One is always left with the impression Microsoft thinks their users are ignorant, for lack of a better word.

Of course, along with all those users who Microsoft treats as ignorant, again for lack of a better word, there are some very sharp people who use Windows -- who will perhaps take offense at any criticism of Microsoft -- no offence intended! (I am just not smart enough to feel confident with Windows myself -- too complicated.)

What is amusing to me about this incident is that I imagine Microsoft would argue that "Monad/Powershell" is aimed at its so-called "power users". Apparently these "power users" would not notice or would need something like this?

Intentionally or not, Microsoft is targeting beginners, not "power users" -- tactics like this leverage the popularity of the curl and wget programs and at the same time prevent beginners from learning how to use those programs, not to mention the long history behind them.

Disclaimer: I prefer nc, socat and tnftp myself; I have no bias in favor of curl or wget.