It's amazing to me that Microsoft messed up Windows. All they had to do was not not change things, but they continued to force junk on me that I don't need, take power away from me, and spy on me. Honestly MacOS isn't much better. Linux is still crap software, but we've reached the point where most things can be done on Linux, so good riddance. I hope that more people switch and Linux continues to improve. There's actually interesting improvements being made in the Linux world too, like NixOS.
> It's amazing to me that Microsoft messed up Windows.
It is. At Windows 7, they pretty much had desktops right. Everything mostly worked. They'd finally fixed the crashing problems. (How? The Static Driver Verifier validated that third-party kernel drivers would not crash the rest of the system, and a classifier applied to crash dumps routed similar crash dumps to the same maintainer.) The UI was reasonable for a desktop, and wasn't a clone of the mobile UI. No ads. Didn't phone home too much, and you could turn off auto-update. No issues with installing your own software.
Then Microsoft tried to make desktop look like mobile and tablet. Desktop began to look like a big phone, optimized for content consumption and fat finger selection. The result was something that was neither a good desktop nor a good content consumption device.
It's reached a point where it no longer really matters. Linux is good enough, usable enough, and supported enough, that getting more users won't change much. It might actually be worse if a lot more users, with a lot of wide-ranging needs and demands, switch to Linux. At least, I am happy with the current state of Linux usability, and no longer care to evangelize the benefits of being free of a walled garden and adware platform.
People won't change, because people don't use their PC for the OS. This is why it's important to have systems that bundle Linux, for example, with the UX worked out as much as possible, like how it is on the Steam Deck.
I've been using Linux as my daily driver since 2019 and I can tell you that the moments I got pissed off where due to companies being extremely hostile towards Linux (ahem, Microsoft) and making their shit with proprietary Windows libraries.
Linux is not difficult, it's much easier to learn than to spend 5 hours on Windows trying to find out which UUID refers to the now-hidden old printer configuration dialog.
Really, even setting up a firewall or hardening your Linux PC is much simpler than Windows.
Internal promotion-point systems similar to google decouple large companies from customer demands and reactions. One huge hamster-wheel producing unwanted features and deprecating the one thing that kept windows valuable, the customers are already trained in to the operating system when they enter the workforce.
> All they had to do was not not change things, but they continued to force junk on me that I don't need, take power away from me, and spy on me.
But have they lost by doing that? They have not lost desktop users to any great extent, especially in the business market Windows is still dominant. They have lost some home desktop share to MacOS and ChomeOS, but they have gained a lot more access to user data.
For full Disclosure, I once upon was a software engineer at Microsoft. I witnessed first hand the evil decisions around Windows. I left Microsoft in 2006 but I am still part of the Alumni Network.
IMO Microsoft can gain users back by:
* Not requiring a Microsoft Account
* Ending all data/telemetry collection
* Not forcing Edge on its users
* Stop releasing improved UI updates every week
* Make bash, zsh, ... native for Windows
* Taking the AI out and making it an optional extension
* Making the Microsoft Store optional
Windows really is a confusing mess right now. Especially the two different settings areas.
All sorts of ridiculous stuff like Microsoft realizing people won't be able to find the options to turn system icons on and off on the Desktop anymore, so they add a tiny clickable link to a Bing search for how to find it
If you go back to Windows 95 right now and use the interface it feels amazing in comparison. It feels like everything is designed to be both easy and productive. There's even a little Task Scheduler icon in the taskbar just in case maybe you want to set up something to run sometime. Because why not let normal users discover power user features? The Task Scheduler interface is much clearer and less intimidating than the current one.
Can you imagine getting your first ever PC now and trying to learn Windows 11? Especially without using the Internet to find where everything is?
That's not even mentioning the other issues (advertising/privacy/bloat/Microsoft account to log in...).
-
A while ago I decided to see if there's still local help in Windows and wrote down my experience.
I typed 'help' into the start menu search in Windows 11. An app came up called Get Help.
