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Reinstalling Windows 11 change my vision of how shit it really is

Flatline

Banned
Which distro did you go for?


If you're interested in Linux and you're a first time user or just want an easier experience you should really go for OSs that are ubuntu based. Kubuntu is the most trouble free in my experience, Linux Mint is the most Windows 7 like and I also repeatedly heard good things about Zorin OS even though I haven't tried it yet.
 

Unknown?

Member
The problem with Linux is that when you have a problem troubleshooting can become complicated and I don't want to test my luck with wine too much. Having said that the more annoying and more intrusive Windows becomes the more motivation I have to ignore these problems, in the end it won't be Linux that will convince me to switch but Microsoft. I suspect it'll happen when these fucks force us to switch to Windows 11, I'm already at my limit with Windows 10 and the telemetry bullshit I constantly have to block.

And btw for anyone that isn't aware, the "complicated" part of Linux troubleshooting is just copy pasting lines of code after googling a problem. So it's not that compicated but sometimes it's kind of frustrating.
So run it in a VM first and see if it works for you or dual boot.
 
but you're carrying around an android or ios phone that steals much more data than telemetry

yea ok bud. how about making a legit argument
Indeed it does, but is that data more valuable/important? If it is, you have some options, like not letting it sync with google services, use a different ROM, root, disable mobile data, bluetooth, wifi and gps whenever you don't need it, not install instagram, tiktok, facebook on it, etc.

I could lose my phone data tomorrow and I would only lose pictures and locations or something along those lines I would get over it quickly, now if I lost all my PC data I would feel like I lost thousands of dollars, and in reality I would have lost just that.

A phone is not a computer, for most people these days I think phone indeed has more valuable data so you have a point, but we're talking personal data not work related data. I deserve to have full control of everything on a computer I own, options are what make it versatile/useful and without them, I don't want to have a computer for any reason if I can do the same thing just as well on something else. That's what I think software companies don't understand when they stupidify their software to be "more usable", it's not really getting them a bigger userbase in the process, it's just proving a point against themselves.
First of all, I use custom firmware and even if I didn't I'd have it rooted to block most traffic and remove most of Google's spyware crap and even if I didn't I'd still want a safe main OS. The fact that you're so defensive about fucking Microsoft just because the competition is equally terrible is telling.
Good response.
 
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Shh

Member
Windows 11 is great. Sounds like a lot of self-inflicted issues from not knowing how to use a computer.
You can disable windows updates anytime you want.

But given that you didn't know that, maybe you should stick to the automatic updates...
OneDrive has a setting to keep all files offline... You just don't know what you're doing

Yeah ... 90% of the issues people are complaining about in here are easily addressed. I have none of these issues.

Two of the simplest ones are BloatBox (removes bloated garbage) and O&O ShutUp (disables automatic updates and a million other things).

When setting up a new install of Windows 11, if you input fake@fake.com when it asks for a Microsoft account, it will say there's an issue with the account and let you sign in as local. You can also get to local account creation by connecting to WiFi and then after it connects, when you click to go the next step, you unplug the internet modem (while staying on WiFi) and it will allow local account creation as it thinks there's a networking issue.
 
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M16

Member
First of all, I use custom firmware and even if I didn't I'd have it rooted to block most traffic and remove most of Google's spyware crap and even if I didn't I'd still want a safe main OS. The fact that you're so defensive about fucking Microsoft just because the competition is equally terrible is telling.
Even if you remove the Google services, don't you realize how much data your apps are funneling? Much more crap than measly telemetry.

Next time you present an argument, don't be a hypocrit. Or don't even present one in bad faith.
 
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Bitmap Frogs

Mr. Community
penguin linux GIF
 
Even if you remove the Google services, don't you realize how much data your apps are funneling? Much more crap than measly telemetry.

Next time you present an argument, don't be a hypocrit. Or don't even present one in bad faith.
You can pick your apps though. There are apps I don't install, precisely because of that. And apps I install only on a phone with a dummy email account that I don't care for. Like how I use an old phone with a custom rom just for Waze. The data it collects? it collects that an account not used for anything else gets used to travel to some places.

