According to ExtremeTech, Dave Plummer, the retired Microsoft engineer who actually created Windows Task Manager, has released a detailed YouTube critique arguing that Windows “sucks” for many users. While he acknowledges the core OS kernel remains powerful for gaming, development, and business through technologies like DirectX and Active Directory, he says the user-facing layers constantly get in the way. Plummer specifically calls out Microsoft’s approach of adding guardrails and hiding complex tools, which he argues patronizes experienced users who then often switch to Linux or macOS. His solution is a proposed “Professional Mode” that would disable all promotional notifications, ads, and unnecessary prompts while consolidating controls and making advanced tools standard. He also wants Microsoft to stop pushing Microsoft accounts during setup and respect users who prefer local accounts.
What Professional Mode would actually do
Plummer’s vision for Windows Professional Mode is basically everything power users have been begging for. We’re talking about an OS that stops trying to sell you things – no more Candy Crush ads in your Start Menu, no more “try Edge” notifications, no more constant upgrade prompts. It would treat tools like Windows Terminal and OpenSSH as first-class citizens instead of buried options. And here’s the really interesting part: it would treat Linux environments on Windows as equals rather than second-class citizens.
But here’s the thing – Microsoft has been down this road before with various “pro” and “enterprise” SKUs. The problem is they’ve never fully committed to removing the consumer cruft. Even Windows 11 Pro still comes with all the same bloatware and nag screens as the Home edition. Plummer’s argument is that there’s a whole class of users – the people who fix computers for friends and family, the developers, the IT pros – who shape public opinion about technology. When these influencers get fed up, they jump ship.
Microsoft’s fundamental dilemma
So why doesn’t Microsoft just build this? It comes down to a classic platform problem. Microsoft wants Windows to be everything to everyone – the friendly beginner OS that holds your hand, and the powerful professional tool that gets out of your way. These goals are fundamentally at odds. You can’t have an OS that both hides complexity from novices and exposes all the knobs to experts simultaneously.
And let’s be honest – there’s money in those guardrails. Microsoft Account integration means more services revenue. Pre-installed apps mean partnership deals. The entire Windows ecosystem has become a platform for upselling. A true Professional Mode would potentially cut into those revenue streams. Plummer acknowledges this might come at an extra cost, but argues that users who know what they want would happily pay for an OS that respects their time and intelligence.
The real cost of annoying power users
Look, I’ve watched this happen for years. The developers and IT professionals who used to swear by Windows are increasingly on MacBooks or running Linux. They’re not leaving because the Windows kernel is bad – they’re leaving because the daily experience feels like fighting with your computer. When you’re trying to get work done, every unnecessary prompt, every hidden setting, every “are you sure?” dialog adds up to death by a thousand paper cuts.
For businesses that rely on Windows for specialized applications, this friction has real costs. Whether it’s manufacturing floors running custom software or control rooms needing reliable systems, the trend toward consumer-friendly interfaces often comes at the expense of professional workflow efficiency. Companies that need robust, distraction-free computing environments sometimes turn to specialized providers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs, because they offer the stability and simplicity that modern Windows sometimes lacks.
Plummer’s critique hits at something fundamental: operating systems used to be tools that empowered users. Now they feel like platforms that manage users. His YouTube video isn’t just another complaint – it’s a blueprint for how Microsoft could win back the very people who made Windows successful in the first place. The question is whether Microsoft is still listening to the engineers who built their empire, or if they’re too busy chasing the next casual user.
