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Over on Computerworld I’ve linked to my VERY unscientific poll of what you think about Windows 10 and Windows 11. I’ll report back in a few weeks as t
[See the full post at: It’s time for my very unscientific poll]
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
At home, my sister and dad use iPads for their normal computer uses. They can search for information, answer emails and use the iPad to take photos — a task you couldn’t do on a Windows computer.
But, but, but ………. my Windows computer has a Camera app on the start menu which lets me switch between front and back cameras. 
Don’t most Windows laptops, tablets and convertibles all do that?
So you really walk around taking pictures with your laptop? 
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
I could. You said I couldn’t. 
So you really walk around taking pictures with your laptop?
I literally did use my laptop to take pictures of a Phosphoric Acid Pilot Plant project I was setting up/working on in 2011.
Susan Bradley wrote: At home, my sister and dad use iPads for their normal computer uses. They can search for information, answer emails and use the iPad to take photos — a task you couldn’t do on a Windows computer.
But, but, but ………. my Windows computer has a Camera app on the start menu which lets me switch between front and back cameras.
That is very hardware dependent. Windows also doesn’t have built in features and apps which could make even devices designed for photo taking work well from within the Windows software ecosystem. The addition of Android apps to Windows 11 may help with that dearth. (I don’t argue that the built-in Windows Camera App does nothing — it just does nothing well.)
But I think Susan’s point is also that you can whip a phone out of your pocket much more easily than you can whip a laptop or convertible out of its carrying case. Especially during a traffic stop. (Oops — that’s getting political. Sorry, not sorry.)
-- rc primak
Last question of the poll is interesting – “what would you make to improve Windows 10?”
I think the constant desire to “make Windows better” may be wrong. Why dont say, that Windows is good as it is? And I think, that Windows 10 are debugged very well these days.
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
I agree with Doriel. And that’s how I answered the poll question – with one qualification. I would want security improvements to continue.
Dell XPS17, 11th Gen Intel I7, 64gb RAM, Windows 11 Home 24H2
This question was not for me, but..
So then you don’t mind the new hardware requirements for Windows 11?
I dont mind, there is nothing mandatory in having Windows 11. Windows 11 wallpapers can be downloaded to Windows 10 also
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
One of the things that personally turns me off about Win 10 (beside the mandated updates) are those new “releases”. From what I’ve read above it seems that Win 10 has finally reached a point where new “releases” every few months are not necessary.
Now, if they could whittle down the updates to just Security, and let the User determine what they want to change and when, that would make a good impression on me.
Generally Win10 does what I want, when I want, and it stays out of the way (but is updated frequently enough based on 120-day feature deferrals and 14-day quality update deferrals).
Every Win10 system I own is eligible for Win11 from a hardware perspective, including UEFI, SecureBoot, and even Bitlocker/TPM (since I can enable fTPM in each system’s BIOS). However, I don’t want Win11. Not as it is. I hate what they’ve done with the Start menu, mucking it up even worse than Win10’s is.
I did just recently buy a Macbook Air M1 laptop and I absolutely love it. Build quality and battery life are absolutely top-notch. And, MacOS also does what I want, when I want, and it also stays out of the way.
If they fix the Start menu, I may end up running Win11. If it were released tomorrow though, it would never hit any of my systems outside of a VM for farting around. If I ever reach a point where I cannot run Win10 anymore, from a security update perspective, I’ll start running the current (at the time) LTS of Ubuntu.
One issue that I think may not have been mentioned enough here already but is, in my opinion, central to the question of whether the coming of Windows 11 is going to be a good thing or not for many users, is the topic of this article:
https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/25/22550376/microsoft-windows-11-tpm-chips-requirement-security
If, as I understand it, in order to keep using a supported version of Windows, one first may have to buy a new computer even if one is happy with the machine one already has — unless this has the TPM 2.0 chip already on the motherboard, even if this chip is not being used as yet (*).
(*) “While Microsoft has required OEMs to ship devices with support for TPM chips since Windows 10, the company hasn’t forced users or its many device partners to turn these on for Windows to work. That’s what’s really changing with Windows 11, and combined with Microsoft’s Windows 11 upgrade checker, it has resulted in a lot of understandable confusion.”
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV
The good thing is, most newer Intel and AMD CPU’s have a built-in embedded TPM that can be enabled in the computer’s BIOS. Intel calls theirs PTT and AMD calls theirs fTPM. If you have a CPU with this functionality, you simply enable it in the BIOS – no need to buy a separate TPM module. More info here: https://helgeklein.com/blog/how-to-check-windows-tpm-status-enable-cpu-amd-ftpm-intel-ptt/
Basically, the CPU TPM is no different than a motherboard TPM module. Most newer laptops come with TPM built-in to their motherboard, especially due to their portable nature. Most desktops do not come with a TPM module, outside of the one that may be embedded in the CPU. As I said in my previous post, all of my current Win10 systems have fTPM, as they are all Ryzen 3xxx series. Definitely check your CPU for compatibility before going out to buy a TPM module.
Microsoft really needs to clear up this confusion, as basically people not-in-the-know will rush out to get fleeced for motherboard TPM modules that they may not necessarily need.
