As more and more people are being forced to switch to Windows 11, Microsoft's most AI-malware-ridden OS yet, I've been putting together articles and links for how to undo the damage and save your battery, your RAM, your disk space, your privacy, and your sanity from this bullshit.

FIRST:

The easiest way to get rid of the majority of the bullshit that Windows is forcing on us, as of October 2025, is this one-stop-one-click debloat solution from a modern day hero:

It's very easy, even if you're not tech savvy or get scared of pop up windows saying "ARE YOU SURE?" Yes, you are sure, I promise. This program takes maybe two minutes and will save you SO MUCH pain, time, and money (and exploitation).

Now that you've done that, here's the cleanup, to catch the little shit that the debloat might have missed (most of this will already be done by debloat, but hey, it's good to double check).

Even just reading about some of these features makes me angry. Fucking Copilot and "Discover" AI scrapers are in Notepad. NOTEPAD. And then there's this uncanny valley garbage:

ALT

No uncanny valley video calls for me, thanks! (Also, what else is it doing while it scans your face and listens to your calls? What else, microsoft? Because there was a lot of memory being assigned to this program for a simple "smooths your skin" add on).

The truly insane number of places they have stuck ads on your own home computer is sickening. Become Unmarketable.

Bonus:

Some background programs you probably don't need that are taking up space and how to remove them (Microsoft forums, 2024)

Your Samsung Galaxy Phone comes with 22 apps you don't need (Android Police, 2025)

How to disable the AI in firefox (still the only browser that lets you do this permanently) (Windows Report, 2025)

decentralize and clean up your life!!!

• use overdrive, libby, hoopla, cloudlibrary, and kanopy instead of amazon and audible.
• use firefox instead of chrome or opera (both are made with chromium, which blocks functionality for ad-blockers. firefox isn't based on chromium).
• use mega or proton drive instead of google drive.
• get rid of bloatware
• use libreoffice instead of microsoft office suite
• use vetted sites on r/FREEMEDIAHECKYEAH for free movies, books, games, etc.
• use trakt or letterboxd instead of imdb.
• use storygraph instead of goodreads.
• use darkpatterns to find mobile game with no ads or microtransactions
• use ground news to read unbiased news and find blind spots in news stories.
• use mediahuman or cobalt to download music, or support your favorite artists directly through bandcamp
• make youtube bearable by using mtube, newpipe, or the unhook extension on chrome, firefox, or microsoft edge
• use search for a cause or ecosia to support the environment instead of google
• use thriftbooks to buy new or used books (they also have manga, textbooks, home goods, CDs, DVDs, and blurays)
• use flashpoint to play archived online flash games
• find books, movies, games, etc. on the internet archive! for starters, here's a bunch of David Attenborough documentaries and all of the Animorphs books
• burn your music onto cds
• use pdf24 (available online or as a desktop app) instead of adobe
• use unroll.me to clean your email inboxes
• use thunderbird, mailfence, countermail, edison mail, tuta, or proton mail instead of gmail
• remove bloatware on windows PC, macOS, and iOS X
• remove bloatware on samsung X
• use pixelfed instead of instagram or meta
• use NCH suite for free software like a file converter, image editor, video editors, pdf editor, etc.

feel free to add more alternatives, resources or advice in the reblogs or replies, and i'll add them to the main post <3

last updated: march 18th 2025

I didn’t know this on my first read, but all the fuckery with Jonathan’s letters is SUCH a classic gothic lit element, seen primarily with women. A great example is The Woman in White, where the female characters have to go to wild lengths to make sure the mail they send is actually making it out of the house. Even when they know it’s being tampered with or stolen, they have to mask this knowledge, because they live in the power of the ones doing it and would only endanger themselves if they brought it up. Being in a position where the only power you have is putting words to paper, and even that is being stolen from you.

Anyway this has been post #462 of how much I love our gothic Heroine Jonathan Harker

Cinematic parallels

Happy 2 weeks until our Dear Friend Jonathan Harker embarks upon his foodie adventure, to all who celebrate.

I, for one, hope his trip is uneventful, and that he brings home a delicious chicken paprika recipe.