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Microsoft is ruining Windows. It just keeps getting worse. Whether it be their insistence on AI and cloud garbage, or just a general sense of incompetence, I can’t help but feel like the operating system has seen better days.

Normally I wouldn’t care too much, big tech ruins another thing, whatever.

But the problem is Microsoft has such a dominant market share that you can’t really escape them.

I guess unless you use a Mac or something I don’t know.

  • TheBigBrother@lemmy.worldEnglish
    413·
    3 months ago

    Install Linux I have using it on servers and desktop for years, you can start with Pop! OS. Good luck.

  • t00l@lemmy.worldEnglish
    28·
    3 months ago

    Windows 2000 Professional was the first good Windows OS that I can remember. XP and 7 were also quite decent overall.

    Around 2008 everything changed. This is when Prism was ramped up, and Microsoft’s new mission was to use MSE and telemetry to spy on the world. It was around this time Windows 8 rolled out with spyware and Windows 7 got “security” updates that forced telemetry into it as well.

    Information is power, and the general population has no chance of living in a free and fair society until it cleans house in the private and public sectors.

    • nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.caEnglish
      18·
      3 months ago

      The power argument is true, but secondary. The primary reasons for this are ultimately financial. The problem was that Windows 7 was too good. Too stable. It did everything most people wanted, without issues. What has been added to windows after windows 7 that was actually beneficial to the user? The answer is nothing, within a small margin of error. That’s why upgrades to W10 and now 11 are as forced as possible. It’s not like those uogrades have anything that people actually need or want. Since they can’t produce anything more for windows that people would actually want to pay for, all that is left is adding in telemetry/spyware and selling your data, likely along side a long term vision to turn Windows into a monthly subscription.

      When innovation ends but demand for increasing profits doesn’t, enshittification is all that is left.

  • 1984@lemmy.todayEnglish
    252·
    3 months ago

    You are like 10 years late to discover this, but sure… Of course you can escape Microsoft. They are very easy to avoid.

    Linux is amazing. Just a hint…

    • Retro_unlimited@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      3 months ago

      I agree. I switched to Linux full time a few months ago and there are several things just easier than windows.

      Installing the OS was super simple, I didn’t have to turn off 10 settings that it wanted to sell my info, no keys to type in, no registration or spying, no candy crush and 20 other unwanted programs. I have to customize windows so much to my liking and then an update takes it away.

      I just wish Elgato products had Linux support. I have emailed them a few times to suggest it. Maybe when 10% Linux share or 15%… I’m waiting.

      During the past few months I now have myself, my wife, my uncle, and my dad on Linux!!!

      • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        3 months ago

        I’ve also switched a lot of people over recently! And I do wonder what will happen when a critical mass of tech-literate people switch over to Linux. A lot of people only get by with Windows because their tech-literate friends help them with it.

        • Retro_unlimited@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          A few stream decks, cam link pro, 4k60 pro and maybe a few other items. I know the stream deck has 3rd party programs but they require typing in commands and stuff to setup.

          • nehal3m@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            1·
            3 months ago

            If you try doing it on your Steam deck you might find that it’s replicable on your Linux machine.

    • xavier666@lemm.eeEnglish
      21·
      3 months ago

      It’s almost easier to install than Windows at this point

      Give an average user a PC with no OS. Ask them to install Windows. They can Google/use a pendrive on a secondary PC. I’d like to see how easy Windows 11 is to install.

      • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        3 months ago

        And that raises a good point, since average users get their tech friends to do the installing anyway. I’ve switched many over to Linux because of this.

        • xavier666@lemm.eeEnglish
          21·
          3 months ago

          since average users get their tech friends to do the installing anyway

          Close but no cigar.

          While some people do take their tech-friend’s help, majority of people just buy PCs/laptops with Windows preinstalled. THAT is the reason people are just used to Windows.

          • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            3 months ago

            That doesn’t preclude what I said, though. When there is installing to be done, it’s usually the tech friend that’s called in to do it. I know this by virtue of being that person and having been called on to do it several times.

          • kuneho@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            3 months ago

            PCs/laptops with Windows preinstalled

            or even pay extra to install it, if the machine would have FreeDOS by default.

  • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
    191·
    3 months ago

    Oh, you absolutely can escape them. I hacent used windows except for work in years and even then my boss is okay with ne using linux as long as i get the work done

  • infeeeee@lemm.eeEnglish
    133·
    3 months ago

    18 minutes video about how windows is bad, posted to literally the biggest linux circlejerk forum of the interwebs. Oh a misleading ad trying to sell the same thing as haveibeenpwned, classic.

    Nowadays if someone is annoyed by these things can switch to Linux, nearly all games work ootb, hardware acceleration and drm is also working in browsers. For a home user, competitive gaming is the only thing which is not on par with windows.

    For company environments where they use software which is windows only, group policy is there, sysadmins can lock down computers that it basically looks like a kiosk with only the few programs the employee need, no notifications, no ai bullshit, these annoyances only affect home users.

  • Jure Repinc@lemmy.mlEnglish
    41·
    3 months ago

    Yeah I am so glad I switched to GNU/Linux years ago, Have to keep supporting closed OSes at work with our software and with each release they are just getting worse and worse, while GNU/Linux just keeps getting better.

  • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.worldEnglish
    41·
    3 months ago

    The last fond memories I have of using Windows were 3.11 and 95/98SE. XP was useable but ugly. 7 was nicer than XP but a lot slower. Everything else has been awful.