Windows 11......buy it or screw it?

[xkaes]

That's largely correct, but there are ways to protect your computer if the computer is connected to the Internet -- and having the latest MS OS update doesn't mean you can operate without other protective software, anyway.

Since most of my computers are not connected to the Internet, they are secure.

[Gorminrider]

Well, Microsoft would be the worst of these, integrating the OS and just about everything else with an online presence. You shouldn't need to be online to use a computer.

[earlfor]

Windows 11 is here for SOME people -- or should I say SOME computers. The current version is available for free to users of Windows 10, BUT you have to have a SUPER computer -- stuff like 64-bit this & that and memory up the YING/YANG. Over the next year, they will be releasing additional versions for the rest of us scum -- with not so fancy computers. So it's going to be a staggered release.

Each version, including the current one, will have a small program that you can run to check to see if the latest installment will run on your gear. The current version won't run on anything I have. My "best" computer is Windows 10 PRO 64-bit with four GIGs of RAM and a four core CPU.

You can go to Microsoft.com to get the current test program -- but don't get your hopes up. Down the road there we be something I can use, but it seems like 99% of the "WHAT'S NEW" does not relate to what I do -- stuff like better connectivity with your smartphone crap.

And, like with all of Microsoft's updates, people will realize that to use it they will need a new computer, and new peripherals, and new software -- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I'm on windows 10 with quad core, 64bit and 2 terra of memory, but I suspect win11 will simply be more crap I have to turn off.

[allojohn]

Windows XP or bust!

Agreed. XP was more stable than anything that came before it...... or after it!

[Nessism]

I'm on windows 10 with quad core, 64bit and 2 terra of memory, but I suspect win11 will simply be more crap I have to turn off.

2 terabytes of memory (RAM)??? Pretty sure that's not possible. 2 TB of regular storage space like hard drives or SSD's is no problem though.

[argonsagas]

Well, Microsoft would be the worst of these, integrating the OS and just about everything else with an online presence. You shouldn't need to be online to use a computer.

You identified the reason for posting the thread. I really, really, dislike microsoft.

My wife had W-8 and despite my disconnecting as many links as possible, it constantly reconnected all the things I wanted out, beginning with having to link to MS and sign in with them before the computer would let her do anything with it.

My newest toy is an ultra-small Lenovo, roughly 7 x 7 x 1.5 inches and came with W-10, which I promptly dug into and pulled out as much of the MS links as I could.
It seems less susceptible to re-linking by Microsoft, or perhaps they are just more successful in hiding it from me.

The older one runs on W-7 and has Malwarebytes on board. I got lucky with that purchase as it came with a lifetime subscription

[BigD_83]

Windows XP or bust!

We've dead-ended the OS for some of our instruments at XP, and the ugly spectre of not being able to upgrade/meet university IT requirements is starting to bite us hard . It's hard to watch a million + dollar microscope sit for lack of security.

[earlfor]

2 terabytes of memory (RAM)??? Pretty sure that's not possible. 2 TB of regular storage space like hard drives or SSD's is no problem though.

Didn't mean RAM, should have said hard drive. SAT. heh

[Cipher]

We've dead-ended the OS for some of our instruments at XP, and the ugly spectre of not being able to upgrade/meet university IT requirements is starting to bite us hard . It's hard to watch a million + dollar microscope sit for lack of security.

At a million plus and likely not a one off piece of hardware some dumb soda best be porting to the newerOS

[metalfab]

I have heard of some backward compatibility issues with Windows11, it doesn't like really old hardware. I am wondering if you buy a new PC, does 11 time out in one year like the retail version does, Microsoft office does.

