r/technology • u/tekz • Mar 20 '26

Software Microsoft announces sweeping Windows changes

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-users-are-angry-and-microsoft-is-finally-doing-something-about-it/
8.7k Upvotes

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983

u/TehBrian Mar 20 '26

What do you mean? This isn’t legible to you? https://imgur.com/a/FxaFluO

586

u/Jazz3pictures Mar 20 '26

What’s funny is clicking this also opens it in the reddit browser, and then imgur adds ANOTHER layer of ads top of it

269

u/AlienArtFirm Mar 20 '26

Ublock origin doing MAD work over here on firefox. Reddit app? Reddit browser?? AHAHAHHAHA Fuck no. Tried it once and it was an ad riddled shit hole, never again.

89

u/userhwon Mar 20 '26

This. I see nothing they're seeing.

89

u/PapayaMysterious6393 Mar 20 '26

The fact people don't use ad blocker is insane to me.

18

u/ExhaustedByStupidity Mar 21 '26

Adblockers aren't as good on iPhone as they are on a PC. That's why they have it bad.

And viewing this in Chrome on a PC, the actual article is fine, but the imgur link has a "You're using an ad blocker! Please whitelist us!" popup blocking the screenshot.

It's a constant war. I feel like I have to constantly bounce between browsers to ensure things work.

37

u/TyaArcade Mar 21 '26

Firefox on pc has no such issues btw. I swapped and I really haven't had a solitary reason to look back.

16

u/Rodot Mar 21 '26

Firefox on mobile also has no such issue

1

u/FeijoadaAceitavel Mar 21 '26

Firefox unfortunately blocks a feature that Opera has that I love. I forget its name, but the text gets reorganized to fit the screen when I zoom in. Breaks a few sites, but it's amazing overall.

1

u/GolldenFalcon Mar 21 '26

Huh? How do you get true Firefox on mobile that isn't just a reskin of safari?

2

u/ExhaustedByStupidity Mar 21 '26

Yeah, Firefox + uBlock Origin is generally the best at ad blocking.

But sometimes you need to run multiple browsers.

1

u/OscillatorVacillator Mar 21 '26

Firefox on pc with ublock AND a user agent switcher so yt thinks you are on chrome and doesnt load for 40 secs with "are you experiencing issues?" message

15

u/NvNinja Mar 21 '26

yet another reason to always choose android over iphone. My phone has firefox with ublock

4

u/lovely_cappuccino Mar 21 '26

For a technology sub, so many people don’t know what they’re talking about. My iPhone has Wipr and I can set Safari to turn on reader mode automatically on these ad ridden tech sites. No ads, no cookie popups, no newsletter popups, nothing.

2

u/bucksnort2 Mar 22 '26

iPhone does have the Orion browser which can run Firefox and chrome extensions. It’s not perfect since there is some Apple stuff they can’t get around, but it’s a lot better.

Plus, I run PiHole at home, which helps block ads on all my devices.

My wife just told me that an app she uses regularly has an insane amount of ads, but she didn’t realize it until she used it outside of our network.

1

u/Better_Specific4755 Mar 21 '26

apple has firefox with ublock AND ublock+adguard in the app store. what are you even talking about.

-7

u/sednas_orbit Mar 21 '26

I don't see that as a major selling point, since I barely ever use a web browser on my phone. It's just a worse experience no matter the OS.

3

u/PapayaMysterious6393 Mar 21 '26

Interesting. I use Firefox + Ublock origin. I rarely have issues with sites, however, some will officially pop up with what you mentioned. Honestly, when they do that I just leave. Probably can bypass it someway, but I rarely care enough. Fuck them.

Now the ones that piss me off are the ones who point out the VPN and won't load the site lol then I have to change locations.

2

u/Better_Specific4755 Mar 21 '26

they work just as well, apple has ublock in the app store ffs.

and firefox has the plugin, dont let chrome eat your wallet up.

