Solved Microsoft starts stuffing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu

antspants said:

I persinally think it’s a smart move by Microsoft. They have to generate revenue somehow.
I don’t have to look at the ads, even if I had the standard Start Menu in use I still wouldn’t have to look at the ads, and If I did, they’d hardly affect me. I hold the will to ignore.

People who have stock in MSFT should be happy. I would be but I never bought any *kicks himself*

It’s a standard business model. I’d of gone in the same direction, in fact I’d of done it when Eleven was released.
As I have never personally had to pay for a Microsoft OS due to OEM or gifts received, I’d say I owe Microsoft something considering my PC has been used for business since Windows 95.

It’s a free lunch, I don’t get why people are complaining.

EDIT: If ads start popping up on the screen whilst I am trying to work, then sure, that’s more than a problem.

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I have been known to uninstall a "free" app if every time I tried to use it, I got a popup when I did anything . . . save, open, close, etc.

I've also been known to help advertise a "free" app if those things were minimal by telling my friends and students about it.

Winuser said:

I have been thinking about the possibility of MS going with pop-up ads. I imagine that if they did it would be for the Home version only. Businesses that use the Pro version would be very upset if their employees were distracted from their work by pop-up ads.

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Yeah, but I would think the "business" version would have a cost attached to it along with the license.

Try3 said:

I think the suggestion was intended to mean,
Enter this into the File explorer address bar
Shell:AppsFolder

File explorer is perfectly happy with that.
See Shell Commands - TenForumsTutorials [there isn't an ElevenForum equivalent yet]


But your original idea

is, in my opinion, better. Using a folder of your own allows you to have only those shortcuts that you actually want instead of being inundated with lots that you don't want.



Denis

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Like this?

antspants said:

Back from eating.
I get that I don’t necessarily have to feel obligated to Microsoft, Jim. I don’t know if you were witness to my oversharing posts last year about the first chapter of my life, which was ripe with violence, thievery and destruction. I took prisoners and destroyed lives.
So the second chapter in my life was born out of the necessity to not die. I have to give back, I can’t discriminate as to who otherwise there is a kink in my resolve. I just have to. 50% of the work I do now is a for a not for profit. The other 50% I charge handsomely. I can’t say; So microsoft is worth over a trillion, that gives me a pass.
Also a part of the reason I am in here, I go where I can to give what I can afford.

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And I teach (as a volunteer) Windows 11 to senior citizens at our local Senior Activity Center. Lots of perks there, such as a nice well balanced lunch five days a week for only $3.00. My way of giving back.

Wynona said:

Yeah, but I would think the "business" version would have a cost attached to it along with the license.

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My comment was referring to small to medium sized businesses that are using the Win 11 Pro version. Large corporations are a different story.

Bree said:

Oh, you want All Tasks (aka 'God Mode') then. Create a shortcut on your desktop to:

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That I already know, but that's not what I want. That is just one of my 'Start Menu / System work set' items, I have that already.
I want to have folders in the Start menu, that are organised as I prefer, not something pre-organised with many tools I never use!

This is an example of my start menu, some entries I have blurred out or replaced the name by an more general description:



On the left the most used apps, on the right the program (sub)folders, from which I opened one.
Opened is the folder Programs / Accessoires.
Very much like Windows 2000, just having two columns instead of one.
Simple but efficient.

I translated all entries into English, but as I don't know the exact English names, it may be some are not correctly translated.
(I just remebered it should be 'accessories')

While I dont agree that microsoft is looking to block all of these customization apps, like start menu replacement, they have been definitely pushing their services over others to a terrible degree, especially when it comes to edge. Making the default apps window harder to use as well.

See here:


But I don't see them blocking apps outright. That is where it goes to conspiracy territory. I can sorta see both sides, the problem with windows as a whole is they don't have the luxury of cleaning up old code, or removing it. They have to be backwards compatible with all this kind of stuff, so even making small changes to clean up old codebases can cause things like this to happen, meaning apps may need be rewritten or changed. It's an extremely slow improvement process to clean up windows. Moving the settings in control panel to the new settings panel is further proof of that due to the time it's taking.

I think microsoft is trying to make windows more stable, make it more of a revenue maker, and at the same time trying to clean things up code wise. In doing so though, it's going to break things and make things harder for third party apps. There has to be some balance there and it's hard to tow the line and make everyone happy.

I think it's a bunch of departments being told different things with different approaches. But I think they need to be slapped for the edge stuff and investigated into trying to force microsoft accounts. A local account and using your own programs and being able to set them as default should always be allowed and easy to do.

They should offer a paid version of windows without ads and without the telemetry and pushing of their services, and have the free version be what it currently is. Thats my take anyway.

