Windows 11 Announced

[wraith808]

At the last minute, Microsoft provides a path to upgrading unsupported hardware to Windows 11 (via codeproject -> onmsft.com)

First off, we want to talk about some support pages. On the new "Ways to install Windows 11" support page, Microsoft mentions installing Windows 11 on a device that does not meet the minimum system requirements. It highlights how you can use a registry hack (and actually provides the registry settings) to bypass the TPM and CPU checks in the Windows 11 Installation Assistant:

Are they already feeling the pressure? I guess the answer is "sort of"...

This makes it clear that it is, in fact, possible to run Windows 11 on any hardware. Yet, a second support page also explains what might happen if you do so. It explains that it is not recommended, and the device might malfunction. Microsoft also makes it clear that "devices that do not meet these system requirements will no longer be guaranteed to receive updates," So there it is.

Not really sure what they're thinking or why not just back off these inane requirements and make them optional.

There's more on the page confirming that it does indeed work. Unfortunately, I can't leave MS behind. And even when I tried just for home, I found the experience "less than" for both Linux and Mac.

[rgdot]

Even something as simple as GIMP is a far cry from Windows equivalents (and I don't mean just Photoshop, others too like Affinity). I have spent the past few years dual booting or having one on a computer and the other on another. Linux for desktop is not a replacement unfortunately. Hasn't gotten much closer either ... in my opinion, others can of course feel differently.
As another example, closing laptop lid when full screen video running may or may not make the laptop go to sleep. I have posted and sought out support about it ... but even support can solve an issue like this, my opinion is and will be based on how a system/OS/software acts in a default install.

I doubt I will attempt workarounds to get Win11 but Win10 will be my main OS for a while yet.

[Deozaan]

The Verge reviews Windows 11

[Tuxman]

I installed Windows 11 via “Windows Insider” just before it became public and oh dear, isn’t it ugly?

[cthorpe]

I used various flavors of Linux as my sole desktop and laptop OS for maybe 2 years.  I think I spent more time dealing with annoying issues than actually working on my work. 

A couple of months ago I threw in the towel and went back to Win 10.  When I sit down to work on my computer, it just works.  When I want to install something, it just works.  All of my hardware just works.

My desktop isn't compatible with Win 11.  If it lasts long enough to see the end of Win 10 updates, I'll probably do the registry hack to put Win 11 on it.

My current laptop is a recent purchase of a high end Lenovo business machine.  It passes all the checks with flying colors.  I'm still going to wait for a bit before taking the plunge there.

I still use linux on my home server, VPS, and in VMs that I spin up for various reasons.  It's phenomenal for many workloads, but desktop is not one of them.

[Arizona Hot]

Windows 11 Announced

Windows 11: Give yourself more time to roll back the upgrade

[Cloq]

Wish MS would stop putting the OS at the same level of a browser.

OS needs to be stable and not changing every x months.

OS doesn't need need new experimental bells and whistles every x amount of months.

[Tuxman]

Nor does a browser.

[allen]

I still use linux on my home server, VPS, and in VMs that I spin up for various reasons.  It's phenomenal for many workloads, but desktop is not one of them.

-cthorpe (October 07, 2021, 11:47 AM)

Oh it's not all that bad - I very, very seldom switch over to my windows partition, and that's pretty much just to play No Man's Sky nothing to do with desktop discomfort

[MilesAhead]

Nor does a browser.

-Tuxman (January 30, 2022, 01:49 PM)

I wonder if a reason for updating is that it feels spiffier for a month or so after an update.  It seems like every time I update Opera it streams video without buffering until the newness wears off.  Then I have to switch to Edge until the next Opera update.

[Shades]

I still use linux on my home server, VPS, and in VMs that I spin up for various reasons.  It's phenomenal for many workloads, but desktop is not one of them.

-cthorpe (October 07, 2021, 11:47 AM)

Oh it's not all that bad - I very, very seldom switch over to my windows partition, and that's pretty much just to play No Man's Sky nothing to do with desktop discomfort

-allen (January 30, 2022, 11:09 PM)

Same here. There is a hot summer going on here in Paraguay and both my desktops started to turn themselves off as protection against heat. So I was forced to use my laptop, which runs: Pop!_OS (v20.04 (LTS or nothing!))

It took a bit to get around the quirks of the default desktop experience that is delivered in that version of Linux. But much less time than I expected. Most of the tools I was using in Windows were also available in Linux, so that was not much time lost either.
And now, I am daily driving it for almost 2 months now. As I am not playing games, I don't even have a Windows partition. Whether I lucked out with this experience, who knows. But it is actually a more stable experience.

