You are now the head of Microsoft Windows development. What changes do you make?

"accidentally" remove all code.... 😈

I agree with you- add pinball back.

Change the kernel to Linux and implement a windows subsystem for legacy apps.

Introducing windows cloud desktop for subscription. Having your operating system and personal data everywhere where you go, just log into the nearest computer.

Jack up prices and profit $$$

Disable forced updates as soon as you enable Developer mode in the Windows settings. Windows Update → for developers → Developer mode

I actually have a plan for if this would happen to me. First things first is I would do what @heyheni would do; remake Windows as a Unix-like system. I don't know if I would add a current Windows compatibility layer...

Instead, I would have another team make a Windows for compatibility with current and former Windows binaries. There's more, but I want to keep at least some ideas to myself ;)

Rewrite the operating system, instead of building on predecessors, write a Linux kernel based OS that will accept EXEs and a Windows subsystem.

Introduce this OS as a potential Insider build. If deemed successful, spin it off and market it as a professional and productive environment.

Focus Windows as more of a service than an all around OS. Since doing everything shitty, make separate OSs as specialized variants of OSs. Windows 10 S, Windows 10 Gaming, so on so forth.

Remove edge or ie make Firefox default browser and bring back paint

Remove that stupid thing where app the settings are reset after updating.

Change C#/.NET codebase to Java or JS

Start from scratch.

@qsoomro literally write it in scratch? That would be epic.

@qsoomro 30+ years of development gone down the drain then? NICE! 😊

Put mspaint back into life, delete all releases post windows xp, except vs code.

@vedipen Dude, what's wrong with you? 😂

Make the UI consistent.

Pull an apple.

Rebuild it from scratch, probably using Linux or BSD and build a compatibility layer like apple did with "classic" for what would be legacy applications.

Open source the new system, don't open source the compatibility app, but keep the compatibility app around only for a limited time. So developers must upgrade their systems eventually. A kinda grey way to an open operating system, but I heard rumours that windows couldn't be open sourced due to acquired third party code or something. Whatever, might be true, might not be, but to give benefit of the doubt the compatibility layer which may include parts of windows can be closed for to entertain that arguement but the new system is free of that.

So... After reading all the comments, as a community, we'd take Microsoft, turn it into Linux and add pinball

@GhostFish shut up and take my money.

Make it open source, push the update to revive MS Paint

Obligitary bring pinball back as well.

Simple: Bring Windows Millennium back.