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Microsoft Targets Chrome Users With Windows 10 Pop-up Ad (pcmag.com)

Google Chrome users on Windows 10 are apparently being treated to a new experience: a pop-up ad. From a PCMag report: If you have Chrome installed and the icon present on the Windows Taskbar, chances are you're going to start seeing a pop-up advert appear suggesting you install Microsoft's Personal Shopping Assistant Chrome extension. Microsoft touts it as "Your smart shopping cart across the web." Opting to install the extension results in Microsoft monitoring which products you've searched for and viewed while using Chrome, and then offering to compare those products to find the best price. There's also alerts when prices change, and the ability to track products across all your devices. Of course, Microsoft will make money if you opt to purchase any products using the Assistant.

172 comments

  1. Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Donald+J.+Trump · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hey all you Slashdotters, President Pussy-Grabber here,
    I think Windows 10 is awesome! It walks right up to your computer and grabs it by the pussy, and I think that'll make computers Great Again! You should all stop using that 'linux' thing you all keep jabbering on about and just use this instead!

    1. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Man, Obama had way better copypasta than this. Been a while since I've seen any of it posted though.

    2. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My small hands can't stop fondling that chrome extension.

    3. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Donald+J.+Trump · · Score: 0

      What? You must have voted for that witch Hillary! Where's my Secret Service detail? Go backtrace this guy and teach him some manners!

    4. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Fire_Wraith · · Score: 1

      We'll get right on it and whip up a GUI using Visual Basic to trace him back through lots of pretty 3-D digital artwork style cityscapes.

    5. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Donald+J.+Trump · · Score: 0

      See? That's the kind of stuff I want to see! Now if Hillary had had someone like you taking care of her emails, she wouldn't have fucked up so badly!

    6. Re: Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You sound like a complete retard, crybaby. Too bad sucking on hillary's tit gave you aids or smthing

    7. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Once again, anyone who adopted Windows 10 is naive beyond belief. I hope they enjoy their further ads and spyware.

    8. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pussy Grabbing is so "last year". Missed the "golden shower"? Russian *tutes are the best, so Vlad says. Happy 2017!

    9. Re: Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Users aren't winning with Linucks. PCs are gonna be huge with Windows, trust me, and the new chrome extension is going to make your head spin, believe me, shopping is going to be great again, and Mexico will pay for it. Sad.

    10. Re: Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know a LOT of things about Lienucks. You know WHY it's called L-I-E nucks? Because it's powered by LYING crooked shillarys. This new Windows thing is gonna be GREAT. It's gonna get our industry back on-line again and put our privacy back where it belongs- on the Internet. Companies are going to pay BIG money for our personal data, and that's money that Mexico won't get. Ever.

    11. Re: Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by rochrist · · Score: 1

      That should probably be 'companies are going to pay BIGLY for our personal data'.

    12. Re:Windows 10 makes computers Great Again! by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 1

      Once again, anyone who adopted Windows 10 is naive beyond belief. I hope they enjoy their further ads and spyware.

      I logged in to became an insider to run Win10 6 months before it's public release. While downloading I read the Tos, they were out of their minds to think I would of allow them to do this to my computer. The same Tos used by the public now.

      I had to log into win10 this weekend to set up an account, I haven't had access to Hotmail in many years (8?) yet before they locked it up I had set my email to be forwarded to Gmail, and as problem downloading Win8 - seeing if logging in would help (it did).

      My logging into win10 was as my hotmail.com account it gave me my Gmail account, this went on till I saw my hotmail.com address, hit enter and got my account back, yet a picture I never released was used as my profile image, I was very mad at Microsoft, then found that file on the system damn my fault, the tos game them the right.

      Went to into my hotmail.com account finding 2k pieces of email on a server who's Tos I would of never agreed to. My email had been sorted, all /. replies to my post had been sent to me over the years, everything else stayed behind.

      Logging in using win10 required a password and used one generated by a password manager, now if I'm not online and suppling that password I can't get in.

      It's over, I've no need to ever use Win10 again.

      Why the Hotmail.com account? I see it as a badge of honor I've kept it no matter the ploy they had used.

  2. Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Just yet another reason to uninstall Windows 10.

    1. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

      The OS and applications define what it does. Hint, hint.

    2. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Recall this old anti-Linux quote: Linux is only free if your time is worth nothing.

      The "free" Windows 10 upgrade sure seems positioned for exactly that type of criticism.

    3. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by lgw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Just yet another reason to uninstall Windows 10.

      While I agree, I get just as pissed at Google that I have to close a advertisement for Chrome any time I use gmail or youtube for the first time from a new browser. It would be one thing to use the normal ad space to hawk their own stuff, but no, they have to be more intrusive.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    4. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      BSD: Free as in Speech
      Linux: Free as in Beer
      Windows 10: Free as in Herpes

    5. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JoeMerchant · · Score: 5, Informative

      My wife is also getting notices from somewhere in Windows 10 that her Chrome is eating up her battery and using Edge would reduce battery consumption by 50%.

    6. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      Just yet another reason to uninstall Windows 10.

      Bingo. I really don't want my OS to advertise its particular brand of crap to me.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    7. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by DickBreath · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Windows 10 having popup ads just smacks of desperation on the part of Microsoft.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    8. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

      Who is/has computer is it again? Syntax error.

    9. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You forget something important in that Windows 10 isn't free anymore if you didn't take advantage of the 1 year window. So its more like:

      BSD: Free as in Speech
      Linux: Free as in Beer
      Windows 10: Free as in full price expired meat.