You don't know how the people you're addressing are using their stuff. Also a security risk (or letting some third party collecting your data) can be a calculated risk and that's very different than being oblivious to it. It can be the same for the company that collects data as they get their data, but it's a world of difference for the user if there's ever a security breach. If I expected it then I didn't rely on it, see?

I don't think that proves hypocrisy of any kind, unless we're trying to prove everything and everyone is a hypocrite, you and me included.
 
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Flatline

Banned
Even if you remove the Google services, don't you realize how much data your apps are funneling? Much more crap than measly telemetry.

Next time you present an argument, don't be a hypocrit. Or don't even present one in bad faith.

I've already explained to you how even if Android isn't safe you can still need a safe main OS. And fyi there is a thing called Fdroid store that has safe open source apps in it. There are also universal ad blockers like Adaway that also block google servers and firewalls like AFwall that block everything except the apps that you specifically allow, not to mention other more legally dubious apps that patch apps to stop them from contacting google servers amongst other stuff.

I have no idea why you're so triggered about me calling out a shady company like Microsoft but it's obvious you know very little about this stuff.
 
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Shh

Member
You can pick your apps though. There are apps I don't install, precisely because of that. And apps I install only on a phone with a dummy email account that I don't care for. Like how I use an old phone with a custom rom just for Waze. The data it collects? it collects that an account not used for anything else gets used to travel to some places.

I don't think that proves hypocrisy of any kind, unless we're trying to prove everything and everyone is a hypocrite, you and me included.
There was a study showing that 85% of Android apps send data to Facebook, even if you don't have a Facebook account. They are creating a shadow profile on you regardless of what precautions you are taking. The dummy account is doing absolutely zero for you except for slightly reducing cross-tracking. And using a custom ROM isn't preventing the majority of your apps from tracking your data and sending it off to big tech. Also, Waze is owned by Google, and regardless if you use a dummy account, their algorithms can determine exactly who you are. You're not hiding from anyone. You can reduce your online presence (I would recommend iPhone over Android for this, but they are guilty as well, just less guilty), but you can't get rid of it unless you remove all technology from your life and go live in an Amish village.

There is no such thing as a safe main OS, except maybe Linux. macOS is pretty good as well, but their VPN leakage issues that have gone on for years is a major problem.
 
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Shh

Member
I've already explained to you how even if Android isn't safe you can still need a safe main OS. And fyi there is a thing called Fdroid store that has safe open source apps in it. There are also universal ad blockers like Adaway that also block google servers and firewalls like AFwall that block everything except the apps that you specifically allow, not to mention other more legally dubious apps that patch apps to stop them from contacting google servers amongst other stuff.

I have no idea why you're so triggered about me calling out a shady company like Microsoft but it's obvious you know very little about this stuff.
And that is just an awful lot of things to deal with on top of not being able to do what most phones can do. The trade off isn't worth it, IMO. Maybe if you needed it for top level security reasons for a job or something. But that is quite extreme.
 
There was a study showing that 85% of Android apps send data to Facebook, even if you don't have a Facebook account. They are creating a shadow profile on you regardless of what precautions you are taking. The dummy account is doing absolutely zero for you except for slightly reducing cross-tracking. And using a custom ROM isn't preventing the majority of your apps from tracking your data and sending it off to big tech.
Well yeah, but remember you pick your apps. I can use custom rom, no gapps and telegram.

I just don't go that route because I work with clients via whatsapp and facebook business, but as I said, I can compartment that into a separate terminal/equipment, work phone has no personal account, it's turned off on weekends, has nothing personal on it. I think it works.
Also, Waze is owned by Google, and regardless if you use a dummy account, their algorithms can determine exactly who you are. You're not hiding from anyone. You can reduce your online presence (I would recommend iPhone over Android for this, but they are guilty as well, just less guilty), but you can't get rid of it unless you remove all technology from your life and go live in an Amish village.
I know, but I honestly don't think they know exactly who I am, at most they "think" we either might be same person or live in the same house.

