This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
I use Linux at home but my work computer uses windows. Work just bought me a new laptop with windows 11 pre-installed and I got ads to upgrade to a new "AI capable computer" on the login screen. This computer is maybe 3 months old and there are already ads telling me I need to get a new one.
I say this in a lot of threads lately but, here I go again:
I’m so glad I swapped to linux
Which distro?
Yes
That doesn't really matter too much and is mostly personal preference.
The biggest difference is which package manager and how up to date each program in there is. Arch and OpenSuse Tumbleweed will have quite up to date packages as they're rolling release models while Mint and Ubuntu tend to be a bit slower and more stable.
I suggest going through the installation process of Arch linux at least once because it does teach you the basics of Linux but for usability you'd be better off with a distro that has a GUI installer.
Ubuntu, I wanted to go Debian but the installation wanted an ethternert connection to get that accomplished and I didn't know that/think that far ahead
Arch (well right now more precisely cachyos)
I’ve been using Linux on my homeserver (debian) and on previous laptops (arch) for almost a decade, but I only swapped my main desktop over this spring when nVidia sorted out waylaid explicit sync
No. I want to keep my VR headset.
I love how they advertise it as they're doing you such a great big favor by allowing easy access to transferring files to the new system
Talk about creating a problem that way they can sell you the solution, they completely treat it as if they weren't the original cause of having everyone have to buy new systems for the next windows in the first place.
Micro$oft doesn't understand that these full-screen new Win11 PCs are actually Linux ads!
I'm praising Valve right now for all the work they've put into Proton.
95% of my games work on Linux. Quite a few windows specific programs too. Praise proton and the wine team!
Yes, because of Proton, I'm seriously considering dumping Microsoft now. My big holdup was my library of Steam games. I just found out about Proton a couple of weeks ago, and as it turns out, most of my games are pretty compatible.
My game library was what was holding me back too. Now I just have to see if animationdesk runs on linux and I'll be all set make the switch.
If it doesn't I don't know what I'll do. I haven't found any other animation programs built primarily around onion skinning. I don't need AI to create the tweens for me. I just want a bare bones program that let's me do everything by hand.
I'll have to check when I get out of work today and if it's all good I'll probably start researching installation processes this weekend. I don't know much about Linux, but I guess I'm about to learn
Do it! I just made the switch (using PopOS as my distro, AMD CPU, 1080ti GPU) and haven't had much trouble with my extensive Steam collection. The biggest issue so far was Bioshock Infinite which actually runs native and I had to edit some configs for texture pools. SteamVR / Index has been a little unstable but seems to generally work (I don't use it enough to be sure if it's Linux or my hardware getting old).
SteamDB has been a excellent resource for checking compatibility and game specific tweaks.
Civ6 also has issues with the Linux version due to Aspyr slacking. A bunch of the newer content hasn't been ported yet. Fortunately, you can force Steam to install the Windows version and run it with Proton.
This whole Win 11 mess is what finally convinced me to switch. I still can't get over that Settings hasn't reached feature parity with Control Panel yet. Figured if I have to re-learn how to do settings for the 10th time, I might as well do it in an OS that isn't shoving ads in my face.
I was simply trying to format a disk and so searched in the start bar expecting a suitable control panel item to pop up any would have happened in any sane era of windows. Instead fucking bing opened and it brought me back web results for "format disk" as well as unrelated ads. fucking web results!
gargh
I'm just curious how much more shitty they can make it. I laugh every time they announce some new "feature". Makes me appreciate Linux Mint more and more each time.
I don't need a new motherboard. TPM got accidentally turned off and I keep forgetting to turn it back on. Darn.
oh no
And it's worked on my brother in law who's announced he's buying new PCs for the whole family specifically to upgrade to 11. jFC.
He should donate the old ones to Linux enthusiasts
My aging windows tower and retired work laptop were both struggling to keep up with my photo and video editing. Linux asnt an option for Capture One and Davinci Resolve, and the writing was on the wall for what Windows is becoming.
Combined with the failures in Intel Raptor/Alder lake CPUs, I took an unexpected leap into the realm of Apple silicon with an M4 Pro Mac Mini.
Apple is not a perfect company, but this new machine processes video faster than anything I've ever used, and for the first time since the 2010s it has replaceable (proprietary) storage.
I strangely find my self praising apple lately. Not because they're good or because I stopped hating their guts. But just because microsoft has become SOO SHIT!
Apple has also cough up in many regards, tho I'm talking mainly phones here now.
While I swear by Linux, I'm now more likely to recommend MacOS over Windows to people.
I'm no fan of apples, but I have to admit, their switch to arm silicon is really cool!
I recently installed Linux because windows pissed me off and I laughed out loud at this..
Windows 10 LTSC currently has an EoL date of 2027-01-12.
No store, no cortana, much less bullshit in general.
LTSC is the only current windows version I even remotely consider having.
Paying Microsoft more money so they can give you less Windows is a very Microsoft thing to do.
I stopped paying Microsoft a long time ago.
Windows 10 LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) is a specialized version of Windows 10 that's all about reliability and stability. It’s tailored for specific use cases like medical devices, ATMs, industrial systems, and other environments where updates could mess with critical operations.
Key Points About Windows 10 LTSC: Minimal Updates: LTSC skips the frequent feature updates you see with regular Windows 10 and sticks to just security updates and critical fixes. Each version gets 10 years of support—5 years mainstream and 5 years extended. Stripped-Down Version: This version ditches all the extra stuff like Cortana, the Microsoft Store, Edge, and bundled games, making it lightweight and focused. Stability Above All: It’s designed to be rock-solid and isn’t about chasing the latest features. Release Schedule: New LTSC versions come out every 2-3 years, tied to specific Windows 10 feature updates (like Windows 10 LTSC 2021). Who It's For: It’s for specialized devices and setups where you can’t afford sudden changes. It’s not something you’d typically use on your daily home or work PC. How You Get It: LTSC is available through volume licensing and is really meant for businesses and enterprises. Misconceptions: It’s not for regular use, like avoiding updates or keeping things ultra-simple on a personal PC. It doesn’t support a lot of modern hardware and features, so unless you have a very specific need, you’re better off sticking with the regular versions of Windows 10.
If you’re thinking about LTSC, make sure it actually fits what you’re trying to do—its limitations could end up being a headache if you’re not using it in the right way.
Has anybody found a way to turn Microsoft's ads off yet? I'm tired of dismissing their prompts to switch to Edge and Office 365 every few months.
Yes, but you won't like to hear it...
As an experiment I revoked the certificate that is used for code verification on the executable responsible for the popups. So far the only thing I broke was the .net installer. But no more pop-ups. :D
I run a local account and toggled off all the telemetry stuff during installation nine years ago. Never saw one of those. Didn't even get toggled on with updates. Only problem I had was Copilot getting added a few weeks ago. By that time, Win10 had become the compatibility fallback for Linux, though.
So, create a local account, go into Settings, and toggle off everything that could maybe be telemetry related.
