Windows Weekly 969: The Hidden Sweatshop – Windows 11 Reaches 1 Billion Users!
Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell
Episode Overview
In this episode of Windows Weekly, the hosts—Paul Thurrott reporting from Mexico City, Richard Campbell from Stockholm, and Leo Laporte—dive deep into the latest happenings in Microsoft's world. They analyze Microsoft’s recent earnings, celebrate Windows 11 surpassing 1 billion users, critique the “enshittification” of Windows, discuss shifting strategies regarding AI, and explore notable updates in security and quality for the Windows platform. The show wraps up with spirited debates around monetization, open source software challenges, trends in AI and gaming, and the latest movements in the whiskey world.
Key Topics & Discussion Points
1. Windows 11 Hits 1 Billion Users
Timestamps: [03:12]-[05:43]
- Satya Nadella, in a post-earnings call, nonchalantly announced that Windows 11 surpassed 1 billion users.
- Paul Thurrott: “He kind of kept going. Wow, that’s an interesting thing for me because you may recall with Windows 10, Terry Meyerson promised that they'd get to a billion … but it took, I want to say, four and a half years… So Windows 11 got there faster than Windows 10, despite all the supposed hate.” [03:13]
- Context around changing counting methods: Windows 10 included all device types; Windows 11 mostly counts PCs and users.
2. Leadership, Windows’ Place at Microsoft, & Quality Pledge
Timestamps: [05:43]-[09:00]
- Discussion around the new Windows leader, Pavan Davaluri, and Microsoft's shifting priorities.
- Richard Campbell: "Windows used to wag Microsoft and now it doesn’t...They’ve got to figure out how to live like that." [06:41]
- Microsoft is promising to focus on performance, reliability, and experience in Windows this year, reminiscent of similar pledges from Apple.
3. The “Enshittification” of Windows
Timestamps: [08:30]-[13:33], [23:51]-[27:43], [30:04]-[51:38]
- Paul and the team discuss the increasing intrusion of advertising, telemetry, and bloatware—what Paul calls the "enshittification" of Windows.
- Evolution of bad user experience from Windows 8 through 10 to 11, with key issues:
- Forced OneDrive folder backups and dark patterns
- Edge browser defaults and aggressive data importation
- Privacy-opaque telemetry
- Loss of user trust by undermining explicit choices
Paul Thurrott:
“I’ve been complaining about what we now call the in-shittification of Windows for years and years...This is like a trial balloon of sorts. And sure enough, Windows 10… introduced most of the list of things that we would say is Windows today and certified or whatever started in Windows 10.” [08:30]
4. AI Strategy Rethink at Microsoft
Timestamps: [07:23]-[14:54]
- Rumors and internal reports suggest Microsoft is reevaluating how AI features are integrated into Windows 11, especially as some features are limited to Copilot+ PCs.
- Richard Campbell: “I told me I needed 40 tops. I brought you 1500 and you don’t care.” [14:39] (On the hardware requirements for Copilot+)
- Paul’s view: The real concern isn’t AI per se, but the artificial segmentation created by tying features only to specific hardware SKUs.
5. Security & Quality: New Initiatives and Leadership
Timestamps: [15:36]-[21:55]
- Microsoft restructuring security and quality engineering, appointing new EVPs (Charlie Bell for engineering quality, Hayet Galot for security).
- This move may tie into recent security failures and drive focus on foundational improvements, including the Windows Resiliency Initiative and increased use of secure hardware features.
6. Update Cadence & UI Evolution
Timestamps: [21:40]-[28:51]
- Pace of Windows feature updates has shifted: now one yearly feature update, but monthly cumulative/quality updates have accelerated.
- Ongoing technical changes (e.g., in 24H2 and ARM64 builds) represent “under the hood” work, but much is invisible to regular users.
7. Monetization, ARPU Obsession, and Open Source’s “Hidden Sweatshop”
Timestamps: [33:29]-[35:53]
- Microsoft and Apple shift focus to ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) via service revenue rather than software sales.
- Leo Laporte: “It’s all about service revenue now…this is what happens when people who know spreadsheets work around the world.” [33:54]
- Discussion on open source maintainers’ burnout, “the hidden sweatshop that is open source challenge.” [35:28]
8. Practical Guidance: De-‘Ens*ifying’ Windows**
Timestamps: [55:46]-[63:23]
- Paul’s evolving approach to Windows guides: focus now is on mitigating Microsoft's “bad behaviors” (privacy, forced settings, Edge/OneDrive pushes) and helping users regain control.
- Leo: “It was driving me nuts...that was the last straw for me when Windows…” [55:28]
9. Windows Updates, New Features and Sysmon Integration
Timestamps: [64:41]-[68:44]
- Patch Tuesday schedule and alignment between 24H2 and 25H2: same features, compressed timelines.
