 and Debian 12 Stable, daily.

I find that, on Debian, all the expected features are in the same spots, acting the same ways.

Disclaimer: I don't have an Nvidia graphics card to cause me headaches.

And I do understand that depending on hardware, installation can be tough. That's true with Windows, too, of course. At least installation doesn't have to be an issue for new purchases, since enough PCs can now ship with either pre-installed.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I do have Nvidia graphics, and it just works.

[–] henfredemars@infosec.pub 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Same. Never had a problem. I installed Linux Mint and it simply worked correctly without any modifications. Quite a bit of care is taken with the UX which is outstanding considering it’s a volunteer project.

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 5 points 5 months ago

Quite a bit of care is taken with the UX which is outstanding considering it’s a volunteer project.

Yeah. I am frequently delighted by excellent usability experiences on modern Linux!

Maybe I'm biased, since it's so much better than when I started. But I still have a Windows 10 PC for my work, and - while the usability on Windows 10 is no slouch - I honestly would have a hard time saying which is better, overall, now. (Ignoring, for the sake of discussion, really obvious anipatterns like the start menu ads in Windows.)