Are you fed up with Microsoft’s invasive behavior? They’re increasingly inserting themselves into your digital life, collecting your data and outright disrespecting your wishes. It would normally anger me, but there’s no Microsoft on my system, and I’ll explain why.

From collecting data to manipulating its users, Microsoft has become a villain in several key ways, laying the groundwork for its potential downfall. How Microsoft treats its users is not okay. They’re complacent and, if not careful, will do irreversible damage to their brand. Linux is waiting, and it naturally positions itself on Microsoft’s weaknesses: cost and freedom.

The sheer scale of telemetry collection on Windows is terrifying

Linux doesn’t collect personal data

Something changed at Microsoft sometime after Windows 7. I don’t know if they envied Google’s lucrative data collection model on their highly popular operating system (Android), but they went from collecting almost no user data on Windows XP to harvesting an absurd amount today.

You only need to take a look at their documentation to recognize the jaw-dropping scope of this operation. It would be quicker to list the things they don’t collect:

• The color of your underpants
• Your dog’s name
• What you had for breakfast

Microsoft receives potentially thousands of data points about your system, and collection occurs every time you change something or reboot. In addition to that, Windows 11 attaches common data to every request, such as:

• Device IDs, makes, and models
• User IDs, both local and cloud
• OS information
• App information (like session data) to determine usage behavior
• Much more

For the sake of brevity, I’m only scratching the surface, and I suggest you see for yourself. The page is technical, but the tiny scroll handle clearly indicates its immense scale. This is not a small document.

For people moving to Linux, data collection is one of the often-cited reasons. Users want privacy. They’re not subjects; they’re human beings. It’s not right, and declining to purchase Microsoft products is how you speak their language.

Linux is free and doesn’t collect your data without asking. When they do ask, on the rare occasion, a simple “no” is all it takes—no games or switching settings without your consent. Your Linux system stays private forever.

Microsoft doesn’t respect its users

Linux respects your boundaries

Is it any wonder that Microsoft puts itself first? They’re a multinational corporation whose primary goal is to make as much money as they can. Given the historical monopoly they’ve had over the desktop market, it’s hardly surprising they take their users for granted.

In recent years, Microsoft has frequently employed deceptive design patterns (aka dark patterns) to coerce and manipulate its users into specific actions. While these tactics are common in marketing, they exploit biases in human thinking to elicit desired outcomes.

Let’s quickly touch on the relevant dark patterns:

• Nagging: Persistent requests that exhaust users into submission. For example, constant notifications to subscribe to a newsletter.
• Sneaking into basket: Adding an item to a list or checkout basket without permission. For example, when you check out and find an extra promotional product there.
• Misdirection: The use of deceptive visuals or language. For example, making a close button function as an accept button.
• Obstruction: When an undesirable action is more difficult than a desirable one. For example, making the deactivation of an account incredibly difficult.
• Forced action: When a desirable action is unavoidable. For example, a dialog box that won’t close until you provide an email address.

Using these patterns is not a mistake. It requires a premeditated commitment to mislead people, and over the last decade, Microsoft has deployed a suite of dirty tricks to make its users comply:

• Nagging: They persistently sent notifications asking the user to upgrade to Windows 10.
• Sneaking into basket: They included Windows 10 upgrades as part of security patches and also set Edge as the default browser.
• Misdirection: They modified a confirmation dialog box so that the “X” button acted as a sign of acceptance to upgrade.
• Obstruction: When users set telemetry collection to minimal amounts, Windows Update failed to work correctly, additionally putting users at risk.
• Forced action: Resetting users’ advertising preferences after an upgrade and ignoring the default browser option for Start Menu searches.

Using such tactics is a dead end. It will only infuriate users, break their trust, and lead them to places they don’t want to go. You don’t get any of this on Linux. You get a stable interface designed and written by the very people who use it. There is no ulterior motive to upsell or lock you in—you’re free to leave and come back as you please. With Linux, you get what you ask for, and your choices are respected.

Displaying ads in addition to a license fee is disrespectful

Linux doesn’t show you ads

Paying for software usually means you get the premium package and first-class treatment. That’s not the case with Microsoft.

Windows 11 saw the arrival of Start Menu ads, with lock-screen suggestions, promotional notifications, and recommended content cropping up even earlier. They take license fees, restrict your usage, and farm your time and attention.

It’s time to push back, and you do that by moving platforms. Hit them where it hurts: their pockets.

Linux doesn’t show you ads. Enough said.

Vote with your dollars, because that’s the only feedback Microsoft understands

You may have noticed I never mentioned the invasive AI tech or the buggy software, because I didn’t feel the need. These are major issues, each enough to force change by itself.

The insufferable problems with Windows keep piling up, and with their minds on their bottom line, Microsoft shows no signs of caring what you think. They’ll capitalize on you as many times as they can.

So what can you do? I think the answer is obvious: You vote with your dollars. It’s not a personal crusade, just a sensible signal to Microsoft that these violations are not okay. Until they’re willing to respect you as a paying customer who pays for the privilege of ownership—not for the privilege of being dictated to—Linux is waiting there, and they won’t charge you a single cent.