    10. Re: Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mod parent +6 Hilarious!

    11. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      As an Australian I do often wonder where it is you get free beer from.

    12. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 1

      As an Australian I do often wonder where it is you get free beer from.

      You download the code and compile it for yourself...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    13. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by danbuter · · Score: 1

      I have to wonder why Bill Gates isn't calling up Nadella and asking him "WTF is he thinking?". Bill, at least, is smart enough to know that doing stuff like this will just alienate customers.

    14. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by danbuter · · Score: 1

      If I could get BSD to actually install, I'd give it a whirl. Sadly, it won't let me do a dual boot with Linux. It doesn't recognize the hard drive, due to the formatting Linux uses vs BSD.

    15. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by secretsquirel · · Score: 1

      he's more or less divested now right? still i can't see how this crap will add enough to the bottom line to compensate for the negative goodwill, all that 'new microsoft' crap out the window. is spying and nagging users really that lucrative to send everyone that has a choice running for the hills? be slightly less of an asshole and they'd have a great product, and i'd be the first one telling everbody to use it. oh well.

      no im not going to develop for any microsoft platform, host on azure, or bother testing my sites in edge unless specifically asked.

    16. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by alexhs · · Score: 1

      I don't have experience with OpenBSD and NetBSD, but for FreeBSD, dual-booting with Linux should be relatively straightforward.

      I guess your issue is a mismatch between BIOS/MBR and EFI/GPT partitions tables. In "guided" partitioning, FreeBSD uses GPT exclusively. If you had installed Linux first on a MBR, it won't work and you have to go in manual partitioning. You only need a single partition (FreeBSD calls them slices), and then you can sub-partition that slice (typically for a simple setup, a few GB in /, whatever you want as swap, and the remaining space in /usr, /home being a symlink to /usr/home)

      If you install FreeBSD first, Linux should gladly accept GPT.

      If, for some reason, you use MBR but your disk once contained a GPT, the FreeBSD installer can get confused by a secondary GPT at the end of the disk (at least it was in FreeBSD ... 9, IIRC)

      You might also want to modify your BIOS settings and choose (U)EFI boot method instead of BIOS/Legacy (if available).

      --
      I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of killer sig, which this margin is too narrow to contain.
    17. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Windows 10 having popup ads just smacks of desperation on the part of Microsoft.

      One thing I like on Windows 10 is it seems that font scaling with different DPI monitors just works better. It even seems to be working with remote desktop to another Windows 10 machine.

      That being said, here is my 2 cents...
      1. Advertisements. They should not exist. They should never have existed.
      2. Monitoring and data gathering. I'll forgive it in the beta builds, but those are history.. Any other time, just no. If you must monitor the remote computer to debug something, then have the person download and run from a folder a tool, but not just something running all the time.
      3. Have the option to turn almost everything off during install. No onedrive, no cortana, no windows search, no random help with crashes, no automatically rotating wallpaper, no process should run without a good reason, no suggestion to use different programs.
      4. Get a dang package manager that just works, including automatic updates. I never ever want to see the java updater run in the background. Seriously, do you need an entire process just to monitor for java updates? In fact, make code signing contingent on not doing crap like that.
      5. support programs should not use significant resources. I'm thinking of you mcafee. Also make sure the system responds well with full disk encryption. It might even be worth threatening to not sign their code if the security software makes the system run like crap.
      6. Drop some backward compatibility so as to simplify the code.

    18. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 1

      Would be kind of hard to play the AAA games that are the only reason I have a Windows 10 machine if I did that.

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
    19. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 1

      I suspect that Microsoft no longer considers normal people as their primary customers, at least as far as Windows goes. The only ones who fit that description are corporate clients, who can nearly always turn all this sort of nonsense off. For instance, we use Windows 10 + Chrome at my current employer, and I never see stuff like this. Apparently, everyone else is just an opportunity to be "monetized", or to act as corporate beta testers for the latest breaking Windows updates.

      As sad as all this is, there's absolutely no way I can ever leave Windows completely. As a videogame developer, for starters, Windows is my primary market. Also as important, there's a lot of critical development software I use for which there's simply no equivalent on MacOS or Linux. In theory, some of it may run on Wine, but that's punishing myself more than running Windows for a second-class experience at best. At the very least, for my part, I'm going to make damn sure that any games I release also run on Mac and Linux. From what I can see, this is becoming more common in the game industry, which is encouraging, since that's what seems to be holding a lot of customers on Windows.

      Also, thank goodness I use Firefox, as apparently MS doesn't consider it enough of a market threat to bombard me with popups. Maybe they feel sorry for Mozilla?

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    20. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by rochrist · · Score: 1

      I think Bill has checked out. He thinks about other, far more interesting things now.

    21. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      The intertubes are sadly lacking in images for the search 2thermonuclear software uninstallation".

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    22. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      Wow thank goodness Captain Anal is here to save us all from the dangers of possible slight misunderstanding.

    23. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You are assuming this is a grammar nazi. I have another theory. This is a guy learning English grammar, and not a native speaker. Without full grasp of the language, non-native speakers get stuck and confused by phrases like that. I would definitely take a big pause and get confused by a typo like that in French or Korean. I didn't even notice it in English though.

      My point is, a lot of these grammar nazis are actually just people who don't know the language well, so they notice this stuff. My father, a native Russian speaker, but who has spoken English for 40 years (30 of them stateside), would get annoyed by this, and would post a correction.

    24. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      >> As a videogame developer, for starters, Windows is my primary market.

