They now need to reverse engineer Windows and release it in its purest form. I mean I asked Claude and it didnt hold back.... You know, with what people complain about...
I'll be sending my list to them when I get home after work!
##### Start menu & taskbar
Allow a Windows 7 or XP style Start menu
Allow moving the taskbar to the top, left or right of the screen
Restore “never combine” taskbar buttons, with labels shown
Restore drag-and-drop of files onto taskbar apps
Allow resizing the taskbar (small icons, taller or thinner)
Remove the Recommended section from the Start menu
Remove web and Bing results from Start menu search
Make Start menu search actually find local files and apps reliably
Allow left-aligning the Start button by default
Remove the Widgets, Copilot, Task View and Chat buttons in one click
Restore the full clock with seconds and the date in the system tray
Show the clock and tray on every monitor
Remove the weather and news feed from the taskbar
##### Ads, upsells & nagging
Remove ads and “suggested apps” from the Start menu
Stop pre-installed bloatware (Candy Crush, TikTok, Spotify and so on) and remove what’s there
Remove “Get even more out of Windows” setup nags after updates
Stop pushing Microsoft Edge as the default browser
Stop Edge reopening after it’s been set aside, and stop the “Are you sure?” prompts when changing defaults
Remove OneDrive backup nags and upsells
Remove Microsoft 365 and Game Pass promotions
Remove lock screen “fun facts”, tips and ads
Remove File Explorer ads and sync provider notifications
Remove suggestions and tips in Settings
##### Accounts & privacy
Allow setting up Windows with a local account (no Microsoft account required)
Turn off telemetry and diagnostic data fully, not just “Required” level
Disable activity history and the advertising ID
Disable or uninstall Recall, Copilot and other AI features completely
Stop Windows sending typing and inking data
Stop Windows from silently re-enabling privacy settings after updates
Show exactly what data is being sent and to whom
##### Windows Update
Let the user decide when to restart, with no forced reboots
Allow pausing updates indefinitely
Allow choosing which updates to install, and blocking specific ones
Stop driver updates overwriting working drivers
Stop feature updates resetting settings, default apps and file associations
Give clear, plain-English descriptions of what each update does
Make updates faster, without the long “Working on updates” screens
##### File Explorer
Restore the classic ribbon or Windows 7 style command bar
Bring back the full right-click menu without “Show more options”
Make File Explorer open faster and stop it lagging or freezing
Add proper tabs that work reliably, plus a dual-pane view
Show file extensions and hidden files by default
Stop “Home” and “Gallery” being forced into the navigation pane
Make search inside folders fast and accurate
Make copying large numbers of files faster, with a better progress dialog and better conflict handling
Remove OneDrive from the sidebar unless the user wants it
##### Settings & Control Panel
Put all settings in one place instead of split between Settings and Control Panel
Restore quick access to classic panels (sound, network adapters, power plans, mouse)
Make every setting searchable
Stop hiding advanced options behind multiple clicks
Bring back easy power plan switching
##### Performance & resources
Reduce background processes and RAM use on a fresh install
Stop Search Indexer, Antimalware and Compatibility Telemetry hogging the CPU and disk
Speed up boot and login times
Lower the hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, supported CPU list) so older PCs can upgrade
Make the system feel snappy on lower-end hardware
Fix sleep mode waking up randomly or draining laptop batteries
##### Apps & defaults
Allow changing every default app in one place, in one click
Let users uninstall any built-in app, including Edge
Restore the classic Photo Viewer
Make Notepad simple again, without AI and account features
Allow installing apps without the Microsoft Store pushing itself
Respect the default browser for all links, including widgets, search and help
##### Look & feel
Make dark mode consistent everywhere, including old dialogs
Allow turning off rounded corners and animations
Allow custom themes without third-party patching
Fix inconsistent UI where three generations of design sit side by side
Allow full control over notification and Action Center layout
Make high-DPI scaling work properly for older apps
Remember window positions on multi-monitor setups
##### Notifications & interruptions
Disable all promotional notifications
Stop “Focus” or Do Not Disturb resetting itself
Stop Windows stealing focus from the active window
Remove the “Let’s finish setting up your device” screen
##### Reliability & support
Give error messages that actually explain the problem
Make troubleshooters actually fix things
Make the reset and repair options reliable without losing apps
Fix Bluetooth and audio device switching
Give printer setup that just works
Make backup and restore that’s simple and local, without needing OneDrive
##### Gaming
Remove the Xbox Game Bar and its background services for those who don’t use them
Remove Game Pass ads
Give proper exclusive fullscreen behaviour and fewer stutters from background tasks
Just to name a few....