I swear by the no GPS, no social networks and no data when out an about rule for the data collecting algorithm to be confused and unable to pull out anything that coherent.
There is no such thing as a safe main OS, except maybe Linux. macOS is pretty good as well, but their VPN leakage issues that have gone on for years is a major problem.
I agree with that. Which often only makes some changes that trample functionality made in the name of security even more stupid.
And that is just an awful lot of things to deal with on top of not being able to do what most phones can do. The trade off isn't worth it, IMO. Maybe if you needed it for top level security reasons for a job or something. But that is quite extreme.
You can always use it as a known risk and minimize it from there. As you said, trade-off isn't worth it in some cases, providing your phone data is not sensitive enough.

Tracking can be minimized if you're clever, the rest doesn't matter.

Regardless and going back to the original topic, I kinda accept that that's their business model seeing I didn't pay for the OS on my phone. With Windows you pay for the software and get less but still plenty of tracking, so it's worse in Windows case that it happens by the software seller.
 
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Flatline

Banned
And that is just an awful lot of things to deal with on top of not being able to do what most phones can do. The trade off isn't worth it, IMO. Maybe if you needed it for top level security reasons for a job or something. But that is quite extreme.

The experience is actually often better. Official apps are bloated ad-ridden cancer, youtube vanced for example is still a better app than the official one even though it's discontinued for months now, Xtra (the version still supported that google often hides) is a better app for twitch than the official one even though it's maintained by a couple of guys, redditisfun and similar apps are better for reddit than the official app and so on. My phone does what other phones do except with more lightweight apps that respect my privacy. Well, except syncing which I'll never do even if I trust the app.
 

Flatline

Banned
There was a study showing that 85% of Android apps send data to Facebook, even if you don't have a Facebook account. They are creating a shadow profile on you regardless of what precautions you are taking. The dummy account is doing absolutely zero for you except for slightly reducing cross-tracking. And using a custom ROM isn't preventing the majority of your apps from tracking your data and sending it off to big tech. Also, Waze is owned by Google, and regardless if you use a dummy account, their algorithms can determine exactly who you are. You're not hiding from anyone. You can reduce your online presence (I would recommend iPhone over Android for this, but they are guilty as well, just less guilty), but you can't get rid of it unless you remove all technology from your life and go live in an Amish village.

There is no such thing as a safe main OS, except maybe Linux. macOS is pretty good as well, but their VPN leakage issues that have gone on for issues is a major problem.

First thing you should do to protect yourself is avoid the Play store like a plague. It never promotes the best or more popular apps, it only promotes the most ad ridden cancerous apps. There's a reason you can barely categorize your search results there, the google fucks want total control. Sideload fdroid or even Aptoide which is way less safe but still safer than Play Store nowadays, root your phone and firewall your device, this is the least you can do, not just for your privacy but to protect yourself from identity theft and other internet related crime.
 

Shh

Member
First thing you should do to protect yourself is avoid the Play store like a plague. It never promotes the best or more popular apps, it only promotes the most ad ridden cancerous apps. There's a reason you can barely categorize your search results there, the google fucks want total control. Sideload fdroid or even Aptoide which is way less safe but still safer than Play Store nowadays, root your phone and firewall your device, this is the least you can do, not just for your privacy but to protect yourself from identity theft and other internet related crime.
I agree the Play Store is an infestation of garbage, but I don't bother with Android anymore.

The experience is actually often better. Official apps are bloated ad-ridden cancer, youtube vanced for example is still a better app than the official one even though it's discontinued for months now, Xtra (the version still supported that google often hides) is a better app for twitch than the official one even though it's maintained by a couple of guys, redditisfun and similar apps are better for reddit than the official app and so on. My phone does what other phones do except with more lightweight apps that respect my privacy. Well, except syncing which I'll never do even if I trust the app.
That's why I use iOS now. All the Android versions of the apps I use were loaded with ad garbage or just simply didn't work as well as the iOS version.