      Don't you game developers realise that YOU'RE the ones making a rod for your own back here?

      Seriously the way most of you continue to not also make Linux versions of your product leaves me with little sympathy for when y'all whine about windows.

      If not for my gaming addiction, I wouldn't even have a Windows partition. I already do everything else under Linux. I've been hoping for for decades (literally) for game developers to finally get a clue so I can totally delete windows off my PC but noooooo....

    25. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      He's still got $MegaBillions of Microsoft stock (which I'm sure he doens';t wanna see get devauled) but you're right he probably is little more than just the biggest shareholder now. Apparently he still is, even though he's been offloading MS stock for years. He's just doing it slow enough to not damage the market value for it. I guess he knows something we don't.

    26. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      Just want to add a note here that my parent comment keeps getting modded down as -1 troll, even though its currently at +5). I've also noticed that anything anyone writes that even slightly criticizes Windows, no matter how logical or well-reasoned, also suffers the same.

      I can only conclude that a) there's a whole bunch of rabidly hardcore Windows fanbois on here that dont understand what "troll" actually is, and are incorrectly modding on emotion rather than content, and/or b) Microsoft are performing social engineering by actually paying people to mod down any/all posts that have even slight criticism of their products.

    27. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      This. Totally.
      Its not like the backwards compatibility that MS waste massive amounts of resources on maintaining actually works well in real life anyway.

    28. Re:Wait who's computer is it again? by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      As am I, and notices about Edge being faster than Chrome. I have seen no way to turn them off, and they are quite obnoxious.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  3. Punch the monkey! by sinij · · Score: 5, Funny

    When OS start offering Punch The Monkey! ads you know all hope is lost.

    1. Re:Punch the monkey! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought that's what the Windows BSOD was for.

    2. Re:Punch the monkey! by OneoFamillion · · Score: 1

      Also, don't miss today's Microsoft-sponsored episode of "Ow! My Balls!"

  4. Opera by darkain · · Score: 5, Funny

    And this is exactly why I run Opera! Everyone just pretends it doesn't exist.

    1. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And this is exactly why I run Opera! Everyone just pretends it doesn't exist.

      Been using Opera since back in the days when you had to pay for it... Though I'm curious to see where it goes now that its owned by China.

    2. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Switch to Vivaldi.

    3. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm, someone posted something, but it doesn't seem to render properly.

    4. Re: Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you are running Opera for privacy reasons, you are doing it wrong.

    5. Re:Opera by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      I've been running Opera since it was paid and the only browser in town with a tabbed interface... though I'm considering switching to Vivaldi I haven't checked recently but I think they finally have extensions.

    6. Re:Opera by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

      I run Oprah, sometimes it gets bloated, but then it slims down again.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    7. Re:Opera by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      I run Oprah, sometimes it gets bloated, but then it slims down again.

      Lol.

      if I had mod points they'd be yours.... :)

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    8. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Being a smaller product has its advantages. I've always felt there's a sweet spot for projects: popular enough to get continued developed but not popular enough to attract people who ruin it.

      Things get too popular and you suddenly get business and marketing types who favor buzzword-driven development. Or you get those who inject themselves for political reasons. Or the developer just wants to cash in on the popularity. Or you get targeted by malware authors. And so on.

    9. Re:Opera by darkain · · Score: 1

      My main issue with Vivaldi is performance. I have it on my development machine for casual testing. The in-frame rendering is great, because it is the same Webkit based code as the other browsers, but the UI itself is absolutely sluggishly slow in comparison. Maybe that's been fixed recently, but over the first year of usage with it, that was also an issue on my testing rig.

    10. Re:Opera by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      Only problem I have with Opera is the fact that it is supper aggressive about "guessing" what you mean.

      When I type something in the address bar, I want it to be literal, if there is a mistake or the domain doesn't exist, then I want to know that. Don't just guess or assume that I meant something else.

      I know that all browsers do this to some extent these days, but Opera seems to be especially bad. Especially about local domain names or IP address entries.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    11. Re:Opera by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      Originally it wasn't really feature complete after looking at it today it has extensions... I did notice the default setting had extra junk turned on and after installing an adblocker, turning off the diagnostic reporting, fiddling with privacy settings, changing up the theme, switching the startpage to a solid color background instead of an image and few other tweaks it appears to work much smoother.

    12. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Vivaldi has performance, stability and compatibility problems. It's also closed source like Opera and doesn't respect OS theming.

      I'll stick with Pale Moon.

    13. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Done ! :)

    14. Re:Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Real Opera (aka anything up to 12.x) allowed users to fully configure how "smart" the URL bar was, from full search to "error if the protocol specifier is missing".
      Skinned Chrome is, well, skinned Chrome.

    15. Re:Opera by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      I'm impressed you can get Oprah to run, all I can get is a little bit of running, then it crashes hard.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    16. Re:Opera by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      I'm impressed you can get Oprah to run, all I can get is a little bit of running, then it crashes hard.

      The main problem I have is all the pop-up ads telling me I've won a car.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  5. Great business plan by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 5, Funny
    • Find the software heavily used in your platform
    • Run a OS level process to create pop ups and other annoyances which the popular software can not control and stop
    • Make it such a pain to use it you alternative browser looks better by comparison
    • ...
    • profit
    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:Great business plan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A proud tradition - see also the DR DOS intentional incompatibility

    2. Re:Great business plan by bluegutang · · Score: 1

      Innovation (tm)!

      Is this method patentable?

