Well, there is a reason for everything.
Simplest one would be updates: It's forced because people were disabling it. Microsoft was hearing all the time: Viruses, shit, crap infecting my winshit, holes and issues that aren't solved.
"Sir, do you have latest update that deals with those issues and holes? Plus security updates that keep system safe from some threats?" "Lol, nope, my updates are disabled. Fix your system!"
Pretty much, so they just forced updates like a lot of systems do... Nothing new here. It's not because they wanted to push their shit (I am not saying they don't, it's just abusing those updates from their side), but to deal with whining idiot customers. Keep in mind, that most of windows users don't even know what directx is or even that it exists.
From security perspective, silent updates are great, because it removes a lot of issues for people that don't understand or care to understand.
Also, where is that "slow and painful destruction"? In terms of optimization and performance, w7 is utter shit compared to w10. More like bullshit argument because I don't like having forced updates.
Well, I don't like lootboxes and microtransactions, but guess what? People let them roll with it, but it's the same reason: People don't give a fuck, so companies take advantage of that. It's the same case, but reversed, people whined about security but didn't have their updates on, so company went ahead to solve it, just like EA went ahead and pushed money milking into their games. Difference is, one of those has positive end result in long run (still can be and is abused to a point, let's not forget about that).
Just like lack of any antivirus and anti-malware: Hey, nothing visible happened to me so far, so I will be fine. Yeah, Jimmy was speeding everyday for 20 years and nothing happened, until that one day when it did. RIP Jimmy.
As for the design... Depends on person as it's subjective, personally find tiles as a great thing where I can have my most needed stuff on another layer instead of having shitload of crap on my desktop (yeah, not a single icon, it's clean), so I can have more windows open on multi screen without needing to minimize everything just to open another app. Yes, I am using start screen instead of start menu.
Skype - I agree, they fucked it up bad, really bad. And? Thanks to that we now have Discord, which is much better than what Skype was, before and after Microshit meddling. Stuff changes, especially in technology field, where it's quite dynamic, there is no point being stuck in the past too long. That's what old people do because they can't adapt to world changing, so they whine about it. Pretty much same thing.
Minecraft... Last time I played it, that game still wasn't in hands of Microflaccid, but I do remember how bad it was at times. Being made in Java was it's Achilles heel... Fucking use something that's suited better for that task. So yeah, it wasn't so good back then, quite the opposite in the long run. I am not aware what Microcrap did to Mineshit, because I don't fucking care, so I can't comment on it. But, as long as mods are still available, it shouldn't be as much of an issue if modding community can deal with it.
One way or another: Don't like Windows? There are alternatives and a lot of them are free. "But muh games!". Well, too bad I guess? But hey, if enough people will switch to, let's say some linux distro, companies will start making games for that system. Can't wait? Need to consume now? Then there is your answer as to why it's in a way it is.