Well yeah, but remember you pick your apps. I can use custom rom, no gapps and telegram.

I just don't go that route because I work with clients via whatsapp and facebook business, but as I said, I can compartment that into a separate terminal/equipment, work phone has no personal account, it's turned off on weekends, has nothing personal on it. I think it works.

I know, but I honestly don't think they know exactly who I am, at most they "think" we either might be same person or live in the same house.

I swear by the no GPS, no social networks and no data when out an about rule for the data collecting algorithm to be confused and unable to pull out anything that coherent.

I agree with that. Which often only makes some changes that trample functionality made in the name of security even more stupid.

You can always use it as a known risk and minimize it from there. As you said, trade-off isn't worth it in some cases, providing your phone data is not sensitive enough.

Tracking can be minimized if you're clever, the rest doesn't matter.

Regardless and going back to the original topic, I kinda accept that that's their business model seeing I didn't pay for the OS on my phone. With Windows you pay for the software and get less but still plenty of tracking, so it's worse in Windows case that it happens by the software seller.
Yes. I minimize as much as I can within my needs. I was going absolutely nuts with privacy and security the last couple of years and I started to realize it was making me develop paranoia and OCD. I had to learn to stop caring as much as it was literally eating away at my health. As for Window 11, the astronomical level of garbage telemetry built in now is awe-inspiring.
 
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Flatline

Banned
I agree the Play Store is an infestation of garbage, but I don't bother with Android anymore.


That's why I use iOS now. All the Android versions of the apps I use were loaded with ad garbage or just simply didn't work as well as the iOS version.



Yes. I minimize as much as I can within my needs. I was going absolutely nuts with privacy and security the last couple of years and I started to realize it was making me develop paranoia and OCD. I had to learn to stop caring as much as it was literally eating away at my health. As for Window 11, the astronomical level of garbage telemetry built in now is awe-inspiring.

Apple is just not as shameless as Google, its OS is still riddled with telemetry spyware though, they're just subtle about it. The only practical difference between Android and iOS is that with android at least you have the option to block all the spyware if you search on the internet for a few hours, Apple's walled garden bullshit give you no such choice.
 

Shh

Member
Apple is just not as shameless as Google, its OS is still riddled with telemetry spyware though, they're just subtle about it. The only practical difference between Android and iOS is that with android at least you have the option to block all the spyware if you search on the internet for a few hours, Apple's walled garden bullshit give you no such choice.
Apple is evil garbage, same as Google. The garbage is just less in my face compared to Android. Tolerable garbage. I find their whole "privacy is a human right" nonsense to be utterly nauseating.
 

M16

Member
I've already explained to you how even if Android isn't safe you can still need a safe main OS. And fyi there is a thing called Fdroid store that has safe open source apps in it. There are also universal ad blockers like Adaway that also block google servers and firewalls like AFwall that block everything except the apps that you specifically allow, not to mention other more legally dubious apps that patch apps to stop them from contacting google servers amongst other stuff.

I have no idea why you're so triggered about me calling out a shady company like Microsoft but it's obvious you know very little about this stuff.

using words like triggered, and calling microsoft a shady company(as compared to its competitors that you are a fan of?). and the classic "you wouldnt know anything about this topic:". nice bait to try to take the focus off the real argument and turn it into something else.

and i still dont believe you that you run a custom firewalled OS with only curated open source apps that you have verified that they dont collect any information. sounds made up to try to win your argument.
 
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LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
The irony for me is that the newest install of Windows 11 that I did after getting a 4090 has been the best for me. Still needing some love but I like it. Multiple desktops are awesome (yes, I know you could do them in W10).
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I have to use it due to work. Horrid. I spend most of my time in a VM WVD session instead. My work laptop is basically just a glorified RDP client now because trying to use Windows 11 to actually work is frustrating - it's like it was designed in almost every way to be user unfriendly, and it gets old how so many older applications need to be modified or be given special permissions, or require ten new registry keys and entries. Bleh.

Oh, if you use the quick power feature it will also eat through a large laptop battery in no time. And the irony is that it is still slow as hell to start compared to a Mac or Chromebook.
 
