Bonum Certa Men Certa

As Microsoft AstroTurfing/PR Budget Runs Dry, Vista 10 Truths Come Out

This is rapidly becoming an Internet meme (source)

Vista 10 bugs



Summary: The media manipulation by Microsoft (to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars spent on 'marketing') grows thin as a growing number of growingly angry early adopters of Vista 10 publicly rant

MAKE NO mistake about it. Microsoft has been gaming the press this past week, as it often does but more so when there is a new release of Windows. Budget usually stands at hundreds of millions of dollars, based on past releases. That's just for "marketing". Microsoft has already trashed Twitter with "sponsored" links and content, but that's not a surprise given past observations [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Microsoft is a big source of income for Twitter. Vista 10 enjoys a great deal of fake 'reports' from Microsoft boosters. Take for example this Microsoft puff piece which is like Vista 10 advertising, masqueraded as "history". Over at Ars Technica, Microsoft Peter was chosen to do a ‘review’ of Microsoft's Vista 10. That’s like Chrysler reviewing a car from Chrysler. It's clear that Condé Nast isn't interested in objective reviews. That's just typical Condé Nast [1, 2, 3]. It now acts more like a "media partner" of Microsoft, not a news site/network. There is a lot of money to be grabbed (hundreds of millions of dollars) in Vista 10 advertising. '"This versions is the $superlative yet" formula' is what iopkh called this pattern of covering Vista 10. We saw it in past years. That's such a meaningless yardstick. The only positive 'reviews' we've seen so far of Vista 10 were not reviews. They were advertisements published by longtime Microsoft boosters (with a long track record). Remember that when Vista and Vista 8 were released they too initially received positive 'reviews' ('prepared' puff pieces, or "marketing"). When Microsoft released Vista 8 it planted some ‘reviews’ (posted by Microsoft boosters), then some other boosters (or Microsoft-funded media) claimed that “people like it”. Staged hype is what it was, as we showed at the time. A lot of the 'excitement' over Vista 10 is totally manufactured and staged. The same thing happened with Vista and Vista 8. Some people make a living off these tricks. In Twitter, all I got from Microsoft employees for writing what I have about Vista 10 is ad hominem attacks and insults. They just cannot refute with facts.



“Like all proprietary software, Windows 10 puts those that use it under the thumb of its owner.”
      --Free Software Foundation
The good thing is that a day or two after the release Microsoft runs out of steam. the Techrights IRC channel helps show just how much of a mess Vista 10 really is (once the ‘prepared’ puff pieces have ‘run out’). The Register is registering negative feedback from readers and goes with the headline "'Fix these Windows 10 Horrors': Readers turn their guns on Redmond". There are many severe bugs, as we warned weeks ago. Vista 10 is a train wreck with driver issues, as we were told by insiders weeks before the launch. The Register critiques the updates of death ("Unstoppable auto-updates? More like auto-borkage") and says that one "issue stems from a push-me-pull-you conflict between Windows Update and Nvidia’s own driver and software management tool, Nvidia GeForce Experience. Forbes reports that the latest driver version, 353.54, is only available through Windows Update, it isn't very stable, and yet Windows 10 installs it anyway automatically."

What a way to brick an operating system... without even a warning.

Vista 10 "hijacks your internet connection to serve other PCs updates," DaemonFC wrote. He is a former Microsoft MVP, who is now a regular at various Techrights IRC channels. He is already trying Vista 10 and reporting issues. He complains about "features that are bordering on malware."

“I don’t think this is “bordering” anymore," responded MinceR, "earlier versions were perhaps “bordering” on malware. vista10 is clearly malware” (as per definition). Vista 10, explains MinceR, “helps circumvent corporate firewalls that were set up to prevent Microsoft from ***ing up their configurations” (forced updates are also means for back doors).