It opened with an ad banner at the top: "Increase productivity and collaboration all while staying organized, using a new meeting solution designed for small businesses. Learn More". Out of morbid curiosity I chose to Learn More but "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found."
There were several features in Get Help beyond the primary feature of linking to a broken URL. You can sign in, you can rate your experience out of five, or you can send feedback. There is no Contents or Index, but there is a search box with a few suggested searches like 'How to install Office'. I tried searching 'how to copy paste' (without quotes) but "Your search did not match any solutions." It suggested I sign in to contact support. Closing the app was a little tricky because the minimise/maximise/close buttons are the wrong colour - white on pale grey. I rated my experience a 1/5, although it's 5/5 as a satire.
You’d think a multi-trillion dollar company would have the resources to properly re-do the control panel, but I guess not? However, even Apple can’t get this right (see the unnecessary iOS-ification of System Preferences which to this day is a disorienting mess).
I've posted about why I left Windows, and wont be back, the only device with Windows is my Surface Book 2, and even that I can install Linux on...
I have mentioned it a few times on HN in the past few weeks, but I already hated the telemetry spying, heck, it was creepy that me looking up files on my one computer was on their servers somewhere, so I wiped all that many years ago. Then I realized, their Antivirus tech will send files to "analyze" with zero audit trail as to which files, or anything of the sort. I immediately pulled down POP OS and wiped my drive. You shouldn't be sending my data around willy nilly without an audit trail. What if I'm working on something classified? What if its highly proprietary? This is so unethical on many levels.
The article also mentions some issues I've run into, where their UI is just not working correctly, which led to me uninstalling Windows one time prior as well, I had Windows Home Edition after spending thousands of dollars on a prebuilt machine, I tried to add a new user, it told me to use a different program, so I went to the different program, which then told me to go back to the program that told me to use that specific program. Why not just let me add users instead of horsing me around? I uninstalled Windows on that box, until I wanted to play Starfield, I got enough hours in until I saw that their AV software violates any sense of privacy on a whim with zero audit trail.
Microsoft. You had a really good OS, and you keep making it worse. Please stop making it worse. I'll gladly take on the task at half of whatever you pay the person currently ruining the OS, which is clearly way too much. You peaked at Windows 7 and its been downhill since. I am someone who weirdly enough did not mind Vista or 8, but I will admit that 7 was the peak best version.
Microsoft has been driving users away for no less than 10 years now and nothing much is changing IMO because Windows is what most people think of as "the computer". Non-technical users think they have no other choice, they shrug the defects off and try to get their job done.
Though the article kind of piqued my interest by claiming that Microsoft "is in panic" -- any proof that they are indeed bleeding users more than what is deemed normal?
I have noticed people around me get recommended Linux Mint and being happy with it but I'd think that's a minority; many offices rely on bespoke local network setups with printers and scanners and people putting files in shared directories and what-not... modernizing that and making it better is no easy feat.
EDIT: Oh, and as other users are saying, Linux desktop is absolutely not going to eat Windows' lunch. There are still too many confusing things there, and "you can hack it and make it your own" appeal to an infinitesimally small audience.
I really agree with this article- I used Windows as my primary OS (not counting work machines) until about 2 years ago, the mess of non coherent design and CONSTANTLY resetting my user preferences every update (like shoving new buttons [see: ads] onto my taskbar) ultimately lead me to buying the first m1 mbp as my new personal machine.
Never looked back. I only boot up windows for occasional games now, and even then, old games started to stop working. Linux at this point has better backwards compatibility using Proton/Wine/etc.
I guess because the majority of Linux folks don't really care about making it a solid user experience for normies, and those that do so might have strong opinions on things that might not roll with everyone, especially coming from Windows (read: gnome).
I've maintained an in-house distro for a couple years so I know the ins and outs of systemd, dbus, polkit, xorg and whatever crap is needed to run a desktop session, and how to track down what's broken if the system misbehaves in some way. So switching every machine I use to Linux wasn't really an extra burden. Ironically it made me switch to i3 as my WM and ditching a file manager, gvfs and other moving parts. I'm doing a lot of things in the terminal. I loathe complicated setups - less moving parts, less things that can break. But I'm fully aware that I'm a complete oddball here, and I don't think nor care whether the day of the Linux desktop will ever come. Unless maybe we're at a point where really absolutely everything runs in the cloud and people only need a browser. But at that point just get a Chromebook?
