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They really need to fire whoever keeps ramming non-sequitur rewards stuff into the windows product. I have still don't understand what the rewards are for, des

by pxmpxm 3y ago

They really need to fire whoever keeps ramming non-sequitur rewards stuff into the windows product. I have still don't understand what the rewards are for, despite having spent inordinate amount of time removing them from my windows machines, but it's bizarre that some product manager gets to piss a convoluted frequent flier miles scheme all over microsoft's premier product. That's akin to Ferrari covering their very exclusive cars with promo stickers hawking those ferrari licensed asus laptops.

chongli 3y ago
They really need to fire whoever keeps ramming non-sequitur rewards stuff into the windows product. How do we know this wouldn’t lead to firing the CEO? Frankly, I’m inclined to believe that enshittification [1] is the primary strategy of the company right now. They’ve had decades to build Windows market share and now they realize that growth in software license sales has all but dried up. On the other hand, they’ve seen how hard the wind is blowing in the services and adtech direction. So they’re determined to monetize their Windows install case right up to the hilt. They know they won’t be able to sell these folks expensive software licenses anymore, so they’re selling their users to advertisers instead. [1] https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/ https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/
staplers 3y ago
Most "rewards" programs (including for grocery stores) are to allow payment method-based tracking. Right now it's illegal to track users/customers based on payment method. This is more than just an upsell.
p-e-w 3y ago
> That's akin to Ferrari covering their very exclusive cars with promo stickers hawking those ferrari licensed asus laptops. No it's not, because Windows is not a "premium" or "exclusive" product, at all. It's the textbook example of a mass market product. There are (far) more Windows installations than there are cars in the world. The average Windows user is almost indistinguishable from the average human. And the monetization strategies reflect that.

by pxmpxm 3y ago

chongli 3y ago

They really need to fire whoever keeps ramming non-sequitur rewards stuff into the windows product. How do we know this wouldn’t lead to firing the CEO? Frankly, I’m inclined to believe that enshittification [1] is the primary strategy of the company right now. They’ve had decades to build Windows market share and now they realize that growth in software license sales has all but dried up. On the other hand, they’ve seen how hard the wind is blowing in the services and adtech direction. So they’re determined to monetize their Windows install case right up to the hilt. They know they won’t be able to sell these folks expensive software licenses anymore, so they’re selling their users to advertisers instead. [1] https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/ https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/

staplers 3y ago

Most "rewards" programs (including for grocery stores) are to allow payment method-based tracking. Right now it's illegal to track users/customers based on payment method. This is more than just an upsell.

p-e-w 3y ago

> That's akin to Ferrari covering their very exclusive cars with promo stickers hawking those ferrari licensed asus laptops. No it's not, because Windows is not a "premium" or "exclusive" product, at all. It's the textbook example of a mass market product. There are (far) more Windows installations than there are cars in the world. The average Windows user is almost indistinguishable from the average human. And the monetization strategies reflect that.