Who's the Geekiest of them All?

[NotHardUp1]

Over the past months, and again today, I have gotten apocalyptic warnings from Microsoft about the end of Windows10. It is flagged as incapable of running Windows11. I'm running it on a Dell Inspiron 5559, new in 2016, but new to me some years later, second-hand.

Apparently, it was used on the set of Driving Miss Daisy.

I'm not a cutting edge customer. I use my laptop for limited browsing, never watch movies online, and don't stream music either, nor do I do gaming. It's just a laptop.

Wondering if it's just time to cut the Microsoft umbilical and change Operating Systems. Seems kinda silly to keep reading scare emails about no protection from malware, etc.

Who is using a laptop or desktop that you've replaced the OS with another non-MS system? Do you actually delete Windows afterward, or does it just become inactive when the computer boots to the replacement?

Of course, I could also buy a newer used laptop, but not enthused about that. Mine performs fine so far. New laptops are overpriced and the industry is similar the mobile phone guys, constantly driving up price when the true picture of the cost of manufacturing is going down per unit, so a sham schema targeting the wealth of the Western consumers.

 

[johaninsc]

I've been looking into Linux, possibly, for my new PC when the current one dies.
Don't really know much about it, though.

Not a big fan of Microsoft anymore.

 

[Kahaih]

Are tablets out of the running?

If size matters, eyesight/whatever, you have the option to cast to your enormous smart TV.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I'm not fond of tablets. I bought a used one in Connecticut and disliked it so much I never started using it after setting it up.

As for projecting, I already have this laptop linke to my TV, but never use it, as I either have the TV and surf, or just the laptop. Since the laptop has to be open to keyboard, it doesn't make sense to have a projection going.

 

[fredroy]

I tried Ubuntu a few years ago. Back when WinXP was still current. I liked it ok, it did what I wanted. Then we had a near lighting strike the blew out the onboard network card. Can Ubuntu use a 3Com 3c509 network card? A common as dirt card? Of course not. So back to XP. That's all the Linux I have messed with.

I hear folks saying Mint is pretty good. I'm mostly ok with Win11 although setting it up without a MS account is a pain the butt. But it can be done.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I wonder if the excommunication of Windows 10 means I need to drop my MS backup cloud subscription.

 

[me203]

I've used Linux since the second Bush was in office. It's been more or less my primary OS since the early 2010s. The main argument once was that it got more life out of hardware that M$ was no longer interested in. Or was willing to support, but would force a $$$$ Windows upgrade. Then, it also avoided the malware problems Windows was constantly having.

It has worked well enough for me, but then my usage is pretty simple--I have no need for specialized software that requires Windows. It wasn't particularly difficult getting used to it, although that is something some whine about. In my case, it might have helped that I had early experience with computers going back to the Apple II series. Windows was not ever the only OS I knew, which might make a difference. It also might help that I didn't switch 100% overnight. I dabbled a bit. It worked, and it became the standard for certain tasks. As time went by, Linux slowly became my primary OS.

 

[me203]

Who is using a laptop or desktop that you've replaced the OS with another non-MS system? Do you actually delete Windows afterward, or does it just become inactive when the computer boots to the replacement?

You can have more than one OS installed, and choose what you want when you start up the computer. Whatever you choose will be active, and everything else will be inactive.

Windows would still be usable. I can't remember this for certain, but I do seem to recall that if Windows was still used that if/when it updated it would try to take over and become the only available OS again. That could be fixed, but would be a pain.

Of course, I could also buy a newer used laptop, but not enthused about that. Mine performs fine so far. New laptops are overpriced and the industry is similar the mobile phone guys, constantly driving up price when the true picture of the cost of manufacturing is going down per unit, so a sham schema targeting the wealth of the Western consumers.

Might as well keep the computer.

Even if it was a bit slow, it might be viable to do an OS change. One historic use case for Linux was simply extending the life of hardware that oculd no longer handle the current version of Windows.

 

[me203]

One other thing noting: it's very common for Linux distributions to be installable on a USB thumb drive so that you can start up off that USB drive and actually play with the distribution. Most of the time, performance is limited--but it's a way of trying it.

Other word of warning: before installing, it's a good idea to have a good backup of your files on Windows. Even if there is a promise that somehow or other your existing Windows system will remain intact--and I'm frankly not sure what the state of the art is like here--things can go wrong. "Better safe than sorry."

 

[TickTockMan]

I am no help with computers, but. . .


Depending on your set up and if you take your laptop with you you may want to buy a cheap regular computer with a large monitor.


My brother has talked me into doing that when my laptop gives out as a way to save money.

 

[me203]

Depending on your set up and if you take your laptop with you you may want to buy a cheap regular computer with a large monitor.


My brother has talked me into doing that when my laptop gives out as a way to save money.

This definitely can save money. And I've heard arguments that the hardware can last longer, too.

I've known a couple of people who bought laptops that pretty much got used as a desktop computer, which does raise the question of why spend the extra $ for portability?