I think the end result is less people using the desktop overall (ie, just relying on tablets and phones), which in my opinion is a catastrophe since phones and tablets are generally consumption devices rather than creative devices (sorry, I'm not counting selfies or tiktoks), and we're slowly dumbing down the next generation.
I've converted a handful of some of the least computer tech heavy people to Linux. This was years ago.
The final few nails of Microsoft's coffin are being nailed as we speak. Not only because they are just fundamentally bad at innovation, but because they also sold out the United States to China. Billy boy is scared, and he should be.
Yes agree. I started using Linux (Gentoo) as student 20 years ago to learn LKMs programming, and with my main Desktop being Windows currently, I give a new try to linux distros every year. I see Linux distros improve year after year, but they are still light years away from providing a good user experience. And even if I don't agree with many Windows 11 updates (like the cumulating number of services required to run user interfaces, the taskbar which can't be moved anymore, the bloatware by default and so on...), Windows still provides a better & smoother user experience overall. Even Desktop multitasking experience feels better engineered in Windows, probably because of a better Desktop processes timing.
Fully agree, around 2010 I made my peace with it never happening, and switched fully into Windows, using GNU/Linux either from a VM (VMWare/Virtual Box), or some server.
Also managed to get hold of one of the last Asus netbooks (1215 B), that after all these years has finally given the ghost.
Netbooks are now replaced by Chromebooks/Android systems that care about a full stack developer experience where the underlying Linux is a kind of implementation detail, Windows ships WSL (no need for VMWare/Virtual Box), and those that want UNIX proper have macOS.
Yeah, Microsoft's got a huge majority of users captive and now they can do as they please, "Oh you don't like this obnoxious new 'feature'? Well what are you going to do about it?", like an abusive partner.
If only there's some company with money and clout to offer an OS with the same level of user-friendliness... Too bad Google's product managers are just busy trying to advance their own careers, plus it's not like they respect users...
I honestly think that Gnome is a big part of this. A lot of people very obviously and loudly like it, but since I've been giving developers the option to use KDE they've been a lot happier with it all.
Linux is my primary OS but sometimes I use Windows, and I really hate the UI changes. A typical example would be the printing dialog used by various apps. It used to work all right from the mouse. Now you can't tell which widget has focus, and can't tell how to activate a given UI element from the keyboard. Worse yet, you selected your print job parameters, press Enter, and nothing happens. You have to click the OK button with the mouse.
And don't get me started on the ribbon UI which was inflicted upon the world in Office 2007 onwards and then shoved upon everyone's throats in subsequent editions of Windows.
Why did they have to change such things? It worked as it was. There's no improvement and, on the contrary, a quite noticeable involution.
With the latest m2 macbook air's you actually get a significantly better laptop, for a lot less money, then a windows version I've found. Let alone the fact it just damn sexy.
I got a DELL laptop from a client to be able to access their windows applications. I used it for coding for a bit, it was so painfully slow, so I switched back to my macbook air m2.
I thought the Dell was just a cheap laptop, found out the retail price was a few 100 euros higher then my m2. I was dumbfounded a shitty laptop would go for those prices. (granted I have a 13 inch, 15 inch are around the same price)
The new macbook air's are really fairly priced and are sufficient for most professionals.
DELL's market is not cheap consumer machines, it's laptops and desktops that can run windows (macbooks could until 2 years ago...) and can be corporate ordered and customized at scale.
If you're price shopping Lenovo or Asus would probably be better choices with better designs (but TBH if you're in love with macs you're probably in the right spot for them, I don't see why you'd go choose different tradeoffs)
"I've been a lifelong Windows user since the 90s and even MS-DOS back in the 80s, but things are changing. I've been using other operating systems more and more."