Most of the tools don't hang themselves up as quickly in Linux as they do in Windows. I use an RSS reader for websites/youtube/etc. The Windows version hangs at least once every 2 days. The Linux version hasn't done so in all the time I have been using it. And yes, it uses the exact same configuration. Vivaldi works awesomely. Skype and Teams do so as well. DoubleCommander does a decent enough job as file manager and MPV media player has no issue playing 1080p content with 10-bit x265 compression.

FireFox is also a good experience, not one hiccup between the laptop and the 5.1 audio-set connected by Bluetooth. Not the case with the Windows desktops, even though those have 4 times the amount of RAM and way better CPUs. The CPU (in the laptop) is a 6 year old Pentium class model with 2 threads. And no, when playing x265 compressed 1080p content those threads are loaded between 60% and 70%. 1080p streaming video from Youtube, also no issue, as the load on the threads are similar.

Lots of text to say: it just worked "right out of the box".

Of course, my experience with desktop Linux will not be your experience with Linux. The only thing I can say is that the Linux desktop has come far along. I have tried Linux around the 2000's, tried it around 2010 again, as I was now busy with Linux on the server side. Both those times the Linux desktop was less than enjoyable. Installed Linux near the end of 2020 on this laptop. Used it mainly as a device to watch/hear Youtube videos while working on my desktops. Until about 2 months ago.

I'm sure the Linux desktop experience won't be for everyone. However, the Windows 11 (Home edition) experience on the laptop work provided, also requires adjustments you may or may not be ready for.

Will it be the year of the Linux desktop anytime soon? For most, no. But I would say it is far enough along for a lot of people to try. Especially if you aren't playing the most demanding and modern games, you will be pleasantly surprised. Linux installers ask at the start of the procedure if you want to install or if you wish to try it out (from the installation media) on your hardware. You'll get a pretty good idea what Linux can mean for you, at the cost of some time.

Dismissing the Linux desktop out of hand is already not the case anymore for at least the last 2 or 3 years.

[allen]

I still use linux on my home server, VPS, and in VMs that I spin up for various reasons.  It's phenomenal for many workloads, but desktop is not one of them.

-cthorpe (October 07, 2021, 11:47 AM)

Oh it's not all that bad - I very, very seldom switch over to my windows partition, and that's pretty much just to play No Man's Sky nothing to do with desktop discomfort

-allen (January 30, 2022, 11:09 PM)

Same here. There is a hot summer going on here in Paraguay and both my desktops started to turn themselves off as protection against heat. So I was forced to use my laptop, which runs: Pop!_OS (v20.04 (LTS or nothing!))

-Shades (January 31, 2022, 11:45 AM)

Oh Pop!_OS is a fun one! I played around with it for quite a while on partition 3. . . for long term usage, I'm pretty happily locked in to Manjaro. I just love the "rolling release" model!

Dismissing the Linux desktop out of hand is already not the case anymore for at least the last 2 or 3 years.

-Shades (January 31, 2022, 11:45 AM)

I agree, I dabbled from the late '90's onwards and it has come a long, long, long ways in terms of setup, general usability, and aesthetics. In most cases with normal-ish hardware, setup is a breeze, things just work and there are so many GOOD desktop environments to choose from, you can really land on the right desktop for you. I like it a lot better than cookie cutter Windows/Mac. (Of course there are advantages to the cookie cutter approach if that's what you're into!)

[Arizona Hot]

Windows 11 Announced

Microsoft could be readying Windows 12 for 2024 in a major shakeup

Will there be a Windows 13 and will it be announced on a Friday the 13th(or Halloween)?

[erikts]

Same here. There is a hot summer going on here in Paraguay and both my desktops started to turn themselves off as protection against heat. So I was forced to use my laptop, which runs: Pop!_OS (v20.04 (LTS or nothing!))

-Shades (January 31, 2022, 11:45 AM)

I use LXLE (32 bit) on my aging Eee PC 1000H, it is sufficient for may use case (word processing, text editing, light spreadsheet, browsing, MP3, reading ebook).
At work, I use Windows 11 (+ Explorer Patcher) but I prefer Windows 10 if allowed.

[Arizona Hot]

Windows 11 Announced

Microsoft accidentally revealed a UI design prototype for the next version of Windows at Ignite 2022

So Microsoft is working on Windows 12. No word about Windows 13 yet. I wonder how superstitious they are.