Duh, but it doesn't tell you that. it just assumes by default and does it anyway until you do something about it.

You can't make everyone happy and you need to have a default setting. Most people who use cloud storage would rather not have duplication on their home storage which is more limited.

Again, I think you just need to better educate yourself rather than wine that "Windows 11 sucks" especially since OneDrive works exactly the same way on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
 
Windows hasn't been good since windows 7. windows 10 was trash and poison, windows 11 actually looked like it had potential at first since it has a nice UI for once unlike w8 and w10 but then they dumbed it down even more and closed it down more, included drm and requires you to have internet just to install. I used windows all my life but finally had enough and went to linux.
 

nikos

Member
Windows 11 runs on the same exact core architecture as Windows 10, so people saying it's worse don't really know what they're talking about.

This sounds like you screwed up by not only using OneDrive but also not understanding how it works before removing it. User error.
 
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Nitty_Grimes

Made a crappy phPBB forum once ... once.
Duh, but it doesn't tell you that. it just assumes by default and does it anyway until you do something about it.
But it literally comes up on screen as your installing Windows or One Drive - you just remove the ticks. If people weren’t trying to speed run their installations and not clicking ‘next’ on every button they see without reading what you are click next for, you would notice this setting.
 

niilokin

Member
i have same problem with windows 10 that all the user shit ( documents, pictures) are in onedrive for some reason ... windows took a random fucking folder from my pc ( "russian academic drawing course") made it the user root
 

01011001

Banned
i have same problem with windows 10 that all the user shit ( documents, pictures) are in onedrive for some reason ... windows took a random fucking folder from my pc ( "russian academic drawing course") made it the user root

I was wondering reading the OP... like...
isn't this all already stuff WIndows 10 does? nothing about this seems to be Win11 specific.

that's why you really need to look into every small little option while installing anything these days
 

tusharngf

Member
what does 11 provide that 10 doesn’t have ?
LONG BOOTING TIMES on SSD.

miserable taskbar and start menu

I installed exporerPatcher from github to get back win10 menu options lol.

And the funny thing is my brother updated my windows machine without knowing what he is doing.
 
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I have a solution but I have a feeling it'll bring the wrong crowd. But all I have to really say is that if you aren't afraid of learning and can stick with it Linux, especially a distro like Mint or Pop_OS which are debian based, are easy Windows replacements and have tons of options if you're willing to use alternatives.

I've been using Pop OS for just under a year now with my 5600X and 3070ti and minus the unlearning of Windows I haven't had too many major problems.
This. Instead of bitching and making demands to mommy Microsoft, you could start learning Linux and free yourself from their BS. Not saying Linux on the desktop doesn't have issues, too. But at least you're in full control over the things you just complained about.
 

Darak

Member
Just hilarious to see people criticizing Windows 11 as if they were professionals but don't know how to manage the most surface-level complaints.

I haven't seen a single complaint in here that couldn't be resolved within 2 minutes.
There is no fix to the lack of labels in the taskbar without resorting to registry hacks or external software (which has a huge potential for compatibility and/or integration issues). A lot of the complaint about windows 11 are surface-level complaints, because many of Windows 11's biggest problems are found at the surface level. Its UI design is a disaster, something which has been a trend in Microsoft at least since Windows 8.

In any case, defaults matter. A system should default to a sane, or even an optimal state. Windows 11 doesn't do that and in fact is further away from sane defaults than Windows 10 was.
 

Flatline

Banned
using words like triggered, and calling microsoft a shady company(as compared to its competitors that you are a fan of?). and the classic "you wouldnt know anything about this topic:". nice bait to try to take the focus off the real argument and turn it into something else.

and i still dont believe you that you run a custom firewalled OS with only curated open source apps that you have verified that they dont collect any information. sounds made up to try to win your argument.


The first thing Microsoft did when they bought Skype, the very first, we're talking within weeks, was centralize its servers so that the NSA can spy on American people more efficiently. Windows 10 is basically spyware and the Edge browser is the worst browser for privacy even compared to fucking Chrome. So yes, it's a fuclking shady company.
 

nkarafo

Member
You can disable windows updates anytime you want.