  6. Been happening for weeks now by The-Ixian · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have all major browsers installed on my Windows 10 desktop at home. I use them for different purposes.

    Whenever I launch Firefox or Chrome, I get a tooltip style pop-up above the Edge icon on the task bar which states that Edge is some % more secure than whatever browser I am launching.

    It would do it every time too... not just on the first launch. Because of this, I unpinned Edge from the task bar... I think you could also turn off a setting but unpinning worked... so I didn't look further.

    Pretty annoying. I also am pestered by ads in Bing search results to use Edge. It's like I am being punished for living in the MS ecosystem....

    The thing is Google is no better. Every time I go to one of their properties in a non-Chrome browser, I get pestered to use Chrome....

    It's just a new level of crap I have to ignore.

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    1. Re:Been happening for weeks now by green1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The thing is Google is no better. Every time I go to one of their properties in a non-Chrome browser, I get pestered to use Chrome....

      It's just a new level of crap I have to ignore.

      Actually Google *IS* better, because at least you're choosing to go to one of their sites and they pester you to use chrome, Windows is pestering you when you use chrome to go to google. If Mircrosoft wants to pester you when you visit Bing, fine, but that's not what they're doing.

    2. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It is a difficult, but important, balance to walk. If we don't annoy users at all, we have a really hard time making money off them. If we annoy them too much, they rebel and go to rivals out of spite. So we have to find the right amount of annoyance that gets us visibility and eventually conformity, without inciting rebellion.

      Based on your post, we are doing pretty well so far.

    3. Re: Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait, you didn't choose Windows?

    4. Re:Been happening for weeks now by bird · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the tip on unpinning Edge - that wouldn't have occurred to me, but throwing the keyboard into the wall did occur to me every time I saw that shite.

    5. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Ayanami_R · · Score: 1

      "The thing is Google is no better"

      I wish more people saw this like this. Many will defend the behavior when it's a service they use and or like, while bashing the competitor.

      --
      "Science is the power of man"
    6. Re:Been happening for weeks now by MitchDev · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Google isn't the operating system....huge difference

    7. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Ayanami_R · · Score: 4, Informative

      I see no difference. Both are using their products to advertise their own stuff, and both are not necessary for survival.

      The "it's not as bad because it's not an OS" is one of the poorest excuses I have encountered for anything.

      --
      "Science is the power of man"
    8. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, seeing Google ads requires you to explicitly visit their web site each time. Windows 10 is perpetually spying and popping ads at any time. I'm not sure how anyone can't see the difference unless they have a vested interest in Microsoft or something.

    9. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Ayanami_R · · Score: 1

      And using your computer requires you to turn it on first, just like turning on the browser, still no difference. They are both still doing ads in their own stuff, and it is avoidable. Whether you choose to do that is on you.

      Spying? Wasn't that the mantra almost 2 years ago? I guess you have some logs or some other information that the rest of the world hasn't found or seen yet?

      --
      "Science is the power of man"
    10. Re:Been happening for weeks now by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      True enough. I am not going to lie, I am pretty complacent and somewhat lazy. I suppose I am an average American.

      That said, my livelihood is basically based around MS products so there's that.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    11. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most people don't see a difference because most people think like: 'google' is the 'internet', 'world wide web' is just another term for 'internet', 'internet explorer' is just another name for 'google'. "'OS'? You know I'm not good at this computer crap."

      Computer illiteracy is not something to be proud of but most people I know wear it like a badge of honor. The claim itself instantly absolves them of any responsibility, accountability or expectation of actually producing results.

    12. Re:Been happening for weeks now by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      You know, I do get pestered with Google ads all the time in my new Android phone. Really creepy stuff like "Hey, we saw you visited this store, answer our questions..."

      Can't say I ever saw those types of things on my MS phone that I used for years.

      So, yeah, they all are using their bully pulpits to try to get us to do stuff.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    13. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ad/script blocker in your browser... Ad seems pretty avoidable... Ad/script blocker in your OS... not sure that exists yet. Do you see the difference now?

    14. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 1

      And using your computer requires you to turn it on first, just like turning on the browser, still no difference. They are both still doing ads in their own stuff, and it is avoidable. Whether you choose to do that is on you.

      The act of turning on my own computer is not explicit consent to show me ads and spy on me. When I visit someone else's web site, that is an entirely different matter and the amount of data that they can actually collect from me is very limited.

      Spying? Wasn't that the mantra almost 2 years ago? I guess you have some logs or some other information that the rest of the world hasn't found or seen yet?

      The burden of proof isn't on me or any other user, it's on Microsoft.

    15. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yes, it is. I can uninstall Chrome and still use the O/S. I can't uninstall the Windows 10 window manager and still use the O/S.

    16. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I can give Google a pass because Android is open source and there are true alternatives. My phone runs Bliss ROM and has no ads or Google apps.

    17. Re:Been happening for weeks now by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Actually Google *IS* better, because at least you're choosing to go to one of their sites and they pester you to use chrome

      The only reason this isn't an issue on ChromeOS is because Edge doesn't run on it.

    18. Re:Been happening for weeks now by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Especially since Google have an OS, and that OS is tied into its services, and if you manage to run those services on an alternate browser you would get an advertisement. Essentially this would be no different.

    19. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you can't see why an os with access to everything on your pc and no way around advertising is worse than a web page that doesn't have access to anything on your pc and can have its advertising blocked or not visited?

    20. Re: Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why would anyone use Windows 10 except out of necessity?

    21. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The "it's not as bad because it's not an OS" is one of the poorest excuses I have encountered for anything.

