This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
If I was still a solo sysadmin, today I would be reevaluating the feasibility of dumping Windows altogether.
Technically it possible with using windows server edition ,clean no bloatware ,minimum processes Legally cost a lot not available for usual users only in crack way
Honestly I’m using Windows Enterprise. Local accounts, GPOs to get rid of all the telemetry and other bullshit. Never seen an ad in the start menu or any other place. Just nice clean windows. Basically it’s what companies use so that Microsoft doesn’t piss them off.
Dump windows. These megacorps need to fail.
Edit: I have only been using Linux for less than a year now, and right now, really is the perfect time to switch. I only held onto windows for gaming, and now I use bazzite. There are some games that don't have steam backup, but with the games that do, I can play the same save between my steamdeck and bazzite.
There is so much more you can do with linux and all it's distros. I've messed around with linux in the past, but never was patient enough to deal with it. Now it's really that easy.
One option is to install an older version and update after.
A better one is not use it because it's trash.
The hole they will never plug: Not using Windows.
In theory Pluton enforcement platform-wide, which also includes forced SecureBoot without the ability to install user-signed keys, as well as OTA updates for that super-TPM, could block alt OSes on PC though.
Fortunately, Pluton never caught on and that hasn't happened so far.
I installed windows 11 a dozen time at work (never at home) and I just click on "domain login", it just creates a local account and then after the install I have to manually join the domain. No Microsoft account enforcement at all.
It's regular Windows 11, not Enterprise, we are a small company.
But I'm wondering, this bypass is too easy, is it because it sees that the DNS server is also an active directory server, so it allows that, or the trick is that you tell him you want to join a domain?
Or maybe it's a domain enrollment bug because we're using samba 4 under Debian as active directory server and not Windows server/entra id/whatever they call it this month?
I don't think they ever said they plan to require it for Windows Pro or above skus. It's only home (you know the one business shouldn't be using anyway) that they said they wanted to enforce it on.
The Enterprise/IoT SKUs, which of course include LTSC, still let you use a local account, for now...
I won't be surprised if they plug that at some point way down the line too though given they're already playing with Windows on the Cloud in the enterprise sector.
I would be surprised if they force the requirement on LTSC.
I could believe they force it into enterprise licensing, but LTSC's whole deal is that the environment doesn't change and only gets security patches. It's made to be used in kiosks, CNC controllers and the like. Machines that are supposed perform one task reliably.
This is also the reason it's the best version of Windows for the desktop, and why Microsoft makes it so challenging to acquire licences.
How many months away are we from Windows requiring a subscription to use, with a cheaper version for the OS + Office and a more expensive that also bundles AI?
Use Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, problem solved.
Or, you know, that other thing.
At this point I just net user /add it, which just creates the user manually and then you can reboot and just log into it.
It's not like you need anything from the OOBE at all, so might as well just skip it entirely.
