Users tired of being 'yanked around' as end of support looms

Microsoft's latest attempts to ease the transition to Windows 11 for Windows 10 users "don't go far enough," according to privacy campaigners that worry about the prospect of millions of PCs going to landfill.

Last week, Microsoft confirmed it would make the first year of Extended Security Updates (ESU) free. Kind of. To qualify, a user had to be an individual consumer, and if they didn't want to pay $30 for the privilege, they could use Windows Backup to sync their settings to the cloud or redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.

Lucas Rockett Gutterman, Campaign Director for Designed to Last at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), was unimpressed by the announcement and told El Reg: "Microsoft's new options don't go far enough and likely won't make a dent in the up to 400 million Windows 10 PCs that can't upgrade to ...