Windows Weekly #976: “Full Thurrottle”

Recorded: March 25, 2026
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell
Main Theme: Microsoft’s Plan to “Save Windows” in 2026 and the broader state of the Windows ecosystem

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the much-publicized announcement from Microsoft leadership about their concerted plan to “save Windows” in 2026. Hosts Paul Thurrott and Richard Campbell, both seasoned Microsoft analysts, join Leo Laporte for a spirited, in-depth, and sometimes sardonic look at Microsoft’s history of missteps, the significance of new leadership, and the promised reforms aimed at making Windows better, faster, and less user-hostile. They also cover breaking updates for Windows, heavy discussion of the Windows Insider program, news from the gaming world (Xbox, Nintendo), AI advancements, and more.

Microsoft’s “Plan to Save Windows” (02:32–41:55)

The Problem: A Decade of "Insertification"

• Paul: “If you think back to 2015... [Microsoft] did everything they could since then to make people not love Windows.” (02:37)
• Main error: excessive attempts to monetize users post-purchase, leading to bloat (crapware), intrusive telemetry, privacy invasions, and relentless unwanted features (02:53–03:42).
• Heavy-handed tactics peaked with Windows 10’s forced updates and telemetry. Windows 11 took it further with more bundled content and instability.

The Turning Point: Leadership Vacuum and Pavan Davaluri’s Arrival

• Richard: “Terry Myerson leaves... There is no leader of Windows... Windows is in Siberia and has been ever since until Pavan came along. Effectively leaderless.” (08:51–09:08)
• Fragmentation allowed each MS product team to wedge in features without oversight—a “cascading series of errors.”
• Paul credits Davaluri (who took the leadership role in late 2023) with starting a "course correction," including a focus on actual engineering improvements.

The Plan: What’s Changing and What Microsoft Promises

(Paul breaks down the menu of 2026 reforms)

• Performance and UI:
  • “Moving the taskbar” to any side, addressing a top user request (14:57).
  • Drastic speed and reliability improvements for File Explorer (15:57–17:45), especially by reducing the reliance on slow WinUI3 frameworks and Frankenstein layering.
  • Reducing UI latency across start menu/context menus (24:05).
• Update Sanity:
  • Promise of longer pause windows for updates (19:30).
  • Acknowledgment of Windows Update chaos—mixing security and feature updates in one package (20:30–21:26).
  • Opaque and random “Controlled Feature Rollouts” (CFRs) under scrutiny; more transparency and user choice implied (21:28–24:05).
• AI and Copilot:
  • Paul: “The headlines... ‘MS is getting rid of Copilot in Windows’... That’s not happening.” (31:10–31:27)
  • Instead, MS will reduce how “Copilot” appears—removing the icon from places like Notepad but keeping AI-based features as discrete, togglable tools.
  • Richard: “You can leave it in, just don’t force it down my throat!” (31:28–32:24)
• Less Harassment, More Opt-In:
  • Ongoing theme: eliminate relentless “recommendations,” popups, and “nagging” (24:07–26:06).
  • Paul: “Too many things in Windows are opt out or you have to go find a fix... The big exception to this is Recall... They made it opt in. That’s the right approach.” (29:57–31:10)
• Other Notable Additions:
  • Improved resource handling for gaming/handhelds (25:02).
  • Slightly easier WSL installation but, as Paul puts it, “grandma shouldn’t be installing” Linux tools (26:06–26:52).
  • Windows Hello friction and authentication step frustrations—shows MS is hearing complaints but may not solve them well (27:02–28:00).

The Limits: What Remains Unaddressed (28:00–38:16)

• Paul: “They only address one of the things on my ‘Windows Insertification Checklist’... Forced telemetry, forced MS account sign-in, bundled crapware, forced Edge, Edge harassment—not addressed.” (28:00–31:10)
• Large structural issues (telemetry, crapware, forced account requirements, opt-out design) left unsolved, merely “papered over.”

Memorable Quote:

“Fundamentally what we’re asking for is: do the work to make this thing better rather than put superficial features on the surface that just annoy most people.”
—Paul Thurrott (35:17)

Windows Update Disasters & Windows Insider Woes (42:16–48:35)

• January and March Patch Tuesdays both required emergency out-of-band fixes; March broke MS Account sign-in (43:22–43:48).
• User confusion with patch types and Insider channels. Dev/Beta/Canary branches are now so convoluted, even Paul admits “this is not difficult, but… they make it complicated. It’s very strange.” (46:36)
• Richard: “I think as [Insider program] gets scrutinized, they’re going to reorganize itself.” (45:44)

Developer News: Visual Studio Code & TypeScript 6.0 (48:49–52:36)

• Visual Studio Code adds integrated browser and more AI-centric features (53:00).
• Big news: TypeScript 6.0 is last under the existing architecture; 7.0 will be based on Go and vastly faster (49:14–50:34).
• Microsoft launches a major update to “Generative AI for Beginners” .NET course (51:32).

AI News: MAI Image 2, Sora, Adobe Firefly, ARM/Qualcomm Drama (58:26–72:03)

Microsoft’s Own AI Model: MAI Image 2

• Emphasizes high-quality photo-realistic image generation for creators—“for people like me who want an image for their web page.” (59:15)
• Adobe’s Firefly model now supports style training (59:56).

OpenAI Sora "Killed" as Stand-alone

• Sora (video generation) sunset as OpenAI pivots to enterprise model/money-making; “fun” models not a priority (60:56).

