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Windows 12 Reportedly Set for Release This Year as a Fully Modular, Subscription-Based, AI-Focused OS; Editor Update: "should not have been published"

The worst part of all this is that we still don't have a viable alternative to Windows. We'll continue to moan about Win 11/12/13 but still end up sticking with it.

Linux still relying on shit like terminal is why it will never replace Windows.
It's not 1991. If I want that nostalgia hit, I'll install MS DOS.
 
Hm..
So I could use a simple "gaming focused " version, without any bloat, and never activate the AI / subscription parts of the OS?

If so, that would actually be nice.
I'm deactivating 90% of all the shit going on in Windows 11, and if I can choose a light version of Window 12, and have all the horrible AI stuff away on a safe distanse (because i'll obviously never subscribe to any extra stuff ), this could in theory be a nice upgrade for me.

This is obviously the best case scenario. In reality I expect to do even more work to keep it clean and nice , and if so - i'm tempted to switch to Linux.
If Nvidia gets their Linux support going and Ableton Live gets Linux support, i'm off in a heartbeat.
 
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AI aside, including the advanced subscriptions model, which I have zero-interest in or need for, I do like the sound of Windows 12 being a more modular operating system as my prime use for my PC is gaming with a bit of browsing so if I can ignore all the other stuff that would otherwise be installed and/or running in the background, then it could bode well for PC gaming going forward.

All Microsoft need to do now is address the PC platform's major weakness versus consoles, which is the shader compilation issue and the need to compile them on booting a game for the first time or after a graphics driver or major operating system update. With most recent games the process only takes a few minutes but some older games it can be 20+ minutes which is a ludicrous amount of time to wait when console games can just instantly boot into the game; no need for any shader compilation. PC gaming is definitely superior to console for obvious reasons (more options, higher framerates, better graphics, user mods, etc) but the need to compile shaders is by far the biggest annoyance along with shader compilation stutter (even in games that compile the shaders!!!).

Since the next Xbox is rumoured to be a hybrid PC / console running Windows then whatever they do to optimise that platform would hopefully benefit PC users too, including some way to avoid the need to compile shaders at all (not just with Windows 12 but hopefully also Windows 11 but knowing Microsoft they will try to make this a Windows 12-exclusive feature, I'd almost put a bet on them doing that).
 
The worst part of all this is that we still don't have a viable alternative to Windows. We'll continue to moan about Win 11/12/13 but still end up sticking with it.

Linux still relying on shit like terminal is why it will never replace Windows.
It's not 1991. If I want that nostalgia hit, I'll install MS DOS.
Yet. SteamOS for desktop may change that. Spetially if nVidia port it's drivers.
 
Linux still relying on shit like terminal is why it will never replace Windows.
You'll see Linux experts lainching terminal all the time because they're comfortable working like this. But modern distributions aimed at casual users doesn't even require you to open that thing if you're allergic to it.
It's not 1991. If I want that nostalgia hit, I'll install MS DOS.
Is it so bad to have multiple way of doing stuff? Maybe you could think differently and realize that Linux offers you both way to do stuff. Windows is like this too you know? Sys admins, tech support and that kind of IT jobs are using terminal and powershell a lot too.
 
Мороженое Тошнит GIF by Роскачество
 
What really makes me uncomfortable is, that while I haven't used a Microslop product or service on my private hardware for over 20 years now, I will still be forced to use and administrate this garbage at work when it releases. The vendor lock-in with Microslop products and service is so gigantic, that it's almost impossible to migrate away from it.
 
you can keep it Microslop, when support and security patches stop coming I'll just bring my PCs offline and I'm good

Gabe, just make sure all online games just start working on Steam OS, I'm happy to change
 
Pure clickbait, only AI features require subscription because of server costs. ( obviously). This is same as W11.

This is actually good. I can remove stuff I don't need such AI features and maybe editing stuff and make the OS purely optimised for gaming and some light office work.

I like this. Everyone who says "I'll go to Linux" has no idea how much time you're going to waste to get something working. Also forget gaming. Linux is also a horror if you have a laptop because you can kiss your battery life and various other sensor/drivers that your laptop manufacturer has made specifically to only work for Windows.

People need to accept that there's really no other choice.

Windows is impossible to ditch. MS Office is impossible to ditch. Google Search. YouTube. Steam. iPhone. Nvidia GPUs,… so on.
 
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The worst part of all this is that we still don't have a viable alternative to Windows. We'll continue to moan about Win 11/12/13 but still end up sticking with it.
Linux is viable for most stuff. Android AND Windows running on Snapdragon and with Aluminium OS coming soon (?) Linux as a paltform should further improve, just not some MP stuff yet. Those will only be ported if "you" move first. Kinda a hen egg problem.
Do your part! At least dual boot and if market share shows Linux rising, publishers will move.
Linux still relying on shit like terminal is why it will never replace Windows.
It's not 1991. If I want that nostalgia hit, I'll install MS DOS.
Modern Windows also has cmd or Powershell.
 
