Windows 11 Thread

[AdminX]

Cinnamon is a classic desktop much like Windows 7, arguably the best Windows version ever. Sure, it is not exactly like Windows, but that's the same with every new Windows version as well. I've put a number of non-IT end users on Mint Cinnamon after support for Win 7 ran out.

Agreed.

[towforce]

Linux Mint Cinnamon qualifies an nearly all items.

Thank you for that helpful and expansive response!

[Look]

One important site for Linux distros news , ranking , comments etc is:

https://distrowatch.com/

[mclane]

Windows is a plague.
I still remember digital research, cp/m, GEM.
Dos and windows are like a virus. They live because they exploit others

[Dann Corbit]

Windows 11 collects a wide range of data, including basic system diagnostics and more detailed information about user behavior and preferences. Some say that Windows 11 has extensive data collection practices, and that modern Windows versions behave like spyware. For example, Windows 11 sends information to Microsoft and third-party servers before an internet connection is made, including information about software servers, marketing and advertising networks, and telemetry data.

By default, Windows 11 tracks a user's activity and sends the information to its advertising partners, who can then show targeted ads to the user. Windows 11 accomplishes this by using an advertising ID. This ID collects information about you not only when you browse the web, but also when you use Windows 11 applications.

Windows very aggressively tries to force you to use a Microsoft account. There is no reason why an OS would need you to register an account with the developer of the OS. The way this is implemented it is purely a malicious feature:

Microsoft takes even more control over your device with Microsoft accounts.

Microsoft uses Microsoft accounts to spy on your activity on the device in great detail. E.g. it has activity history enabled by default which sends to Microsoft what programs you run when.

Microsoft enables OneDrive by default without giving you a truly free choice to an open question (see dark patterns) sending your private files to Microsoft.

Microsoft Edge strongly pushes you to enable sync using dark patterns, or rather enables it by default without any real consent sending the sites you visit to Microsoft.

Windows collects extensive telemetry without consent and sends it to Microsoft. It uses dark patterns in the setup process to enable the most extensive telemetry. There is no way to disable telemetry, only to opt out of a part of it. This means Microsoft deprives you of control over your device and runs spyware on it in the background that sends information about your device and your usage to Microsoft not only without consent but against your explicit objection.

Windows Defender by default silently sends some of your files to Microsoft without any kind of consent or even notifying you. This malicious feature is called automatic sample submission. Microsoft claims that it would ask you before sending files containing personal information, but all files on your private device are inherently private unless you choose to share them. Microsoft does not get to decide for you which files are private and which files are not. This is another example of Windows taking control from you over your device and data and including spyware. There is the hidden option to set the feature to always ask before sending any file, but Microsoft chose to not make this the default and to secretly collect your private files. There is also a hidden option to disable the feature altogether, but Windows will repeatedly warn you about a supposed security risk after some time urging you to turn the feature back on using dark patterns no matter how many times you dismiss the warning and confirm your choice to disable the feature. Windows does not respect your choice, another example of taking control over your device. Also Microsoft disguises malicious prompts as security warnings here and intentionally triggers notification and security fatigue hurting your overall security.

The Windows search bar sends all your search queries to Microsoft without your consent or informing you. Most people use the search bar only to search for local files and to start programs. Despite this Microsoft enables Bing search in the search bar by default sending all you keystrokes to Bing automatically. There is no option to turn this off in the settings or any other GUI program and there is no option to change the search engine used. The only way to disable this is intentionally hidden very deep inside the technicalities of the OS in the Registry which most users do not even know exists let alone being able to use it. This is another example of taking control over your device and data and including spyware.

Windows includes ads that spy on you, use your device, computing power, electrical power and bandwidth to make money out of you for Microsoft. This is another example of spy and malware in Windows taking control over your device.

