[HN Gopher] Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 could send 2...
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Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 could send 240M PCs to
landfills
Author : cpeterso
Score : 32 points
Date : 2023-12-22 18:26 UTC (4 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (www.reuters.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.reuters.com)
| ewweezdsd wrote:
| Alternatively people could just install some beginner-friendly
| Linux distro, and enjoy a much better desktop experience without
| ads and bloat.
| wkat4242 wrote:
| Yeah as if. You know bit going to happen. They could just as
| easily install windows 11 because the limitations are easily
| bypassed and purely commercially motivated.
| lemoncookiechip wrote:
| I'll probably get downvoted for this, if not push-back, but.
| Linux is great for customization, and freedom of expression,
| but it's also not so great if you don't like troubleshooting
| every time you want to use some new software or when something
| updates and breaks your system.
|
| Obviously not all Distros are the same and some are more
| reliable than others, but my experience with Linux is just many
| hours of troubleshooting why XYZ doesn't work out of the box,
| granted this has gotten better over the years, but I dunno if a
| non-tech-savvy user would be able to fix these problems (if
| they occur) without calling me every month.
| squigz wrote:
| Personally, I have more issues with Windows than I do with
| Linux. Granted, I know how to troubleshoot either OS, but the
| implication Windows doesn't have issues is... confusing to
| me.
|
| I am curious when your last experience with Linux was, and
| with what distro(s)? As you say, the general Linux experience
| has gotten better over the years, to the point where I think
| a non-tech-savvy user would have the same issues on Ubuntu as
| they do on Windows - which is to say issues they'd have on
| any OS, because they're not savvy :P
|
| > I'll probably get downvoted for this, if not push-back
|
| Nothing wrong with "push-back"; I'd hope you'd be happy to
| hear opposing views
| tmtvl wrote:
| This very week I had major issues with both: on my
| roommate's W11 laptop all her pictures were deleted after I
| removed them from her OneDrive because she had gotten a
| warning that her OD was nearly full (so stupid, why try to
| sync files from a 1TB SSD to a 5GB OD? It's batshit).
|
| The next day I installed OpenSUSE on my PC and couldn't
| connect to the internet. Eventually I found out that the
| problem is that the rndis module is blacklisted and AOSP
| can't use CDC ethernet*, and I can only connect to my
| internet by using USB tethering with my smartphone.
|
| * <https://jordemort.dev/blog/why-android-cant-use-cdc-
| ethernet...>
| Barrin92 wrote:
| >when something updates and breaks your system
|
| I don't think an update on a Ubuntu LTS release in like 15
| years has ever broken the system. Don't install arch on your
| grandmothers laptop.
|
| As for apps, yes there's an uncanney valley to it where mid-
| level users, like say gamers, will run into more problems on
| linux, but most people these days live in Chrome. My 60 year
| old parents happily browse away on linux. It's functionally a
| chromebook for them. Exactly the use case OP was talking
| about. Old laptops that they'd have thrown away are snappy
| again.
| faeriechangling wrote:
| Even the Linux games situation is changing a lot. If I can
| run 90% of games jut fine on Linux, I'm going to be
| inclined to use Linux and 90% of games on the market,
| rather than Windows and 100%.
|
| I see new awesome software being released on Linux first
| every year. Every cool Windows software project I can even
| name started maybe 10 or 30 years ago. The amount of
| development dollars going to Android gaming has long since
| surpassed the dollars going to Windows gaming, and the
| revenue is already in Android's favour, but there are still
| more quality games on Windows. That will flip one day and
| when it does things like Proton will make more and more
| sense.
|
| For me, Linux feels like the future as flawed as it is,
| while Windows feels like the past. The only way Microsoft
| could possibly save Windows at this point would be to open
| source it and rescind their monopoly to it and adopt the
| Red Hat business model, and that might not be enough, and I
| don't see it happening.
| ttt3ts wrote:
| Windows UI has gotten considerably worse for casual users who
| just want a web browser. There are so many ads and pop ups in
| the OS now.
|
| I installed Ubuntu on my grandma's machine after she
| installed malware on her windows machine. I get less
| questions because it doesn't update with "features"
| constantly.
| rootsudo wrote:
| You're conflating UI and UX. People don't care. There are
| ads on the internet, why aren't there ads in the os?
|
| 99% of people can't tell what an ad is. Is a trial software
| an ad? Is a shortcut on the start menu an ad?
|
| People want a bmw, they don't care that heated seats are
| now a subscription service. People use YouTube, they see
| ads as part of the entertainment.
|
| For majority of people, they don't know there's better so
| they don't care.
| faeriechangling wrote:
| What I'm seeing is the most popular Linux distro,
| ChromeOS/ChromeOS Flex, absolutely demolishing Windows
| marketshare.
|
| It also has even worse support than Windows.
|
| I think most modern users don't care about their operating
| system anymore because the browser is the operating system
| 90% of the time. Which I suppose why it's a shame Windows 10
| is seeing end of support because it's really, for 90% of
| users, just as good as Windows 11.
| 999900000999 wrote:
| Even if your an experienced software engineer, Linux makes
| somethings impossible.
|
| Want to play some Call of Duty or The Finals, nope anti cheat
| only works on Windows.
|
| I'd probably tell most people to just buy a Mac if they don't
| want to play games. I like Linux personally, but I don't find
| myself using it as a desktop OS unless I want to tinker with
| something.