OK, that's one user. But clearly he is still using Windows. Microsoft has not "lost" him. He is just complaining. He even provides a solution re: printing for other Windows users that implies his readers are still using it, too.
"Microsoft is in a panic from the continued loss of it's user base."
Is there no need to present any evidence of this statement's veracity.
Perhaps some evidence has been published of which I am unaware.
The closest thing to info on this I've seen is statcounter's Desktop OS share. According to that Windows has actually lost 15-20% marketshare in the last 10 years. It doesn't look like linux is stealing it though, OSX and "unknown" seem to be the biggest hitters. For all I know unknown is still Windows!
Bad article. Microsoft does NOT care about users. It cares about corporate licenses and ads. It will force you to use windows at work. Imagine watching commercials 8h/day. That's the future. You can't avoid it.
Because I have to use Autodesk apps everyday I am forced to use Windows. There is not one other thing I can't do better, with a more efficient workflow on Linux. If ever there becomes a good way to run Revit on the cloud or on Wine, etc, I will throw a massive party.
Linux is also removing tools people use. Just the other day I found out hcitool and rfcomm were removed from bluez, yet another thing I now have to handwrite myself even when I just want to tinker.
Sure, you can still do things like I can write to a socket using python over using rfcomm, but isn't it the same as this article? It's gets in the way of gnome and friends wanting to "cater the experience" plus it's legacy now (meaning "I don't want to read someone else's code, blegh!") So out it goes! Developers in foss seem to love label things "legacy" to remove, not just in windows and mac land.
On Linux, since companies are paying for it now, Orca, the Linux GUI screen reader, is getting bug fixes on the main branch just about every day. Lol, if Windows loses even the loyal blind folks like me, I'll die laughing at Microsoft.
>hey are making some improvements like the GUI and cleaning up other elements that give a more cohesive look. No more mixing Metro UI and Legacy panels like Windows 10
I don't even think this is wholly true. The new / old context menu that for some reason now exists in parallel so you have to do two clicks on every right-click actions still mixes legacy and modern UI, and there's so many redundant mouse control and audio control settings also with entirely different look and feel. It's like you're on three Windows operating systems at the same time.
Baffling to me how a company the size of Microsoft cannot streamline their user interfaces.
I knew Windows was fucked when pressing WIN and searching for something brought up random crap from the internet instead of what I actually wanted. Do people at Microsoft use Windows or mac?
I used Ubuntu on my laptops from 2008 to 2023. Last year I switched to Windows 10. Looking at what's going on, I believe I'll be back to Ubuntu in my next laptop. Cycles...
Bingo. Many people need to justify their role in an organization so they need to just deliver anything even if harmful.
Most companies I've worked with are full of similar projects, rebrandings, major rewrites in micro services, everywhere I look at from UI to tech to product there's always a huge bunch of people needing to show they are actually delivering and working.
I tried to buy Minecraft for a friend and found that the website declined all my purchasse methods. They also removed it from Amazon. One visit to a grey market key site and I got a good key, and $10 cheaper.
The best economical path forward is to redefine intellectual property and reinstate the fact that math cannot be IP. Repeal DRM clause in the DMCS. This forces big entities to compete by having quality products. Large market power is not supposed to have all the advantages. Innovation is meant to disrupt them when they are not operating in the consumers interest. But corps have been allowed to write their own laws to keep themselves ahead artificially. Change the rules of the game.
[+] [-] zeroCalories|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Animats|2 years ago|reply
It is. At Windows 7, they pretty much had desktops right. Everything mostly worked. They'd finally fixed the crashing problems. (How? The Static Driver Verifier validated that third-party kernel drivers would not crash the rest of the system, and a classifier applied to crash dumps routed similar crash dumps to the same maintainer.) The UI was reasonable for a desktop, and wasn't a clone of the mobile UI. No ads. Didn't phone home too much, and you could turn off auto-update. No issues with installing your own software.
Then Microsoft tried to make desktop look like mobile and tablet. Desktop began to look like a big phone, optimized for content consumption and fat finger selection. The result was something that was neither a good desktop nor a good content consumption device.
