Indeed, Linux and FLOSS more broadly was never about technology itself, it’s about empowering. It “just” happens to be where software change could lead to a pragmatic difference for so many lives.
Own your computer, own your devices, value your life and don’t interact with the numerical world through manipulative blinders.
Vista sucked for sure, but Windows 7 was pretty great IMO. I was dragged kicking and screaming into the shit that’s Windows 10 because Steam stopped supporting 7.
That’s a perfect way to put it. I remember starting college and being really excited about the cloud, having my stuff accessible anywhere, changes automatically saved, etc etc. but now I don’t want any of my shit anywhere near their servers, it’s mine and mine alone and I’ll manage it myself and buffer against losses the best I can. I’d rather have myself fuck up and break a hard drive rather than let microsoft or apple wipe my stuff over a bug or because I didn’t pay them enough. Horrible, misleading bullshit.
I’m using StartAllBack (paid software), it replace the start menu with a Windows 7 like one, and brings back the pre Windows 11 taskbar, it has no ads and good customization.
There’s also Open Shell that is free and Start11 that’s also paid.
i mean it’s annoying but how is it disgusting?
it just shows recently opened files/software mixed in with stuff you open frequently, it’s not an ad section or anything.
but yeah i have disabled it on all my machines, because I’m not using it + disabling it adds two extra rows of pinned apps…
EU should force a choice for all new PC. What OS do you want to run? Windows, Linux or Android?
Then you would be able to see real competition in the OS market.
Maybe something like the raspberry pi OS chooser.
In the best of worlds you have everything installed and just choose in the boot menu what to run.
Some manufacturers allow you to get a refund for pre installed windows if you feel like sitting on the phone for hours. Something about a lawsuit involving Microsoft and anticompetitive contracts with the manufacturer not allowing the distribution of other operating systems.
I’ve seen a story about someone who got a refund for their dell laptop but it was slow, and the support staff was rude about it during the process. They stated things like the Microsoft software is free and why would you want to remove windows anyway, passing him from department to department. It’s often $60-$80 depending on the version of windows etc.
Edit: I should clarify it might only be a US thing, I’ve heard people in France having some luck.
It’s always better to go that route. I also understand having hardware requirements and not being able to find a version of those models with Linux installed.
I like what system 76 is doing but I don’t think they really have competition in the US market right now. If you don’t mind a clevo and you live in the US I’d recommend them.
Windows 10 LTSC FTW!!! I just installed it and wow is it snappier and devoid of nearly all of those annoyances. I have no idea if productivity apps are affected by its stripped down nature but for Steam gaming it’s perfect. I get less lag spikes on steamVR.
I haven’t trusted Windows in years. This is just for gaming. I have a physically separate hot swappable Optane SSDs for Linux and Windows Gaming.
For those who will winge at me for not just switching to Linux. During this process I gave a concerted effort to give Linux a go and chose Manjaro KDE to try for steamVR gaming. It sucked. Once I had worked out that it was a permissions issue (It’s always a fucking permissions issue under Linux) and just ran it under the root account, there was extremely high latency for the VR compositor to HMD display. Completely unusable as it made me sick and that’s usually very hard. I tried X11 and Wayland. Direct and Non Direct output modes. No success.
I was using Manjaro KDE and ended up switching to Pop OS because Manjaro would never work right with my GPU. Pop OS has worked very well out of the box though.
I chose Manjaro KDE as one of the SteamVR requirements is KDE Plasma. It’s required because it has a DRM function to allow SteamVR to take ownership of the DisplayPort.
A quick google search says that PopOS is Gnome based. But KDE can be installed over it? I might give it a go.
You mean that distro people use to pretend to be a hacker/security researcher. It’s just hardened Debian with a few tools installed. I’ve set something like that up in an afternoon tbh.
Don’t take it personally, it’s just a direction I haven’t seen many researchers/pen testers use. I’ve seen most run it on a virtual machine or a second computer and modify Ubuntu/Debian to better suit their needs and a primary computer/os for business transactions etc.