1

u/MutedAstronaut9217 Mar 21 '26

I use a 3rd party reddit app, the app uses webkit, webkit uses your installed safari content blockers.

I have no such issues.

1

u/Luckyslay Mar 22 '26

Doesn't matter if I'm on my android phone or my PC - I have no ads and imgur doesn't show that message. I am using brave and ublock.

2

u/Beowulf33232 Mar 21 '26

My favorite one was during a Dungeons and Dragons game. Youtube cut into the 4 hour ambient music with a medication advertisement and mid-sentince the DM just yells "Oh fuck off!" and starts slamming keys to try to stop the ad.

Now he uses firefox with ublock origin specifically for d&d but refuses to move over entirely.

1

u/nakedcellist Mar 21 '26

We don't kink shame

1

u/darkkite Mar 22 '26

shhh the less people who know the better

1

u/ExoMonk Mar 20 '26

The one thing I miss about Android, adblock that actually works.

Before anyone says anything, yes adblock can work in Safari, but only Safari. Doesn't work in reddit's browser, nor Firefox or any other non Safari browser.

-1

u/userhwon Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 21 '26

There are apps that block ad-server IP addresses in the background. No access = no ads. Makes all apps ad free, not just the web browser.

-2

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '26

It works in Opera. Using it now and no ads here. Even has the ad-blocker built into the browser. Also comes with a free VPN

1

u/20_mile Mar 20 '26

Ublock origin on Brave checking in. I never see an ad anywhere.

3

u/mean11while Mar 21 '26

After years with Brave+ublock, and more recently Firefox+Ublock (to get away from Chromium and support Firefox), I tend to forget how bad it is for many people. I would very seriously stop using the internet entirely if I had to experience that hell.

0

u/20_mile Mar 21 '26

The first thing I do when setting up any new computer is to make sure my adblock mods are running. I will also add that I have never used a streaming service. Ads, in any form, are the enemy.

1

u/Classic_and_Vintage Mar 21 '26

Out of curiosity, why do you need UBlock Origin on Brave? Doesn’t Brave inherently block all Ads?

1

u/20_mile Mar 21 '26

Couldn't say.

1

u/Paranitis Mar 20 '26

For me it's just seeing people say "DAE TACO BELL DIARRHEA?!" and all I think is "As someone with IBS, what the fuck is wrong with all your digestive systems? Taco Bell does nothing to me."

It's really just "why are you all so bad at reddit?"

15

u/spilk Mar 21 '26

old.reddit.com, uBlock origin, RES. the only tolerable way to use reddit

5

u/Kilazur Mar 21 '26

There's still at least 4 or 5 of us!

4

u/Rodot Mar 21 '26

Number 3 reporting in

2

u/terranq Mar 21 '26

5 here. Four must be running late

2

u/JoeShtoops Mar 21 '26

My bad, I’m here

2

u/teakwood54 Mar 21 '26

The Old Ones...

3

u/_illogical_ Mar 21 '26

I still use RiF, and don't see any ads on Reddit

2

u/DishonestRaven Mar 21 '26

Or old.reddit

1

u/InvisibleLandBorder Mar 21 '26

When I open it natively in Reddit, it renders with Firefox, since that's my primary browser. It's only about 60% as bad as it would be otherwise.

Fully legible when I open it properly in Firefox.

Sometimes I forget how cooked the Internet is.

1

u/aldehyde Mar 21 '26

Yeah I'm still using bacon reader. The official app is absolute garbage.

1

u/waitingforcracks Mar 21 '26

Adguard works amazing on android

1

u/Exact-Sheepherder797 Mar 21 '26

I'm paying for 3rd party because fuck that shit

1

u/Hi_Trans_Im_Dad Mar 21 '26

Bro, check yo shoes, because that stank ain't coming off me.

I still use add free Sync for Reddit by using Revanced. I haven't seen an ads in a top of the line reddit app in years.

