I don't think so. I don't think it is blown out of proportion, I actually think it is that bad, and I also think that if you think you can just disable it and be done with it, you don't have any experience with microsoft products and services. they regularly reset privacy settings, both on windows, and yesterday I found that even in their android apps like the swiftkey keyboard.

another example of this tendency, is that a few days ago I was helping a friend with computer problems who stuck on windows 7, and I have seen that microsoft yas gone out of its way to push an update or something that installed their edge browser, pinned it to the taskbar and automatically opened it on boot.

I've never had that issue on Professional editions of Windows 10 or 11. Home edition? Maybe. But Pro lets you override almost anything you want with group policies.

Ok, seriously, just use Linux. I know how it sounds, but I'd say a majority of people use a computer to use a web browser. Guess what? We browsers have always worked and been native with Linux.

Problem is, it's not a passion for most people and they just want to buy something and get on the internet. While they exist, you can't exactly go to Best buy and buy a new computer running Linux.

But really, if you have hardware that works well with it, it's a dream.

I also rely on group policies. they do get reverted. o&o shutup10 has a feature to detect it and point that out, and I see it almost every time I open it. I use it rarely per machine, but I use it on multiple machines and each does this.

then sometimes the setting is just ignored. I was baffled when the policy to disable the start menu automatic bing search -which basically uploads all your local searches to microsoft bing - did not work, even after 2 reboots. I think it was this year, perhaps the last one

I've heard about that but haven't noticed it myself. It does sound annoying.

I also rely on group policies. they do get reverted. o&o shutup10 has a feature to detect it and point that out, and I see it almost every time I open it. I use it rarely per machine, but I use it on multiple machines and each does this.

then sometimes the setting is just ignored. I was baffled when the policy to disable the start menu automatic bing search -which basically uploads all your local searches to microsoft bing - did not work, even after 2 reboots. I think it was this year, perhaps the last one

Ok, seriously, just use Linux. I know how it sounds, but I'd say a majority of people use a computer to use a web browser. Guess what? We browsers have always worked and been native with Linux.

Problem is, it's not a passion for most people and they just want to buy something and get on the internet. While they exist, you can't exactly go to Best buy and buy a new computer running Linux.

But really, if you have hardware that works well with it, it's a dream.

I will when either Nvidia supports it fully, or AMD releases a GPU that can keep up in the ray tracing department.

Also, HDR support in Linux needs to get a lot better. Like an order of magnitude better. Then and only then will I switch.

I will when either Nvidia supports it fully, or AMD releases a GPU that can keep up in the ray tracing department.

Also, HDR support in Linux needs to get a lot better. Like an order of magnitude better. Then and only then will I switch.

Ok, seriously, just use Linux. I know how it sounds, but I'd say a majority of people use a computer to use a web browser. Guess what? We browsers have always worked and been native with Linux.

Problem is, it's not a passion for most people and they just want to buy something and get on the internet. While they exist, you can't exactly go to Best buy and buy a new computer running Linux.

But really, if you have hardware that works well with it, it's a dream.

Im so glad I finally made the jump to linux. For anyone still on the fence about it, do it. It's so easy to switch, I've been using Kubuntu for a few weeks now and I have had maybe one issue with playing games, and it was solved by changing the Steam compatibility layer version.

When I switched, I installed a fresh (debloated) Windows instance on another SSD just in case. You know how many times I've used it? ONCE, and it was only be cause a buddy wanted me to try a game that had anticheat (I think Rocket League). Other than that I've had no reason to use it. There's a decent replacement for just about every Windows software out there, and if I ever come across a need for software I can't run on Linux, I'll just use the Windows instance for it. Other than that Microsoft can suck it. They're not getting any more of my info.

Now if only I didn't just get a new Android phone, I'd swap over to a de-Googled phone....

Funny thing is, on my laptop there's an issue with Linux and browsers. Any video or animation, even little animations, runs at like 3fps. This makes using a browser virtually impossible.

Everything else works well, but that just doesn't make Linux an option for me right now. I tried a variety of browsers and distros. It's really frustrating. It's not even a bad laptop, Lenovo Legion 5 pro RTX3060.

I will when either Nvidia supports it fully, or AMD releases a GPU that can keep up in the ray tracing department.

Also, HDR support in Linux needs to get a lot better. Like an order of magnitude better. Then and only then will I switch.

What GPU does your laptop have?

I said in my previous comment an RTX3060 and an iGPU. I tried with the iGPU, without the iGPU, switching them, hybrid mode. Nvidia drivers, nouveau drivers, it's always the same.

I wrote a post on it some time ago: https://feddit.nl/post/34127250

I will when either Nvidia supports it fully, or AMD releases a GPU that can keep up in the ray tracing department.

Also, HDR support in Linux needs to get a lot better. Like an order of magnitude better. Then and only then will I switch.

No, I don't want Linux or any other OS. I perfectly know my way around with Windows and so many of my regular tasks depend on tools made for Windows. I have used Linux desktop in the past and have many friends and co-workers who use it as their main OS, but it's just not for me.

Besides of course this recall stuff gets blown way out of proportion like every time Microsoft makes a bad move. All of my computers don't even support recall and when they eventually do, I'll just disable it in one of like four possible different ways.