When Windows 7 came out I told my customers that Windows could be problematic but would serve them mostly well as long as they installed a good anti-virus. But with Windows 8, 10, 11, Office 365, and the sadism of OneDrive and Windows Update, Microsoft has gone off the rails. Aside from becoming an unreliable partner, they seem to be more in the way than leading the way. I suggest you consider them as we did AOL and start limiting your exposure to their products and your chances for harassment and random suffering. Eventhough just under 90% of the world still uses Windows PCs, this post is to plant the seed that you deserve better.

The days of exciting new software upgrades are long gone.  The best software does this: work smoothly and not be a pain in your ass. It should be invisible to you like your steering wheel.  

The dust and hype has settled and it turns out our computers only need to browse the net, play songs, gather an unmanageable amount of photos, watch movies, and send email.

Here is what I use, respectively: Google Chrome, iTunes, Google Photos, Media Player Classic or VLC player, and Gmail.

There is no rush here. I am presenting these suggestions as part of your long game. Not all of these strategies will be practical for everyone or easy to navigate. They are here because I believe that Microsoft’s trajectory will continue to make your life more complicated, not the less you should be seeking. Microsoft is an entity that hungers only for market share. If intuitive workflow and your routine get in the way, so what.

1. When it comes to any Microsoft update or upgrade, if your computer works fine, don’t fix it. I promise you will only be left behind with the all those people whose computers still work. Wait until you are compelled to upgrade by something tangible, (like an evil step-mother forcing you or ISIS holding a family member hostage until you do, or maybe until “the power of Christ compels you”). An MS update will never make your computer run faster, usually the opposite.