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Microsoft announces Windows 11

theverge.com

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Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#441

Post by indigo945 »

rowanG077 wrote: post #429
tryptophan wrote: post #382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried Linux mint recently and was impressed. My parents seem to use it without issue. As long as you don’t game, need to use office or some other windoze software it seems like a viable choice.

Games should work fine on Mint. The only reason I can't recommend Linux for most people is that there is no usable office suite. And no the libre and open office really are not usable.

WPS Office is alright for most people, if you are okay with proprietary software from a Chinese vendor. However, it obviously doesn't cover e.g. Excel power user needs.

Or you can just use Google Docs, or even the browser edition of Microsoft Office.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#442

Post by Arnavion »

laurowyn wrote: post #307
zamalek wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Could they try to block Linux installs? Linux works just fine with UEFI, that's how I have it installed on all my machines.

I think the implication is TPM 2.0 and secure boot preventing users from booting unsigned code and installing Linux.

re: Secure Boot:

>https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/dev...

>For more information, search for the System.Fundamentals.Firmware.UEFISecureBoot system requirements in PDF download of the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program Specifications and Policies.

>https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/com...

>Windows 11 >Download Specifications and Policies, version 21H2

This is a .zip file containing multiple PDFs. From "Systems.pdf":

>System.Fundamentals.Firmware.UEFISecureBoot (page 99 of 184)

>15. No in-line mechanism is provided whereby a user can bypass Secure Boot failures and boot anyway.Signature verification override during boot when Secure Boot is enabled is not allowed. A physically present user override is not permitted for UEFI images that fail signature verification during boot. If a user wants to boot an image that does not pass signature verification, they must explicitly disable Secure Boot on the target system.

So if you want to boot an OS that doesn't work with Secure Boot, you're allowed to disable it. You just won't be able to boot Windows 11.

>20. (Optional for systems intended to be locked down) Enable/Disable Secure Boot. A physically present user must be allowed to disable Secure Boot via firmware setup without possession of PKpriv. A Windows Server may also disable Secure Boot remotely using a strongly authenticated (preferably public-key based) out-of-bandmanagement connection, such as to a baseboard management controller or service processor. Programmatic disabling of Secure Boot either during Boot Services or after exiting EFI Boot Services MUST NOT be possible.

So they don't disallow the OEM from allowing Secure Boot to be disabled.

It does seem weird to see "must be allowed to disable" in a point marked "Optional", but maybe there's a strict definition of "systems intended to be locked down" that OEMs can't apply willy-nilly to any arbitrary consumer device. At the very least, they're not requiring the OEM to disallow Secure Boot from being disabled.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#443

Post by michaelbrave »

satysin wrote: post #94

So to summerize what they have announced (so far) - * A new look task bar. Centred similar to the macOS dock by default but lacking the ability to position on any other screen edge? * A new start menu design * Windows have rounded corners * Some built in apps such as the Xbox app and Microsoft Store have been redesigned (Xbox Game Pass and xCloud built into the Xbox app) * New touch keyboard (SwiftKey?) with improved…

> * TPM 2.0 and UEFI are hardware requirements. No legacy BIOS compatibility at all?

This is a dealbreaker for me, guess I won't be upgrading and will use linux most of the time instead of half of the time going forward

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#444

Post by nicbou »

miroz wrote: post #329
literallyaduck wrote: post #288

Every time this happens someone says fuck it and installs Linux. After two weeks some of them come back, but the Linux market share grows. I want an OS that stays current on security patches, attempts to be as unobtrusive as possible, allows for Desktop Environment customization but has sane defaults. I don't want special integrations. The OS should follow single responsibility and defer special functionality to app…

I did this when Vista came out. I said fuck it and installed Ubuntu, I had enough of Microsoft bullshit. Then Ubuntu upgraded and moved all window icons to the left side and rearranged them awkwardly. On the next update, they upgraded the sound subsystem and I was without sound until I bought my next PC. Another update came and computer went to sleep when watching movies, so I had to move the mouse every minute to fi…

I had a similar experience. MacOS was the answer. For me, the moat around MacOS is so large that I refuse to consider any other laptop brand.