      The "it's OK because Billy's mother lets him do it, so I should get to do it too" is a worse excuse.

    22. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Altrag · · Score: 1

      No, they're just 90% of everything else most people do.

    23. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Luthair · · Score: 1

      Really? Google never says anything to me for using Firefox.

    24. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      [citation needed]

    25. Re:Been happening for weeks now by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Yeah I give Microsoft a pass because my computer can run hack together all sorts of software and settings to make it bearable. That's what you were saying right?

      Because comparing an after market ROM to Android is like comparing Apples to Androids, unless that is you're breaking the terms of use of the Play Store and relying on people hacking together APKs to get your phone to act like a real Android phone.

    26. Re: Been happening for weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      At least in the US, the burden of proof is on the accuser, not the accused.

    27. Re: Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 1

      In science the burden of proof is on the one who posits a belief. Microsoft has come right out and said that their spyware is fully encrypted and contains no user identifying information. Where is their proof of this?

    28. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 1

      I have no idea what it is that you are trying to say, but it sounds like a load of bad excuses.

      My phone runs an Android variant that, by choice, contains no Google apps or ads or spyware. It can do anything that any other Android phone can do. What more do I need?

      If Windows 10 were open source, I would give Microsoft a pass too. It, however, is not open source and therefore it is a completely different matter.

    29. Re:Been happening for weeks now by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      I have no idea what it is that you are trying to say, but it sounds like a load of bad excuses.

      What I'm trying to say is that there is zero legally compliant ways that you have an Android phone with an after market ROM that in any way behaves like other Android phones. Unless you have none of the Google apps including the play store, and as such are also missing core components of the modern OS like the ability to have an up to date version of WebView.

      Google doesn't get an open source because of people's inability to actually release an Android phone that acts like every other Android phone without adding loads of binary junk and breaching Google's terms and conditions.

      It gets a fail. It has gotten that fail since Jellybean was released and the terms of its release put the entire ROM market in a legal grey zone.

    30. Re:Been happening for weeks now by MitchDev · · Score: 1

      You don't HAVE to use Google....

      AN Operating system is needed. ANd if you want to play games or run major business software, that means Windows

    31. Re:Been happening for weeks now by Black+LED · · Score: 1

      There is nothing illegal about using a custom ROM. Nor is there a problem choosing whether to install GApps or not. Personally, I don't use them and I haven't needed them.

      I have no idea where you got the idea that it's somehow illegal.

  7. Scareware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It also pops up an ad saying Edge is safer than Chrome.

    1. Re: Scareware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      so, they feed you stupid crap an you keep eating it? Good to know.

  8. Oh no! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh no, the world is ending! Everybody grab your... Wait, oh you mean it's really no big deal? Sorry, I heard "Windows" and "Microsoft" and just knee-jerked.

  9. Narcissistic corporate outlook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Another tone deaf offering from Microsoft.
    This is great, we are great! Think how much this will improve our bottom line! The people will want to hear about this right away, there is nothing obtrusive about forcing popup ads.

  10. Need more info - by the_skywise · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is this a one time thing, once a day, week, month? Does it show up on enterprise installs?

    It shouldn't be appearing AT ALL - but if it's a one time thing to show a new "feature" (cough, spit) I can begrudgingly acknowledge it.

    But this proves to me that the entire point of Windows 10 was not to ease computer usage or make it easier for me to get my work done or do more work but to turn all windows machines into store fronts for Microsoft.

    "Hi I'm clippy - I see you're trying to write a Word Doc and haven't typed for a few minutes - Would you like to buy a Red Bull - it gives you wings? YES, RIGHT NOW | SPECIFY DELIVERY TIME | CHOOSE A DIFFERENT DRINK"

    1. Re:Need more info - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't speak to frequency of duration but I am running windows 10 enterprise and it popped up today.

      Extremely frustrating and Microsoft wants us to convert our windows 7 workstations to 10? Hah!

    2. Re:Need more info - by TharMonk · · Score: 2

      Is this a one time thing, once a day, week, month? Does it show up on enterprise installs?

      It shouldn't be appearing AT ALL - but if it's a one time thing to show a new "feature" (cough, spit) I can begrudgingly acknowledge it.

      Just no. A thousand times, no. Even a "one time thing" is a NO, because there are an unlimited number of "one time deals" that can be shown. If you're okay with a one time deal, are you okay with a brand new "One Time Thing" every 10 seconds? If not, you're just setting the goal posts to an acceptable level of crap, that your PAID FOR operating system is throwing in your face, while you are working/playing/browsing the web. Any level that is accepted will be pushed past, to an unacceptable level.

      Zero is the ONLY acceptable level, preferably with millions of calls to M$ tech support every time it happens, to assign a cost to it... Or, let's go with the Kindle route... If M$ wants to advertise to me, they can pay me, in advance, for the privilege.

    3. Re:Need more info - by NixieBunny · · Score: 2

      Of course the entire point of Windows 10 was to make them able to generate income from something other than OS installs. Why else would it automatically replace your Windows 7 with itself?

      One more demonstration that I appear to have done the right thing by installing 7 on my shiny new HP laptop four months ago.