Should I feel left out? I don't get any adverts from Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter) on my PCs or the laptop

andrew129260 said:

They should offer a paid version of windows

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They do (and did).
Windows is paid software!
That they offer the Windows operating system to OEM manufacturers, does not mean you get it for free! You pay a certain amount of money that's in the price of the system (if that system is offered to end-users inclusive operating system).

In my case, where my vendor built the systems to my specs (from a list of options), the Windows 11 Pro NL cost me € 160,-, which is not a small sum if compared to the total prize of the system. But MS won't give a damn that I bought my Windows operating system and will push advertisements in my system as well as in OEM systems. They won't make any difference for that!

wimorrison said:

I don't get ant adverts from Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter) on my PCs

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Don't you get the advert for Windows 365 / Office 365 in your settings app?
I made it almost impossible to have shown ads by using O&O Shutup, but in the settings I still get a remark:



Although it's not that bad, it still is an advertisement. which I don't want.

Kees said:

They do (and did).
Windows is paid software!

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Yup I know that, that's why I said they should change it so that paying for it full price should be no ads, and a free version created and offer what it does now.

wimorrison said:

Should I feel left out? I don't get any adverts from Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter) on my PCs or the laptop

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I don't either after I did this:

Kees said:

Although it's not that bad, it still is an advertisement. which I don't want.

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I saw that as branding - not doing any harm or causing me any issues with what is an excellent, and essentially free, OS.

If this is the biggest of your problems then you are a very lucky man, if it isn't then time to start work on the big problems

I did not say it is a problem for me.
But it is an advertisement!
And there will be more to follow, much more pushy...

wimorrison said:

and essentially free,

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As I explained, the Windows operating system is not free!
€ 160 (about $170) is not free.

I suggest that if you are complaining about it then it is a problem for you - as I said, I never noticed it until your brought it up and I don't consider it as advertising - certainly no more so that Google, or Apple do with their systems.

Once again: I am not complaining!
I am just stating there is (at least) an advert in every system even if you did not notice it or do not bother that it's there.

wimorrison said:

Should I feel left out? I don't get any adverts from Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter) on my PCs or the laptop

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The Start Menu ads we are talking about hasn't happened yet.

andrew129260 said:

They should offer a paid version of windows without ads and without the telemetry and pushing of their services, and have the free version be what it currently is. Thats my take anyway.

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Only the updates are free. If the OS was already installed on a OEM device the OEM paid for it and added the price to the device. If someone builds or has a custom device built they have to pay for the OS if they don't want it limited to what they can do to customize it. Speaking for myself, I would rather pay every so many years for new versions of Windows (for example ,Windows 11 to windows 12, Windows 12 to Windows 14) then be stuck with unwanted ads.

Kees said:

I did not say it is a problem for me.
But it is an advertisement!
And there will be more to follow, much more pushy...


As I explained, the Windows operating system is not free!
€ 160 (about $170) is not free.

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When is the last time you paid for Windows? I haven’t had to pay since Windows 7 and even then it was an OEM that came bundled/included in the price of a CD-ROM, AU$60 I think way back then.
Windows 8.1 was given to me as a gift by a member here back in the 8 Forum. Since then it’s been upgrades courtesy of Microsoft.
Most people get it free with their purchase of a new computer/laptiop.

In fact, I have never known anyone (personally) that has had to buy Windows. And I know a lot of people.

antspants said:

When is the last time you paid for Windows? I haven’t had to pay since Windows 7 and even then it was an OEM that came bundled/included in the price of a CD-ROM, AU$60 I think way back then.
Windows 8.1 was given to me as a gift by a member here back in the 8 Forum. Since then it’s been upgrades courtesy of Microsoft.
Most people get it free with their purchase of a new computer/laptiop.

In fact, I have never known anyone (personally) that has had to buy Windows. And I know a lot of people.

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The way I see it is when someone buys an OEM computer the cost of the OS was included in the price of the the computer. It wasn't free. It's like buying a new car. Just because it comes with accessories doesn't mean the dealer gave the accessories to them for free. The cost was included in the price of the car. I do agree that MS has been very generous by letting us upgrade to newer builds for free but the original OS was paid for one way or the other. If MS was giving Windows away for free, system builders wouldn't have to buy a license to have a fully activated OS.

antspants said:

When is the last time you paid for Windows?

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End of Februari 2023, when I bought my new system.

Winuser said:

The way I see it is when someone buys an OEM computer the cost of the OS was included in the price of the the computer. It wasn't free.

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May I point out that you do not buy Windows from anyone, what you pay for is a licence to use the product.

The ownership of the product always remains with Microsoft.