Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#11

Post by smileybarry » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:30 PM UTC

habnds wrote: post #3

>> GitLab approves the use of Linux, and Apple's macOS. Microsoft Windows is prohibited for the following reasons: Due to Microsoft Windows' dominance in desktop operating systems, Windows is the platform most targetted by spyware, viruses, and ransomware. macOS is preinstalled on Apple computers and Linux is available free of charge. To approve the use of Windows, GitLab would have to purchase Windows Professional l…

You wouldn’t use Home SKUs for enterprises anyway, if you want to apply any policy you need Pro/Enterprise. In the end it’s about GitLab dismissing an entire laptop over a $70 upgrade key, or $200 Pro license.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#12

Post by dsr_ » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:30 PM UTC

This is pretty similar to the policy at my company: you get a Mac, unless you specifically request a Linux laptop. If you need Windows for testing, Microsoft makes VM images available with a browser pre-installed at https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/v...

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#13

Post by Halan » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:30 PM UTC

I am curious about the M1 max for the top performing configuration, wonder if there is a business need for it over an M1 pro with the same storage and memory. Especially since they are mentioning the few hundred dollars a windows pro licence would cost as a reason not to get windows laptops.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#14

Post by seydor » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:31 PM UTC

> Due to MacOs' dominance in GitLab, it is now most targetted by MacOs spyware, viruses, and ransomware who wish to steal corporate secrets.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#15

Post by icedchai » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:32 PM UTC

202206241203 wrote: post #7

Quoted post unavailable.

I assume this is sarcasm. They are a public company with a multi billion dollar market cap.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#16

Post by gizmo » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:33 PM UTC

The pretext for banning Windows is comically bad. Paying extra for Mac hardware is perfectly fine (no, encouraged!), but paying $100 or so to upgrade Windows Home to Windows Professional is prohibitively expensive? That's such a joke.

I have no trouble with companies mandating one OS or the other. But when the justification for the policy is so bad it looks petty and ideological as opposed to the result of a level-headed cost/benefit analysis.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#17

Post by arkitaip » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:33 PM UTC

habnds wrote: post #3

>> GitLab approves the use of Linux, and Apple's macOS. Microsoft Windows is prohibited for the following reasons: Due to Microsoft Windows' dominance in desktop operating systems, Windows is the platform most targetted by spyware, viruses, and ransomware. macOS is preinstalled on Apple computers and Linux is available free of charge. To approve the use of Windows, GitLab would have to purchase Windows Professional l…

I haven't had problems with viruses, spyware and ransomware on Windows for years. Microsoft's builtin spyware marketed as telemetry and diagnostics otoh is very difficult to counter even with dedicated tools like O&O ShutUp10. I get why companies don't want to risk giving business secrets to Microsoft.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#18

Post by jchw » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:33 PM UTC

This is not actually that unusual; in fact, if I'm not misremembering, Google also does not generally allow Windows, aside from some limited, less privileged stuff.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#19

Post by 202206241203 » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:34 PM UTC

icedchai wrote: post #15

202206241203 wrote: post #7

Quoted post unavailable.

I assume this is sarcasm. They are a public company with a multi billion dollar market cap.

I guess you are right, it looks even worse then... Where is that money even going.

Re: Microsoft Windows is prohibited at Gitlab

#20

Post by mickael-kerjean » Fri, Aug 05, 2022, 2:35 PM UTC

rubicks wrote: post #5

.

Me too, so many companies enforce windows only with no way to get a linux machine or a mac that it's great to see it playing differently, I can only hope things will change when a new generation who has never used windows will come in the workforce