Windows includes a huge number of bloatware features that clutter the OS and cause cpu usage and network traffic introducing additional privacy issues. These malicious features run network requests on your device without your consent, retrieving data that you did not ask for, showing you content that you did not ask for on your device. None of this is necessary for OS functionality, on the contrary it is detrimental to it and widely detested by the people who are used through Windows. Microsoft does it anyway to push their services. These features are installed and enabled by default and there is no eay way to uninstall them, another example of including malware and taking control over your device.

Microsoft uses Windows extremely anticompetitively. They abuse your device and take control over it for anti competitive behavior and to manipulate your behavior to their advantage dissuading you from competing software and services.

Microsoft silently reenables options you turned off with updates. They maliciously take control over your device against your explicit will.

Microsoft installs new malicious features on your device without your consent or notifying you. Even if you turn off or otherwise block all privacy issues, Microsoft will introduce new ones all the time. They take control over your device and data.

Microsoft intentionally limits basic security features to Pro and Enterprise versions. This for example includes Bitlocker which is not available for Windows Home.

Windows is non free software. Windows does not respect your freedom and deprives you of control over your device.

Windows is closed source. You cannot know what Windows does on and with your device and data. Also it most likely contains backdoors putting your security at enormous risk.

If you buy a Windows 11 PC that has S mode, only allows Store apps can be installed.

[mclane]

Yes bill gates is darth vader. Microsofts intention is not a good one. We know this since msdos was established (or copied from CP/M). And the only reason some of us use windows has to with computerchess, all other OS have less chess engines or possibilities.

We use a system (windows) that is weak only because it gives us the highest amount of different software choices.

Its a similar situation we had with VHS, Betamax and Video2000.

And i guess it will be similar with cars.

The decision if you use electric car, H2 electric car, fossil diesel/petrol car.

Very often we choose a solution that has the biggest variety.

I remember when windows and GEM from digital Research were sold parallel.
And it was similar when msdos and CP/M was sold parallel.



GEM was convincingly better, but windows survived.
Also CP/Ms successor systems were a lot better then msdos.

[smatovic]

...it is about locked in platforms, positively phrased walled gardens, OS, social media, Cloud, SaaS, atuomotive...

--
Srdja

[towforce]

Windows 11 collects a wide range of data, including basic system diagnostics and more detailed information about user behavior and preferences. Some say that Windows 11 has extensive data collection practices, and that modern Windows versions behave like spyware. For example, Windows 11 sends information to Microsoft and third-party servers before an internet connection is made, including information about software servers, marketing and advertising networks, and telemetry data.

By default, Windows 11 tracks a user's activity and sends the information to its advertising partners, who can then show targeted ads to the user. Windows 11 accomplishes this by using an advertising ID. This ID collects information about you not only when you browse the web, but also when you use Windows 11 applications.

Windows very aggressively tries to force you to use a Microsoft account. There is no reason why an OS would need you to register an account with the developer of the OS. The way this is implemented it is purely a malicious feature:

Microsoft takes even more control over your device with Microsoft accounts.

Microsoft uses Microsoft accounts to spy on your activity on the device in great detail. E.g. it has activity history enabled by default which sends to Microsoft what programs you run when.

Microsoft enables OneDrive by default without giving you a truly free choice to an open question (see dark patterns) sending your private files to Microsoft.

Microsoft Edge strongly pushes you to enable sync using dark patterns, or rather enables it by default without any real consent sending the sites you visit to Microsoft.

Windows collects extensive telemetry without consent and sends it to Microsoft. It uses dark patterns in the setup process to enable the most extensive telemetry. There is no way to disable telemetry, only to opt out of a part of it. This means Microsoft deprives you of control over your device and runs spyware on it in the background that sends information about your device and your usage to Microsoft not only without consent but against your explicit objection.