“Windows 10 Hangover is still unfolding. The new error message from the installer is making the rounds as a new internet meme.”
      --DaemonFC
But talking about software bugs isn't perhaps the main point. Vista 10 does not just have many bugs. It is a bug. It's a bugging device masquerading as an operating system. Nadella's team created a monster and no sane government is ever going to adopt Vista 10 unless they make some magical "edition" for privacy. Detailed images that show privacy violations in Vista 10 have gone viral and there are new articles too. Lauren Weinstein's Blog calls it a "Privacy Mess".

"Windows 10 includes keylogging spyware," wrote DaemonFC, "on by default."

“Send typing and inking data to Microsoft to improve the recognition and suggestion platform” is just one example of several.

"Apparently," wrote DaemonFC, "the Windows 10 Hangover is still unfolding. The new error message from the installer is making the rounds as a new internet meme."

DaemonFC refers to "Something happened. Something happened." We covered this yesterday.

The Free Software Foundation has meanwhile come out with this press release that seemingly targets existing Windows users and is thus quite gently-worded. To quote the opening paragraph: "The Free Software Foundation urges everyone to reject Windows 10 and join us in the world of free software. Like all proprietary software, Windows 10 puts those that use it under the thumb of its owner. Free software like the GNU/Linux operating system treats users as equals and gives them control over their digital lives."

Recent Techrights' Posts

Universities Became Bad Places for Work
What happened to academia?
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 11 Out of 200: Cannot Censor His Spouse, Accusations Are Repeated Today
He already has a history of threatening to sue gay people in America; he cannot take criticism too well
"Alternative to Microsoft Office" Must Use Free/Open Standards/Formats for Real Sovereignty
It would make sense for the EU to invest in its own workers and its own software projects, more so now that there are hostile countries both to the east and to the west
 
