Not even a week ago, Microsoft doubled downon its policy that requires PCs to have TPM 2.0-compatible hardware in order to install Windows 11. But now, in an unexpected and puzzling move, the company is issuing instructions for installing Windows 11 on incompatible PCs.
You can find those official instructions on this support page. However, Microsoft begins the instructions with a direct warning:
The risk alluded to here includes system crashes and the lack of crucial security updates that would otherwise keep the PC safe and protected against malware, hackers, and scammers.
Well, it is bad news. Now my only impenetrable argument for why my family and friends should switch to Linux is moot. Way to ruin this one for me, Microsoft.
Well while it is good news for the e-waste space, for us advocating of alternative operating systems it probably is bad.
In fact I was in a plan to pitch Linux to friends and even to my family but uh maybe not anymore idk.
However, Microsoft begins the instructions with a direct warning:
If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won’t be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren’t covered under the manufacturer warranty. By selecting Accept, you are acknowledging that you read and understand this statement.”
The risk alluded to here includes system crashes and the lack of crucial security updates that would otherwise keep the PC safe and protected against malware, hackers, and scammers.
But it could also be good news. Depending on how you look at it.
If our Linux advocacy comes down to being a leftover option in the event their main OS doesn’t want their hardware anymore I don’t think we’re doing very well. We can shift our talking points if things improve in other ecosystems as well!
Ultimately I see this as a net-win for ewaste and committing to longer updates. Windows is the most popular OS and this will enable people to use their devices longer, and it sets a norm in the industry to not retire devices sooner than needed.
Also even I have a Windows desktop laying around for a few games that can’t get Windows 11 since apparently a 6700k isn’t modern enough to run Windows 11
Yeah this is my concern as well, I’m curious how much of the warning is just to scare people away. Is microsoft planning to exclude some Windows 11 devices from security updates? Super confusing situation, though I guess Windows 10 won’t get security updates soon either unless you pay them $30. Lots of questions all-around so I guess we’ll see how this unfolds. I wonder why the shift
I mean true, as I said one of the compelling arguments was windows 11 minimum requirements but I quote:
Good news for the e-waste land, bad news for people who want to pitch Linux or soemthing to people that would be pretty much viable, like assuming the one you’re pitching to doesn’t need to play games on day one/plays with AC or DRM, one of the viable arguments was windows 11 requirements so not anymore
Overall this is why I said it can be good news, as it means less computers now in the landfilll…
and also as added by anonymous user obviously
Yeah it could be to scare consumers like you said. As Microsoft probably wants that sweet profits from people buying new hardware.
Or it could be that the relaxing of mandatory security features like now not needing TPM 2.0 and secure boot is going to cause issues? As, those security features were mandatory to install the OS previously.
But like you said only time will tell. Hopefully there are going to be at least some security updates and nothing fully breaks for people who install this on unsupported hardware.
Maybe there are a huge amount of unsupported computers and the people that have upgraded are downgrading because Microsoft keeps adding terrible stuff to their OS?
So maybe this is an effort to get more people to upgrade to Windows 11?
A few days ago I upgraded my old Windows 7 Fujitsu laptop (It was running W10)
The laptop has a classic bios, tpm 1.2 and I don’t think it has secure boot.
I thought about Debian 12, but W11 runs great on this old beast (1st gen i7 quad core, SSD and 8GB ram)
I agree with this. As, I can see people downgrading because of it. The way Windows kept asking me to use Onedrive infuriated me. Good thing they allowed me to uninstall it. As, I no longer get notifications for it.
But then another issue of course takes it place. After updating to a new Windows 11 version. It keeps asking if I want Microsoft Edge to collect all my browsing history from other browsers and to automatically add it into Edge and it’s like “no I don’t, I switched you off for a reason why you keep asking”!?
But of course I still use Windows. As a lot of my games still don’t work on Linux.
I wish Microsoft would go back to the Windows 7 days. Where it didn’t feel like I had bloatware and spyware included in my OS. With every new feature trying to pry for my attention and money.
But of course I still use Windows. As a lot of my games still don’t work on Linux.
Maybe its time to vote with your wallet wink wink. If people keep budging, nothing ever changes.
If something doesn’t work on private system, I won’t use it. If some website doesn’t load on privacy respecting VPN I will not visit it (cough cough reddit - and man this one is tough sometimes). If shop asks for unnecessary data, they won’t get it and I won’t shop there. Easy as that. There is way too much content and stuff on this planet anyway, I can always substitute.
Look, I understand this is not for everyone, but I think people that care for privacy should really finally say no with more than just words. (I am assuming you care for privacy since you are here )
The story changes when you have say a group of friend that relies on that. Especially for my group it revolves around gacha/anime games and those will play nicely if not patched for linux: there, or on day one with windows.
You unfortunately commit the “Social Suicide” as we call and will cause the “Privacy fatigue” people tend to suffer from this type of behavior.
For example While I may be willing to give up in favor of people using signal or give up for Google Wallet since my bank’s work, in the gaming circle especially it isn’t so fortunate as “don’t”
I think I noticed this (social suicide) in the past when I was deleting Facebook. I lost some friends over that, and not necessarily because they were “facebook friends” but because none of us is good at keeping in touch. Facebook made this easier. But maybe this is wrong example, because I still stick to my strict no facebook policy because facebook/instagram caused so many suicides already (especially in teens) and I simply can not ignore it (the way the company does). Perhaps that is not that much about privacy but still it is all tied together by simply them not caring. On the other hand I can see myself doing a compromise, if I was having gaming sessions with my friends, having windows on a side.
Windows is free, so moving wouldn’t really be voting with my wallet. It would be more like voting with my data.
The primary reason I use Windows is its extensive game library, which is not as well-supported on Linux.
Since I don’t own an Xbox or PS5, Windows is my only viable option for playing these games.
Valve’s efforts to enhance gaming compatibility are commendable, but it’s not yet a perfect solution.
Once Linux achieves 100% support for gaming, I would definitely switch over. However, that may take years, especially considering the implementation of anti-cheat systems into games.
I do value my privacy, but I also don’t want to sacrifice convenience for it. That’s why some people advocate for making existing products private for future use. While switching to Linux would enhance my privacy, I would also lose the user-friendly features of Windows and the out of the box gaming support.
Privacy should never make life more challenging and cause you to relinquish your cherished experiences. There should be a balance.
Windows is free, so moving wouldn’t really be voting with my wallet. It would be more like voting with my data.
Your data is your wallet. It is not free, it just doesn’t cost you money.
Valve’s efforts to enhance gaming compatibility are commendable, but it’s not yet a perfect solution.
Sadly true. I hope they will manage to up their game. I have high hopes in steam OS, that could bring more people to Linux
I do value my privacy, but I also don’t want to sacrifice convenience for it.
You do you of course, but if we are not willing to sacrifice a little of our convenience we never get anywhere (why should companies sacrifice their money then?). If companies see that whatever they do, people will adjust, then why would they do the privacy friendly, more expensive to develop solution? I am not saying you should sacrifice everything. As pointed above to me, this example with gaming might actually be too big a sacrifice (for too low gain), I get it. But small sacrifices can be made
I would also lose the user-friendly features of Windows
Just curious, which features are that? Apart from gaming, but that is not a feature of windows.
Privacy should never make life more challenging and cause you to relinquish your cherished experiences. There should be a balance.
Well, life should be easy and beautiful, but it ain’t gonna happen and we have to deal with punches that it throws at us, we do not roll over and take it.
(1st gen i7 quad core, SSD and 8GB ram)
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