The worst part of all this is that we still don't have a viable alternative to Windows. We'll continue to moan about Win 11/12/13 but still end up sticking with it.

Linux still relying on shit like terminal is why it will never replace Windows.
It's not 1991. If I want that nostalgia hit, I'll install MS DOS.
It not so much relying on it as its simply better and more efficient for certain tasks, like downloading packages. Instead of having to go all the way to a website, download stuff, execute it, click through a bunch of prompts, you can just copy and paste a line of command in the terminal and wait.
 
Good keep the garbage seperated.

Rip all of the AI nonsense out of Windows 11 and push it onto Windows 12.

Everybody wins.

AI bros can keep using their filthy AI Slop on Windows 12 and normal people can enjoy Windows 11 without the AI Slop.
 
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Subscription based os? Get to absolute fuck. I've been wanting to for years but the time is finally coming I wont be using a windows based pc anymore.

Percentage wise, roughly, how compatible is linux for gaming and day to day pc tasks?
 
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Outside of the AI stuff which I don't care about, this sounds amazing. Windows biggest blessing has always been its biggest curse: It runs everything. The curse of having to run every piece of legacy software that has ever existed made Windows the bloated POS it is today.

A modular OS should be huge for gaming. I fully expect the PC gaming core to basically be the Xbox UX. This seems like you should be able to setup a PC that's optimized for gaming only.

The subscription thing isn't a surprise. But this is exciting. Modular is the way to go. If you want a traditional, do-everything PC and play games on it, you have that choice. But if you want a console-like experience, it should be possible in Windows 12.
 
Shame they still lack a lot of the games Windows gets otherwise they'd be much more popular.
This is why I use Mac for everything but games (in general). It's great for that and even game support has been improving between hardware (new M5 GPUs are pretty good), native game releases and Crossover.

Running say Mac Mini or MacBook Air and a Linux gaming PC is going to be a decent idea for a lot of folks.
 
What really makes me uncomfortable is, that while I haven't used a Microslop product or service on my private hardware for over 20 years now, I will still be forced to use and administrate this garbage at work when it releases. The vendor lock-in with Microslop products and service is so gigantic, that it's almost impossible to migrate away from it.
On corporate side most of that "slop" can be disabled.
Unless MS is going full retard of course. And to be fair, they kind of are with the Copilot crap in M365 so I guess I wouldn't be super shocked, but still…
 
I just buil a SFF PC for retrobat/emulators with W10, because I didn't want to mess with copilot shit... Can't think of ever installing a copilot centric OS...
And demanding a NPU with this market?
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you can complain all you want, but unless you run windows alternatives on your systems you'll end up running windows 12

microsoft will continue to work assuming consumers will eat whatever slop they serve
I don't advocate for piracy, but if I end up running that shit for whatever reason, I would gladly do whatever to not pay a subscription for another thing I used to buy, but now have to rent because AI. I know, sounds immoral, but I would try with all my forces to use any alternative available before it, and I suspect that I wouldn't be the only one.
 
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I think i would prefer to stick with 11, i haven't had any real problem's with Windows 11 yet to be honest, although i've only been using it since November, if only Microsoft would leave it alone and stop with the bad windows updates they keep releasing, are they just bored!!, i don't like the sound of Windows 12, too much AI from the sound of it.
 
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AI focused and subscription based? LOL!!!!! 😂

I'm still on W10 and plan to stay on it for a long time yet, until I either learn Linux or an alternative OS becomes available. Hopefully the Steam OS or a Google OS become a real options someday.
 
"set to release later this year, right around the time when Windows 10's support ends." So in the very first sentence of the article they already have factually incorrect information. W10 support ended last October.
 
"transparent glass elements and a floating taskbar"
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An image of a Win12 prototype leaked a while ago during a Microsoft presentation.

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If Nvidia really gets off their asses and makes their Linux drivers equivalent with their Windows drivers, then we'll see some real shit. As long as Linux gamers have to use AMD, Linux gaming will forever occupy a niche

About 99% of Windows features with Nvidia work on Linux, although not all of them are plug-and-play.

The main problem was the DX12 performance in some titles (such as those using UE5), but Nvidia has already fixed that. However, we are still waiting for Proton/VKD3D to implement the modifications so we can see this in practice. Work has already begun, but it should take a few months before it's in the official build.

 
What's funny about this, (not really), but many of us all over the interwebs for years were saying MSFT was going to have a subscription based (and cloud based) OS and 10/11.

And the True Believers kept circling the wagons.

Season 6 Whatever GIF by The Office
 
I'm out. Just ordered a MacBook and will eventually convert my current desktop into a smaller form factor Linux/Steam OS system for under the TV. I am done chasing the craziness of the PC/Windows market for now. I can ride things out until things change or just stick to this setup plus consoles forever. This bit of seeing into the Windows future was just enough to push me over the edge to make this move.
 
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