      --
      The determined Real Programmer can write Fortran programs in any language.
    4. Re:Need more info - by lgw · · Score: 2

      "Hi I'm Cortana - I see you're trying to write a Word Doc and haven't typed for a few minutes - Would you like to buy a Red Bull - it gives you wings? YES, RIGHT NOW | SPECIFY DELIVERY TIME | CHOOSE A DIFFERENT DRINK"

      FTFY. Cortana is the new Bob.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    5. Re:Need more info - by MitchDev · · Score: 1

      "But this proves to me that the entire point of Windows 10 was not to ease computer usage or make it easier for me to get my work done or do more work but to turn all windows machines into store fronts for Microsoft."

      It took THIS LONG for you to figure that out?

      The rest of us recognized it before M$ even released it....

    6. Re:Need more info - by JoeMerchant · · Score: 1

      Just as the PS3 was a Sony retail store in your living room.

      It's the new model - we just have to decide if whether or not it's worth having this crap in our lives. Personally, I pushed broadcast and cable TV out of my life because of the advertising content, half the computers in my house already run Linux, if the ads from Microsoft continue to get injected into our lives, their entire ecosystem can go the way of our cable box.

    7. Re:Need more info - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please drink verification can.

    8. Re:Need more info - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just as the PS3 was a Sony retail store in your living room.

      You do know you can easily turn that off since it is only nine squares and three of those squares are the last games you played. Even those six advertising squares are predominately related to gaming.

    9. Re:Need more info - by Rainwulf · · Score: 1

      GO AWAY!! im BATING!!

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt03...

    10. Re:Need more info - by b783719 · · Score: 1

      "Hi I'm clippy - I see you're trying to write a Word Doc and haven't typed for a few minutes - Would you like to buy a Red Bull - it gives you wings? You're set! Your Red Bull is scheduled for delivery on Friday, Jan 20 at 02:35 PM" with a [X] on the top-right and a tiny 'click here to reschedule or cancel' on the bottom.

      FTFY.

  11. Google retaliation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Perhaps Google should put in some clever retaliation:

    If the user DOES install the extension, have Chrome pop up a dialog box saying "we see that Redond suckered you into installing something you probably don't need or want. Would you like to remove it?"

    1. Re:Google retaliation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Naah, Google will just bundle its spyware (Chrome) into more programs... erm, apps.

    2. Re:Google retaliation? by dwywit · · Score: 1

      That's a valid concern - I anticipate increasingly aggressive practices from them (and others). People were tricked into installing W10 via misleading dialog boxes - Microsoft are yet to apologise meaningfully for that, so why not use the same tactic on the opposition?

      e.g. Edge popup - "Edge is SO much faster/more secure than Chrome. Proceed with deleting Chrome?" Options are 'Yes' or 'Later' (when you apply the MS Updates that you can't easily opt out of). Of course, the "no" option will be there in pale grey 2-point vanishing.

      --
      They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
    3. Re:Google retaliation? by Altrag · · Score: 1

      Heh. They did that when Adobe recently pushed their Reader extension. I don't see why they wouldn't do the same for this one. Unless MS uses their control over OS internals to do an end-around on Chrome.

      If they do that though, they're really asking for Google to retaliate in some manner (probably via litigation.) Its even somewhat open whether they'll try to litigate that anyway since MS is starting to tread pretty close to antitrust territory again if they're co-opting third party software to promote their own.

  12. Re:They're getting away with this because rump is. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Didn't we just get done with an 8 year administration that oversaw the largest illegal domestic wiretapping scandal in history?

    Also something something Obama cracking down on journalists more than every other president combined?

    Oh wait no, HuffPo told me Trump was evil and Obama was the best president ever.

  13. Next we'll be seeing: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Welcome to Cosco. I love you.

    1. Re:Next we'll be seeing: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you meant Costco, but not certain. Perhaps you should go down the Lawyer aisle and find out.
      You might need another bottle of Brawndo! It's got electrolytes!

  14. More proof that win 10 is malware by melting_clock · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One of the most annoying forms of PC based malware has long been adware. It is now new to have adware being bundled with applications, only to be found and removed by the better antivirus products. Now that MS bundles adware in Win 10, those poor fools with win 10 are stuck with this malware. On the positive side, it does make it insanely easy to show people just how bad and creepy Win 10 is and show that MS cannot be trusted.

    1. Re:More proof that win 10 is malware by chipschap · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Microsoft seems to arrogantly double down on everything people hate in Windows 10. Even if it was a great OS with awesome features and stellar usability (that's "if") I wouldn't want to use it at this point.

      Sorry, but I prefer to, you know, own my own computer.

      To be fair, though, smartphones and tablets are probably as bad or worse. Can we trust Android? iOS? Tell another joke.

    2. Re:More proof that win 10 is malware by ZenShadow · · Score: 1

      T'would be an excellent time for a new "I'm a Mac" ad.

      --
      -- sigs cause cancer.
    3. Re:More proof that win 10 is malware by Altrag · · Score: 1

      Spybot Anti-beacon. Tools to knock off a bunch of this crap are available as well.

      Unfortunately "wasting everyone's time" isn't currently illegal in the same way that "ransoming your own data" is, so adware is and will remain perfectly legal for the foreseeable future, no matter how annoying it is.

      There is rules against spam though, suggesting that if the advertisers take it too far we may eventually see some legal restrictions.. I just don't see it happening any time soon.

    4. Re:More proof that win 10 is malware by iampiti · · Score: 1

      Yeah, we can't trust smartphones either. Apple don't seem to have publicity as their main revenue generator and that's a great thing but they don't even let you install anything from outside their app store.
      I understand the point of Android and Win10 but I'd prefer to pay some money and they being a regular, old-style OS, where the owner is king. You know, like Linux, Windows 7 and every "classic" OS. Hey, MS all I want from you is an OS.