I do like the 2010 to 2014 Dell T3500 workstations. Mainly for the bang for the buck. Hundreds of thousands of them were produced mostly bought by governments. They started dumping them 5 years ago. The one I am using now has an Intel Xeon processor with 12 logical cores@3.33ghz, I bought the processor for $34 on ebay because of its age. It has 24 gigs of ram, and an AMD dual slot video controller with 1gig of ram on it. That video controller is technically obsolete by the most modern standard, but it still works really good. It supports RAID 10 hard drive control too. I've got 4 separate 1TB hard drives. RAID 10 reads/writes data from 2 drives at once, making booting loading and writing to a drive almost twice as fast. The other 2 drives are mirror copies of the main drives in case a drive crashes it has a backup copy of both main drives. It will give you a failure warning, and it keeps on running. When you install a replacement drive it automatically updates the data on it. The down side to RAID 10 is with 4, 1TB drives installed you only have 2TB of available storage. The fact that it is backed up is worth it. The machine came with the AMD Video, and 24 gigs of ram in it. I think I have between $250 and $300 in it. They are about 16 inches tall and about 40 pounds, I love the thick stainless steel face and they are quiet. Great machines.

[xkaes]

I have heard of some backward compatibility issues with Windows11, it doesn't like really old hardware.

But earlier versions of Windows has the same problem -- and it's not just hardware, it's software incompatibility as well.

Sure, some Windows versions have the COMPATIBILITY MODE, and it works SOME of the time -- for me about 50/50. But Windows typically does not provide new drivers for old gear, and the manufacturers of the old gear don't produce new drivers because they want you to buy their NEW gear. So because I have so much old software and hardware that works fine -- but only on certain versions of Windows -- I have to have multiple computers with different versions.

[Gorminrider]

You identified the reason for posting the thread. I really, really, dislike microsoft.

My wife had W-8 and despite my disconnecting as many links as possible, it constantly reconnected all the things I wanted out, beginning with having to link to MS and sign in with them before the computer would let her do anything with it.

My newest toy is an ultra-small Lenovo, roughly 7 x 7 x 1.5 inches and came with W-10, which I promptly dug into and pulled out as much of the MS links as I could.
It seems less susceptible to re-linking by Microsoft, or perhaps they are just more successful in hiding it from me.

The older one runs on W-7 and has Malwarebytes on board. I got lucky with that purchase as it came with a lifetime subscription

Yes, you're in a hard place with few choices, if you want to stay current. All of the Big Three (MS,Apple,Google) are dedicated to the premise that it's THEIR system and you are just using it with a lease. Therefore, they want constant oversight of THEIR system. The terms are: in exchange for using THEIR system, you surrender all privacy they deem they need to ensure "User Satisfaction". Of course, since you can't buy hardware that isn't built with THEIR system running it, you are stuck.

There are still many dedicated people working on the sidelines with open source, freewares and hacks to maintain a semblance of your dignity, but they need support. And it is work and wanking to take back some control of the machine you thought you owned.

If I were a Fantasy Paranoid, I'd say the Eye of Mordor is in every room and pocket th.jpg

[bccap]

Ever since my experience with Norton I have made a policy of getting all my software on Piratebay ..... I had purchased a copy and then had my hard drive crash ... After replacing the drive I am on the phone to Norton support to get it working again .... It was like talking to a wall trying to convince them I owned the software ......As I am trying to straighten it out I downloaded a cracked copy of my legitimately owned software off Piratebay ....I then told the guy I was talking to never mind I now had a pirate copy of my own software and to go screw himself .....

[BigD_83]

At a million plus and likely not a one off piece of hardware some dumb soda best be porting to the newerOS

Unfortunately, the systems are not supportable, but, not being a software engineer, I don't know the limitations of porting


We did get 20 odd years out of them, so they kind of, sort of, made it to the end of their projected lifetime. Heck, it's not like we're trying to keep a Sea-King in the air or anything.

[Rijko]

We've dead-ended the OS for some of our instruments at XP, and the ugly spectre of not being able to upgrade/meet university IT requirements is starting to bite us hard . It's hard to watch a million + dollar microscope sit for lack of security.

I have had a problem like that with software running on XP controlling a warehouse installation.
Besides the cost, the needed downtime made this impossible.
In the end this PC was converted to a virtual machine running on a modern server -
using virtual com ports sharing diskspace with the host.
Data could be exchanged from this host with modern os and security to other systems.

XP is safe, shielded like that.
May not work for you, but who knows.