Anyone out there working on a project to distinguish critical software processes, maybe serving as a source of truth as to why the program is needed? An app that protects the user from bloat, including bloat by the hardware manufacturer?
This is a daft proposition because there is no way in hell (I can guarantee it) that the first Mars colonisation ship will be running an off-the-shelf OS like Windows and a Core i7. No. It will be, from top to bottom, purpose-specific computers and systems tailored exactly for that end.
Further, this is not even about the user. Do you think Microsoft cares about the user? No. If they did, they wouldn't be plastering Windows with ads everywhere. Microsoft, like any other corporation (including Google, Apple or IBM) exist for the sole purpose of extracting monetary value from customers, and generating revenue for stakeholders. It really is that simple.
If you don't want to play the game, you can always build your own Linux distro.