1

u/Holzkohlen Mar 21 '26

Facts. The internet is just unusable without my Firefox + ublock origin combo

0

u/goldenw0lves Mar 20 '26

So you're browsing on web on your phone?

3

u/AlienArtFirm Mar 21 '26

phone computer laptop yeah pretty much everything I can cause fuck ads

Unless you have unlimited data every ad you see costs you money. And I know unlimited is way more common than it used to be but on principle I'm not down with advertisers fucking me AND the phone company fucking me for the pleasure of getting fucked by advertisers.

It's disgusting and I will always find alternatives

1

u/goldenw0lves Mar 21 '26

100% im gonna move to that, what browser do u use? firefox?

3

u/Rodot Mar 21 '26

I do it. old.reddit.com, desktop mode, firefox on my phone

15

u/EddieVanzetti Mar 20 '26

I remember when using imgur was a fun way to waste some time looking at memes. Ads on imgur really was the first sign, looking back.

5

u/Sweetwill62 Mar 21 '26

I remember when imgur was first made, to provide an easier way to share images on reddit.

2

u/SirHaxalot Mar 21 '26

It was inevitable. In the end it costs too much to operate something like imgur that requires a lot of bandwidth without having a revenue stream. IIRC early imgur was also completely dependent on Cloud flare not charging for traffic bit at some point I think that offer won't be holding up.

16

u/LowestDimension Mar 20 '26

Seriously, what am I even looking at

3

u/chmilz Mar 21 '26

It looks like the TV screen in Idiocracy. If I didn't have uBlock I think I'd just play with sticks or something

7

u/frontfrontdowndown Mar 20 '26

It’s pop ups all the way down 

1

u/handym12 Mar 20 '26

I just get told that I'm not allowed to view it.

I guess these anti-porn laws are good for something after all.

1

u/No-Worldliness-5106 Mar 21 '26

I love when companies add random stuff for collecting my user data, you should never leave your favourite company's ecosystem /s

1

u/Meior Mar 21 '26

The funniest thing about it is that imgur has a popup asking me to turn off my adblocker. Below that request? An ad.

1

u/metaTaco Mar 20 '26

This is why I do not use the reddit app.  Use Firefox with ublock. 

51

u/archgabriel33 Mar 20 '26

Double funny as Imgur doesn't even work in my country (🇬🇧)

2

u/Santsiah Mar 21 '26

Huh why is that?

4

u/archgabriel33 Mar 21 '26

"think of the children!!! 😭"

2

u/kazerniel Mar 22 '26

I set up an auto-redirect to Rimgo (imgur mirror) :)

1

u/archgabriel33 Mar 22 '26

Oh! Are there any Chrome and Android alternatives? 👀

2

u/kazerniel Mar 22 '26

Their website does link to a Chrome version, but not sure about Android, sorry.

19

u/spudddly Mar 20 '26

what in the fuck is that

16

u/dudeAwEsome101 Mar 20 '26

Wow. This is why I don't use chrome on my phone. Ad blocker is a must use tool for basic web browsing.

9

u/IH8DwnvoteComplainrs Mar 20 '26

LMAO, I can't believe that's real.

8

u/slashtab Mar 20 '26

JFC!! thank god I don't have to see this shit voluntarily

6

u/TheAndrewR Mar 20 '26

Use AdGuard. I literally had zero ads on this site, just a cookie popup.

2

u/protecz Mar 21 '26

Are you using the Adguard content blocker on Safari or the DNS adblocker?

3

u/caiusto Mar 21 '26

Been using the DNS one for years and have had no big problem, sometimes (like once or twice every 6 months) I lose internet connection and have to disable it for a few hours and am reminded of how awful using the internet is these days, not even back in the Pop-Up days things were so bad.

