What's next for Windows?

[Free]

Eh...

You’ll be able to run Windows 11 on older PCs—if you install the update manually

You won't see it in Windows Update, but Microsoft won't stop you from running it.

arstechnica.com

 

[Kalel]

They can't seem to make up their mind...

Microsoft is threatening to withhold Windows 11 updates if your CPU is old

Genuine limitation or covering its ass? Unclear.

www.theverge.com

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Many people have been looking for a supported way to disable patch/crash Tuesday, so it's not a complete fail.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Use a Mac or Linux instead - simple as that.

 

[Free]

Use a Mac or Linux instead - simple as that.

Using Linux is a bit simpler as you don't need to buy a whole new computer.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

You may have to commission someone to write the applications you need though.

 

[Free]

You may have to commission someone to write the applications you need though.

If you can afford that, couldn't you also just...buy a newer pc with an up-to-date cpu? I know, the BURDENS OF COMPUTING.

 

[Noodles]

Eh...

You’ll be able to run Windows 11 on older PCs—if you install the update manually

You won't see it in Windows Update, but Microsoft won't stop you from running it.

arstechnica.com

Honestly, the potential, "Can I use it" are the least of my worries over Windows 11.

I mostly ignored the fears of Windows 10 because they ended up being false, but it's starting to feel like Microsoft is wanting to make good on a lot of those fears for real with Windows 11. The biggest thing being ads and crap in the OS.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Well ads are already true in Windows 10. But also in iOS or MacOS, if you are running out of cloud space Apple will happily recommend you to rent some cloud space from them.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

If you can afford that, couldn't you also just...buy a newer pc with an up-to-date cpu? I know, the BURDENS OF COMPUTING.

It's called "a platform monopoly".

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Microsoft is threatening to withhold Windows 11 updates if your CPU is old

Genuine limitation or covering its ass? Unclear.

www.theverge.com

I mean, this seems pretty common-sense to me. Microsoft already established minimum CPU specs. If you already realize you need to deliberately bypass the enforcement in the automatic updater by just installing the ISO yourself on your below-spec computer, why on earth would you expect the automatic updater, that you needed to bypass, to start serving updates?

If Microsoft automatically updates your below-minimum-spec computer, and the update goes wrong or messes up your OS, now suddenly Microsoft gets roped into having to provide support to your below-minimum-spec computer, which they pointedly did not want to have to do - that's the whole reason they have a minimum spec in the first place.

 

[Romana]

Use a Mac or Linux instead - simple as that.

It definitely is not "as simple as that".
I need to run software that won't run on either of those, I can't afford a Mac, and my PC is new as of 2020, and not going anywhere until I decide it is.

If you can afford that, couldn't you also just...buy a newer pc with an up-to-date cpu? I know, the BURDENS OF COMPUTING.

My hardware is supported, although their tool doesn't recognize it until I fiddle with the BIOS TPM or whatever it's called.
But I can empathize with the people that might be left high and dry.
There's a lot of people that can't just run out and buy a new computer. Microsoft is going to have to realize that as people don't jump for joy and run to install Windows 11.

 

[Noodles]

It definitely is not "as simple as that".
I need to run software that won't run on either of those, I can't afford a Mac, and my PC is new as of 2020, and not going anywhere until I decide it is.
My hardware is supported, although their tool doesn't recognize it until I fiddle with the BIOS TPM or whatever it's called.
But I can empathize with the people that might be left high and dry.
There's a lot of people that can't just run out and buy a new computer. Microsoft is going to have to realize that as people don't jump for joy and run to install Windows 11.

The TPM thing feels like it's buggy or something. The PC I no ght this year, like two months ago, says it's not supported because of TPM. And this is kind of a monster of a PC.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

If it is a new PC, check BIOS settings. TPM is often disabled, even though it is built into current generation CPUs.

 

[Romana]

That's the way it is with mine. And I don't see any reason to flip that switch until I have to. Just so Windows checkup can give me the seal of approval?
It would be on the security tab in your BIOS.

 

[Free]

It definitely is not "as simple as that".
I need to run software that won't run on either of those, I can't afford a Mac, and my PC is new as of 2020, and not going anywhere until I decide it is.
My hardware is supported, although their tool doesn't recognize it until I fiddle with the BIOS TPM or whatever it's called.
But I can empathize with the people that might be left high and dry.
There's a lot of people that can't just run out and buy a new computer. Microsoft is going to have to realize that as people don't jump for joy and run to install Windows 11.

Do me a favor and don't mix me in with your "as simple as that" response.

There was a time where the best I managed was a jerry-rigged system of monitor and keyboard from an old desktop pc linked to a barely functioning laptop shell with a busted display/keyboard. It was not anything like travel-worthy and could *just* run the stuff I needed it to. That had to be enough for a few years in my life because even a crappy netbook or HP Slimline box as replacement took a while to save for.

I was one of those "lot of people."

 

[Romana]

Do me a favor and don't mix me in with your "as simple as that" response.

There was a time where the best I managed was a jerry-rigged system of monitor and keyboard from an old desktop pc linked to a barely functioning laptop shell with a busted display/keyboard. It was not anything like travel-worthy and could *just* run the stuff I needed it to. That had to be enough for a few years in my life because even a crappy netbook or HP Slimline box as replacement took a while to save for.

I was one of those "lot of people."

Sorry, that didn't come out the way I intended it to look. The answer to Bartholomew's quote and yours should have been separate. I've put them in the right places now.
So much for multitasking, eh?

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

It definitely is not "as simple as that".
I need to run software that won't run on either of those, I can't afford a Mac, and my PC is new as of 2020, and not going anywhere until I decide it is.

For the vast majority of office/daytime jobs it is. Most businesses just need Office, that's it. Office runs on MacOS quite nicely, or if you don't want a Mac the web based versions are good enough for many occassions as well. Or if people would be more flexible, most could just dump Office altogether and move on to something else.

The issue is most people use what comes preinstalled. And this is why Windows is king.

 

[Sid]

I will stay on Windows 10 for a while anyway.
There is no need to be an early adapter of Windows 11.
Let them sort things out a bit better first.
I use that tactic since 3.1.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

For the vast majority of office/daytime jobs it is. Most businesses just need Office, that's it.

If it's for a job, then the business can pay for it. If they can't, make sure your resume is up to date because they're in deep trouble.

If you need Word-compatibility for non-job-related reasons, there's at least a couple of open-source alternatives that are bug for bug compatible.

(Microsoft calls them features, but current Word documents are 100% bugs taped together with XML)

Also, did you know that if you edit a raw HTML file and rename it to ".doc" it's totally openable in Word.