"...they just want to double click an icon and it gets installed and creates a nice shortcut on their desktop."
You do realize that Windows 2000 does this just fine, right?
"Disabled <b>all</b> the phone home stuff using one of several specially designed tools that do it for you at the click of a button."
No you didn't. Also, by accepting the EULA, you have agreed to this behavior. So when updates reset those that you were able to change, you haven't a legal leg to stand on in the US.
"The internet is full of Windows programs to download to do what you want, <b>it is not full of linux programs.</b>"
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