But given that you didn't know that, maybe you should stick to the automatic updates...
It would be nice if you could just disable the Windows Update service and be done with it.

I now have them "turned off by your organization". But i don't remember how i did that and i will need to seek for a guide to turn them ON again :messenger_grinning_sweat:.
 
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nkarafo

Member
The experience is actually often better. Official apps are bloated ad-ridden cancer, youtube vanced for example is still a better app than the official one even though it's discontinued for months now, Xtra (the version still supported that google often hides) is a better app for twitch than the official one even though it's maintained by a couple of guys, redditisfun and similar apps are better for reddit than the official app and so on. My phone does what other phones do except with more lightweight apps that respect my privacy. Well, except syncing which I'll never do even if I trust the app.
Why use all those apps. Reddit? Facebook? Youtube? discord?

You can access all those via your browser. Facebook messenger being the only exception i know of. But other than that everything is just a bookmark on my browser, like how i use them on my PC.

Sure, you might lose some functions, like how you can't listen to music in Youtube if the screen turns off. If that function is essential for you, you can still use vance. But my point is, you don't need to bloat the system with an app for every single site you want to use.
 

Flatline

Banned
Why use all those apps. Reddit? Facebook? Youtube? discord?

You can access all those via your browser. Facebook messenger being the only exception i know of. But other than that everything is just a bookmark on my browser, like how i use them on my PC.

Sure, you might lose some functions, like how you can't listen to music in Youtube if the screen turns off. If that function is essential for you, you can still use vance. But my point is, you don't need to bloat the system with an app for every single site you want to use.


Exactly for the reason you mentioned, I need them for backround playback. I actually agree with you about the rest though, I don't use apps for reddit and other sites because it's actually a worse experience since you can't open links in new pages in most of these apps, official or not, which is a fucking terrible design.
 

Flatline

Banned
It would be nice if you could just disable the Windows Update service and be done with it.

I have the perfect program for you, it's called Windows Update Blocker, you disable windows updates, protect the service from being reenabled by some other stupid Microsoft service and enable it whenever you like. I would have never survived Windows 10 without it, Windows updates are 10 times more intrusive than Linux and often create new problems.
 

rodrigolfp

Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
Automatic updates keep OSes secure something people who don't understand security are the most vulnerable to.
Right? People complaining about Windows updates are weird. They don't exist to upset us, but for security and stability reasons. Just set it to ask you when to restart the OS after the update and done.
 
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DarkestHour

Banned
Windows 11 has worked great for me even in beta. I'm not sure how so many people have problems. Stop fucking with shit and it won't break maybe?
 

Mephisto40

Member
If you navigate to C:\Users your old local profile should still be there

Best idea is to copy your profile folder from there, then just create a new profile on your PC and copy the files back to the profiles folder

You have to do a regedit as well if you want to use the same name for the new profile as the old one, guide below

 
Ultimately, people just love to complain, even if they're the problem.

Windows 11 is fine, just as Windows 10 was fine.

I've used every version of Windows since Windows 3.1. I've used macOS, Ubuntu, and a few other distros.

Windows 11 is one of the best OSes I've ever used and is perfectly in line with W10.
 

Meowtor

Gold Member
my exp so far with win11 is a shitshow. Changed a lot of UI settings and now theres just a lot more extra clicks to make changes or do anything. Windows also loves to change settings on the fly (turning off my mic setup or changing audio outputs or continuing to fuck with desktop resolution reccomendations). wish i could downgrade.
 

Bojji

Member
my exp so far with win11 is a shitshow. Changed a lot of UI settings and now theres just a lot more extra clicks to make changes or do anything. Windows also loves to change settings on the fly (turning off my mic setup or changing audio outputs or continuing to fuck with desktop resolution reccomendations). wish i could downgrade.

You can always reinstall w10. I did that and then turned off tpm so it won't upgrade to W11.
 
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