I look at it from the consumer and not the legal view. This is a feature that's popular with tens of millions of MS Customers so that they don't dare disable it completely. Yet leaving gadgets in a crippled state is as frustrating and irritating with consumers, who visit threads like this via searches and read widespread speculation that this has to do with the whole failed business plan revamp to an Ipad-type touch OS that was going to rent everything through the Store. That is as plausible as non-existent gadget infection.
@gregrocker:
"Like you read my mind!"
(Potentially off topic)
One of the things that totally burns my biscuits about Windows - and software in general - is that "legally" they have no desire to stand behind their product. AFAIK, every single piece of software I've seen has a clause in its license that goes something like this:
This software comes with no warranty whatsoever. If you bork your system because you installed this piece of unmitigated GAGH!, it just sucks being you.
Even if we advertise it as being the hottest thing since sliced-bread, and it stinks, or is blatantly deceptive, you have zero recourse, and you cannot sue us.
If someone wanted to sell a new car, 'fridge, microwave, or whatever else, with a warranty like that, the state/jurisdiction consumer protection laws would be all over therm like a cheap suit!
Re: Windows 10.
We were able to finally reach MS execs before the Win8 debacle became Saturday Night Live material and they have corrected course nicely with Windows 10 that gives a billion+ desktop customers something to call their own. [emphasis provided by me]
First of all, though I have downloaded the relevant TechNet images, I have not yet had time to play with it. However, I have heard from more than once source that
M$ plans to license W10 as a "subscription based" operating system.
i.e. You will have to pay an annual fee to continue using it. I don't know if that's actually going to happen, but if it does I predict that there will be a mass exodus to systems like Linux Mint.
I personally spoke with a member of the IE11 team about this issue whose attitude seemed arrogant and anti-consumer.
Ubuntu Linux started out with the paradigm of it being "all about choices", and it attracted a large following because of that user-centered philosophy. Unfortunately they lost track of that concept as Ubuntu became more and more popular, forcing users to accept unilateral decisions absent user input - in fact in direct opposition to user input. As a result, many Ubuntu users bailed and went to Mint - a much more consumer/user-centric distribution.
In the case of Linux, users have this kind of choice. If a particular distribution [censored!!] its user base, there is always another, potentially better, distribution to jump to. And chances are that all the apps and programs used in distribution "A" will work as well, or maybe even better, with distribution "B".
It is unfortunate, but Windows isn't like that. You either put up with M$'s BoooS**t, or you're out of luck.
Maybe I'm still wearing my "rosy tinted glasses", but IMHO, especially if the user base has no other effective choice, it behooves the software company to be particularly sensitive to user input and needs.
Gadgets are a prime example of this. M$ has decided to (in essence), "pull the plug" on Win7 and wants to coerce everyone into using Win8+, like it or not.
(/potentially off topic)
(/rant)
What say ye?
Jim (JR)
