You could also try installing O&O ShutUp10. I've been running it since I installed Windows 10.
You can download it (it's a free app) at https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10.
It nulls out a bunch of telemetry related addresses in your /etc/hosts file, and allows you to configure over a 100 different privacy settings from 1 place.
I do not have time to repeat the efforts outlined by government contractors in the above links with this add on applied, I doubt you do either.
Better for me to avoid the OS altogether.
I don't sweat it because I know I did everything I could on my end to minimize being spied on without it really affecting me in a negative way. Like you said, I don't have time to match the efforts of full time govt employees.
I spent a grand total of 30 minutes researching and tinkering with privacy related settings since I started using Windows 10, and I'm ok with that.
I use the tool I linked not only for modifying my hosts file, but it's a 1 stop menu to access all of Microsoft's scattered privacy settings.
the problem is rather that you think you do - but you don't and can't.
By using Windows, I'm accepting that, and in my case, instead of hunting through 15 different privacy settings screens in the control panel, I use that app to have them all in 1 place.
Given that, I don't care to engage in whack a mole with them. They have the upper hand.
Safe for visual studio and visual studio code users to assume that the IDEs are sending telemetry too.
In my case the best thing is to avoid the OS. And github and whatever else their malign influence could eventually own.
This is a bit like saying that you've never had a problem with your car guzzling gas, or falsifying emissions, and then later casually mentioning that you actually own an electric motorcycle.
To prevent the issue the article spoke of only requires setting (2) options in the standard Microsoft settings, and also not signing in with a Live account.
You don't need additional tools for that.