When Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for Windows users who had genuine copies of Windows 7 or 8, many praised the move as a smart way to ensure users, enthusiasts, and gamers would get the latest OS version. Since this spring, the bloom has been coming off that particular rose. The company?s invasive GWX application pesters users to upgrade, downloads the upgrade without your permission, ?accidentally? forced some users to upgrade without recourse, announced that this program would be returning in near-term future, and now, is attempting to convince people they simply have no option but to upgrade.

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Now it?s true that the close box in the upper-right corner is still available to click, and users therefore still have the technical option to opt out, but this type of system is what?s known as a ?dark pattern.? A dark pattern is a user interface design that?s deliberately intended to trick the user into making a particular choice.

What?s become increasingly obvious over the past six months is that Microsoft is hell-bent on converting everyone to Windows 10, no matter what. The company hasn?t just increased the volume of its recommendation, but the ways in which it attempts to enforce that recommendation as law. From stealth downloads to deceptive presentation, the entire point of the Windows 10 GWX application is to leave users thinking they must upgrade.

Given that Microsoft has pledged to support Windows 7 with security updates through 2020, there?s no current reason to update to Windows 10 if you don?t already feel like doing so, and plenty of reason to avoid it if you want to send MS a message that these increasingly pushy tactics are unacceptable.

If you want to make certain MS can?t sneak the Windows 10 install files on to your system behind your back,you can use the GWX Control Panel

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This simple widget will block GWX from running, monitor Windows Update to ensure the OS isn?t installed behind your back, and will notify you of any changes to your existing Windows Update configuration.