[+] [-] firecall|2 years ago|reply
There’s a nice UI under all of the offensive promos and news they force onto you.
My kid just got a new school laptop, preloaded by the school.
He opens up Edge and Boom! It’s spamming him with fake Ads and horror news stories about war.
Thanks for that MS. It’s like they really do not understand what made Google Search so popular back in the say.
FWIW, I do think macOS is a lot better :-)
Also, the world of Linux GUIs really needs to pick up its game. They just never seem very good; accomplished, reliable, feature competitive.
Today’s Ubuntu UI/UX isn’t even competitive with macOS from a decade ago IMHO and for my use cases :-)
[+] [-] tux1968|2 years ago|reply
It's reached a point where it no longer really matters. Linux is good enough, usable enough, and supported enough, that getting more users won't change much. It might actually be worse if a lot more users, with a lot of wide-ranging needs and demands, switch to Linux. At least, I am happy with the current state of Linux usability, and no longer care to evangelize the benefits of being free of a walled garden and adware platform.
[+] [-] npteljes|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xinayder|2 years ago|reply
I've been using Linux as my daily driver since 2019 and I can tell you that the moments I got pissed off where due to companies being extremely hostile towards Linux (ahem, Microsoft) and making their shit with proprietary Windows libraries.
Linux is not difficult, it's much easier to learn than to spend 5 hours on Windows trying to find out which UUID refers to the now-hidden old printer configuration dialog.
Really, even setting up a firewall or hardening your Linux PC is much simpler than Windows.
[+] [-] PicassoCTs|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|2 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] graemep|2 years ago|reply
But have they lost by doing that? They have not lost desktop users to any great extent, especially in the business market Windows is still dominant. They have lost some home desktop share to MacOS and ChomeOS, but they have gained a lot more access to user data.
[+] [-] coldtea|2 years ago|reply
Managers have to justify their role... so they add stuff and come up with new money-making schemes...
[+] [-] Paradigma11|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] beretguy|2 years ago|reply
[citation needed]
[+] [-] samcat116|2 years ago|reply
I'd argue they should have changed things more.
[+] [-] WuxiFingerHold|2 years ago|reply
With all the built in advertising Windows reminds me of Frito's TV in Idiocracy. What an augural movie, btw.
> Linux is still crap software
Ubuntu is rock solid and easier to use than Windows. Linux Mint, Fedora and Pop!_OS too.
[+] [-] piva00|2 years ago|reply
Any examples to why macOS isn't much better?
[+] [-] datagrimx|2 years ago|reply
IMO Microsoft can gain users back by:
* Not requiring a Microsoft Account * Ending all data/telemetry collection * Not forcing Edge on its users * Stop releasing improved UI updates every week * Make bash, zsh, ... native for Windows * Taking the AI out and making it an optional extension * Making the Microsoft Store optional
A *plus* would be to open source Windows.
I would be interested in hearing your pet peeves.
[+] [-] Animats|2 years ago|reply
shell:::{A8A91A66-3A7D-4424-8D24-04E180695C7A}"
And people complain about Linux.
[+] [-] Nition|2 years ago|reply
All sorts of ridiculous stuff like Microsoft realizing people won't be able to find the options to turn system icons on and off on the Desktop anymore, so they add a tiny clickable link to a Bing search for how to find it
If you go back to Windows 95 right now and use the interface it feels amazing in comparison. It feels like everything is designed to be both easy and productive. There's even a little Task Scheduler icon in the taskbar just in case maybe you want to set up something to run sometime. Because why not let normal users discover power user features? The Task Scheduler interface is much clearer and less intimidating than the current one.
Can you imagine getting your first ever PC now and trying to learn Windows 11? Especially without using the Internet to find where everything is?
That's not even mentioning the other issues (advertising/privacy/bloat/Microsoft account to log in...).
-
A while ago I decided to see if there's still local help in Windows and wrote down my experience.
I typed 'help' into the start menu search in Windows 11. An app came up called Get Help.