Patriotism is Conditional, If It's Unconditional, Then It's Like a Cult
My love for Software Freedom is only as strong as my love for Freedom of the Press
Links 14/03/2026: Mass Layoffs at Facebook ('Meta') and Sweeping Layoffs at Twitter (xAI), Social Control Media and Slop Are Only Debt
Links for the day
Wrong Time, Wrong Place (Digg)
Kevin Rose and Alexis Ohanian can relaunch Digg.com, but we doubt it'll work "this time for real!"
Reporting New and Suppressed Information is What Journalism is All About
In the domain of Free software, there are very few sites out there that offer exclusive coverage on community affairs and there are many gagging/censorship attempts
The Limits of Speech and the Rationale of Limitations
it seems to be part of an international trend
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, March 13, 2026
IRC logs for Friday, March 13, 2026
Gemini Links 14/03/2026: Goodness, AD534 Multiplier Module, and Extroverts Online
Links for the day
Atlassian Corp: We're Doing Layoffs Because of "Hey Hi"; Wall Street: Atlassian Corp is Just a Failing Business
Don't ask "the media"
Price of Storage, Price of Energy... What Next?
EPO workers are going on strike because their salaries don't keep up with price increases and tech companies without connections in "the channel" face long delays, low availability, and high prices (no "bulk" purchases), which further solidifies monopolies.
Don't Forget Red Hat's RTO (Return-to-office) Layoffs
How many people still remember that Red Hat did the same thing?
Reminder: Microsoft silent Layoffs by RTO (Commute Time and Lack of Comfort/Work Satisfaction) Already in Effect This Year
It's difficult to measure how many employees have already "left on their own" due to the RTO policy
Founder of IBM Ventures Has Just Quit IBM
Some people leave IBM and many people 'leave' IBM
Signs of Impeding Mass Layoffs - Not Just Quiet Layoffs - at Microsoft
Beneath the surface there are waves of layoffs and even entire teams are let go
Career Science and Academia as Corporate Propaganda 'on Tap'
article about surveillance
Veteran GNU/Linux Journalist Jack Wallen Tries Geminispace and Likes It
It'll turn 7 some time soon
Scheduled Maintenance Tonight
There will be similar work early next week
IBM Has No Clue How to Integrate Companies Like Red Hat
IBM is failing to respect this company's culture
Fake Articles From Sites With "Linux" in Their Name/Domain Name
we can at least hope that linuxteck.com made a decision to quit slop
Links 13/03/2026: New US Weapons for Taiwan, Pakistan Air Strikes Hit Kabul
Links for the day
Gemini Links 13/03/2026: Exhaustion and Smartphone Addiction
Links for the day
Friday the 13th & Debian Developers afraid to nominate in DPL elections
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 13/03/2026: Chatbot "Pentagon Contract" (Bailout) and Secret Service Ditches Slop Pusher
Links for the day
When Everybody Has a Right/Access to An Attorney/Lawyer (But Some Get Funding From Malicious American Corporations to Spend a Million Dollars on Many Lawyers and Several Barristers)
And send about 75 KG of legal papers to the residence of the "opponent"
European Qualifying Examination (EQE) Being Reduced to Pieces of Papers One Can Buy, Patent System Rapidly Losing Its Legitimacy
Welcome to the "new Europe"
Priorities in 2026
2026 is an interesting year
Willis Towers Watson (WTW) Producing More Propaganda for EPO "Cocaine Communication Managers"
The Local Staff Committee The Hague (LSCTH) has this new paper about Willis Towers Watson (WTW) and its annual EPO-sponsored propaganda, pretending all is well when things are clearly dire
Head of Microsoft Office and Microsoft 360 is Leaving Microsoft Amid Problems and Mass Layoffs
Microsoft is like a "legacy" company
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, March 12, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, March 12, 2026
Gemini Links 13/03/2026: "Someone to Take Over Antenna" and Random Seed/RNG
Links for the day
By Expanding to Advocacy of Ponzi Schemes and Bill Epsteingate (Sex Trafficking), Linux Foundation Revenue Grew to $220,730,594, But Salary of Linus Torvalds Not Even in Top 10 Anymore!
true!
In the Name of Transparency, Today We Show Our Defence and Counterclaim
already uploaded by the other side
IBM Cannot Even Do Payroll, Now a "Legitimate Target" of Iran
Missiles or not, it seems like IBM systems will be targeted more by cybercriminals
Links 12/03/2026: Heating Bills to Soar, "Banks in Gulf Evacuate Their Offices"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 12/03/2026: On Phone Anxiety and Bjorn "Looking for Someone to Take Over Antenna"
Links for the day
Cultification: best candidates avoiding Debian leader elections
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Richard Stallman (RMS) et al Cited in 'Nature' (Journal/Site) Today, "CODE beyond FAIR"
Under Open Access
The Register MS, on Verge of Collapse, Keeps Promoting a Ponzi Scheme for China
Publishers that participate in this simply don't care about their readers
Overview of False Narratives and Lies Used to Lower Salaries at the European Patent Office (EPO), Abandoning Patent Quality and the EPC
Many of the latter slides are the same as Munich's
Links 12/03/2026: Atlassian Layoffs, GAFAN Covering up Slop-Induced Outages, "Age-verification in Operating Systems and the Internet"
Links for the day
The EPO's President, Who Covers Up Cocaine Use, is Trying to Suppress Communication Between EPO Staff Under the Guise of 'Privacy' (and in Defiance of a Court Ruling)
Why does Europe's second-largest institution: 1) curtail communication among staff (including union) and 2) go out of its way to avoid obeying a court order from ILOAT in Geneva?
Exactly One Week Before Next EPO Strike, Media Intentionally Not Mentioning EPO Strikes
One form of propaganda technique/s involves the systematic suppression of certain topics, or of particular "narratives"
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 10 Out of 200: Showing Public Tweets is Not a Privacy Violation, But This Isn't About Justice, It's About Censorship
It's time to put a stop to this abuse of process (which is what the Judge deemed it to be last year)
Suicide of disgruntled employee? Bus fire at Kerzers / Chiètres, Switzerland, at least six dead
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Gemini Links 12/03/2026: "on Urbit" and the True Cost (or Criticism) of "Social Control Media"
Links for the day