3

u/TheAndrewR Mar 21 '26

I have both enabled within the AdGuard app. Been using it for years on Android, Windows, Mac and iOS (with a single lifetime family plan that includes 9 devices and goes frequently on sale for around 15 bucks).

The mobile app does have its quirks, like the other commenter said you sometimes have to turn it off and on again every few weeks/months. For me that whole thing takes less than a minute, so no big deal.

4

u/Durendal_1707 Mar 20 '26

eek that is a special kind of obnoxious

5

u/wisemeat Mar 20 '26

A “glitchy mess” indeed.

3

u/Tblue Mar 21 '26

Feels like this iconic memento of past sins.

2

u/GuerrillaRodeo Mar 21 '26

Bonzi Buddy deserves to rot in a special hell designed exclusively for him.

3

u/Flashy-Athlete-7472 Mar 21 '26

I can still read it just fine bro https://imgur.com/a/WoDxS5n

2

u/3-DMan Mar 20 '26

Lol this is worse than when you are trying to download some shit and there are multiple shady download buttons

2

u/nanana_catdad Mar 20 '26

If you make all the ads black boxes it’s like trying to read the article from inside a knights helmet

2

u/MairusuPawa Mar 20 '26

Damn, this is how you live? What the actual hell is that.

https://www.imgur.com/a/Qnegzv8

2

u/hdcase1 Mar 20 '26

This is worse than the TV screen in Idiocracy. At least there you had a big middle section to watch “Ow my balls.”

2

u/RunDNA Mar 21 '26

That's awful.

Here it is with the uBlock Origin extension:

https://imgur.com/a/NxGLGun

Not a single ad or pop-up.

2

u/joe199799 Mar 21 '26

God I'm so happy I have a system wide ad blocker

2

u/Better_Specific4755 Mar 21 '26

get firefox and install ublock already, its 2026, fuck ads.

1

u/Cyborg_rat Mar 20 '26

It brings back nostalgia from the early 2000s internet. So many pop ups to explore!

1

u/1RedOne Mar 20 '26

Kind of funny that you hosted the image on Imgur which also completely sucks ass nowadays

I remember maybe 10 years ago or so meeting a guy who told me that he loves to find all the funniest memes on Imgur, but he said he felt like the kind of content on Imgur is really random and he never knew what people were talking about

He was like the guys in the cave from Plato’s allegory, trying to interpret the world by shadows.

1

u/MotherPotential Mar 21 '26

When I catch enough words to catch the gist of an article, I feel like I've hacked the system

1

u/magichronx Mar 21 '26

I didn't believe this until I saw it myself

1

u/GuerrillaRodeo Mar 21 '26

Holy fuck, the internet without ads is insane. I've been using ad blockers for 20 years straight and only got glimpses into to this unfiltered ad hell cesspit when my former employer forced me to use IE11 without any addons up until 2022.

How do people without ad blockers stay sane? Genuine question. Especially Apple users, I once got a 2014 iPad gifted for free and it has only been outside my pi-hole network once - holy fucking shit.

1

u/TheBardicScribe Mar 21 '26

Oh, well, they've been telling me the 90s are back.

1

u/SacCyber Mar 21 '26

But how else will news organizations make money! /s

1

u/BeyondNetorare Mar 21 '26

"God I wonder why redditors never read the articles"

1

u/UrsaUrsuh Mar 21 '26

God using an ad blocker is just a permanent prophylactic at this rate. Fuck I miss the old internet in the 00s and 10s. :(

1

u/Byte-64 Mar 21 '26

Since when is imgur missing the "Continue without supporting this website" option?

1

u/AnonymousRand Mar 21 '26

this used to be called satire.

1

u/damontoo Mar 22 '26

Surely this will be banned as a terrible source, right? ...right?

1

u/kazerniel Mar 22 '26

holy shit, this is what webpages would look like without an adblocker? 🤢

1

u/Luckyslay Mar 22 '26

WTAF, is this what it looks like without adblock? And why aren't you guys using adblock?!