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My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

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Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#81

I can't even remove 'Recommended' from the start menu, not even on a Pro for Workstations. Every time I search on the start menu there is a web search, impossible to turn off. How is that acceptable? I install Edge Beta to test something, and the I uninstall it. All of the sudden my search provider in my normal Edge is reset. And the nagging everywhere. No I don't want 'back-up' my files (OneDrive is not backup, it's…

Presumably all the executives, PMs, and designers all use Macs.

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#82
I used Windows from about 1993 to 2006. In 2006 I was given a Mac Mini as a thank you for completing an unpaid internship. I fell in love with macOS and have basically been a macOS user since.

At the start of the pandemic I bought a PC to game on. 16-core Ryzen, 64 gigabytes of ram. I'd been kind of pleasantly surprised with WSL and just general improvements in cohesiveness. It's still got that Windows jank under the hood though.

But then... It won't f**ing run Windows 11 because it doesn't have a TPM. And they pester me about buying a new computer. You have to be kidding me.

It's just absolutely incredible Microsoft decided to declare very powerful machines only a few years old essentially eWaste.

I'm probably going to give Desktop Linux another go, at least for a bit. I have no idea what distro though.

I ran Ubuntu on some of my older machines for a number of years. I actually loved Unity, I still think it was the best Linux desktop and I'm bummed they basically killed it.

I tried Pop_OS! a couple years ago on a MacBook Pro but it just up and imploded on me after a couple days Windows ME style. I've got Elementary OS on an old MacBook and I've had a decent time with it. The apps not made specifically for it though. Felt real out of place.

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What software specifically is preventing you from moving, if you don't mind me asking?

I am chained to Windows (not the OP) all over the place. CAD programs, e.g. SolidWorks, Alibre, SketchUp, eDrawings, Fusion 360? Windows. CAM programs, e.g. BobCAM, MeshCAM, MasterCAM? Windows. Office? Windows (LibreOffice is not a functional replacement - you can’t risk having documents being sent to clients looking bad). FileMaker, Act! Pro, other desktop databases? Windows. Router control software, e.g. Mach3, Mac…

Most of these will run in a VM just fine.

I have a barebones 'just installed' win10 image that I use to clone a new VM for each new app I add. Solidworks, NX, Cadence, Altium and ISE all work fine with no problems because of 3d acceleration or such.

Admitably my impetus for this was conflicting FlexLM emulators cough, but there's no reason it can't work just as a way of keeping things organised and clean on a host OS that isn't windows.

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#85
post #24

People need to get over the in OS ads. They’re easily removable honestly. Personally I’ve never seen windows look this good in years. The whole system shell looks really good and well designed these days. On top of that the included features like wsl2 and hyperv are great.

it's really not the ads that upset me, it's the remotely exploitable vulnerabilities that take Microsoft 3 years to fix that's kind of where I have a problem. I stopped using Microsoft products in like 1991 man sorry

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#86

About a year ago I dumped Windows from my personal PC for good. I ran a Linux desktop at work for a decade, but my Steam collection get me with at least a bit of a tether to Microsoft. But Valve finally made Linux gaming a reality. I hope more people can make the switch someday because I'm quite happy with the system (Pop!_OS is my distro of choice these days).

I think Proton is a great project (and CodeWeavers deserve credit there as well), but why does it have to be a choice?

I have been multi booting for 20 years, preferring Linux distributions the whole time, but other OSes when I want to use them.

I recently started using a dedicated Windows system for gaming and other Windows favored tasks. I am running a KVM switch, using AMD Graphics on a Linux system and Nvidia on this Windows system. I also have a macOS system, that I use as needed.

I do this with mobile devices as well. It doesn't seem worth it to squabble over choosing a path.

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#87
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am chained to Windows (not the OP) all over the place. CAD programs, e.g. SolidWorks, Alibre, SketchUp, eDrawings, Fusion 360? Windows. CAM programs, e.g. BobCAM, MeshCAM, MasterCAM? Windows. Office? Windows (LibreOffice is not a functional replacement - you can’t risk having documents being sent to clients looking bad). FileMaker, Act! Pro, other desktop databases? Windows. Router control software, e.g. Mach3, Mac…

Most of these will run in a VM just fine. I have a barebones 'just installed' win10 image that I use to clone a new VM for each new app I add. Solidworks, NX, Cadence, Altium and ISE all work fine with no problems because of 3d acceleration or such. Admitably my impetus for this was conflicting FlexLM emulators cough , but there's no reason it can't work just as a way of keeping things organised and clean on a host O…

> Most of these will run in a VM just fine.

Emphatically, no. Running CAM, or CAD software, in a VM, is almost unusably slow with any large models. I’ve tried. It’s not fun to zoom through a large model at 5 FPS. You need to have GPU passthrough, and even though you can make that work, it’s very risky (hardly a stable sane thing to build a business on), and you’re just running Windows again, but worse. We need GPUs in Windows already (primarily NVIDIA) just to keep the CAD from being too slow, and to keep our rendering options open.

Even if it worked brilliantly in a VM (which it doesn’t), why would I double my operating systems and run them simultaneously? That’s just begging for compatibility issues, frustration, and defeats the point of avoiding Windows entirely. Any benefits for avoiding Windows are almost completely negated.

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#88

My friend recently got a new Windows PC. Out of the box, it spent maybe 15-20 minutes updating itself. "We're getting things ready", reboot, create a Microsoft account, 10 data sharing settings to turn off, "almost ready..." Iirc, a MacBook is ready to use without any updates.

I am exclusively a Linux user (mobile and desktop) but I gotta be fair: if updates upon installation are the main complaint...

Pretty sure some vendors update phones in the store to avoid bothering the customer with it. Seems like a lot of effort to boot the full inventory's amount of phones every time there's a security patch only so people don't have to download a diff on first launch (edit: found it https://www.macrumors.com/2024/03/27/what-new-machine-to-upd...)

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#89
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree that we should just "get over" ads, I fucking paid cold hard cash for a Windows license after all. It's either ads with a free license, or no ads with a license bought and paid for. No fucking double dipping. That said, most if not all the nonsense can easily be disabled or removed so I agree with your overall position.

But Microsoft is subsidising cost of the immense infra and development cost by showing you ads in excahnge for a cheaper license.

I hope that was sarcasm

Re: My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

#90

There's no substance to any of these gripes. What advertising? The section hardly describes where/what that is. Sure there's Microsoft Store/app related things (if you use them) but other than that, isn't most of it third-party/manufacturer-included bloat and ads? I don't see any ads on my Win 11 install anywhere. I never use the Start menu except for my already pinned/frequently used apps. Most of my apps are no MS-…

If you're not a paid shill then you sure do a good job of it
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