Building on top of recent improvements like grouping recently installed apps and showing your frequently used apps, we are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the U.S. and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more”. As a reminder, we regularly try out new experiences and concepts that may never get released with Windows Insiders to get feedback. Should you see this experience on the Start menu, let us know what you think. We are beginning to roll this out to a small set of Insiders in the Beta Channel at first.
Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc
The Start menu, August 24, 1995 – April 12, 2024. You made it almost 30 years, buddy.
good… good… migration to linux will be faster
So is this the year of the linux Desktop? Been waiting 20 years for it to happen
The Linux people forget that Windows also makes improvements despite the annoyances. For most people that use/create the Microsoft account at setup, they are free to wipe their disk clean and never have to worry about activation like the old days. Auto reactivated using your ms account. You might not use chatgpt/Cortana, but other people do and like it. Etc. Linux at the moment is currently regressing thanks to the Wayland transition. Clicks passing through active windows to the ones in the background. Looks like users that need accessibility features are complaining they forgot to implement those as well…
What ? You mean Linux is not user focused ?
dark2,
That’s another way of saying windows remains annoying despite other improvements. Why should it have to be annoying at all? Also too many “improvements” are just recovering from their own previous missteps. Leave it to the evangelists to praise them through this shit show. Microsoft would technically be able to make an operating system that their users love without antifeatures. I genuinely wish they would, they’ve got the engineering talent for it. Alas corporate greed keeps them focused on adding ads and trackers to everything. This is disappointing, though not surprising given how ads and tracking are a corporate drug at this point. Those of us who remember the “before times” will always lament this transition but those growing up after it will assume it was always the norm.
ah, those famous non-disabled Windows updates. after that only reinstalling the OS helps.
last 20 years I use only linux on all my home and work desktops. even my wife says windows sucks and using linux last 15 years.
This is Microsoft testing the waters for the viability of offering a “free” OS.
Even in the build I’m testing, everything can be disabled. This implies a free for home users (with ads) , pay for business (no ads). We’ve seen this model very successfully executed in Office365/Outlook.com
The other thing to remember is this is a beta build. Microsoft have Regularly tested out features and PoC that never see the light of day, but they can guage the feasibility and user pushback.
My guess on this feature is the the people that hate ads in windows/would be a deal breaker for are probably people who are already looking at or using alternatives and won’t pay for an upgrade anyway. And buisness (where the money is) won’t push back as it has 0 effect on them.
With those points, I can see windows 12 being free with “home pro” being the ad-free upgrade. And Pro as a buisness edition
“Great apps from the Microsoft Store”? A pity there are none. The vast majority of good Windows software is available from the developer’s website rather than from that store. The store offers no real benefits for users nor developers, only for Microsoft themselves.
You (Microsoft) know what we think already, and you don’t actually care. I migrated to Linux, so I don’t actually care either. It’s just funny to watch this all unfolding from a distance.
Ads in the Start menu? I don’t need to see/use it to give you my opinion, which is, f* you.