It opened with an ad banner at the top: "Increase productivity and collaboration all while staying organized, using a new meeting solution designed for small businesses. Learn More". Out of morbid curiosity I chose to Learn More but "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found."
There were several features in Get Help beyond the primary feature of linking to a broken URL. You can sign in, you can rate your experience out of five, or you can send feedback. There is no Contents or Index, but there is a search box with a few suggested searches like 'How to install Office'. I tried searching 'how to copy paste' (without quotes) but "Your search did not match any solutions." It suggested I sign in to contact support. Closing the app was a little tricky because the minimise/maximise/close buttons are the wrong colour - white on pale grey. I rated my experience a 1/5, although it's 5/5 as a satire.
Screenshot: https://imgur.com/aToMCtE
[+] [-] avidphantasm|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] giancarlostoro|2 years ago|reply
I have mentioned it a few times on HN in the past few weeks, but I already hated the telemetry spying, heck, it was creepy that me looking up files on my one computer was on their servers somewhere, so I wiped all that many years ago. Then I realized, their Antivirus tech will send files to "analyze" with zero audit trail as to which files, or anything of the sort. I immediately pulled down POP OS and wiped my drive. You shouldn't be sending my data around willy nilly without an audit trail. What if I'm working on something classified? What if its highly proprietary? This is so unethical on many levels.
The article also mentions some issues I've run into, where their UI is just not working correctly, which led to me uninstalling Windows one time prior as well, I had Windows Home Edition after spending thousands of dollars on a prebuilt machine, I tried to add a new user, it told me to use a different program, so I went to the different program, which then told me to go back to the program that told me to use that specific program. Why not just let me add users instead of horsing me around? I uninstalled Windows on that box, until I wanted to play Starfield, I got enough hours in until I saw that their AV software violates any sense of privacy on a whim with zero audit trail.
Microsoft. You had a really good OS, and you keep making it worse. Please stop making it worse. I'll gladly take on the task at half of whatever you pay the person currently ruining the OS, which is clearly way too much. You peaked at Windows 7 and its been downhill since. I am someone who weirdly enough did not mind Vista or 8, but I will admit that 7 was the peak best version.
Previous comments I've made on the subject:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39444688
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39371870
[+] [-] pdimitar|2 years ago|reply
Though the article kind of piqued my interest by claiming that Microsoft "is in panic" -- any proof that they are indeed bleeding users more than what is deemed normal?
I have noticed people around me get recommended Linux Mint and being happy with it but I'd think that's a minority; many offices rely on bespoke local network setups with printers and scanners and people putting files in shared directories and what-not... modernizing that and making it better is no easy feat.
EDIT: Oh, and as other users are saying, Linux desktop is absolutely not going to eat Windows' lunch. There are still too many confusing things there, and "you can hack it and make it your own" appeal to an infinitesimally small audience.
[+] [-] doawoo|2 years ago|reply
Never looked back. I only boot up windows for occasional games now, and even then, old games started to stop working. Linux at this point has better backwards compatibility using Proton/Wine/etc.
[+] [-] firesteelrain|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] iforgotpassword|2 years ago|reply
I've maintained an in-house distro for a couple years so I know the ins and outs of systemd, dbus, polkit, xorg and whatever crap is needed to run a desktop session, and how to track down what's broken if the system misbehaves in some way. So switching every machine I use to Linux wasn't really an extra burden. Ironically it made me switch to i3 as my WM and ditching a file manager, gvfs and other moving parts. I'm doing a lot of things in the terminal. I loathe complicated setups - less moving parts, less things that can break. But I'm fully aware that I'm a complete oddball here, and I don't think nor care whether the day of the Linux desktop will ever come. Unless maybe we're at a point where really absolutely everything runs in the cloud and people only need a browser. But at that point just get a Chromebook?
[+] [-] overgard|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] probably_satan|2 years ago|reply
The final few nails of Microsoft's coffin are being nailed as we speak. Not only because they are just fundamentally bad at innovation, but because they also sold out the United States to China. Billy boy is scared, and he should be.
