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My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore
(www.howtogeek.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
It isn't your computer, user license clearly states you're renting the software. You always have been, it's just now they can enforce that agreement more readily. Microsoft is making a lot of bad decisions at the moment, but the majority of consumers really don't care - adverts and surveillance are what they grew up with.
You can switch to Linux, but as much as I love it (it's my daily driver for work and for travel gaming, oh and the community is absolutely amazing), it's not 1-1. You will have to jump through hoops sometimes to get things to run (but damn me there are amazing people out there who can and do help). Then again, you own it because it is free, and it will run most things with the right tweaks.
I can't speak for MACs (too poor to use one, my devices tend to be upgradable or VERY long life), but I hear they're a better experience in terms of less bloat/adverts. Again though, you are renting with Apple, and are largely trapped in their ecosystem, and they have a 'reputation' for lack of repairability....
It IS your computer, it's just not your software.
Whoa whoa whoa an operating system is not software depending who you ask lol. It's the program that manages both your PC's hardware and software resources. /s
I've been a macOS user for over a decade and I am never going back to Windows. That being said, Apple does have iCloud (their version of OneDrive) which is tightly integrated into the OS and they're not shy about asking you to pay for more storage. They also want you to log in with an Apple ID when you first start your computer and I don't know how easy it is to use a local account.
It's not the same as Windows in terms of aggressive ads and upsells, but Apple aren't innocent in wanting more of your money. If you want true freedom you have to pay with your time and energy and run Linux.
It's not that people ignore it, it's just that they don't really have an alternative. You can rent from Microsoft or Apple, or go the Linux way where you don't have the proper UX an average user needs and is accustomed to with Windows or macOS.