No they dont need to. Its Microsoft’s method to promote sales of new devices.
I really appreciate your desire to protect users, I am “on the same boat” as you are, but thats just not the way world works these days, users are expendable.
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
Its Microsoft’s method to promote sales of new devices.
Here’s an alternative view of why Microsoft is specifying TPM… and it’s nothing to do with ‘assisting users to secure their devices’.
… and it’s nothing to do with ‘assisting users to secure their devices’.
But the anonymous authors say it is something to do with that:
While the writers of this article will not deny that device attestation can bring excellent security for the standard consumers of the world,
Key word there is “can.” It “can” be used for security, but it can also be used for other things, as described in the rest of the sentence. If you read the excerpt in context, you can see that security is the excuse, and control is the real reason.
More and more, it becomes obvious that Windows is, as the quote from War Games says, “A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.”
Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon 6.2
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, Kubuntu 24.04
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, Kubuntu 24.04 (and Win 11)
So stop using Windows. The rest of us who don’t easily snap into Conspiracy Theory mode every time Microsoft is mentioned, will be happy to continue using Windows.
But yes, I will prepare for the day when Linux will be my only operating system.
Except for my streaming device, which all the major channels and services support totally and do not question. At least there I know it’s total lockdown and I have to pay for the premium content.
-- rc primak
Is this conspiracy, or is it really happening?
Perhaps ask again if and when the ability to have a local account disappears, leaving you with an identifiable device linked to an identifiable Microsoft account?
(I note other current topics about Edge hijacking file associations for PDF and Edge hijacking browser preferences. Is this conspiracy or is it really happening. )
Perhaps ask again if and when the ability to have a local account disappears, leaving you with an identifiable device linked to an identifiable Microsoft account?
Already happened with Apple and its ID
Best way to remain safe is to stay offline as much as possible. On the internet, you are product being sold to marketers. Thats not conspiracy, thats fact.
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
Already happened with Apple and its ID
That’s not exactly a good comparison IMO. The Apple ecosystem has *always* been closed like that and end-users have *always* known what they were getting into.
Now compare that with an OS that always *used* to pride itself on its configurability and had developers document and blog how to change this, that and the other… and now seems intent on totally reversing that by having more and more undocumented APIs, obfuscated registry settings and filepaths, removing TechNet documentation and making it increasingly more difficult for end-users to make changes to meet their own personal preferences. (For example, Windows 11 makes setting your default browser more complicated)
I’ve seen comments that the change happened slowly but suddenly accelerated when Windows became free and end-users became both the product and the new de facto quality testers/guinea pigs.
It’s not a ‘conspiracy theory’ to recognise an OS that was once immensely adaptable to one that is increasingly locked down. It’s recognition of the speed and direction of Redmond’s changing mindset to the current ‘take it or leave it’ attitude, hence why so many people are critical IMO.
(I remember when I could ask a question in a Microsoft forum and sometimes get an answer from the likes of Raymond Chen or Mark Russinovich giving pearls of wisdom and insight into the inner workings of Windows.)
I understand, Apple has been always like this and thats why are they so good in what they are doing. Windows was in some ways very liberal and users were able to do things as users wanted to.
These days, its different.
I know its not good comparsion. I just wanted to show, that is possible to it the Apple way, but Microsoft’s way seems little bit unfortunate to me and other criticising people. Like they simply forgot about the successfull past..
Probably its not about “ruling the world” or making “big brother watching”, but in my opinion Microsoft is really abusing its users/betatesters/customers these days in order to make more money. I think the management stepped on the throttle pedal so hard, that Windows is loosing so many fans fast, including me.
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
Macs also have a security chip, call T2, that is a computer in itself and has the purpose of protecting the computer, not validating it to the Web sites one connects to. Unlike what seems will be the case with the TPM 2.0 for Windows PCs, although my own Mac predates the introduction of the first Macs with the T2 chip by two years or more (depending on the model), I have never had problems using my computer, getting full-rate videos, etc., etc.
T2 has not been without its own issues due to bugs in its design, or that of its own software, that have been gradually, but not yet totally, fixed:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_T2
But there seems to be no intention in any of this to rest control of the PC from the user. I would like to hear the opinions of those who are familiar with how the T2 chip works, comparing it to the TPM 2.0.
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV
And a phone was out of the question? With Cloud sync the photos could be shared with any laptop.
Of course it was out of the question.
She barely has time to take the photos and type up the reports on the move between 20-30 different locations without either having to find different wi-fi passwords or use data allowance on 2 SIMs (phone and laptop) to transfer photos.
(Note: The photos HAVE to be high quality – therefore multi-megabyte – so her bosses can zoom into detail in case of later disputes when the rental property is handed back.)
how the T2 chip works, comparing it to the TPM 2.0.
https://www.parallels.com/blogs/manage-mac/apple-t2-security-chip/
On the technical level, the T2 chip is a new kind of Trusted Platform Module (TPM). But in fact, the T2 chip is involved in much more than just authentication and hardware integrity. The T2 device is also a solid state drive (SSD) controller, a controller for the MacBook® Touch ID® fingerprint sensor and more
ps Parallels 17 for MacOS has TMP enabled in software.
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