Back in the (we're talking late 60's into early 70's here), computers were HARDWARE, and the software that came with them -- things like OS360 and FORTRAN and COBOL -- were seen as enhancements to the hardware. Almost accessories -- necessary, but not the real computer.
As time went on, we all realized that computers were, in fact, SYSTEMS of hardware plus software.
Bill Gates whined about us hobbyists with early personal computer hardware using his software without paying for it. His software was useless without hardware. Microsoft never really GOT that the important thing about a computer was it should be a SYSTEM. Not just software.
Google went one step further and didn't even produce software -- they only collected and sold INFORMATION. Well, surprise, the company (Google) that exists for INFORMATION wants to gather your information and sell it.
And... SURPRISE!! the company (Microsoft) that exists for SOFTWARE wants to gather your information and sell it. Because they don't make and sell SYSTEMS.
Apple makes and sells SYSTEMS. And... SO FAR... they have been on the better side of not gathering their users' information and selling it. They control their SYSTEMS ecosystem with an iron fist, and they maintain their walled garden, and they are at times arrogant and all that... but they aren't gathering our information and selling it. SO FAR... they aren't a threat. Let us hope that Apple maintains their focus on doing SYSTEMS.
Meanwhile, the Linux folks don't seem to gather anything, or sell it to anybody. And they're often nearly broke. They aren't a threat, either.
Here's the disillusionment. It disappoints me greatly that Microsoft has apparently decided it is more important to gather their users' information, secretly, and lie about it, than it is to provide a worthwhile product that simply does what the user needs.
That's why I posted this thread from the Register article about Win7 and Win8.1 going the same route as Win10. I hate to see a great company I have trusted and relied on for many years for my professional tools, acting so untrustworthy and unreliably. I hope they come to their senses.
That is due solely to the fact that the user is NOT their customer. The user is the product. Just like for Google.