    5. Re:More proof that win 10 is malware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Androids have never been this aggressive at sucking, though. I mean, you can have apps that misbehave, but our LG phones and some generic tablets don't seem to be doing this nonsense. Maybe things have changed in a newer Android version though, since I haven't got any N or later (6+) devices.

  15. A pop-up ad for pop-up ads? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

    So, they are popping up and ad to add pop-up ads to your browser.

    1. Re:A pop-up ad for pop-up ads? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Yo dawg, I... ah, screw it.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  16. Just say no to pop-ups about add-ins... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Always say no to pop-ups that don't relate to what you are doing.
    When a pop-up asks to install an add-in, I tell everyone to always say no.

  17. Fuck you Purple Gorilla by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

    What the fuck. Now windows will come with its own fucking version of Bonzi Buddy.

    --
    Time to offend someone
  18. That's why Edge is a better browser. by mmell · · Score: 2
    You wouldn't have to worry about Microsoft installing malware like this on either the Edge or IE browsers.

    *ducks*

    1. Re:That's why Edge is a better browser. by MitchDev · · Score: 1

      Win 10 IS malware and adware, all bundled together

    2. Re:That's why Edge is a better browser. by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Win 10 IS

      That's a whole nother conspiracy theory.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    3. Re:That's why Edge is a better browser. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You forgot the spyware...can't forget that!

  19. Its annoying, but that's it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Same thing happened a while back when I used Chrome and I saw a popup to try Edge and I just ignored it and moved on. Really people? this is what bothers you?

    1. Re:Its annoying, but that's it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't usually bother to write my remarks on this side, but I'll bite your troll-bait: someone should smack you over the head a few times a month, and then reply with your own remark "Just ignore it and move on! Really people? This is what bothers you?"

    2. Re: Its annoying, but that's it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is sad, but you appear to be an idiot. It is so simple to get it, and yet you aren't. I'm so sorry if this sounds too harsh.

  20. Re:They're getting away with this because rump is. by aicrules · · Score: 1

    People like GP who use plays on the names of people (Obummer, Rump, Drumpf, Killary) or whatever (Micro$oft)...there whole point is lost to me. Use it once perhaps to drive home a point. The rest of the time just refer to the actual name. They aren't Voldemort. There is no fear of summoning them because you said or typed their actual name. GP is an annoying brat, but I'll refer to him mostly as GP and only as other things once.

  21. Just reinstalled chrome and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you go to settings and switch the default browser to chrome you get a popup (yes in settings) telling you to give Edge a try before you change the default...

  22. Re: They're getting away with this because rump is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You sound like a rump-worshiper.

  23. Windows 10 by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

    For the masochist in you.

  24. But it's "free" (except when it's not) by phorm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For quite awhile, a lot of people seemed to have the "whatever, deal with it, that's the cost of a 'free' OS upgrade"

    Except it was not a free upgrade for many people. More of a "I turned my computer on one day and WTF is this sh** where did my normal windows go and how do I get it back!"

    And of course, on new PC's it comes with the cost of the PC, and some people also bought codes to install Win10 on home-built machine (which now anyone has to do if they want windows - as they've shelved Win7/8 - and the 'free' upgrade period is over).

    So yeah, people paying hundreds of bucks for software that rams ads down their throat, direct from the manufacturer.

  25. message to industry from consumers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ATTN all companies: stop it.

  26. This means by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... start seeing a pop-up advert appear ...

    This means Microsoft's main business is no longer operating systems (and MS office), it is advertising; the operating system is just a freely provided delivery service. Why isn't the FTC saying something?

  27. annoying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great I'm already annoyed they keep popping up how much better Edge is when I launch Chrome.

  28. M$ makes money regardless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Of course, Microsoft will make money if you opt to purchase any products using the Assistant."

    It doesn't matter whether you buy anything or not, M$ of course makes money simply from the information about your shopping activity.
     

  29. I've never seen any of this by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    Most of these annoyances are tied to the stupid defaults of Windows 10. As someone who has run a stock standard Windows 10 Pro with "Occasionally show suggestions in start" unticked, and all switches turned off in the privacy settings I've yet to see a single example of any of the stuff constantly mentioned here on Slashdot.

    Does this not affect the Pro versions, or is it dependent on these settings?

    1. Re:I've never seen any of this by Altrag · · Score: 1

      Probably mostly dependent on settings, though its possible that Pro has some of the worst ones turned off.

      I don't see any of this crap either but then I turn off everything I can find and I use Spybot Anti-beacon to turn off a bunch more stuff that's not as easy to find.

    2. Re:I've never seen any of this by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Spybot Anti-beacon

      Oh thanks for this. Will look into it.

  30. Re: They're getting away with this because rump is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You truly are a simpleton.

  31. Re: They're getting away with this because rump is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Their, not there.

  32. Windows 10 which edition? by kosmosik · · Score: 1

    I don't really love Microsoft or Windows. Actually I am professionaly an Linux Support Specialist so mind you.

    I use Windows 10 and all browsing I am doing on Windows is from Chrome. I have never seen any ad on my Windows 10 nor any nagging to use MS Edge. Maybe it is related to the fact that I am using Pro version of Windows? Or what? I read all that Windows 10 bashing and quite frankly I find it better than Windows 7...

    1. Re:Windows 10 which edition? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      an Linux Support Specialist

      Yeah, ok.

