Windows 11 in Europe Will Have Fewer Ads and Uninstall-able Edge Thanks to the DMA

[Beskamir]

As an EU citizen currently living abroad, I'd be very curious how Microsoft intends to make this EU only. Would a vpn make windows suddenly think I'm back in the EU? Would there be an EU specific windows iso that the rest of the world could pirate? What happens when EU citizens return to Europe with a noncompliant version of windows? Seems like Microsoft's only setting themselves up for more problems by trying to make this EU only.

[Donut417]

14 minutes ago, Beskamir said:

Would there be an EU specific windows iso

The N editions of Windows are the EU specific versions. They were started back in the 7 days. They took out some features the EU required to have removed. 

[jagdtigger]

11 hours ago, Doobeedoo said:

Yeah but in general people go to website to download programs on Windows while on Android go on store. Reverse usage between the two.

Fair enough, but at least the option is there (unlike say the failed forced S mode ).

 

11 hours ago, Doobeedoo said:

Though, they can logout after.

Im not sure about that one, after you log in the activation will be tied to that account so IDK if windows will stay activated after you switch over to a local account and wipe the cloud connected one (AFAIK there is no way to revert to local if you login with ms account).

 

11 hours ago, Doobeedoo said:

Yeah and skipping it was changed how few times, but I did it everytime without cmd or some long process.

That screen pops up randomly after the install if you somehow managed to create a local account during install.

 

11 hours ago, Doobeedoo said:

Heh, I do use Edge but I never saw Bing or whatever else. I think there is option to disable in personalization > start recommended tips. Maybe it's that, I have it off.

I also have it turned off if i remember correctly (ATM im on the linux partition, only boot windows if i want to play games). But  still got that pop-over....

[Spotty]

7 hours ago, Beskamir said:

As an EU citizen currently living abroad, I'd be very curious how Microsoft intends to make this EU only. Would a vpn make windows suddenly think I'm back in the EU? Would there be an EU specific windows iso that the rest of the world could pirate? What happens when EU citizens return to Europe with a noncompliant version of windows? Seems like Microsoft's only setting themselves up for more problems by trying to make this EU only.

It will be determined by what region the user chooses when installing the operating system. Seems like you can change it but it will require reinstalling or resetting Windows.

 

Quote

Windows uses the region chosen by the customer during device setup to identify if the PC is in the EEA. Once chosen in device setup, the region used for DMA compliance can only be changed by resetting the PC.

https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/16/previewing-changes-in-windows-to-comply-with-the-digital-markets-act-in-the-european-economic-area/

[Brooksie359]

On 11/17/2023 at 1:35 PM, RejZoR said:

Isn't California usually the first (or at least most aggressive) to adopt EU things within the US system?

California doesn't necessarily follow what the EU does but they do tend to be the trend setter for the US when it comes to regulations. 

[cooky560]

TBH this news is the first time I've seen something in Windows 11 that doesn't make me push away from using it. 

 

That said, these are sensible changes that should be worldwide, not just because the EU has decided to make an effort to limit data collection.

[Donut417]

On 11/17/2023 at 2:35 PM, RejZoR said:

Isn't California usually the first (or at least most aggressive) to adopt EU things within the US system?

They tend to favor regulations. But even they have limits to what they can do. California for example tried to mandate electric cars back in the the 90s, but the US government over turned that decision. due to pressures from big oil and the automotive companies. GM's EV1 I think it was called was a product of the regulation. You can see one at The Henry Ford Museum as many were not built.

 

That all being said, I know Microsoft and Google have been a bit in trouble with the FTC as of late. But the FTC has a hard time regulating as the courts don't always see in their favor.

[darknessblade]

Already uninstalled Cortana from windows 10 [22H2], it does not look like its possible to uninstall edge yet.

Now I only need a "official" way to disable ONLINE search from the taskbar.

 

 

[williamcll]

Can't wait for the Tiny11 build of this.

