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Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

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Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#631

Post by buccal »

elboru wrote: post #592
runjake wrote: post #561

One point that wasn't mentioned is that we've been through this cycle many times before with Microsoft, and we will again. It wasn't too long ago that Microsoft went "all in" on Windows for developers and power users. WSL was drastically improved, developer tools were revamped and open sourced. The press adored the "new" Microsoft. Many developers moved over to Windows because they "got the best of both worlds". And…

I remember being excited about Edge, I even started using it because it was fast and had a couple of built-in features I liked. It was a big improvement over the old IE, it felt like Microsoft was going the right direction, but then they kept using dark patterns to change my default search engine to Bing.

Now you have "rounded edges" in Edge that add a content area limiting margins to all sides. Also, they took an open source browser and do not provide the source for Edge. So much for love of open source.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#632

Post by [deleted] »

Macha wrote: post #7

It’s quite common for companies to work their way up to the line of the most user hostile version of their product that users will tolerate. Especially with software where they can just go flip a switch and turn off whatever feature did cross the line but keep everything they gained by inching up to the line, which seems to inevitably result in things like the condition of windows 11. I think the only way this gets b…

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#633

Post by nurettin »

If it starts to get better after it absolutely cannot get any worse and users start to parade their experience switching to other platforms like badges of honor, is that really a win? After so many got their time and money wasted?

I mean I guess there is no reason to care, since their main products work in a browser, powerbi users and gamers can endure anything and old people will just get their grandchildren to fix their windows.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#634

Post by bonesss »

epistasis wrote: post #529
AdamN wrote: post #426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By friends we mean IT leadership in organizations which really needs to be making the case for MacOS, Linux, ChromeOS, or whatever instead of (but more likely in addition to) Windows.

You can even keep that Office365 subscription going on Linux via the web apps these days. They are buggy as hell, but no more buggy than the Mac versions in my experience (haven't used the Windows versions enough to compare...)

Even on windows it’s a struggle.

I used to do a lot of document and Office work. If you had told me that 20 years in the future MS would still be around, automagic piracy enabled coding bots were a thing, and people were having problems because the buttons in Office don’t work, I would’ve flagged the third as unbelievable.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#635

Post by buccal »

mrmuagi wrote: post #586
BitwiseFool wrote: post #584

While I have many grievances with Windows 11, I am particularly upset about the taskbar. Back in Windows 10, I used a double-height taskbar positioned at the bottom of the screen. I forget the name of the specific setting, but all windows would appear as their own item, and, the taskbar would ensure that all items retained the same width. The taskbar in Windows 11 is a downgrade in every conceivable way. I can look p…

I am particularly needy when it comes to the taskbar. I installed a few mods: * Windhawk - can tweak taskbar with extensions similiar to gnome tweaks imo (free) * DisplayFusion - qol for multi monitor setups (paid) I would give it a try if these two applications help you, honestly there's just so many settings to explore -- but afaik static width was something I needed and got done through Windhawk.

You should not have to hack Explorer to make it usable.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#636

Post by major505 »

coole-wurst wrote: post #597
major505 wrote: post #591

As I saw it, there are 4 things that lock people in the windows platform today. - Gaming: a problem being tackled by Valve mainly, and I getting better day by day; - Printing Services: a lot of manufacturers, specially of high end business printers only work on windows. - Photoshop: I think many of these will eventually just fully migrate to mac. - Excel: the rest of microsoft office is used because its in the packag…

You can run Photoshop and small Excel (fine for 90%) on Mac without an issue. The real problem is more specific industry software - Revit, Solidworks and probably a thousand smaller ones.

yeah, solidworks. forgot about it. A lot of people depend on that.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#637

Post by accrual »

luckys wrote: post #330

Maybe it would be a good idea for Microsoft to split Windows into a version for business that supports all the cruft that has accumulated and is needed, and another version where they start from scratch. Something that is lightweight and respects the user. A man can dream.

There's "MinWin", I wish this could be used as the foundation for a consumer Windows OS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MinWin

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#638

Post by fragmede »

coole-wurst wrote: post #597
major505 wrote: post #591

As I saw it, there are 4 things that lock people in the windows platform today. - Gaming: a problem being tackled by Valve mainly, and I getting better day by day; - Printing Services: a lot of manufacturers, specially of high end business printers only work on windows. - Photoshop: I think many of these will eventually just fully migrate to mac. - Excel: the rest of microsoft office is used because its in the packag…

You can run Photoshop and small Excel (fine for 90%) on Mac without an issue. The real problem is more specific industry software - Revit, Solidworks and probably a thousand smaller ones.

It very depends on which part of the software is needed. SOLIDWORKS is usable on a windows VM via Parallels thanks to their GPU acceleration (it's totally unusable via Virtual Box/VMware on a Mac). Would love to hear the other thousand smaller ones. Davinci for professional video editing is a multi-platform. No idea about Mastercam.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#639

Post by e12e »

bombcar wrote: post #614
tombert wrote: post #595

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excel is the biggest blocker for my dad, and why I keep losing the argument to get my parents to move to Linux or Mac. Pretty much all their other stuff is stuff that either works fine on Linux or is just in the browser anyway, but the only thing that I don't really have a rebuttal to is when my dad points out that he uses the full-fat excel and a lot of the more modern features. I would so rather they move to Linux,…

What do they do with Excel for Windows that they can't do with Excel for Mac?

Excel for Mac has gotten a lot better - but I'm not surprised if it is still its own thing - with edge cases in format, macros, visual basic, linking to databases and data sources etc. I imagine excel under wine is better than the port to Mac in some respects.

Re: Microsoft's "fix" for Windows 11

#640

Post by com2kid »

ferongr wrote: post #574
deaux wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

None of those. All we need is enforcing laws that are already on the books. Antitrust laws. Break up big tech.

Breaking up Apple would be glorious. Great hardware without an Orwellian OS on top.

Apple only holds on monopoly position on the smartphone market for people with lots of money.

They aren't a majority in any other market segment.

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