I can’t speak for hackers but from anecdotal evidence it seems like they can do their work on most systems but hacking hardware is just easier on Linux in general.
Unfortunately for many, even in this day and age, there is not much choice. I main linux but also keep Windows on my PC as there are still tines when something will only work in Windows. Usually work related or gaming (VR in particular for me) and in fairness its increasingly rare.
Many other users aren’t motivated to change. For Microsoft, its a bit like boiling a frog - if you turn up the heat slowly the frog just puts up with it. That’s what Microsoft is doing to its customers - a slow constant enshittification, seeing what it can get away with. Try something and it causes outrage? Don’t worry, just undo it and just try again in a few years! Many are already used to no privacy and being sold as a commodity that they don’t even question it happening on their own personal computer.
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Never has been with windows on it.
Indeed, Linux and FLOSS more broadly was never about technology itself, it’s about empowering. It “just” happens to be where software change could lead to a pragmatic difference for so many lives.
Own your computer, own your devices, value your life and don’t interact with the numerical world through manipulative blinders.
Sounds like a personal problem. Windows works great for me.
it never been
Windows 9x was low-bullshit.
NT and 2000 were corporate enough to be no-nonsense. They belonged to the administrator, but the administrator can be you.
ME was a mistake.
XP was not yet online enough to be properly skeezy.
But from Vista onward, yeah, it’s been an escalating shit-show that’s difficult to miss.
Vista sucked for sure, but Windows 7 was pretty great IMO. I was dragged kicking and screaming into the shit that’s Windows 10 because Steam stopped supporting 7.
I would still be using 7 if ransomware wasn’t a thing.
I went back to Mint instead.
Win2k is peak windows
Seeing the windows 3.1 interface took me back to a much happier time.
I definitely wasn’t happier with my computer back then.
The irony
How is that ironic?
You didn’t purchase a “HowToGeek” licence, I imagine. Nor was one included with your PC.
That’s a perfect way to put it. I remember starting college and being really excited about the cloud, having my stuff accessible anywhere, changes automatically saved, etc etc. but now I don’t want any of my shit anywhere near their servers, it’s mine and mine alone and I’ll manage it myself and buffer against losses the best I can. I’d rather have myself fuck up and break a hard drive rather than let microsoft or apple wipe my stuff over a bug or because I didn’t pay them enough. Horrible, misleading bullshit.
I think you’d like syncthing
this.
The thing that makes me laugh/cry/be happy I switched to Linux, is that it’s in that state, but it’s a paid product.
If the license was free it was somewhat okay, but it’s not. People are still paying.
I can’t even remove the “Recommended” section from the Start menu
I think it’s a registry modification, but, I’ve seen windows start to ignore modifications to the registry so idk.
I’m using StartAllBack (paid software), it replace the start menu with a Windows 7 like one, and brings back the pre Windows 11 taskbar, it has no ads and good customization. There’s also Open Shell that is free and Start11 that’s also paid.
I love openshell, so many options !
Definitely switch search from tab to just the windows key however
That’s disgusting
i mean it’s annoying but how is it disgusting?
it just shows recently opened files/software mixed in with stuff you open frequently, it’s not an ad section or anything.
but yeah i have disabled it on all my machines, because I’m not using it + disabling it adds two extra rows of pinned apps…
It’s called hyperbole
EU should force a choice for all new PC. What OS do you want to run? Windows, Linux or Android? Then you would be able to see real competition in the OS market.
Maybe something like the raspberry pi OS chooser. In the best of worlds you have everything installed and just choose in the boot menu what to run.
Some manufacturers allow you to get a refund for pre installed windows if you feel like sitting on the phone for hours. Something about a lawsuit involving Microsoft and anticompetitive contracts with the manufacturer not allowing the distribution of other operating systems.
I’ve seen a story about someone who got a refund for their dell laptop but it was slow, and the support staff was rude about it during the process. They stated things like the Microsoft software is free and why would you want to remove windows anyway, passing him from department to department. It’s often $60-$80 depending on the version of windows etc.
