> I got a Windows Notification the other day while playing a game telling me about a "Grand prize giveaway"

> Nope, not malware. Just Windows.

Yeah, I got one the other day promoting some game or game studio.

Honestly, there outta be a law. We don't need this kind of "innovation."

The easiest way is to stop using Windows. Either Microsoft sees decrease in users and rolls back ads; or its keeps pushing on and makes things even worse. Either way, you no longer see the ads.

> The easiest way is to stop using Windows. Either Microsoft sees decrease in users and rolls back ads; or its keeps pushing on and makes things even worse. Either way, you no longer see the ads.

That's only easy if I have infinite time to take up a big personal IT migration project, which I don't. I've got other stuff that's much more important. So does everyone else. Which is why market solutions to stuff like this don't work.

The market doesn't solve for best or even good, it solves for "not so crappy you don't buy it."

(modulo assumptions based on your being a reader of this site) - installing a dual boot linux on your existing Windows machine will take you a couple of hours.

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> (modulo assumptions based on your being a reader of this site) - installing a dual boot linux on your existing Windows machine will take you a couple of hours.

Doing a fresh install of something is like the smallest, most insignificant amount of work involved when doing a migration.

99% of the needed time will be solving dozens of problems like "can I get my P-touch label maker working with Linux," and if can I, does the solution actually meet my needs?

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

> The easiest way is to stop using Windows

That's awfully hard to do when my employer requires that I use Windows.

I'm grateful that I don't need any Window Programs though there are issues such as when my kid wants to play Minecraft Education Edition, but it's usually a windows VM for those rare occasions.

We should ban advertising with only very narrow exceptions.

No exceptions, particularly when it comes to your operating systems.

Apple does it. Canonical does it. Windows does it. Google does it (kinda a duh, I agree). Stop this madness.

I think parent meant ban all advertising - buses, billboards, TV, etc

Yes, I mean all advertisement, with exceptions like being able advertise on a business's own premises or upon explicit request like signing up for a newsletter (on purpose, not due to dark pattern fuckery). But no jamming third party advertisements everywhere imaginable or first party advertisement into products that aren't just ads.

Honestly, I'd take a slightly different tack: ban all advertising except that which focuses on product features (like a lot of old-timey ads did), and then have strong enforcement of penalties for false advertising. Then limit innovation in delivery to places where it's both not intrusive and already established (e.g. media publications, etc).

The manipulation and excessive proliferation has to stop, but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with a business being able to reach out to tell people about what they're selling. There just needs to be strong regulation to speak for other interests in society.

>and then have strong enforcement of penalties for false advertising.

The legality of puffery is ridiculous.

I have to be honest, it doesn't change my answer.

Advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry who spends millions yearly on figuring out how to manipulate us into buying things we don't need. The average person has no chance against this manipulation.

So yes, burn it all to the ground.

If a business cannot exist without polluting the commons, should it really exist?

A customer base doesn’t spring from the aether.

So what? Society should be structured for the benefit of the people rather than corporations, which are only useful to the extent that they benefit people. We don't need or want all possible businesses, just the ones that are sufficiently useful without being too harmful.

That doesn't imply it should be manufactured out of false need though. Companies have proven too irresponsible to let the industry continue.

Funny, billboards have been banned here in Maine for decades, and small businesses do very very well in this tourist driven economy. Meanwhile you cross the border to new hampshire and are immediately pestered with garbage advertising that provides no benefit to your life.

There’s a difference between a destination and a waypoint.

If I’m driving through, say, Georgia, I’m not there as a tourist, I’m desperately trying to get away from it, probably via the interstate.

But I’d rather stop at an interesting restaurant that I spot via a billboard than whatever fast food chain happens to be camping out at the next interchange.

Funny, because the billboards I see always seem to be for places like McDonalds, not the hole in the wall, niche place where you get an awesome plate of food for $10, because they can't compete with the fast food industry for billboard space.

No, there shouldn't be a law, unless you intend to outlaw in-app advertising entirely, which will make a lot of people sad that there are no free smartphone games anymore, but okay.

Oh no, not the scammy casino games targeting children with advertising. What will we do without them? Some people might even be able to charge money for games without advertising instead!

So the only games left would be worth paying for? Sounds good. Let’s get started.

> Nope, not malware. Just Windows.

So, it was indeed malware.

First party malware.

You look at Windows Notifications? I don't because they're worthless. I disabled widgets. I don't use Edge. Marketing and other BS is hardly on my radar anymore and my Windows 11 experience is a good one.

And then they wonder why people fall for scams.

I wonder if this counts as an "illegal lottery": https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/gui...

Highly unlikely. For starters, it's not paid-to-enter.

I have completely turned off notifications in Windows because I think they're worthless and recently Windows itself has started ignoring that setting and sending me ads through notifications.

Turn off notifications for the Suggested app. It's the bullshit spout.

Wow. That's incredible!

No, it was a Microsoft Rewards promotion. Something I don’t recall opting into.

https://promos.microsoftrewards.com/US/en/SS/88/rules

Edit: Chrome isn’t even installed, I use Firefox.

Yeah Microsoft Rewards is super annoying, and I'm not sure who even actually engages with it. But if you want to use windows you can remove MS rewards from your account and the notifications stop [1].

[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-opt-out-of-...

IMO "you can turn that off" is absolutely not an acceptable answer to this stuff. It's my computer and it shouldn't be doing anything that I didn't specifically tell it to do. And that's not even to mention how often these setting are reset, or new "settings" added

It’s not an answer, I was just letting them know it exists.

How often this setting is reset by Windows to default value?

It’s not a windows setting.

> No, it was a Microsoft Rewards promotion. Something I don’t recall opting into.

Cool. I appreciate you solving the mystery.