I can agree that "most people" would be just as happy to be using a dumb terminal, sort of like a VT100, not have to worry about any updates, just do all on the so-called "cloud." And as Internet speeds go up, that solution does not seem so far-fetched anymore.
But in fact, with portable devices, you can't always count on having that Internet connection.
The other point is that yes, MS would like to create a long series of infinite revenue streams for itself, such as Office 365. But perhaps surprisingly, at the same time, if you visit the Microsoft Store, they also provide free options for people. Perhaps these will be clogged up with ads.
I reinstalled my Windows 11 from an ISO image, to get 24H2 to install properly. The bare-bones WordPad word processor that came with Windows for a long time, disappeared. It had been deprecated for some time, now it's gone entirely. But there are still options out there, even Office Libre, if you don't use the others from Microsoft Store.
OneDrive is okay. Sure makes buying a new PC easier than it was in the old days. I wouldn't be all negative-paranoid about this.
But in fact, with portable devices, you can't always count on having that Internet connection.
The other point is that yes, MS would like to create a long series of infinite revenue streams for itself, such as Office 365. But perhaps surprisingly, at the same time, if you visit the Microsoft Store, they also provide free options for people. Perhaps these will be clogged up with ads.
I reinstalled my Windows 11 from an ISO image, to get 24H2 to install properly. The bare-bones WordPad word processor that came with Windows for a long time, disappeared. It had been deprecated for some time, now it's gone entirely. But there are still options out there, even Office Libre, if you don't use the others from Microsoft Store.
OneDrive is okay. Sure makes buying a new PC easier than it was in the old days. I wouldn't be all negative-paranoid about this.