No longer about providing a useful product to the end user. All about extracting personal and behavioural information while enshittifying the tech and “making deals” with hardware tech bros.
Windows 11 feels awful to use. My home laptop whirrs like crazy because it feels the need to download updates so often. There’s a bunch of creepy processes/tasks running all the time. I tried to disable as many as I could, but some they prevent users from deleting. You don’t want your laptop to run the “UsageAndQualityInsights” task every day? Well TOO BAD!
Windows 11 forces updates whenever it can. If I close the lid on my laptop, which should put it in a light sleep, I will sometimes open it up to it being restarted, so all my previously open programs being closed, because I guess they wanted to forcefully make me get their latest updates, potential unsaved work be damned. They don’t care at all what you want, just “too bad, we know what’s best for you.”
There are so many basic bugs that I’m surprised exist. I have to use ExplorerPatcher to get some sense of normalcy back. The UI in some ways is so frustrating. Every time I want to use the calendar, it shows a giant empty blob for “notifications”, even though I disable all notifications… why still show me this waste of space? I just want a calendar when I click the date…
I was shocked to find out that the inability to drag files onto applications in order to do basic drag-and-drop functionality is not a thing anymore. Why?! (I think ExplorerPatcher fixes this on my home laptop, but on my work laptop which also uses Windows 11 I am baffled by this every time I forget and try to drag a file onto a taskbar icon.)
It sucks having to constantly look up various tips, tricks, and hacks to make the operating system slightly bearable in all these little ways. “Here’s how you can disable OneDrive which apparently had a habit of removing people’s files whoopsie, here’s how you can disable Copilot which had a super helpful feature where it literally just snapshots pictures of your screen all the time haha how helpful and totally not creepy, here’s how you can bring back the normal right-click menu.” But it only can do so much, and it’s exhausting.
I feel like it’s not “my computer,” it feels like the most “Big Brother” operating system ever; it always feels like “something” is watching me or lurking in the background reporting back to some giant Microsoft data center on what I’m doing, what my files are, etc. It’s just this really creepy feeling. I feel “gross” when I use it.
I wish I could have Windows 10, but I know that’s basically not an option anymore. I want to switch to Linux, but I’m not techy enough and worried I’ll fail at switching over. I am slowly working up the courage to try to install Linux Mint, as that sounds like the most beginner-coming-from-Windows-friendly distro of Linux.
I feel like it’s not “my computer,” it feels like the most “Big Brother” operating system ever; it always feels like “something” is watching me or lurking in the background reporting back to some giant Microsoft data center on what I’m doing, what my files are, etc. It’s just this really creepy feeling. I feel “gross” when I use it.
You know what feels great? Not having that feeling. Not having the whispering chorus of surveillance like a fat fucking argus of paranoia weighing on your psyche while you attempt to use YOUR computer. Quite frankly how dare they fucking do that to you. MS wastes your time and agitates your conscience. Nowadays you really don’t need to know much about many Linux Distros before you use them, and the best way to know a bit more is to simply try.
I’m not techy enough and worried I’ll fail at switching over.
Considering how much technical workaround you have to do just to make 11 bearable, I strongly doubt this statement. Think of it in small steps: Download the version of WhateverOS you want (Mint is great). Put it on a USB. Try out the virtual Desktop without installing anything. See if you like it. Maybe a day later back up your files. I mean everyone should do that every now and again regardless of what OS you use, right?
Then try the Virtual Desktop again. Click the button that says install and just run through the process without intending to complete it. You can always back out. Have a look at how it partitions your drive. Consider how much space you might be willing to give it. You might not need much! Are you aware that you can read and access all your files on the Windows NTFS partition from your Linux partition? For myself way back when, this was a light bulb moment. Note some things you might wish to check out online, what certain terms and acronyms mean. When that is done run the installer again. Why not. Just for fun.
Skip the evens. It’s always held true.
and Microsoft just can’t push holdouts to Windows 11
BECAUSE IT REQUIRES NEW HARDWARE!
