Microsoft following Apple practices on apps?

2 examples ahead.

I absolutely like using Windows Mail, but in the recent time I've been finding annoying messages and redirects trying to force me to use "the new Outlook", but I don't want to; this new app would auto install without my consent, I removed it but it would come back again despite blocking Windows Update and setting the preference of auto update apps to NO. After repetition, I thought "ah... ok, let's try it", so I tried, but it reported an error saying I must install Microsoft Edge in order to use the new Outlook, arrhh!!!! I don't even use Edge! at all!!!, so, on one of my computers I just went back to use eMClient as my email app.

Next.

I work with PDF's, a lot. It's quite common for me to have multiple PDF apps on the same computer, like: Adobe Acrobat Pro, XodoPDF, Drawboard PDF, and "Reader", the one that comes with Windows. I use one or the other depending the case, and "Reader" has been my favorite due to speed for specific cases, this thing is really fast, like... fast. But now I can't use it, as it reports the same thing pushing me to use EDGE for PDF reading.

These things often happen in the Apple ecosystem, it doesn't matter if you want to use an older app to open an older document that is absolutely compatible: nooo... they won't let you. I'm-not-liking-this-at-all!!!!!

What do you think?

Right, dalchina, accurate description of events.

At the moment, I'm actually using Sumatra as my lightweight PDF reader. It's quite fast.

dalchina said:

There isn't a really neat freeware program I like. I might have to turn to the one in Thunderbird- but for reminders to work, I'm going to have to keep whatever 3rd party calendar I use running. Plus move reminders to it of course, including periodic ones.

In case you haven't tried, check eM Client, it's free, looks a lot like Windows Mail, and it has it's own calendar and reminder features. This is what I'm using on my Surface at the moment. Used it years ago in the past and liked it a lot, now I'm back using it as MS tied their products together way too much. I can understand this to certain degree, but I don't exactly agree on having such apps tied together consuming soooo much space, while other apps like eM client do the job better.