[Mihle]

On 11/18/2023 at 11:02 PM, LAwLz said:

You most likely have seen ads. You probably didn't really realize they were ads.

The Pro version has several ads for sure. I run the Pro version and I get ads every now and again, despite trying my hardest to turn it off.

 

For example:

 

Or the things that appear in the start menu when you first install Windows (and if you don't turn off "recommendations".

 

 

Hell, right now I got a big ad for Office 365 right in the settings menu:

 

 

Here is a list I made before:

  

 

Personally:

* Never seen a ad for linkedin.

* Might have had office 365, not sure, eight now I have school office tho so don't see it now.

* The app ads, only on new install, remove them and they are gone.

* Number 2-9 quite sure I haven't seen any of these, buy I don't use Chrome, I use Vivaldi.

* I have seen Onedrive "ad" in the settings menu, under security there was a banner (if I remember right)

* I have seen ads in Edge when it's opened because mistake or some thing that has its as standard program, one recently were it asked me to ad a browser shortcut to Facebook and a other program to my task bar.

* I don't use 12-14

* I have seen the Bing Chat icon in search menu.

 

[RejZoR]

I hope we won't be forced to use garbage Windows 11 N to have this...

[Donut417]

8 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

I hope we won't be forced to use garbage Windows 11 N to have this...

Well thats the EU version of Windows..... So likely you will have to use Windows 11 N to have this.

[rcmaehl]

I will believe it when I see it.

Microsoft said they made changes back in August and nothing happened. I'm willing to guess the same will happen with this announcement. All just posturing for the EU

Microsoft has not stopped forcing Edge on Windows 11 users | Ctrl blog

[cooky560]

On 11/20/2023 at 1:45 PM, rcmaehl said:

I will believe it when I see it.

Microsoft said they made changes back in August and nothing happened. I'm willing to guess the same will happen with this announcement. All just posturing for the EU

Microsoft has not stopped forcing Edge on Windows 11 users | Ctrl blog

So in short, this is like when they made the "special" EU version of windows where you could remove IE, only it was just the loader and most of the stuff was still there?

[Stahlmann]

Can't people with a US license just set their region to Germany for example, then set the language to English and have basically the same experience as us europeans?

[rcmaehl]

9 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

Can't people with a US license just set their region to Germany for example, then set the language to English and have basically the same experience as us europeans?

Reportedly it requires a clean install. Likely BS but we'll see

[Mark Kaine]

On 11/18/2023 at 9:54 PM, Doobeedoo said:

Yeah but in general people go to website to download programs on Windows while on Android go on store. Reverse usage between the two.

you're generalizing too much   some things you can only get from store fronts, some only from other web sources,  most of which is github in my experience (so ms again lol) 

on phones you're right people use mostly the store, but again it's just them getting stuff where its available. 

 

if anything that just shows the extremely unhealthy and uncompetitive system google has fostered on android (and likewise apple on iphone)

[Mark Kaine]

2 hours ago, rcmaehl said:

Reportedly it requires a clean install. Likely BS but we'll see

has always been like this (since 10 at least)  that's also why its ironically preferable to use the us version if you're in europe because us usually has better features (like functional keyboard layout ffs) and less eu "bs" (such as spy software built in, because "eu")

 

last time i didn't even get the media player because of some eu nonsense,  never again,  us vers 4ever.

 

 

[jagdtigger]

2 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

didn't even get the media player

IDK why its a tragedy, that things is basically garbage.......

[Stahlmann]

8 hours ago, rcmaehl said:

Reportedly it requires a clean install. Likely BS but we'll see

Still seems like a small price to pay to get the less intrusive version of Windows.

[Doobeedoo]

On 11/19/2023 at 9:04 AM, jagdtigger said:

Fair enough, but at least the option is there (unlike say the failed forced S mode ).

 

Im not sure about that one, after you log in the activation will be tied to that account so IDK if windows will stay activated after you switch over to a local account and wipe the cloud connected one (AFAIK there is no way to revert to local if you login with ms account).