|
| I do find Linux great for programming through, no temptation
| to jump into a game.
| absrec wrote:
| A very feasible option for the casual user as most software has
| moved to the web. Few years ago a casual user would have major
| concerns about office suites but now with office365 and the
| whole google docs/slides/sheets offerings a browser is all you
| need.
| ralph84 wrote:
| I lost track of how many times the article uses the words "could"
| or "potentially".
| deafpolygon wrote:
| Would it make a suitable drinking game?
| jzombie wrote:
| Could potentially.
| gumballindie wrote:
| > Microsoft aims to discontinue support for Windows 10 by October
| 2025. The next generation of the OS, anticipated to bring
| advanced artificial intelligence technology to PCs, could
| potentially boost the sluggish PC market.
|
| Planned obsolesce so they can push ai, a cancer of the software
| world.
| rany_ wrote:
| It's not even on device AI, so that's really no excuse.
| jzombie wrote:
| I think nano LLMs are the next trendy thing, but I agree with
| your sentiment.
| theropost wrote:
| Windows releases should have some regulatory review to determine
| if it is actually a valuable upgrade, that results in
| productivity gains, etc. It seems Windows it just forcing
| upgrades through monopolization of their desktop product at this
| point.
| akagusu wrote:
| Forcing upgrades through monopolization of PC market is exactly
| what Microsoft has been doing since forever.
| blibble wrote:
| 240 million new potential sales of Windows licenses...
| tmtvl wrote:
| How about we round up the MS board of directors and give them
| each one lash for every computer available sold the last 5 years
| which supports W10 but doesn't support W11? We could also gather
| their immediate families and lop off their hands and feet, but
| that'd be a bit cruel.
| crest wrote:
| Tie them to four stakes hammered into the ground and start
| stacking such computers on top of them until they understand
| that a TPM isn't required to run an operating system?
| jiggawatts wrote:
| Everyone here is ignoring that Windows 10 was released in 2015
| and security update support will end in 2028 -- that's thirteen
| years of support!
|
| Sure, sure, hardware _can_ last longer than that, but would be
| hilariously outdated by that point.
|
| For industrial and special-purpose usage such as kiosks or
| embedded controllers there is the Long-Term Servicing Channel,
| which will have extended security updates until 2029:
| https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows...
|
| For comparison, there aren't any other mainstream operating
| systems with even vaguely comparable support longevity.
|
| Everyone here advising people to install Ubuntu should look at
| its support lifecycle table: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases
|
| The version released in 2015 is already in extended support and
| will reach EoL in April 2024, just months from now.
|
| I doubt it'll be a smooth experience installing a 2028 or 2029
| version of Ubuntu on a PC made in 2015 or even earlier!
| bombcar wrote:
| It's not when the first one was sold, it's when the _last_ one
| was.
| kevincox wrote:
| I think the bigger issue isn't so much that they are dropping
| support for 10 but that 11 has seemingly unnecessary
| requirements that block it from working on modern systems.
| popcalc wrote:
| >Everyone here is ignoring that Windows 10 was released in 2015
| and security update support will end in 2028 -- that's thirteen
| years of support!
|
| >Sure, sure, hardware can last longer than that, but would be
| hilariously outdated by that point.
|
| The $500 gaming PC I built in 2015 still runs mainstream games
| and has zero problem with running Office suite or any task a
| normal person would require.
| DrNosferatu wrote:
| It will be the year of the Linux desktop!
| ptek wrote:
| Send them to developing nations with windows XP and office XP?!
|
| As long as people learn the basics with them, VBA scripting in
| Excel, Basic HTML and Javscript Design and the most important
| Spider Solitaire.
| scohesc wrote:
| Absolutely disgusting that Microsoft and all these silicon valley
| companies preach that they're green, eco-friendly, safe for the
| world, etc. - but when push comes to shove if they want to push
| changes that make millions of computers obsolete to make a quick
| buck, they will.
|
| You don't need a TPM to run an operating system. You need a TPM
| to enable Microsoft to lock down your operating system more and
| more into their walled garden ecosystem under the guise and
| excuse of "security".
|
| All this e-waste because Microsoft says so... Didn't they get
| their feet held to the fire for anti-trust reasons? Maybe it
| needs to happen again along with all the other silicon valley
| companies.
| kova12 wrote:
| Can I have some of these PCs? I have no problem running Ubuntu on
| them, just send me.
| jzombie wrote:
| Indeed. A landfill is the worst possible solution for this.
| add-sub-mul-div wrote:
| Are the people running machines after EOL aware of the official
| EOL date, or even necessarily that there is one? Ridiculous idea,
| that people will just march out to the dumps with their still
| functioning computers.
| FirmwareBurner wrote:
| No, obviously people aren't gonna throw away their PCs after
| next year just because Win 10 won't get any more updates, the
| same way how they don't immediately throw away their Macs and
| Androids that stopped getting SW updates. People are just
| throwing hissy fits over nothing burgers.
|
| I wish editorialized click-bait garbage articles like this
| would stop ending up on HN frontpage. If I had a cookie for
| every FUD Windows 10 EOL article on HN frontpage I'd be
| diabetic already.
| cyanydeez wrote:
| well, normally, one could upgrade windows but w they're
| artificially gatekeeping hardware upgrades so, it's not exactly
| hyperbole. also, business doesn't Play around.
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(page generated 2023-12-22 23:02 UTC)