You’re sitting at your computer, trying to get some actual work done, when suddenly your Windows 11 machine decides it’s the perfect time to show you ads for fucking Candy Crush in your Start menu. Your taskbar is cluttered with Microsoft’s desperate attempts to push Edge down your throat, and somewhere in the background, your CPU is getting demolished by telemetry processes you never asked for and can’t fully disable.

Welcome to the slow-motion trainwreck that is modern Windows. This isn’t just another tech rant—this is the story of how Microsoft transformed from building tools that actually served users into creating digital surveillance capitalism disguised as an operating system.
 

The Golden Age: When Microsoft Actually Gave a Damn

Let’s take a trip back to when Windows didn’t suck. Remember Windows XP and Windows 7? Those weren’t just operating systems—they were digital companions that got out of your way and let you work.

Windows XP, launched in 2001, was an amazing revelation. Built on the solid Windows NT foundation, it merged the home and professional lines into something that actually worked. No bloatware crushing your system from day one. No ads masquerading as “recommendations.” Just a clean, stable platform that booted fast and stayed out of your business.

Then came Windows 7 in 2009—arguably the crown jewel of Microsoft’s desktop empire. It took everything good about XP, added visual polish with Aero Glass (hello there Apple!), and delivered an experience that felt genuinely designed for users rather than advertisers. The Start menu search actually worked instantly. You could customize your system without Microsoft undoing your preferences in the next update.

These were operating systems that respected their users.They came with the assumption that you, the person who bought the computer, should have control over it, not treated like a clueless idiot who can’t be trusted not to stick a a fork in the USB port.
 

The Pivot: When Cloud Money Corrupted Everything

So what the hell happened? Two words: Azure money.

Microsoft’s strategic shift toward cloud services fundamentally changed how they view their desktop OS. Windows stopped being a product you buy and started becoming a data collection platform to feed their cloud empire. With over 98% of Microsoft’s IT infrastructure now running on Azure, the company’s priorities became crystal clear: desktop users are now just sources of telemetry and subscription revenue.

This wasn’t an accident—it was a calculated business decision that deliberately sacrificed user experience for data harvesting.
 

The Nightmare: How Windows 11 Became Digital Hostageware

Let’s catalog the ways Microsoft has completely lost the plot:

Ads Everywhere (Because Fuck Your Productivity)

Windows 11 now shoves ads directly into your Start menu. These aren’t subtle suggestions—they’re full-blown promotional content for Microsoft Store apps that appear whether you want them or not. Microsoft’s justification? They’re “helping you discover great apps”. Translation: They’re selling your attention to the highest bidder.

Even worse, these ads have literally crashed the Windows shell. Imagine shipping an OS so poorly architected that advertising content can bring down core system components.

Telemetry That Would Make Facebook Blush

The data collection in modern Windows is absolutely dystopian. Microsoft tracks everything from your search queries to which apps you use and when. Even when you think you’ve disabled telemetry, you’re only switching from “Full” to “Basic” surveillance—you can’t actually opt out completely.

A Dutch government report found that Microsoft collects “personal data about the behaviour of individual employees on a large scale, without any public documentation”. The data stream is encoded so users can’t even see what’s being collected.

The Recall Fiasco: Spyware as a “Feature”

Microsoft’s AI-powered Recall feature takes screenshots of everything you do every few seconds and stores it locally for AI analysis. Security experts immediately labeled it “pre-installed spyware” because it captures sensitive information including passwords, disappearing messages, and confidential documents.

Even after backlash forced Microsoft to make it opt-in, the feature still represents a fundamental philosophical shift: your computer now works for Microsoft, not for you.

Forced Microsoft Accounts: Because Privacy is Inconvenient

Microsoft has systematically eliminated the ability to use local accounts during Windows 11 setup. They removed the bypass script that allowed offline account creation, citing “security and user experience”—but we all know it’s really about data collection and lock-in.

They want your email address, your activity patterns, and your personal information tied to their services whether you want it or not.

Performance That Gets Worse Over Time

Despite running on more powerful hardware than XP or 7 ever dreamed of, Windows 11 manages to feel slower and more bloated. Background processes you never asked for consume system resources. The Start menu search—once instantaneous in Windows 7—now feels sluggish and often fails completely.

This isn’t technical debt—it’s the cost of cramming surveillance and advertising infrastructure into what should be a lean operating system.
 

The Exodus: How Linux Became Cool

While Microsoft was busy turning Windows into an advertising platform, something magical happened in the Linux world. Distributions became user-friendly, hardware support improved dramatically, and developers started jumping ship en masse.

Linux Growth: The Numbers Don’t Lie

Linux desktop market share hit 4.7% globally in 2025, with growth accelerating. In some regions like India, it’s reached over 16%. Among developers—the people who actually understand technology—78.5% now use Linux either as primary or secondary OS.

This isn’t just market share growth—it’s talent flight. The people who build software are abandoning Windows because they’re tired of fighting their own operating system.

Arch Linux: The Developer’s Middle Finger to Microsoft

And then there’s Arch Linux—the distribution that became a badge of honor among developers who value control over convenience. The “I use Arch BTW” meme isn’t just internet culture—it’s a declaration of digital independence.

Arch users aren’t just running an operating system; they’re making a philosophical statement: We refuse to accept that our computers should serve corporate interests instead of our own.

Why do developers love Arch? Because it gives them exactly what Windows used to provide and no longer does:

• Complete control over their system.
• No bloatware or unwanted software.
• Rolling updates that don’t break their workflow.
• The AUR (Arch User Repository) with more software than Windows ever dreamed of.
• A community that values technical competence over marketing bullshit.

The “BTW I use Arch” phenomenon started as a way to raise awareness that Linux was viable for serious work. It worked so well that it became self-sustaining culture.

The Broader Linux Renaissance

It’s not just Arch. Ubuntu usage among developers hit nearly 25% in 2024. Gaming—long Linux’s weakness—has been revolutionized by Valve’s Steam Deck and Proton compatibility layer. Even enterprises are embracing Linux as they realize they don’t need to pay Microsoft tax for basic computing.
 

The Bitter Truth: Microsoft Stopped Caring About You

Here’s what really stings: Microsoft could fix this. They have the talent and resources to build an operating system that respects users while still making money. But they’ve made a conscious choice that your experience matters less than their data collection and advertising revenue.

Every forced update that resets your preferences, every ad that appears in your Start menu, every privacy setting that gets mysteriously re-enabled—these aren’t bugs. They’re features of a system designed to extract value from you rather than provide value to you.

The company that once created tools that empowered users has become a digital landlord that views you as a tenant in your own computer.
 

The Future: Why This Matters for Every Developer

As software engineers, system administrators, and tech recruiters, you have choices to make. You can continue accepting that your development environment should be cluttered with ads, surveillance, and forced updates. Or you can join the growing movement of professionals who’ve decided their computers should actually work for them.

The migration to Linux isn’t just about technical preferences—it’s about professional dignity. It’s about using tools that respect your time, your privacy, and your intelligence.

Windows 11 represents everything wrong with modern tech: surveillance capitalism disguised as user experience, advertising masquerading as helpful features, and corporate control masquerading as convenience.

Meanwhile, Linux distributions like Arch offer something Microsoft has forgotten how to provide: an operating system that gets out of your way and lets you work.

The choice isn’t just about which OS you run. It’s about whether you accept that your computer should serve corporate interests or whether you demand it serve you.

BTW, I use Arch. And frankly, if you care about having control over your own hardware, maybe you should too.

The author runs Arch Linux on their development machines and has never looked back. No ads, no telemetry, no bullshit—just a computer that does what it’s told.