- Sysmon, a key sysinternals diagnostic tool, to become an integrated Windows feature.
- Leo Laporte: “Sysinternals is literally the first thing I install on a new Windows box.” [68:33]
10. Microsoft Earnings Analysis & AI Investment Concerns
Timestamps: [69:11]-[87:08]
- Microsoft reported robust quarterly financials but faced tough analyst questions regarding massive AI infrastructure spending versus actual return (ROI).
- Paul Thurrott: “Microsoft lost $357 billion of value in less than 24 hours. That is the biggest wipeout…for Microsoft.” [73:58]
- Debate over how much of current AI investment is justified against “promised” future earnings—dubbed “the wimpy school of economics.”
- Industry-wide context: Similar issues at AMD, Nvidia, Apple, Google.
11. AI Ecosystem, Content Licensing, and Open Standards
Timestamps: [96:52]-[108:39]
- Microsoft’s moves to create a content licensing marketplace for AI training data (“Publisher Content Marketplace”).
- Anthropic’s Super Bowl ads touting ad-free experiences versus ChatGPT, raising questions of advertising’s effect on trust and results.
- Wide-ranging discussion on how open standards and model portability are key, rapid proliferation of AI models, and unique stickiness/transferability for users’ customizations.
12. Gaming and Xbox Developments
Timestamps: [111:33]-[117:40]
- New AMD-powered Xbox anticipated as early as 2027.
- Poor Xbox hardware and content revenue performance for the holiday quarter; year-over-year hardware sales down 32%, content/services down 5%.
- Updates on Game Pass, EA, and Nintendo’s strong Switch performance.
13. Back of the Book: Practical Tips & Whiskey Tour
Timestamps: [119:22]-[147:17]
Paul’s Tips
- OneDrive Folder Backup Avoidance: Detailed, step-by-step timing instructions on how to prevent forced OneDrive backup when setting up a fresh Windows install.
- App Pick: Bitwarden – Endorsed as the best free/cheap open-source password manager, with Proton Pass as an alternative, and comments on the failure of LastPass to remain user-friendly or secure.
Richard’s Whiskey Tour: Glendronach
- In-depth history, technical notes, and a photo-tour of Glendronach distillery in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
- Explains the evolution of their sherry cask aging, recent changes, and the transition in master distillers (from Billy Walker to Dr. Rachel Barrie).
- Showcases unique production processes, warehouse practices, and the latest limited releases.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Paul Thurrott (on AI limitations):
“I told me I needed 40 tops. I brought you 1500 and you don’t care.” [14:39]
Leo Laporte (on monetization):
“It’s all about service revenue now...This is what happens when people who know spreadsheets work around the world.” [33:54]
Paul Thurrott (on open source):
“This is the hidden sweatshop that is open source challenge.” [35:28]
Paul Thurrott (on Microsoft’s AI gamble):
“This is literally gambling... You’re claiming over a 5 to 10 to 12 year lifespan, that the thing has been accounted for, but you haven’t got that money yet.” [71:54]
Leo Laporte (on burn-out in open source):
“The guy who wrote Sudo ... says: I’m kind of tired. Can somebody take this away from me? I don’t want to do it anymore.” [35:04]
Paul Thurrott (on guiding Windows users today):
“I have become like the de-enshittification guide to Windows.” [56:29]
Richard Campbell (on the future of Xbox):
“That’s about it from the stuff I recognize…” [112:22]
Useful Timestamps
- Windows 11’s user milestone: [03:12]-[05:43]
- Leadership & Windows focus: [05:43]-[07:15]
- Quality/AI focus statement: [07:30]-[09:00]
- Enshittification, dark patterns: [08:30]-[35:53]
- AI strategy reevaluation: [13:38]-[14:54]
- Security & quality roles: [15:36]-[21:55]
- Economic analysis & earnings deep-dive: [69:11]-[87:08]
- Open source burnout: [35:04]-[35:53]
- Paul’s OneDrive setup tip: [119:22]-[121:10]
- Whiskey segment (Glendronach): [126:13]-[147:17]
Language & Tone
- Conversational, candid, and often wry.
- Paul is analytical but direct, sometimes playfully cynical; Richard provides historical/technical depth; Leo steers conversation and underlines user frustrations.
- Occasional tongue-in-cheek jabs about monetization, open source hardship, and tech industry "villainy."
Conclusion
This episode delivers in-depth technical analysis, much-needed critique of user experience trends in Windows, and expert-level banter about Microsoft’s evolving strategies in AI, security, and monetization. For users, admins, and tech-watchers, the on-air chemistry, practical tips, and historical context make this a highly instructive and entertaining listen.
For Additional Details or to Listen:
Episode 969: The Hidden Sweatshop on TWiT