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Windows 11: Just say no

computerworld.com

331–340 of 539 posts

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#331

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just fired up a Win10 machine for the first time in some while in order to run specific software. Good gawd. It was finally useful about 4 hours later after all the updates and tomfoolery. Never again.

Well, I am not sure it'd be painless to boot up a macOS machine or an Ubuntu desktop that hadn't been getting updates for months - probably not 4hr, but there'd be some annoyance.

The difference is that those will at most nag you, but unless you've been extremely thorough in disabling all of the automatic update machinery (which is almost malware-like in its persistence), on Windows it will come back with a vengeance.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#332
post #50

Am I alone in assuming they'll just do the Windows 10 unwanted upgrade, again, when 11 adoption rate isn't where they want it to be? Choice doesn't matter to these mega corps, so long as we use their stores and view their ads. Thank god for Gnu and Linux!

That's the most probable scenario and I wouldn't be surprised that in the end they'll lower the requirements for 11 even more. Back then, the marketing tactic of "hurry up, limited-time offer only" was in the use for this free Windows 10 upgrade but people were still able to get the upgrade after the deadline; then, some used the obscure way of getting the upgrade by special offer for people with accessibility issues…

> then, some used the obscure way of getting the upgrade by special offer for people with accessibility issues.

On that note, it was removed, so now the only way I know that works is to do an in-place upgrade via the Windows 10 installation media ('upgrade this pc now') then sign in with a Microsoft account to get your license attached to the MSA, then you can do a full reinstall and keep the license.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#333
Lol terrible article. Cant wait until the rest of the plebs are forced into 11. 10 can die in the hell hole it came from. 11 feels more akin to the Linux realm I'm used to. Not to mention sweet sweet TPM. Can finally get rid of all the cheating dogs in gaming.

Tldr 11 rocks, it's built for business and has mad benefits for gamers.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#334

What if they lock the next version of DirectX behind Windows 11?

Then people will probably spend time trying to get the Wine/Proton implementation of that version of DirectX running on Windows 10. Windows 11 is going over like a lead balloon in the enthusiast gaming community, so the will is there.

People make the same 2 claims every release yet it never actually happens at any measurable scale. The second the old version everyone die hard loves (that was also widely trashed on at launch) stops being supported for the latest features and security updates the vast majority of gamers just move on.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't surprise me if you reboot your computer one day and surprise! It's windows 11 now! Remember, they did the same thing with Windows 10 a couple of times.

Welp, time to start dropping every packet from any Windows Update-related IP block in my router...

Since my PC is on wifi, what I do is set my wifi as a metered connection. Windows won't download updates on metered connections. I have to trigger the updates manually, which allows me to review them first. Like how it used to be.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah you're not alone there, the stupid idea that windows now needs to be fully tablet capable without a keyboard to the detriment of everyone else using it normally. Literally making the interface less informative and adding clicks, waiting and gestures to achieve actions that should've been a single point and click. I call it the "BIG BATAN" ideology, as everything needs to be a clean oversized button without any e…

This is especially ridiculous when seeing how few tablets are sold by Microsoft, despite them try harding for a decacde or so.

I have used/owned old HP Tablet PCs that ran Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and one of the bigger Surfaces. The HP with XP was a better experience. Windows 10 on the surface closes the on-screen keyboard after every change of focus from one input field to another. It doesn't open the keyboard automatically. And the Surface's battery swelled up and popped the case open.

I'd actually like a modern pen-enabled PC, but they seem to be getting worse at software (and batteries!) over time. And when I'm at a desk with a keyboard, mouse, and large monitor, nothing else from MS beats the classic 2K/XP (7's okay too) UI.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#337

If you're a windows user you don't really have a choice if you care about ongoing support. This really should be "Windows: Just say no".

One thing Windows does well is support lifecycles. You can still get security updates to the original launch version of Windows 10 until 2025. The current LTSC branch will last until at least 2029.

If you want to play by the rules on home edition you still have at least through the end of 2025 to say no and remain supported.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#338
post #312
post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At a minimum, for a Win32 application to work correctly with HiDPI it needs to tell the OS it is DPI aware. This is done by marking the application DPI aware using the settings found in the manifest file. The manifest file is then embedded into the resource section of the application, which then lets the OS know the application will be handling it's own DPI. So the reason many of those 'legacy apps' don't work with H…

How do you patch these executables? I know 7zip can open .exe but there must be a better way.

It is not a trivial change to make the application DPI ware as it is a coding exercise (starting with that manifest change).

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/d...

Marking the app DPI aware just stops Windows doing any application scaling as it leaves that scaling up to the application.

But the real issue is most legacy apps were written before DPI scaling was an issue so they don't have this built in scaling.

To fix this Windows will do a 'one size fits all' scaling on their behalf.

It is this default Windows scaling that makes these legacy apps look so bad at higher DPI settings.

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#339

For me, the lack of a "Never combine" option for the taskbar has made win11 unusable for me. I have already reverted back to 10 and will not be updating again till this option is made available again. Its a huge productivity hit for people who are used to multitaking between dozens of open windows

Yeah, I’m generally tolerant of UI redesigns, I was fine with Windows 8 even, but lack of “never combine” is a bummer :(

Re: Windows 11: Just say no

#340
post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At a minimum, for a Win32 application to work correctly with HiDPI it needs to tell the OS it is DPI aware. This is done by marking the application DPI aware using the settings found in the manifest file. The manifest file is then embedded into the resource section of the application, which then lets the OS know the application will be handling it's own DPI. So the reason many of those 'legacy apps' don't work with H…

So you enable it by editing the manifest file and embedding the manifest file, but with legacy applications the HiDPI scaling might not be calculated correctly, or something assumes Pixels or DIP incorrectly. It might be something in a custom control in MFC, or a library or DLL where the source is long gone and no one can update, or even worst something doing something via COM and VB6.

That is correct. You enable it with the manifest and then you handle the scaling in the application code.

> something assumes Pixels or DIP incorrectly.

These are exactly the types of problems legacy applications run into.

They will contain hard coded assumption in their code and many of those will be 'pixel based' assumptions.

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