 

[rareboy]

MS 11 was way better than 10...which was like Microsoft just backed a big truck onto your lawn and dumped all the shit out for you to sort out.

 

[fredroy]

Just because Microsoft is dropping support for Win10 it doesn't mean your PC is about to be a piece of junk.
You just don't get OS updates any more. I'm pretty sure the built in virus scanner will keep getting updates for a couple more years. You have a router acting as a firewall? Your cable modem should take care of that. And not connecting to some random restaurant's wi-fi? Or clicking on all the links in e-mail?

After a couple of years various programs will get shitty about your OS "being too old" if you let them update. Websites will do the "your browser is "too old" because you don't have the latest and greatest tracking feature they want to use.

Blow it off. I've been there with Win98 and WinXp and Win7. NEVER had a problem. Some website wants to have attitude about my browser version, well, it's a big world, bye.

You can tell Firefox to not check for updates. Check manually every six months or so. Same with all of the rest.

I'm a bad person. I had Outlook98 for e-mail. Freaking loved it. Ctrl-D to delete messages is a perfect for a lefty. I spent about a month finding how to export my mail out of Outlook. I was getting close to that 1GB spot where the .pst file goes corrupt and everything goes bye-bye.

I got my mail into Thunderbird. Mail is saved in .txt files so you can always use Notepad to read saved mail. .Other than no ctrl-d to delete messages, it simply works. I'm using version 2.0.0.24. Shrug, when version 3 came out and it looked like webmail, nah, ain't doing that. I think TB is up to version 85 or so. I don't care. What I have works.

Same thing for Paint Shop Pro. Version 7. Just before Corel bought JASC. It works. And utorrent. and puTTY and FileZilla and more.

As for Microsoft file formats, I have the Excel and Word and PowerPoint viewers. If I want to make a fancy document, WordPad works just fine.

 

[fredroy]

Hey. Backups.
Open Explorer and wend your way to Windows / Users / "your name" / AppData / and copy the Local and Roaming folders to a USB stick. That gets much of your stuff backed up. Don't forget to copy Documents and Pictures and etc.

My idea is to save my stuff. I can always reinstall the OS.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Thanks, all. I do have a large screen laptop, the one in question, and the one before it is still in the closet, also still operable.

And I back up to the cloud all the time, so my files are all saved to OneDrive.

We'll see how it plays out.

 

[me203]

Just because Microsoft is dropping support for Win10 it doesn't mean your PC is about to be a piece of junk

No, no, no!!!!! You are forgetting how important upgrades are. Big Tech needs the money! Think of those poor CEOs making do with only two yachts and three vacation homes!

 

[me203]

the one before it is still in the closet

i hope it will have the bravery to come out as gay one of these days.

 

[me203]

You just don't get OS updates any more

I remember an article talking about the end of support for Windows 7. Quick summary: it's not the end of the world. While Windows 7 specific, I imagine some ideas remain valid for Windows 10--or maybe even Windows 100 when that day comes.

Windows 7 end of support - What to do next guide

Guide discussing the end of support for Windows 7 and considerations for continued use, including security, hardware, performance, and functionality, alternatives like Windows 10 and Linux, and more

www.dedoimedo.com

The writer of this article has more recently written about a plan to migrate to Linux. He is less than enthused with Windows 11.

 

[me203]

I got my mail into Thunderbird. Mail is saved in .txt files so you can always use Notepad to read saved mail. .Other than no ctrl-d to delete messages, it simply works. I'm using version 2.0.0.24. Shrug, when version 3 came out and it looked like webmail, nah, ain't doing that. I think TB is up to version 85 or so. I don't care. What I have works.

Same thing for Paint Shop Pro. Version 7. Just before Corel bought JASC. It works. And utorrent. and puTTY and FileZilla and more.

I held onto one word processor years after it was discontinued just because it worked so well. It was fast, stayed out of my way, and yet had the features I actually needed (as opposed to the M$ vision of "let's see how much we can stuff into Word!" approach).

As for Microsoft file formats, I have the Excel and Word and PowerPoint viewers. If I want to make a fancy document, WordPad works just fine.

I'm not sure WordPad is the first thing that comes to mind when I think "fancy document." But there are choices that don't involve the $$$$ of Word, like LibreOffice (which I use when I need to create a Word-compatible document--it's not perfect, but it is all I need for what I do). I also really liked Jarte when I last saw it--Jarte uses the WordPad engine, but adds some capability without bloat.

 

[fredroy]

I'm ok with Win11. Yeah, it randomly moved shit all over the place. Just like Win7 did from Xp. What's wrong with Control Panel? It has worked since the days of Win3. Settings is just a mess.
W11 sure is pissy about not having a Microsoft account and just a local account.

I don't want an on-line account and I do not want my stuff stored on someones server where I'm screwed if my wISP fails.

Ornery? Yeah. I suppose.