Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

My Windows Computer Just Doesn't Feel Like Mine Anymore

howtogeek.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

201–210 of 678 posts

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

#201

Post by gertop »

sedatk wrote: post #181

The first time I needed to install Linux on my computer was last week because Wireshark didn’t support 802.11 packet capture on Windows or WSL. So, I installed Ubuntu on my Surface Laptop 3, and my experience had been quite terrible. (Disclaimer: I’m a former Windows engineer, but I’ve also been using Linux since Slackware 3 occasionally) * Setup started in 100% HiDPI scaling, making everything impossible to read. Ev…

All good points but you were likely asked for encryption during setup, you just didn't notice (it's at the partition step).

You are correct that it's impossible to do after the fact whilst the system is live. LUKS is also not very resilient. Bitlocker stores several copy of its headers in case of sector damage. With luks2 you're SOL.

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

#202

Post by numerosix »

sedatk wrote: post #181

The first time I needed to install Linux on my computer was last week because Wireshark didn’t support 802.11 packet capture on Windows or WSL. So, I installed Ubuntu on my Surface Laptop 3, and my experience had been quite terrible. (Disclaimer: I’m a former Windows engineer, but I’ve also been using Linux since Slackware 3 occasionally) * Setup started in 100% HiDPI scaling, making everything impossible to read. Ev…

[flagged]

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

#203

Post by ranger207 »

sedatk wrote: post #181

The first time I needed to install Linux on my computer was last week because Wireshark didn’t support 802.11 packet capture on Windows or WSL. So, I installed Ubuntu on my Surface Laptop 3, and my experience had been quite terrible. (Disclaimer: I’m a former Windows engineer, but I’ve also been using Linux since Slackware 3 occasionally) * Setup started in 100% HiDPI scaling, making everything impossible to read. Ev…

I know this is going to sound stereotypical Linux user-y, but it's really because Ubuntu is pretty terrible nowadays. Several of those are enabled by default on Fedora for example, and Fedora is nowadays about as easy to use as Ubuntu

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

#204

Post by gertop »

Arainach wrote: post #193
sedatk wrote: post #181

The first time I needed to install Linux on my computer was last week because Wireshark didn’t support 802.11 packet capture on Windows or WSL. So, I installed Ubuntu on my Surface Laptop 3, and my experience had been quite terrible. (Disclaimer: I’m a former Windows engineer, but I’ve also been using Linux since Slackware 3 occasionally) * Setup started in 100% HiDPI scaling, making everything impossible to read. Ev…

>As I understand, fast fractional scaling is impossible with Linux because fractional scaling is a bitmap operation while it’s just a rendering parameter on Windows. Windows, like every modern operating system 2006 or newer, has a graphics compositor to do basic things like allow GPU-accelerated window stretching, prevent screen tearing, and so on (OS X had one slightly earlier). Meanwhile while Linux has had multipl…

For the most part, Windows doesn't achieve fractional/integer scaling by doing gpu-accelerated bitmap scaling.

On Windows and MacOS and iOS and Android the GUI toolkits are aware of the scaling factor and draw themselves appropriately. It has nothing to do with the compositor.

Some legacy apps on Windows are indeed scaled like you describe, resulting in a blurry mess like on Linux, but they are few and far between.

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

#205

Post by nox101 »

Nothing electronic I own feels like mine anymore

My Mac, iPhone, and Apple TV are owned by Apple. My Sony TV is owned by Sony and Google. My Windows PC is owned by Microsoft. My Quest 2 is owned by Meta. My Kindle is owned by Amazon.

At best, the Mac and PC I could install Linux on to make them mine. The rest, not so much

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

#207

Post by k8sToGo »

bruce511 wrote: post #189
navjack27 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have absolutely none of these problems on my Windows 11 pro for workstations desktop. My computer is very much my computer and I seem to have full total control over everything. I'm not sure what I do differently than everyone else but that's just how it is.

You're getting downvoted, as will I, because presenting an alternative anecdotal experience isn't acceptable in Windows threads. I've learned this the hard way. Unfortunately just like the original post is anecdotal (I haven't had a machine fail to startup after an update since XP) not all anecdotes are born equal. Interestingly, I don't see adverts myself, and I've never seen any at work. I -suspect- that's heavily…

Yes you have to use what they ship. Because they force you to. You cannot turn off one drive nagging. You cannot turn off the start menu search. When installing windows these days you have to use a Microsoft account and so on.

Yes there are work arounds, but that’s not for the average user. If I need to start tinkering and hack around in registries I might as well use Linux.

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

#208

Post by gudzpoz »

msm_ wrote: post #175
rsanheim wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This illustrates just how ridiculously screwed up Windows is now. No one should have to resort to registry hacking or the many scripts or hacks available to regain control over basic UX, privacy, or usability selections. It is absolutely absurd.

To be fair, Linux configuration is not exactly straightforward in comparison to Windows. Dozens of obscure config files (each with a different syntax), stored in various random places in the filesystem, with the general expectation that every user should be able to run a terminal command once in a while to fix something. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Linux lover and user, but from an outside perspective Windows registry…

I've been wondering if these magical registry things are documented anywhere... Searching, for example, "site:microsoft.com DisableSearchBoxSuggestions", only leads me to tons of forum posts.

I would love a configuration system with centralized database and centralized documentation, but no OS currently seems to be able to achieve that, and Windows' missing documentation appears even worse than obscure but documented config files.

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

#209

Post by gertop »

ranger207 wrote: post #203
sedatk wrote: post #181

The first time I needed to install Linux on my computer was last week because Wireshark didn’t support 802.11 packet capture on Windows or WSL. So, I installed Ubuntu on my Surface Laptop 3, and my experience had been quite terrible. (Disclaimer: I’m a former Windows engineer, but I’ve also been using Linux since Slackware 3 occasionally) * Setup started in 100% HiDPI scaling, making everything impossible to read. Ev…

I know this is going to sound stereotypical Linux user-y, but it's really because Ubuntu is pretty terrible nowadays. Several of those are enabled by default on Fedora for example, and Fedora is nowadays about as easy to use as Ubuntu

I tried to install Fedora last week but I couldn't because my mouse cursor would disappear when it was over the installer window.

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

#210

Post by wvenable »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #118
wvenable wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure why you'd want to start using an OS without running the latest revision.

What business is it of yours? Or Microsoft's? Or Apple's?

Microsoft care quite a bit because security vulnerabilities of end user machines that were out of date was a huge issue. Since they basically stopped allowing users to run outdated versions, that problem has effectively disappeared.
Post reply on HN