I didn't lost confidence in Windows 7 nor Windows 10. What I lost was only the last completely irrational hope that commercial systems could ever be as open and private with the end-user as non-commercial.

Microsoft (among other corporations in this field) is a major player. Their products are as the vision of Microsoft is - useful, productive, synced, always available (and profitable). They just aren't made for privacy. Because privacy (or software builded with privacy in mind) isn't profitable - it requires some fundamental code change. Yes, that's absolutely something that Microsoft should do, but the financial-headed interest won't make this happen.

Honestly, how many of non-business Windows users had bought Windows (and/or Office) out of privacy? I really hardly doubt that anyone. Many, if not all, bought Windows, because it's known. Because our favorite apps are running only on Windows. Because I have all the files and mails synced and available wherever I am in the world. Because it cares about all the things, so I don't need to. Because I've seen a friend, a helper - something that will make my life easier. And not out of privacy.

We just clicked "I agree to the EULA, ToS and PP", rarely to read any paragraph and thinking about consequences of the legal stuff we accepted. And if now the time has come (out of whatever reason) - we can always leave those Terms and Policies behind - the problem is that maybe we just won't get that what we got in Windows. Maybe we don't have the time, the interest, the power, the concentration to afford a change in our daily life habits. It's just easier the say "Meh. I don't like it. Honestly it's against what I'm standing for - but.. I like the comfort". And that's OK - as long as we don't present it as an issue. It's not a legitimate reason to feel offended by something that actually is written in those law papers we accepted by using the "issue".

I'm not saying that Microsoft behavior is good for freedom or privacy - it absolutely isn't. But it's up to us how we'll react to that.

And Linux is always a possibility.