this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2024
440 points (83.5% liked)

Linux

48328 readers
555 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] thejevans@lemmy.ml 72 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (25 children)

I just got rid of my last Windows installation, and I got rid of all my Apple devices a couple years ago. The Linux life is so nice!

On the other hand, I just setup a Windows gaming machine for a friend (I would have pushed Linux, but I live far away and can't commit to being tech support). There were so many hoops to jump through to cut through all the crap:

  • I had to set the region to somewhere in the EU so that my friend can uninstall Edge sometime in March, 2024 without breaking other functionality
  • I had to run a hidden script at a specific point during the install to allow me to not have to use a Microsoft account
  • I had to disconnect the non-boot drive and reinstall because the Windows installer uses motherboard drive ordering instead of UUID to decide which drive to put the boot partition on.
  • I had to run Win Debloat Tools to get rid of all the crap Microsoft adds to their OS
  • I had to find a 3rd party driver update tool because the motherboard manufacturer's software is terrible and installs a bunch of extra crap.
  • I had to install a 3rd party Nvidia driver update tool because their official one requires making an account and gives a bunch of unwanted ads as notifications.

It's seriously bonkers. It makes you really appreciate Linux as a whole and package managers in particular.

[–] winterayars@sh.itjust.works 13 points 10 months ago (7 children)

Whenever people talk about how difficult Linux is to install i ask them if they've installed Windows lately. They all say "yes". I do not believe a word of it, though. If they had done so--or more likely, tried to do so--there's no way they'd have that opinion. I'm sure they've gone into their OEM's recovery menu and hit "reinstall" or whatever, but that's a very different process.

[–] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (4 children)

It's funny because I've built like six Windows machines and the install process is always a snap. You just select what drive to install to, what telemetry options you want on/off, and then press start.

You don't even have to have an Internet connection/Microsoft account if you don't want to, you can just create a local one.

I don't understand how you guys have such a hard time with it. Certain distros of Linux are pretty easy to get going, but Windows is only hard if you refuse to leave your Linux knowledge bubble, ever.

Sure we can talk about how you have to go in and do X and Y in order to get it configured how YOU want, but that shit applies in Linux too.

[–] thejevans@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I don't know when the last time you tried to install Windows was, but when I installed Windows 11 Pro yesterday, there was no obvious option to install without an internet connection and a Microsoft account. To make that option appear, I had to hit shift+f10 at the country selection screen to open a command prompt and run the script located at "oobe\bypassrno.cmd" to have the option "I don't have an internet connection" to pop up and allow me to bypass needing a Microsoft account.

[–] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I've never installed Windows 11 outside of assisting company IT, but we have install media/network based images we can push.

I'm referring to W10, I don't like 11 at all.

[–] thejevans@lemmy.ml 1 points 10 months ago

That's fine, and people said the same thing about Windows 10, and Windows 7, and Windows XP, and...

If you control for bloat, tracking, and ads, the install process for Windows versions has gotten steadily more difficult as time goes on. Installing Windows 11 is a snap, too, ... if you don't care about all the crap they added.

The thing us Linux users are complaining about is not how easy it is to install if you accept the enshittification that Microsoft forces, but how difficult it is to install without it.

[–] SaltySalamander@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago

when I installed Windows 11 Pro yesterday, there was no obvious option to install without an internet connection and a Microsoft account

.....

Christ on a fucking cracker man, leave the fucking ethernet cable unplugged...

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (20 replies)