  33. Windows is unacceptable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I caN hardly believe that there are people that are willing to run such a hostile and invasive piece of software. The linking of windows to potential revenue sources has killed windows for those who value freedom and privacy. Coupled with poor and clunky interface design, the invasive nature of windows seems likely to do severe damage to its adoption in the long term. In my opinion, Windows is now the OS of the Donald Trump of users - people with intelligence levels barely above tbat of primate level. I find it shocking that anyone would find the conditions of use to be in any way acceptable.

  34. A serious question from an outsider by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

    I haven't used Windows for over a decade, now, running a strictly Linux household, so I'm in no position to judge the relative merits of different versions of Windows. I understand that some people have to use Windows 10 at work, because their company mandates it, or in a home office because they need to use software that insists on it. However, what, if anything, is so great about Windows 10 that would make you prefer it over any other version of Windows if you're able to decide for yourself which version to install?

    --
    Good, inexpensive web hosting
  35. 1 Question.... by Zurkeyon3733 · · Score: 2

    How can I gut this from EVERY system I encounter? :-D

  36. How do I block this? by EmperorOfCanada · · Score: 2

    That is my only question. How do I block this?

    I see a dire need for a subscription service that stays on top of blocking all the shit that MS seems to think that they can infest our computers with. I didn't buy my computer to be a MS advertizing machine. I bought it to work. I have cut all forms of media that I can that advertize at me out of my life. No radio, no TV, adblock, I even hate roadside signs.

    I literally was thinking of moving to a city I recently visited because they banned all but the smallest of outdoor signs. Certainly nothing that was like the eyeball melting LED signs that are at every major intersection in any city where the government hates the people.

    So I switched to MS for visual studio. But I am 100% leaving if I see more than one or two popups like this. Definitely a 3 strikes and windows is off my machine.

    1. Re:How do I block this? by thegarbz · · Score: 4, Informative

      That is my only question. How do I block this? I see a dire need for a subscription service that stays on top of blocking all the shit that MS seems to think that they can infest our computers with.

      Settings > System > Notifications and Actions > "Get tips, tricks and suggestions as you use Windows" to Off

      You can send me $5/month to my Paypal account linked to my Slashdot Email if it makes the experience more fulfilling for you.

    2. Re:How do I block this? by rastos1 · · Score: 2

      I didn't buy my computer to be a MS advertizing machine. I bought it to work.

      You apparently bought the wrong product.

  37. My ask here is that Google blocks this extension. by EmperorOfCanada · · Score: 1

    Just block it, and show that you give a half crap about us. Please Google, show MS that there are forces that they can't control.

  38. Re: Windows kmakes computers Great Again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is what the alt-right actually sounds like!

    Except unlike in the days where they were proud enough to call themselves by their original term "fascist", these ones sit behind their computer screens instead of actually standing up and fighting.

    But like the original fascists their main fear is that they might actually have to compete in a world that reaches beyond the end of their little village, and deep down they know they're neither smart nor strong enough. Good luck with protectionism, though! it's never worked before, but Trump is obviously much smarter than.. err... well he had a rich dad.

  39. Re:Windows acting like Apple? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Also, Slashdot, come up with a better captcha then the shitty unlegible one you have ffs

  40. Re: They're getting away with this because rump is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm just a kid in school, but I've been running around all week grabbing every pussy within reach. When my parents and teachers try to scold me, I just say "good enough for President Pussy-Grabber, good enough for me". Been working ace so far!

  41. PSA? by jenningsthecat · · Score: 1

    PSA stands for "Prostate Specific Antigen", and elevated blood levels of it can indicate the presence of cancer. Coincidence? I think not!

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
  42. Microsoft's Malware Operating System? by WaffleMonster · · Score: 1

    I'm trying really hard to understand the difference between Malware and Windows 10 and..... so far I... well honestly... have not the faintest idea.

    1. Malware tricks people into installing it.
    Check..

    2. Once installed it spies on users
    Check and Check...

    3. Malware monetizes its victims with ads and shit
    Check..

    4. Malware bundles other malware to financially reward the original malware author. ... and Check..

    What is the difference? I'm not trying to be a smart alec, or bash Microsoft. This is an honest to god serious question.

    What is the daylight between what Microsoft's doing and your average malware vendors business models?

    Much of the malware I see these days will actually uninstall itself from add-remove programs... Both Microsoft and Malware vendors generally seem to be trying to walk a tight rope of not acting in a blatantly illegal manner.

    What's the difference? Why isn't Windows malware? Why isn't Microsoft a malware vendor?

    1. Re:Microsoft's Malware Operating System? by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 1

      What is the difference? I'm not trying to be a smart alec, or bash Microsoft. This is an honest to god serious question.

      My take on it, Malware is used to gain a profit in some manner and unwise for it' to be noticed. Microsoft has no need to hide their activity, as if you complain your shown the tos they had agreed to

      malware in unwelcome, Microsoft was invited to do what they want by agreeing to their Tosl)

      Read the Tos see what it allows them, it's insane.

  43. Beer? by Dr.+Evil · · Score: 2

    BSD is free like the Grimm fairytales.

    Sometimes you're shared the stories and you're allowed to reshare them, e.g. from Gutenberg. Sometimes you're not. E.g. from Disney.

    BSD gives you the freedom to take it, modify it, distribute it and not allow the recipient the same benefit.

    "Free as in beer" doesn't imply the knowledge nor right to start a brewery and produce your own. It's ridiculous to say Linux is free as in beer.

  44. Not downrange. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't give a fnck who they are targeting. I am no longer standing downrange.