[+] [-] earlone|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mejutoco|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pjmlp|2 years ago|reply
Also managed to get hold of one of the last Asus netbooks (1215 B), that after all these years has finally given the ghost.
Netbooks are now replaced by Chromebooks/Android systems that care about a full stack developer experience where the underlying Linux is a kind of implementation detail, Windows ships WSL (no need for VMWare/Virtual Box), and those that want UNIX proper have macOS.
[+] [-] netsharc|2 years ago|reply
If only there's some company with money and clout to offer an OS with the same level of user-friendliness... Too bad Google's product managers are just busy trying to advance their own careers, plus it's not like they respect users...
[+] [-] traverseda|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sombragris|2 years ago|reply
And don't get me started on the ribbon UI which was inflicted upon the world in Office 2007 onwards and then shoved upon everyone's throats in subsequent editions of Windows.
Why did they have to change such things? It worked as it was. There's no improvement and, on the contrary, a quite noticeable involution.
[+] [-] wouldbecouldbe|2 years ago|reply
I got a DELL laptop from a client to be able to access their windows applications. I used it for coding for a bit, it was so painfully slow, so I switched back to my macbook air m2.
I thought the Dell was just a cheap laptop, found out the retail price was a few 100 euros higher then my m2. I was dumbfounded a shitty laptop would go for those prices. (granted I have a 13 inch, 15 inch are around the same price)
The new macbook air's are really fairly priced and are sufficient for most professionals.
[+] [-] makeitdouble|2 years ago|reply
If you're price shopping Lenovo or Asus would probably be better choices with better designs (but TBH if you're in love with macs you're probably in the right spot for them, I don't see why you'd go choose different tradeoffs)
[+] [-] asd88|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brikym|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 1vuio0pswjnm7|2 years ago|reply
OK, that's one user. But clearly he is still using Windows. Microsoft has not "lost" him. He is just complaining. He even provides a solution re: printing for other Windows users that implies his readers are still using it, too.
"Microsoft is in a panic from the continued loss of it's user base."
Is there no need to present any evidence of this statement's veracity.
Perhaps some evidence has been published of which I am unaware.
Where can we view the data.
[+] [-] bonton89|2 years ago|reply
The closest thing to info on this I've seen is statcounter's Desktop OS share. According to that Windows has actually lost 15-20% marketshare in the last 10 years. It doesn't look like linux is stealing it though, OSX and "unknown" seem to be the biggest hitters. For all I know unknown is still Windows!
[+] [-] M95D|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] SHY_TUCKER|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nickelpro|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] noobermin|2 years ago|reply
Sure, you can still do things like I can write to a socket using python over using rfcomm, but isn't it the same as this article? It's gets in the way of gnome and friends wanting to "cater the experience" plus it's legacy now (meaning "I don't want to read someone else's code, blegh!") So out it goes! Developers in foss seem to love label things "legacy" to remove, not just in windows and mac land.
[+] [-] devinprater|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Barrin92|2 years ago|reply
I don't even think this is wholly true. The new / old context menu that for some reason now exists in parallel so you have to do two clicks on every right-click actions still mixes legacy and modern UI, and there's so many redundant mouse control and audio control settings also with entirely different look and feel. It's like you're on three Windows operating systems at the same time.
Baffling to me how a company the size of Microsoft cannot streamline their user interfaces.
[+] [-] Takennickname|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rodolphoarruda|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nikanj|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] epolanski|2 years ago|reply
Most companies I've worked with are full of similar projects, rebrandings, major rewrites in micro services, everywhere I look at from UI to tech to product there's always a huge bunch of people needing to show they are actually delivering and working.
[+] [-] hakdbha|2 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] devwastaken|2 years ago|reply
The best economical path forward is to redefine intellectual property and reinstate the fact that math cannot be IP. Repeal DRM clause in the DMCS. This forces big entities to compete by having quality products. Large market power is not supposed to have all the advantages. Innovation is meant to disrupt them when they are not operating in the consumers interest. But corps have been allowed to write their own laws to keep themselves ahead artificially. Change the rules of the game.