Does anybody know if when using Windows on a computer but not paying for anything windows related: is windows/ Bill Gates profiting from it? Is it worth installing linux as a protest?
The secret word is “telemetrics”. Microsoft will track your actions and sells the data, just like Google or Apple.
Thanks. Was looking for something like this. Going forward with my decision to do the switch
Linux Mint is the most Windows-like regarding its user interface, so that one probably requires the least learning. Ubuntu is trying to work a bit like Mac OS X, and I actually like that.
And then there are distros that don’t try to be super easy but actively try to help you learn how to do the difficult things. Arch Linux is famous for that.
Ubuntu (and Linux Mint, which is actually just Ubuntu with a more Windows-like user interface) have the best app support, so that might be a factor.
During a public talk at the University of Washington in 1998, Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted, “Although about three million computers get sold every year in China, people don’t pay for the software. Someday they will, though. And as long as they’re going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”
Not necessarily as a protest, but the answer is always hard yes.
Windows is not making money on sales only. They collect data and then they sell them to data brokers. Those brokers then sell the data to advertisement agencies to serve you adds. Even if you buy just one item based on those adds (which may be unconscious choice) you have already paid. Even if you buy nothing based on adds, microsoft already got the money.
I do recommend linux but be aware of letting people to push you into something you don’t want to do. Linux community can be very enthusiastic 😅. Top three to recommend are Linux Mint (most windows like design), Fedora (most stable) and Pop OS (best with nvidia gpu). Only one of these is favorite of mine but I will not tell you which, just search for them, look at screenshots and you will see what suits you.
I think the most windows like desktop environment (DE) is KDE. So I try to limit my windows to Switcher recommends to distros that use KDE by default.
So my recommendations would be:
- KDE neon (Ubuntu/Debian based)
- Fedora KDE (Fedora)
- EndeavourOS (Arch based, least noob friendly)
I would also recommend they do some poking around DistroSea
I think KDE is great if you want to customize everything. But truth to be told, I think no one knows until they try. I have always seen myself a KDE guy until I had to use it longterm and then tried GNOME and found it more to my taste. I assume that is why everyone is feeling so strong about their distros and DE’s, because if it really suits you, you gotta love it and you want others to find that too :)
Yeah Linux can be troublesome if you’re dual booting on a single drive. Updates can break the GRUB. Also it’ll take a while to optimise your workflow (like finding replacement for Windows apps).
Good reminder ⬆️ 😊
Isn’t Ubuntu The most used distribution? How come it isn’t in your top three? Not judging, just wondering. It feels to me it’s reasonably user friendly and its large user base makes it the easiest to find support online for if you’re a Linux newbie.
But it is there. Both Linux Mint and Pop OS are based on Ubuntu. And these three distributions seems to be the most recommended, that I have seen. My personal issue with ubuntu itself is that it is a little bit rough around the edges and then there is this whole snap thing. But I don’t want to go into that here. It was just a recommendation and yes ubuntu is fine :)
It’s worth it for something more important than as a protest - it means ending Europe’s dependence on Silicon Valley. And in this, every PC switch matters.
(not to mention it’s a pretty good OS - and it’s only going to get better if we make it part of the European autonomy strategy and give it the support it deserves)
i just installed mint on my laptop and it runs way better than it ever ran with windows 11 plus it’s super user friendly :)
Wonderful. I’m considering Ubuntu. But I’ll give mint a consideration. Thank you for the tip!
Good thing is that mint is based on Ubuntu so you should already be familiar too :)
Nice mate, thanks 👍
also disable bitlocker first if it’s on you’ll save yourself a lot of pain
They still profit. Windows is increasingly an ad platform with ads delivered directly to your start menu.
You also get included in their user statistics when they report such things publicy, and therefore help toward selling their value as an investment.
It is worth installing GNU/Linux.
Personally, I don’t think switching your OS “as a protest” is a good idea. Bill Gates is so obscenely wealthy that your protest will have literally zero impact. Not “very small” impact; actually zero. As in, the whole world could abandon all Microsoft products and Bill Gates would still be able to live exactly as he did before. It’s not worth your mental health to let his actions have that level of control over you.
All that said, you should switch to Linux because it’s a better OS (as long as it does what you need).
One thing to consider is market share. While one user switching from Windows to Linux won’t affect it one bit, but if, say, half of European Windows users would do the switch, that would cause a meaningful dent to Windows’ market share. So, while you won’t directly affect that number, you do belong to some circles of people. By making the switch, you would act as an example for others and bring some knowledge and expertise on the topic (like, how easy it was, what are the downsides/upsides…). If your example leads to other people do the switch, those people also belong to some circles of peoples, and so on. It might be enough to start a small avalanche that could grow bigger and bigger.
Based on your country microsoft will run a varying amount of ads in the OS, and as mentioned by other users: telemetry.
Is it worth installing Linux as a protest? Depends. Switching to Linux will always come with a little bit of tinkering involved. So the answer depends on your willingness to spend some time to learn a new OS. But it offers you the opportunity to gain some control over your machine, privacy and learn some things.
I would switch the “will always” into “might”. “Switching to Linux might come with a little bit of tinkering involved.” I have seen more and more cases when you put a linux on somebody’s laptop and they even hardly notice something is different.
I used Linux as a child. I remember that I couldn’t play games on it… Define tinkering… It’ll be pointless to have a computer if I can’t play games on it imo
Oh, don’t worry about games. With Steam’s Proton, they work like a charm (there are exceptions of coarse, but the majority does). Sometimes even better than on Windows. For non-Steam games there are options as well.
The biggest problem I’ve seen people struggle with when migrating from Windows to Linux is that they do things the Windows way, but this is a different operating system, so obviously it doesn’t work and they get frustrated. The hardest part of switching to Linux is being able to and willing to learn how to use a computer again, but from a different perspective.
Just install Steam or GoG and play the games through those. Then all the configuration work is done by the Steam/GoG crew. You just buy the game, install it and play, out of the box. About a quarter of Steam’s games work on Linux. The only thing I miss is something akin to Skyrim or Witcher. Factorio works and Stellaris works, so I’m happy :)
EDIT: Ok, Steam’s American. But GoG is Polish.
From my experience (Linux Mint exclusively) you might need to edit config files, fiddle with drivers and packages, and compatibility software like wine, lutris etc. ChatGPT proofed quite helpfull with most of these tasks, and there are passionate ppl on lemmy ready to help you out.
Gaming is in a great spot imo. I can run abt 90% of my steam games thanks to proton, and I was pleasently surprised that some EA games ran without the EA client. Competetive games on the other hand are a bit of a gamble since most of them don’t have an anti cheat solution for Linux and won’t run.
Would a windows emulator be possible? Or is that basically like running windows anyway?
@Liljekonvalj @KokusnussRitter
I just finished installing Wine (which, as the name itself says, is not a Windows emulator). If you really need to run a Windows application, Wine will do the trick for many apps you may need. So, my suggestion is: switch to Linux, find any alternative for your needs, and, in case you don’t find some alternative apps, install Wine and get rid of Microsoft once for all.
You don’t really need Microsoft at all.
I switched to Linux and it was an improvement for me, but of course it depends on what you use your pc for.
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ZorinOS, stylish, modern and user-friendly check it out!
Kind of funny the link you’re sharing is msn (microsoft owned)
Article has been changed. Thank you for the input.