I realize this is a Linux community, but I was wondering why you still hate Windows. I mean, I love Linux, but I will not argue that it’s more convenient to the average person in most use cases to use Windows, I recently had to switch back to Windows and I realized how convenient it all was and how I was missing so many things because of my love for Linux. But at this point, Linux is a part of my personality and my self-image and I will not leave it, but I gotta be honest, it’s pretty convenient being on Windows. So, why have you guys chosen to still stay on Linux? Some reasons I can appreciate include

  1. The terrible privacy policies of Microsoft. It sometimes makes you feel like your computer is not owned by you but lent to you by Big Tech.
  2. The community and the spirit of sharing
  3. The joy of “figuring it out” and customizing everything you want to the minutest details
  4. FREEDOM!!! sudo su Kinda ties into the previous points, but still one of the best selling points, the freedom to do whatever you want is liberating. You can run a server on it or you can create a script while knowing you have control over almost every FOSS app there is or just destroy your whole system with one command. Idk, feels good man!

These are the big ones, but one must realize you are sacrificing many things while not using windows too, productivity can be much greater there if you are a normie, it’s really convenient! So yeah! Give me your reasons! Also, how many of you dual boot?

  • sunzu
    2•6 months ago

    Never seen that guide. Does it actually work?

    I tried using firewall and registry, it kinda worked but system was acting wild at times and eventually would implode. Could be a me issue but i was spending too much time on it.

    Once i switched to linux and set it up, there is less maintenance

    • @[email protected]
      2•6 months ago

      Warning

      If a user executes the Reset this PC command (Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery) with the Keep my files option (or the Remove Everything option) the Windows Restricted Traffic Limited Functionality Baseline settings will need to be re-applied in order to re-restrict the device. Egress traffic may occur prior to the re-application of the Restricted Traffic Limited Functionality Baseline settings. To restrict a device effectively (first time or subsequently), it is recommended to apply the Restricted Traffic Limited Functionality Baseline settings package in offline mode. During update or upgrade of Windows, egress traffic may occur.

      This guide just helped me realize why I don’t use windows. The fact that you need to remove and not add is why I like Linux.

      • sunzu
        1•6 months ago

        I think i’ve heard about this… does it mean in normie terms: MS gets unrestricted internet lane to your windows?

        • @TCB13English
          2•6 months ago

          No. It means if you upgrade a system from 21h2 to 22h2 Microsoft may have added new stuff in there that you’ve to review because if you connect it the internet right away those new “features” may connect to them.

          Consider this example: Windows 11 before and after the Copilot shit. You can completely disable Copilot and other AI features using group policy however if you’re on the “before” version you can’t disable the feature because it isn’t there already, if you upgrade, the features would be there with defaults and on the first boot it might great you with a “welcome to copilot” that will connect to Microsoft.

    • @TCB13English
      1•6 months ago

      Never seen that guide. Does it actually work?

      Yes, best results with Enterprise.

      It won’t implode, and it becomes a zero maintenance OS.

      Windows out of the box is full of crap but we all know that a lot of large companies use it and Microsoft is kinda forced into making it feasible enough for those companies. If you’re managing let’s say 500+ machines you can’t deal with the bullshit that comes with Windows 10 Home / Pro and systems that break every week.

      There are also a lot of govt agencies and private companies with very strict security policies that can’t just allow Windows to connect to MS and leak information around. If you simply disable what you don’t need by following that manual things will really work out.

      On the corporate world those changes are typically applied using AD, however, if you apply them manually in group policy they’ll stick and you won’t be bothered. Don’t forget to check the link every time there’s a major version because they usually add stuff.

      I installed Windows 10 Enterprise 1709 on my main desktop in 2018 and applied the stuff documented there… I’ve been upgrading since then and it’s currently running 22H2 just fine. No policy regressions like some people claim.

      Microsoft is forced to provide ways for big customers to make Windows usable and those aren’t going away anytime soon, they’ve a financial incentive to do so.

      • sunzu
        1•6 months ago

        I see. But I did look around for Enterprise but I could not figure where to get it as a normie.

        I am assuming that is on purpose?

        • @TCB13English
          2•6 months ago

          I am assuming that is on purpose?

          Most likely, “normie” don’t even know Enterprise exist…

          With that said, you may find links here:

          https://massgrave.dev/windows_10_links

          Business ISO includes both Pro and Enterprise versions. On the same website you can find activation tools including HWID that will give you a valid digital license for your hardware that will survive a reinstallation of windows.

          Just as a note if you’ve any Windows 10 Pro machines around you can upgrade them to Enterprise by just changing the key to a generic one under settings. A clean install of Enterprise would be better but you can still do it that way if you don’t want the trouble / spend more time with it.