AI made that impossibly out of reach for too many people.
I understand why tpm chips are a good idea but you can’t just say “fuck you, fork out cash and cut over”.
Look at the move to digital broadcast television.
The percentages are way different (way more people are using legacy PC’s than had legacy tv sets) but they sold adapters for the tv folks.
They did the opposite and pulled the rugs out from under any “proceed anyway” options that were present for putting 11 on incompatible harfware.
Hardly anyone requires new hardware. They haven’t sold PCs that won’t comply for 8 years.
I am typing this reply on an 17 year old PC that works absolutely well for any day-to-day task. A PC that can run Windows 10 happily.
TPMs would be cooler if they weren’t proprietary. I understand the benefits of having a place to store sensitive things in a way that they never have to touch disk, but having those chips be controlled in a proprietary fashion by some tech megacorp is not ideal.
I daily drive Windows 11 for work. I’m so glad I upgraded by personal system to Linux.
I’ve never had more audio issues than when my work laptop upgraded itself to Windows 11, it’s insanity
They went out of their way to ruin workflow and customer experience with win 11, then they stuffed it full of malware and spyware. There is a reason no one wants it.
“Win10 refuses to die”
Why would it need to?
because win11 is a miserable experience. the other week I decided to install it on one of my thinkpads cause I just wanted to “see how it is now” after being on linux for the past couple years. the whole process sucked. it was slow to install, they blitz you with emails as soon as you set up an account and login, and the updates either broke or took forever and ONE of the updates insisted on updating the bios on the thinkpad and totally borked it to the point I immediately uninstalled windows and had to reflash the bios cause Windows decided that my media keys were no longer necessary.
why would the average user want to experience any of that?
Lol, I’m not saying you don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s not usually that difficult. I install windows all the time and it’s on a multitude of devices. It’s all, or at least mostly what you’re familiar with. I don’t have driver issues, or key problems, I don’t setup their online accounts or agree to any of that stuff.
I’m not saying its perfect nor defending Microsoft, but you saying how bad it is doesn’t make it so, it makes you sound incompetent on the subject.
And unless you opt for all default settings, the last time I helped someone with the setup and they setup an Outlook email, they received 2 emails within the first 5 minutes, a welcome and a get to know the new windows BS… So, you sound like you’re exaggerating is all.
Everything the poster above experienced is common. For example, Windows Updates fuck with your BIOS without warning to ‘streamline the update experience’. You don’t get any special prompt, they just do it.
There’s literally a prompt for BIOS updates warning you to ensure you don’t interrupt them, cut power, or make sure devices are plugged in so it’s not interrupted…
That is highly board dependent. The MS auto-delivered BIOS updates for my work computer just…go. I only realize they happen when I’m greeted by a lengthy BIOS update bar when I try to start my computer for the day.
I had a windows 11 update blow out my secure boot for my bazzite install when I was trying to set up dual boot with them. I had to complete reinstall the OS to get it back up and running.
I routinely install Windows: It is undeniably dogshit. Their images don’t even have drivers for their own goddamned devices (Surfaces).
Enterprise use SCCM because they need to manage systems, full stop.
I say this as someone who’s worked in that realm since the 90’s doing app packaging, system deployments, and managing systems with SMS.
This is an area specifically where Windows blows Linux away for having standardized system management. If you want something similar in Linux you have to piece it together.
I got at least 2 months left of updates, then I’m raw dogging life until i can install linux
ESU has been extended another year, FYI
I never signed up for esu - are the updates available to download without agreeing to the T&C for ESU?
Nevermind I answered my own question. There are access keys required which gatekeep the updates.
Remember the good old days when you got to decide what updates to install and could just head over downloads.microsoft.com and get them? Pepperidge farm remembers…
Because you need new hardware for it. So you’d have to spend a shitload of money for an objectively worse experience. Why oh why are people not upgrading? Fucking mystery for the ages.
Yep my 10 year old laptop still chugging along on win10 my new one has Linux.
