You can still use an Android phone without the Google Play store if you use a custom rom such as LineageOS. I do not not have a Google account set on my Motorola E LTE.

Haha, good one. I have an Android device since last year (a dumb phone before then), so I am guilty of that one. I try to restrict use as much as possible (I have no Google account). I'll maybe try to install a Lineage OS on it, if that's possible (but afaik that's still Android so there's that).

Privacy wise, I am not sure if an IDevice would be such a bad decision. But afaik they're phoning home still and I have to trust them...

It's not necessarily a hyped overreaction if those things matter to the people switching. Some people actually care about those things that have changed enough to switch to a different OS that doesn't have those issues.

If you're talking about the kernel and subsystems underpinning Win 10, I'd agree, but the user experience is a severe downgrade from even Windows 8.

It depends on your definition of "best". I agree with you from a technical point of view but this is not my sole decision criterion.

I had setup an Active Directory server on a Raspberry Pi for serving my Windows 7 clients. I would have loved to continue using Windows as I think it is great technology. However I was switching because of some crucial decisions by Microsoft:

1. Shoving unwanted "features" along with security updates. As much as I understand Microsoft in wanting a more uniform landscape this is a no-go for me. The only reason I was not hit by the Windows 10 mandatory upgrade was the fact I had the machines in an AD domain (or at least I suspect so).

2. Phoning home without any recourse for me to even know what is collected. How long it is stored. Remember: innocent data today could bring me in trouble tomorrow. Collection can change any time without me even noticing.

A fresh installation of Windows 10 Professional has advertisements for Candy Crush in the start menu. I don't think anyone's overreacting.