France threw a funeral for Windows 10 — complete with a coffin and chants of Microsoft’s “programmed obsolescence”
French activists organized a funeral ceremony for Windows 10 in October 2025, staging a theatrical protest against Microsoft’s aggressive push toward Windows 11 and broader concerns about planned obsolescence in the technology industry.
The demonstration took place as Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, marking the operating system’s transition out of active maintenance. The symbolic funeral included a coffin and chants protesting what activists characterized as Microsoft’s deliberate strategy to force users into upgrading.
The protest reflects growing frustration with Microsoft’s upgrade tactics, including the use of full-screen, multi-page pop-up advertisements encouraging users to transition to Windows 11. While Windows 11 has begun gaining market traction globally, its implementation has proven controversial due to strict hardware requirements that prevent many users with older devices from upgrading.
These stringent hardware specifications, combined with reported design flaws in Windows 11, have made the transition difficult for a significant portion of the user base. Many users with older computers cannot meet Windows 11’s system requirements, effectively forcing them to either purchase new hardware or remain on an unsupported operating system.
The French activists’ funeral represents broader skepticism regarding corporate practices around software obsolescence and the environmental and economic implications of forcing hardware upgrades when existing devices remain functional. The event underscores growing consumer resistance to aggressive technology upgrade cycles designed to drive new hardware sales.