ARM Enters the Data Center

• ARM, historically a licenser, is now producing its own server chips for AI/data centers, partnering with Meta and others (65:11).
• Big potential disruption to Intel/AMD, focus on efficiency per watt (64:10–65:40).

Apple, Google & the AI Assistant Arms Race (73:09–76:30)

• WWDC 2026 teased for June; Apple expected to double down on Gemini AI (Google), conversational Siri.
• Ongoing Apple “smoke and mirrors” criticism for demoing things that never ship (74:21).
• Paul: “MS is busy not putting Copilot everywhere; Apple will put Siri on all the things.” (76:30)

Xbox News & Gaming (86:32–103:32)

Project Helix: The Future of Xbox

• Next-gen Xbox will be “PC-based,” open to all developers, compatible with PC games, Steam, etc. (87:08)
• Paul: The future is "build once, run anywhere"—“the original Java dream,” but will legacy console libraries integrate? (88:00–90:44)

March Xbox Update

(For Insiders; full rollout expected April)

• Revamped dashboard, customizable settings, dynamic backgrounds tied to games (91:45).
• 1,500+ games now support Play Anywhere (92:32).
• “Stream your games” gets new titles including Marathon, Resident Evil (93:17–94:32).

Nintendo Switch 2 Update:

• Switch 2 selling fast (19–20 million units), but production curbed due to rising RAM/component costs (97:27–98:24).
• Leo: “I tried to get one, couldn’t... It’s $450!” (99:04)
• Paul: “I like the idea of a console you can just take with you and plug into your TV.” (100:42)

Fortnite & The Metaverse’s “Death”

• Epic lays off 1,000 employees as Fortnite engagement and in-game spending slows (103:24–108:25).
• Meta "Metaverse" has failed—not because of lack of interest, but “people don’t like wearing things on their faces.” (110:09–111:00)
• The true metaverse is Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite “without goggles.” Roblox: 380 million MAUs; Fortnite: 650 million registered. (110:37–111:00)
• Paul: “This company has 650 million active people playing and they have to lay off people... I guess they've stopped spending money.” (111:28)

Back of the Book/Tips (114:41–135:52)

Paul’s Tip: Free Books for Premium Subscribers (116:41)

• All self-published Windows books, including De-Insurify Windows 11, are now free with annual Thurrott Premium memberships.

Paul’s App Pick – Browser Roundup (119:19)

• Major browser updates across Firefox (split view, 50GB VPN), Opera, Vivaldi (auto-hide, Gemini), Opera GX for Linux, Perplexity for iOS.

Richard’s Enterprise Corner – RunAs Radio (122:00)

• Latest: Desired State Configuration for M365 tenants, keeping organizational cloud settings aligned via DSC.

Richard’s Whisky Pick (124:17)

• Redemption High Rye Bourbon
• Made with a high rye content but exceptionally smooth; the inside scoop on American whiskey "branding" and how mega-distillers sell to small labels.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Paul Thurrott (re: Microsoft’s approach):
  “Too many things in Windows are opt-out. ... The right approach is opt-in.” (29:57–31:10)
• Richard Campbell on the new Windows update model:
  “What are you even learning with a CFR rollout? ... The whole CFR channel should be opt-in!” (22:51)
• Paul on leadership changes, Windows 11:
  “Windows 11 as originally conceived was just lipstick on a pig. There were no foundational advances at all.” (12:49)
• On the metaverse’s supposed death:
  “People don’t like wearing things on their faces, and moreover, don’t trust people who do.” —citing Neal Stephenson (110:09)
• On gaming industry layoffs:
  “This company [Epic/Fortnite] has 650 million active people playing and they have to lay off people... I guess they've stopped spending money.” (111:28)
• Leo Laporte:
  “Windows really has a legacy support issue. They have to support all users, famously. ... Apple just says ‘buy a new computer.’” (39:16)
• Leo Laporte:
  “My position on AI is: you can leave it in, just don’t force it down my throat.” (32:19)

Additional Segments and Timestamps

• [00:00–02:32] Banter, Green Room Stories
• [14:57] Taskbar flexibility
• [17:45–18:44] File Explorer/Start Menu performance deep dive
• [19:30–24:05] Update pause and opt-in/out debate
• [41:55–46:36] Patch Tuesday woes, Insider channel confusion
• [48:49–52:36] Dev segment: Visual Studio Code, TypeScript
• [58:26–72:03] AI, ARM/Qualcomm, Sora news
• [73:09–76:30] Apple/Google/AI assistant rivalry
• [86:32–103:32] Xbox, Nintendo, Fortnite, metaverse
• [114:41–119:19] Tips, books, browser picks
• [122:00–135:52] RunAs Radio, whisky, show closing

Summary

Tone: Irreverent, deeply knowledgeable, and filled with wry frustration at Microsoft’s historic and ongoing user-hostile decisions—but hopeful that real change is starting, “for real this time.”
Takeaway: Microsoft has made public and private promises to reverse a decade of bloat and user harassment in Windows, sparked under new leadership. Real engineering improvements are arriving, but the roots of the problems run deep, and only some are being addressed so far. Users remain wary but optimistic—cautiously, as ever.

For New Listeners:

This episode is a must-listen for anyone ambivalent about Windows’ future, wondering if Microsoft can turn the ship around—or just wanting to understand the (still messy) state of play in Windows, Xbox, AI, and the broader tech ecosystem.