I've been spending the last 48 hours strongly pondering Linux as a daily driver. If it wasn't for my crippling visual studio addiction, I'd probably be able to swap all my PCs over, with the exception of the one bastard stepchild win10 that I will keep in the closet for when BF2042 is released. Virtualization is another option that I am investigating actively now.

I could even see the path for getting our product off the Windows platform and onto Linux (while still using Microsoft's dotnet toolchain). There are only 2 DLLs keeping us locked to Windows and I have a very solid hypothetical answer for both.

All of this is so depressing because it doesn't have to be this way. A few small changes to the OS (that would incur negligible impact to Microsoft's cashflow or margins) could mean life changing improvements in the user experience.

If profit must be obtained, then Microsoft should consider a "hacker" build of windows that starts as a bare-ass powershell prompt that you have to tack on what you want to use. I'd pay a fucking premium. Microsoft, are you out there? Charge me $1000. I swear I'll pay it if you promise to not shove updates, telemetry, defender or cortana down my throat ever again.