Windows Defender by default silently sends some of your files to Microsoft without any kind of consent or even notifying you. This malicious feature is called automatic sample submission. Microsoft claims that it would ask you before sending files containing personal information, but all files on your private device are inherently private unless you choose to share them. Microsoft does not get to decide for you which files are private and which files are not. This is another example of Windows taking control from you over your device and data and including spyware. There is the hidden option to set the feature to always ask before sending any file, but Microsoft chose to not make this the default and to secretly collect your private files. There is also a hidden option to disable the feature altogether, but Windows will repeatedly warn you about a supposed security risk after some time urging you to turn the feature back on using dark patterns no matter how many times you dismiss the warning and confirm your choice to disable the feature. Windows does not respect your choice, another example of taking control over your device. Also Microsoft disguises malicious prompts as security warnings here and intentionally triggers notification and security fatigue hurting your overall security.

The Windows search bar sends all your search queries to Microsoft without your consent or informing you. Most people use the search bar only to search for local files and to start programs. Despite this Microsoft enables Bing search in the search bar by default sending all you keystrokes to Bing automatically. There is no option to turn this off in the settings or any other GUI program and there is no option to change the search engine used. The only way to disable this is intentionally hidden very deep inside the technicalities of the OS in the Registry which most users do not even know exists let alone being able to use it. This is another example of taking control over your device and data and including spyware.

Windows includes ads that spy on you, use your device, computing power, electrical power and bandwidth to make money out of you for Microsoft. This is another example of spy and malware in Windows taking control over your device.

Windows includes a huge number of bloatware features that clutter the OS and cause cpu usage and network traffic introducing additional privacy issues. These malicious features run network requests on your device without your consent, retrieving data that you did not ask for, showing you content that you did not ask for on your device. None of this is necessary for OS functionality, on the contrary it is detrimental to it and widely detested by the people who are used through Windows. Microsoft does it anyway to push their services. These features are installed and enabled by default and there is no eay way to uninstall them, another example of including malware and taking control over your device.

Microsoft uses Windows extremely anticompetitively. They abuse your device and take control over it for anti competitive behavior and to manipulate your behavior to their advantage dissuading you from competing software and services.

Microsoft silently reenables options you turned off with updates. They maliciously take control over your device against your explicit will.

Microsoft installs new malicious features on your device without your consent or notifying you. Even if you turn off or otherwise block all privacy issues, Microsoft will introduce new ones all the time. They take control over your device and data.

Microsoft intentionally limits basic security features to Pro and Enterprise versions. This for example includes Bitlocker which is not available for Windows Home.

Windows is non free software. Windows does not respect your freedom and deprives you of control over your device.

Windows is closed source. You cannot know what Windows does on and with your device and data. Also it most likely contains backdoors putting your security at enormous risk.

If you buy a Windows 11 PC that has S mode, only allows Store apps can be installed.

Good points. We're a global community of boiled frogs!

[mclane]

I was against Bill Gates from the very first moment. I would have instantly jumped out.

[smatovic]

Alright, "Computer George" has a lil adventure forthcoming, just looked up, and the WLAN printer should be installable via WPS on router, was mentioned in the extended manual only, so, reviving a ~15 years old Acer laptop with new SATA SSD and Ubuntu Linux and connecting the printer

--
Srdja

Haha, that was fun, to revive an Acer laptop from ~2011, old HDD with Win10 was dying, installed new SATA SSD with Ubuntu Linux 22.04 LTS, Ubuntu Pro account with updates to 2032, second GPU caused trouble, deactivated, iGPU ought to be enough, and it is still about the printers on Linux, HP manual says don't connect via USB-cable, extended manual says you may connect via USB-cable once setup, "hplip" driver from repo works fine, to print and scan, just the HP printer center can not connect to HP servers, to call home....

New SATA SSD: 12,- euro
New USB printer cable: 3,- euro
Ubuntu Linux with 10 years support: priceless

--
Srdja

PS: and ofc I installed XBoard+PolyGlot with recent Stockfish, just for the case.

PPS: funny though, end users tend to have no issues to switch to Ubuntu, they just need FireFox and LibreOffice, it is the Windows power users who depend on their Windows tool-chain....