Subj : Windows 11 Start menu ads look set to get even worse this is get To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Mon Apr 17 2023 10:45:03 Windows 11 Start menu ads look set to get even worse this is getting painful now Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:41:36 +0000 Description: Has Microsoft still not got the message about pushing adverts with Windows 11? It doesnt seem that way. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Microsoft is heading further down the path of advertising its own services in Windows 11 , with different ads now popping up in the Start menu. To be precise, this is Windows 11 preview build 23435, which was just released to the Dev channel. As Microsoft puts it: We are continuing the exploration of badging on the Start menu with several new treatments for users logging in with local user accounts to highlight the benefits of signing in with a Microsoft account (MSA). So, the translation of this is that badging is essentially advertising (badgering would perhaps be more accurate), and its something weve recently seen with Windows 11 urging users to perform a cloud backup (in OneDrive). In this new preview build, the prodding stick is being employed to nudge those who havent enlisted for a Microsoft Account (who remain using a local account) into signing up for an MSA. Compared to the previous cloud backup prompt on the Start menu, its even clearer that this is advertising because its fully selling the benefits of having a Microsoft account. For example, Microsoft tells you how hooking your Windows 11 installation into an MSA will ensure that your PC is kept backed up and more secure, or that itll keep your settings synced across multiple devices. The other big introduction with this preview build is the new Gallery, a built-in image gallery right there in File Explorer ( which is in line for a major revamp ). You can read more about the Gallery here , and for all the rest of the tweaks and changes in build 23435, peruse Microsofts blog post . (Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Sick of being badgered Were aware that we are starting to sound like a broken record with the whinging about Microsofts exploration of Start menu ads , but the company doesnt seem to have got the message. Clearly, Microsoft is aware that this is a controversial addition to Windows 11, which is why its happening in a limited form (even in testing). The software giant even states in its blog post that: As a reminder, it is normal for us to try out different concepts in the Dev Channel to get feedback. Microsoft specifically asks for feedback from testers, and were betting itll get it particularly now these badging pop-ups are taking a form thats more obviously advertising. Being told to sign up for a Microsoft account is a sensitive point for some folks, too, who dont want anything to do with it, and just want their OS to be a standalone piece of software (as much as it can be) thats not further meshed into Microsofts ecosystem. Whats also a concern here is the flagging of the ad with a yellow warning circle and exclamation point, which suggests that theres something seriously wrong with your system setup. Thats not fair, and some might argue a cynical way of cajoling less tech-savvy folks into signing up for a Microsoft account (or whatever else the ad might be pushing). Granted, if the person in question isnt good with tech, it may not be a bad thing to ensure cloud backups are in place, if they havent done anything else on the backup front themselves. But still, ads in the Start menu one of the main parts of the Windows interface is not the way to go about this. At least not if you dont want to annoy and alienate the majority of Windows 11 users who arent going to be impressed with Microsofts growing badge collection (if these fresh additions move past testing, that is). ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/windows-11-start-menu-ads-look-set-to-get-even- worse-this-is-getting-painful-now --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .