Today I installed Windows on my laptop and then I visited Reddit without being logged in. The two experiences are very similar.

I usually use Linux, so installing a new OS is really clean. You just end up with an empty operating system and you can do whatever you want.

But while installing Windows the damn program kept asking me for information and pressuring me into giving up my email address and phone number. Then when I finally got in, it’s full of apps like fucking D!sney and Sp0tify… GTFO.

Then I go on Reddit, which I usually think of as a place where people post funny paragraphs and interesting questions… BUT NO… now it’s just a splash page full of pictures and ads and other bullshit.

I know that you already know this, but it’s sooo annoying and ugly.

  • firebyte@lemmy.worldEnglish
    71·
    1 year ago

    Best program I’ve bought was NTLite, which allows you to customise a Windows ISO before installation, or edit a ‘live’ environment though this isn’t recommended. It takes a bit to get used to, though it’s incredibly powerful.

    You can strip out pretty much all of that crud, including Edge, and prevent it from coming back using NTLite’s Host Update wizard, rather than Windows Update.

    I have no financial interest in NTLite, I hope this helps someone make Windows decent again. It’s worth the money (about $50 if I recall correctly).