A New Version of Windows is Coming

Just felt like sharing my Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon desktop:



Yeah, Windows 11 has some pretty features, but it's not anything Linux hasn't been doing for years already. The only reason I talk about this like I do is that while Windows has greater compatibility for certain software, Microsoft has just become utterly lazy, and they're simplifying things to the point where they're regressing. I get that they want the UI/UX to work for everyone, but you don't take away features. You don't take away things Windows users have been using for 20 years. The Start Menu is the best thing Microsoft came up with and they're messing with it. Quit messing with it.

(Also, yeah, I like a minimalist desktop)

Oh, absolutely. Windows 10/11 is a privacy nightmare.

And, apparently, it doesn’t matter what browser you have set as your default, Win11 is going to insist on forcing you to use Edge for some things (as well as Bing).

FTFY

Linux or macOS is looking better all the time.

I think I made the switch at just the right time.

Not a good look, guys.

There's something to be said for phones with actual buttons. Software can fail spectacularly.

That said, I wonder what Microsoft was futzing around with that caused this issue? An app should not be able to brick a phone, or prevent emergency services, so Microsoft surely had to do some kind of fuckery in an attempt to squeeze even more data out of the user's phone.

Yup, my next box is going to either run Linux or MacOS.

I don't often have to dig into the Control Panel, or Settings, but when I do, I've often found it difficult to find what it is that I need. If I'm going to have to learn a whole new thing, I might as well opt for one that either gives me granular control (Linux) or says, "Here's what you're looking for, but you can't fuck with some of this stuff because reasons." (MacOS).

One of the reasons I love Linux Mint Cinnamon is that this is my control panel:

(click for full)

Microsoft is testing out putting ads in Windows 10 and 11. In the beginning, they'll be for M$ products (regardless of if you use them or not) but will inevitably be for just about anything at some point in the future. (This is in addition to coupling internet search results when you're trying to find a particular file on your machine, apparently.) The first 30 minutes of this podcast basically consists of Paul Thurott ranting about the ads and what M$ is doing.



Thurott is basically a shill for M$ masquerading as a tech journalist. If he hates what M$ is doing, then it's pretty bad.

Agreed. I have Windows 11, it upgraded after a while, but I dual boot it with Ubuntu Linux on a secondary SSD. I only use it when I need to use my VR headset, or to play a game that Easy Anti-Cheat doesn't like. 99.9% of my work is done on Linux now, and I'm just glad to get (mostly) away from Windows. They're going in the worst possible direction with this, IMO. You shouldn't have a bunch of ads while just trying to use your desktop or laptop.

By the way, if any of you have Windows 11, and the Start/Taskbar UI is driving you bonkers, Stardock software makes Start11, it's $6 and it will let you customize everything. Did you know in Windows 11 you can't even make the taskbar smaller? You can with Start11, though. I ended up getting it to deal with the shitty menu and taskbar setup. Now they look like they did on Windows 10 (you can choose a Windows 7 or even Windows XP menu style if you want, too). So that's one less thing to fuss over.

https://www.stardock.com/products/start11/

Expect there to be a bit of a scandal with MS in the coming years. Why? Because when MS gave their earnings report not too long ago, they said that they sold 400 million licenses for Windows 11. Sounds good, right? Well, except for this one little thing: The entire PC industry (meaning Windows PCs, Macs, and Linux PCs), has never sold 400 million machines in a year. So, that means MS is likely gaming their numbers. This seems even more likely when you realize that Win11 machines are only about 20% of the Windows PCs in use right now, and that based on prior numbers MS has given out, the total number of machines using versions of Windows newer than 7 has declined.

MS is also, supposedly, running into resistance from large customers (big corporations that use a lot of PCs) that the interface (as well as some compatibility issues) is causing problems. Companies don't like having to train their employees on how to use the new UI. Even if it only takes 15 minutes to do this, when you start multiplying it across thousands of machines, it starts adding up to a significant chunk of lost productivity.

It's interesting, because Microsoft is kind of dumbing down Windows to the point where it actually gets in the way of what the user is trying to do. I've had to relearn things on W11 that I've already known on Windows for the past 25 years. I made an account earlier for my brother and his family so that when they come over they can use my computer to do their taxes, or check their mail, whatever they like. They don't have a PC in their house. Microsoft did every fucking thing it could to keep me from making a non-Microsoft account. I should not have to register a new account with Microsoft just to create a space for someone to use the system as a guest.

They're just getting out of hand. I'm glad I'm primarily a Linux user these days, and that Windows only really exists for the family to use. They've overdone themselves, and I honestly hope it bites them in the ass.

Oh they've been destructively dumbing it down for a good while now.

100%.

My last truly favorite Windows release was Windows 7. I liked that Windows 10 was easier (and a whole sight better than 8), but they had taken all of the control away from me. Windows 11 is plastic safety scissors and circles of paper.

It's a fucked strategy, but I blame the success of iOS.

Over the past decade+, Apple has shown that many users don't care about backwards compatibility, walled gardens, or forcing users to go through particular apps to do things. Along with that, making a platform that takes a user's choices away is massively profitable.

Apparently, if your machine can run Windows 11, MS is going to force you to update from 10, whether you want to or not.

Guess it's time to turn off automatic updates, then.

They’re not going to let you do that easily.

Good news! Odds are that Windows 12 will also have new hardware requirements (Neural Processing Units), so if you bought new hardware because you wanted to run Windows 11, you’re going to have to do it again in probably 2025!

That's why I moved away from Windows entirely. It's my PC, my desktop, my hardware. Forcing me to upgrade so Microsoft can cram a little more spyware on top of an already bloated system is just wrong. I'm happier with Linux anyway, despite the occasional issues I get myself into while learning about it.

Oh, so that's why all the dogs and cats up and hid themselves that one time.

I feel dumb for saying this but I don't get it.

Playing on the tendency of animals to hide or make themselves scarce when a disaster is about to hit.

Ah, now I get it! I'm sorry, I'm stupid today.