Edit: I should clarify it might only be a US thing, I’ve heard people in France having some luck.
i mean you can just buy a Dell laptop with a copy of Ubuntu preloaded instead, they sell those as an option with most models
It’s always better to go that route. I also understand having hardware requirements and not being able to find a version of those models with Linux installed.
I like what system 76 is doing but I don’t think they really have competition in the US market right now. If you don’t mind a clevo and you live in the US I’d recommend them.
Windows 10 LTSC FTW!!! I just installed it and wow is it snappier and devoid of nearly all of those annoyances. I have no idea if productivity apps are affected by its stripped down nature but for Steam gaming it’s perfect. I get less lag spikes on steamVR.
I haven’t trusted Windows in years. This is just for gaming. I have a physically separate hot swappable Optane SSDs for Linux and Windows Gaming.
For those who will winge at me for not just switching to Linux. During this process I gave a concerted effort to give Linux a go and chose Manjaro KDE to try for steamVR gaming. It sucked. Once I had worked out that it was a permissions issue (It’s always a fucking permissions issue under Linux) and just ran it under the root account, there was extremely high latency for the VR compositor to HMD display. Completely unusable as it made me sick and that’s usually very hard. I tried X11 and Wayland. Direct and Non Direct output modes. No success.
I was using Manjaro KDE and ended up switching to Pop OS because Manjaro would never work right with my GPU. Pop OS has worked very well out of the box though.
I chose Manjaro KDE as one of the SteamVR requirements is KDE Plasma. It’s required because it has a DRM function to allow SteamVR to take ownership of the DisplayPort.
A quick google search says that PopOS is Gnome based. But KDE can be installed over it? I might give it a go.
Odd. I retired from arch to Manjaro. I’m baffled at the depiction of it being difficult. It’s been a smooth 6 years so far…and yes, Nvidia.
#RUNBSD
I love hip hop too but music is not the answer.
BaSeD
Plan9: Return to monke
TempleOS it is.
That good and all for your saints and what not but how about us sinners.
Kali.
You mean that distro people use to pretend to be a hacker/security researcher. It’s just hardened Debian with a few tools installed. I’ve set something like that up in an afternoon tbh.
You don’t need to invest an afternoon because Kali exists.
The point ist that you can’t do it yourself, the point is to get something running quick without much hassle.
Don’t take it personally, it’s just a direction I haven’t seen many researchers/pen testers use. I’ve seen most run it on a virtual machine or a second computer and modify Ubuntu/Debian to better suit their needs and a primary computer/os for business transactions etc.
I can’t speak for hackers but from anecdotal evidence it seems like they can do their work on most systems but hacking hardware is just easier on Linux in general.
It’s the year of the Linux desktop.
For me, it’s been the year of Linux since 2005. I do dual boot, though.
Aww.
If you love it, set it free!
I prefer to keep it locked in a cage and disable as much of it’s bullshit as I can
And yet, if you do that to your girlfriend, people have issues. Double standard here, people! Double standard!
I helped my parents migrate to linux mint and they are very happy with the transition. No more ads, dumb bing search suggestions, or MS edge.
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deleted by creator
Buying windows is like self flagellation. You have to be a masochist to enjoy it,especially the apologetic users.
Unfortunately for many, even in this day and age, there is not much choice. I main linux but also keep Windows on my PC as there are still tines when something will only work in Windows. Usually work related or gaming (VR in particular for me) and in fairness its increasingly rare.
Many other users aren’t motivated to change. For Microsoft, its a bit like boiling a frog - if you turn up the heat slowly the frog just puts up with it. That’s what Microsoft is doing to its customers - a slow constant enshittification, seeing what it can get away with. Try something and it causes outrage? Don’t worry, just undo it and just try again in a few years! Many are already used to no privacy and being sold as a commodity that they don’t even question it happening on their own personal computer.
You don’t need Windows for gaming.
Sure, some games only work on Windows but some only work on Switch or PS5 and you can still play video games without playing those in particular.