This has been the most frictionless operating system I've used to date. It's not perfect, but it's good enough to make other options undesirable.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#445

Post by da_chicken »

r00fus wrote: post #303
dean177 wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

- Windows have rounded corners - Teams integrated into Windows - A new widgets fly out for weather, news, etc. (appears this will require you login with a Microsoft Account) - A Microsoft account and internet connectivity is required for Windows 11 Home setup No thank you

> - Teams integrated into Windows Is this just asking for antitrust? I mean, Apple can get away with sherlocking their opposition but they don't have a monopoly on desktop OS.

I don't really think desktops are a real source of tech competition anymore. If the FTC isn't going to do anything about vendor lock-in on iOS, MacOS, Android, or ChromeOS, they really don't have any business doing the same on Windows.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#446

Post by npteljes »

cercatrova wrote: post #355
asdff wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If its anything like windows 10 was you could just never activate the license and nothing practically would be different, unless you wanted desktop backgrounds I believe. I barely notice the watermark anyhow telling me to activate windows for the last few years.

Or just get a Windows keygen/updater like KMSpico.

There's a digital license way of activation that doesn't even need an active service like kmspico. Just a one time activation and you're golden.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#447

Post by mdiesel »

FpUser wrote: post #373
kleiba wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not a Windows person but recently had to go through the setup process on my parents' newly purchased desktop machine. As far as I could tell, creating a user account just locally was not possible, you had to have an online account, hooked up with a valid email address. Given that most free email providers require you to provide your phone number (I don't own a phone), I had to do some digging--- all just to creat…

>"As far as I could tell, creating a user account just locally was not possible" I do it all the time. Do not plug network cable and do not connect to WiFi. Windows then proceeds to setting up local account

If you do accidentally connect to a network, before you realise this, there's no way to get it to forget. Rebooting doesn't work. The only solution I found was walking 30m away to the other side of the parking lot out of range of WiFi.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#448

Post by seaorg »

ArkanExplorer wrote: post #432
seaorg wrote: post #412

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not at all. Because the lack of curation will make the ecosystem dead on arrival for 99% of users.

Lack of curation doesn't really matter for apps, where the user will find the software independently, and just use the MS Store for the final download. And for games, the curation will be where it matters - on Xbox games pass.

I’m talking about filtering out malicious software ala Android App Store

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#449

Post by rektide »

Silhouette wrote: post #437
k12sosse wrote: post #422

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Windows professional for professionals. Windows home for grandparents. Always has been this way. I'm ok with that. The tiers of OS have different requirements and features. Expected.

Windows Professional used to be for professionals. I think there is a strong argument that since Windows 10 it hasn't been, at least not for technically competent professionals. In 10, the Pro edition still has much the same user-hostile aspects as Home, which are inappropriate in a business context. If Windows 10 Pro had the same kinds of control over things like updates and telemetry as the Enterprise and Education…

since windows me it's been clear there's a product designed to be utterly unpalatable, a product whose purpose is to produce upsells by behaving rudely.

Re: Microsoft announces Windows 11

#450

Post by DavidVoid »

sorenjan wrote: post #247
satysin wrote: post #94

So to summerize what they have announced (so far) - * A new look task bar. Centred similar to the macOS dock by default but lacking the ability to position on any other screen edge? * A new start menu design * Windows have rounded corners * Some built in apps such as the Xbox app and Microsoft Store have been redesigned (Xbox Game Pass and xCloud built into the Xbox app) * New touch keyboard (SwiftKey?) with improved…

> A new look task bar. Centred similar to the macOS dock by default but lacking the ability to position on any other screen edge? This is confirmed on the Windows 11 specification site: > Alignment to the bottom of the screen is the only location allowed. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifica...

> Alignment to the bottom of the screen is the only location allowed.

That's incredibly disappointing! Having the task bar at the top of the screen makes a lot more sense for me. Application bars (tabs, urls, etc. in browsers) are at the top, so why place the task bar as far away from that as possible? It just doesn't make sense imo.

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