I'll be sending my list to them when I get home after work!
##### Start menu & taskbar
Allow a Windows 7 or XP style Start menu
Allow moving the taskbar to the top, left or right of the screen
Restore “never combine” taskbar buttons, with labels shown
Restore drag-and-drop of files onto taskbar apps
Allow resizing the taskbar (small icons, taller or thinner)
Remove the Recommended section from the Start menu
Remove web and Bing results from Start menu search
Make Start menu search actually find local files and apps reliably
Allow left-aligning the Start button by default
Remove the Widgets, Copilot, Task View and Chat buttons in one click
Restore the full clock with seconds and the date in the system tray
Show the clock and tray on every monitor
Remove the weather and news feed from the taskbar
##### Ads, upsells & nagging
Remove ads and “suggested apps” from the Start menu
Stop pre-installed bloatware (Candy Crush, TikTok, Spotify and so on) and remove what’s there
Remove “Get even more out of Windows” setup nags after updates
Stop pushing Microsoft Edge as the default browser
Stop Edge reopening after it’s been set aside, and stop the “Are you sure?” prompts when changing defaults
Remove OneDrive backup nags and upsells
Remove Microsoft 365 and Game Pass promotions
Remove lock screen “fun facts”, tips and ads
Remove File Explorer ads and sync provider notifications
Remove suggestions and tips in Settings
##### Accounts & privacy
Allow setting up Windows with a local account (no Microsoft account required)
Turn off telemetry and diagnostic data fully, not just “Required” level
Disable activity history and the advertising ID
Disable or uninstall Recall, Copilot and other AI features completely
Stop Windows sending typing and inking data
Stop Windows from silently re-enabling privacy settings after updates
Show exactly what data is being sent and to whom
##### Windows Update
Let the user decide when to restart, with no forced reboots
Allow pausing updates indefinitely
Allow choosing which updates to install, and blocking specific ones
Stop driver updates overwriting working drivers
Stop feature updates resetting settings, default apps and file associations
Give clear, plain-English descriptions of what each update does
Make updates faster, without the long “Working on updates” screens
##### File Explorer
Restore the classic ribbon or Windows 7 style command bar
Bring back the full right-click menu without “Show more options”
Make File Explorer open faster and stop it lagging or freezing
Add proper tabs that work reliably, plus a dual-pane view
Show file extensions and hidden files by default
Stop “Home” and “Gallery” being forced into the navigation pane
Make search inside folders fast and accurate
Make copying large numbers of files faster, with a better progress dialog and better conflict handling
Remove OneDrive from the sidebar unless the user wants it
##### Settings & Control Panel
Put all settings in one place instead of split between Settings and Control Panel
Restore quick access to classic panels (sound, network adapters, power plans, mouse)
Make every setting searchable
Stop hiding advanced options behind multiple clicks
Bring back easy power plan switching
##### Performance & resources
Reduce background processes and RAM use on a fresh install
Stop Search Indexer, Antimalware and Compatibility Telemetry hogging the CPU and disk
Speed up boot and login times
Lower the hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, supported CPU list) so older PCs can upgrade
Make the system feel snappy on lower-end hardware
Fix sleep mode waking up randomly or draining laptop batteries
##### Apps & defaults
Allow changing every default app in one place, in one click
Let users uninstall any built-in app, including Edge
Restore the classic Photo Viewer
Make Notepad simple again, without AI and account features
Allow installing apps without the Microsoft Store pushing itself
Respect the default browser for all links, including widgets, search and help
##### Look & feel
Make dark mode consistent everywhere, including old dialogs
Allow turning off rounded corners and animations
Allow custom themes without third-party patching
Fix inconsistent UI where three generations of design sit side by side
Allow full control over notification and Action Center layout
Make high-DPI scaling work properly for older apps
Remember window positions on multi-monitor setups
##### Notifications & interruptions
Disable all promotional notifications
Stop “Focus” or Do Not Disturb resetting itself
Stop Windows stealing focus from the active window
Remove the “Let’s finish setting up your device” screen
##### Reliability & support
Give error messages that actually explain the problem
Make troubleshooters actually fix things
Make the reset and repair options reliable without losing apps
Fix Bluetooth and audio device switching
Give printer setup that just works
Make backup and restore that’s simple and local, without needing OneDrive
##### Gaming
Remove the Xbox Game Bar and its background services for those who don’t use them
Remove Game Pass ads
Give proper exclusive fullscreen behaviour and fewer stutters from background tasks
Just to name a few....
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