 

That screen pops up randomly after the install if you somehow managed to create a local account during install.

 

I also have it turned off if i remember correctly (ATM im on the linux partition, only boot windows if i want to play games). But  still got that pop-over....

The S mode was more for limited and controlled scenarios like school and such, otherwise no reason otherwise.

 

Yes you can use a local account, without logged in you have some limited features, like OneDrive sync, you can convert MS account to local account after installation.

 

I have not see the screen pop up during install, though not sure how it's now on latest build, as I've updated to it through windows update. Yet to do clean install with it. Though can't say I've had issues like I said installing it using Rufus to make it bootable.

 

Maybe limit notification settings if it can help, I have not messed much with it.

[Doobeedoo]

13 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

you're generalizing too much   some things you can only get from store fronts, some only from other web sources,  most of which is github in my experience (so ms again lol) 

on phones you're right people use mostly the store, but again it's just them getting stuff where its available. 

 

if anything that just shows the extremely unhealthy and uncompetitive system google has fostered on android (and likewise apple on iphone)

Generalizing? When it's how it works for most, or straight up for huge majority. By "some things" yeah sure, but we're talking about 90-99% of people that don't go for those things really. As for github depends if it's public then no need for account though.

 

Android at least allows you to sideload. 

[jagdtigger]

19 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

I have not see the screen pop up during install,

Its shown right after install when you connect it to the internet and at random intervals after that.

 

19 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

Yes you can use a local account, without logged in you have some limited features, like OneDrive sync, you can convert MS account to local account after installation.

You are missing the point there, what i was getting at is that after you log in to a crappy ms account  during install in theory the license will get tied to that AFAIK. If you nuke that user because you want local (no way to revert cloud user to local) windows might loose its activation status.....

 

 

19 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

Maybe limit notification settings if it can help, I have not messed much with it.

As i said in that post, it is most likely turned off along with a lot of other junk. /edit Just checked it, notifications are completely disabled.

Edited November 22, 2023 by jagdtigger

[Doobeedoo]

41 minutes ago, jagdtigger said:

Its shown right after install when you connect it to the internet and at random intervals after that.

 

You are missing the point there, what i was getting at is that after you log in to a crappy ms account  during install in theory the license will get tied to that AFAIK. If you nuke that user because you want local (no way to revert cloud user to local) windows might loose its activation status.....

 

 

As i said in that post, it is most likely turned off along with a lot of other junk. /edit Just checked it, notifications are completely disabled.

That's interesting, as I have not experienced this. Maybe it's on Home edition not sure. There must be option to disable it then.

But yeah, it's good Rufus offers extras before you make the ISO bootable. So I guess reason why I don't see.

 

You don't need to nuke the logged in user per say, you can convert the account to local after. I did so, I don't always need to be logged in. Though I remember it was annoying to do so, it wanted to log in and even did so when logging through other MS programs, so I have to disable that so it logs only to what I want at time.

 

It's interesting, as I have notifications enabled. It may be a bit annoying to get all this sorted but hey, it is what it is.

I just use Rufus for start, check settings I want, install using local account, log in with MS account if I want for sync or something, also through Edge later on, then convert to local account as I don't need OneDrive sync and other regularly. Disable things in settings, disable autologin on all MS services and maybe extras.

 

Now I'm not sure how more normie Home version using base ISO with MS media creation tool looks like lately. As we know you don't have certain things that Rufus offers and also Home is being limited in ways too. Sucks but what can you do.

[Mark Kaine]

11 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

Now I'm not sure how more normie Home version using base ISO

 

11 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

log in with MS account if I want for sync or something, also through Edge later on

probably not much different as that sounds pretty textbook normie to me... dont have a Microsoft account,  don't need it... didn't use "edge" since years... my least favorite browser of all times with Microsoft plastered all over it .

 

 

 Also i don't see how any of this is relevant,  i don't have any ads in Windows now, so what is even going on, do people really have this "issue"? (how? lol)