"Oops, couldn't find that file! Better reset your browser. Actually I'll just go ahead and turn Windows Recall back on, too. Better get your OneDrive trial started also, I know you wanted that..."
I love how in their minds this is going to be a win. Like there are going to be all these people out there who just quietly accept that they'll use Microsoft Edge from now on, and also in addition not form any kind of revision to their brand impression of Microsoft going forward.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don't give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it's a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don't give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it's a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
You're definitely overestimating the size of your own bubble. The vast, vast, vast majority of people won't even notice, forget caring or actually doing anything about it.
Check "Market Share by OS" and switch it to Windows. Every one of those 67.359% of people who is using Chrome had it downloaded to their computer on purpose instead of just clicking "Internet" and getting Edge. Obviously they feel strongly enough to do that, so I don't see how they would be amenable to losing all their bookmarks and settings and just going with Edge when one day their OS tries to trick them into it.
Maybe so. But Chrome got there some way, their computer didn't come with it. 100% of the computers in that sample came with Edge configured as the browser and nothing else installed, and 81.95% of them are currently accessing the internet using something else. That to me indicates some kind of decisive action to use something else, on somebody's part, and also that Microsoft's years-long endeavor to correct the "problem" by just continuing to ask like a drunk man at the bar in the hopes that the answer will change is not a winner for most people who use computers at this point.
Probably it's only as low as 81.95% because they do stuff like this. Obviously those people do still exist in a big contingent. My feeling is though that it's no longer 1998 and there's no longer this supermajority of AOL users out there who are confused by the very concept of a browser. Those people are in old folks' homes now, their kids who grew up programming are the middle-aged people of today who aren't hip to apps and TikTok, but they do understand about browsers. That's just my feeling and a narrative I produced out of my ass, sure, but it does seem to match the data.
Sure, but I'd wager there's a huge portion of chrome users who got there through the same tactic that Microsoft is deploying here - if you to go the world's most popular search engine on a non-Chrome browser, it tells you that you should be running Chrome and provides a download link
Y'all have set up this false dichotomy in which you've ignored the real majority of chrome installs on windows: children, grandchildren, and neighbors who just want to move on with their life. So they install "the one that looks like a beach ball" and they install a bunch of risky extensions that'll make reading and printing the internet easier.
Source: I used to work in computer repair and technology literacy. But, mostly my own ass.
I can assure you that the vast majority of users in my footprint, about 600 of them, use Chrome because we set it as default. Many people have no idea the difference between Chrome and edge. I am currently sitting at a desk where the user has opened Chrome, but it is not default.
That's why I used the specific phrasing "had it downloaded to their computer" instead of claiming that they were the ones to do it. You'll notice that those users in your footprint also fall into a category of people which this won't do a damn thing to influence.
I think you're overestimating the degree to which the majority of users are willing to inconvenience themselves over a browser. If Microsoft announced tomorrow that Windows no longer supported any browser other than edge you wouldn't see a mass migration to Linux. Instead you would see a healthy uptick in complaints about edge.
Maybe not mass migration, but that alone would probably add another percentage point or so to Linux's market share, while others would just set about breaking the limitation/working around it within probably hours.
Unless enterprise is part of the equation. All those people are simply stuck using whatever thier company uses. Which is usually Edge and Chrome. With no option to change.
Most workplaces I've been at let me pick, but one did not let me use Firefox (only Chrome or Safari).
Weirdly one place didn't block things but Brave wouldn't install because the installer was actually a downloader and I couldn't set it to use the corporate proxy. (Also don't hate me, I don't use Brave anymore and am not a fan, this was back in 2019.)
Sure! Happy to talk about it. I was never a fan of the crypto but you can disable it so that's not my problem. My problem is that a while back they added affiliate information to links you clicked so that they got money. To me, something a browser should do is go to links you click on as you click on them and not mess with them (apart from privacy/security things). It's a huge loss of trust.
Apart from that, I view all Chromium based browsers negatively nowadays because I don't want to give Google de facto control of web standards. Chromium has a monopoly on browsers, basically. Especially since even Microsoft Edge is Chromium based now. The ad blocking changes were part of this, but just in general. I don't think one company should just be able to make a change and have everyone passively adopt it because they're downstream consumers of it. And yes, Brave is Chromium based.
Hi thanks for that. I now that Brave is Chromium based I did not know that it had affiliates so that is something to think about. My lap top is about to go obsolete due to windows 11 so am going to move to Linux in the very near future so I will think I will look around for a new browser at the same time.
Again, thank for your reply.
I am willing to bet there will be A LOT of people. I am a very tech savvy person, and I use edge on my work computer for many things (single sign on). My default search engine changed to bing, and I ended up using bing by accident for a while. And then for a while longer cause I was too lazy to change the setting.
That's why i completely nuked Edge when i was still on windows 11. Including WebView. I simply did not give a fuck if anything used edge.
When i installed (fedora) linux for the first time, i was like:
wait... this really does only what i tell it to! holy shit!
And i never looked back. (And i distrohopped over time. I am currently using arch, and testing NixOS in a VM via virt-manager. If i find it to be good enough, i'll copy the config and install on my host, alongside arch. And slowly, i'll nixify my pc.)
oh yeah i made that one comment - what was the original comment i was replying to again? i can't remember and the post seems to have been deleted. (also do i actually have that tag or are you kidding? i can't see it)
The post was about mod abuse, I think, and I mentioned my process for tagging annoying users and adding arbitrary downvotes to them in the Voyager app! You wanted the same tag, but I didn't want it to get confused with the same tag for frustrating users, so I colored it green instead of red!
I did the same thing until I switched to Geruda Linux a few weeks ago. Neat arch based distro that is optimized for gaming. When I bought a laptop I explicitly chose the DIY Framework laptop so I didn't have to purchase Windows and have been running Fedora on that for years without issues.
I also recommend O&O Shut Up 10 and StartAllBack to disable ads/AI/bloat and restore removed
Start menu functionality (like vertical taskbars). Also, always build the ISO in Rufus so you have the option to disable the Microsoft account requirement.
I just finished migrating our last windows holdout in my house. Honestly very painless and while everyone is different we haven't had any regrets. Eol for Windows 10 was a fantastic bogeyman.
oh jeez lol I've never had a Linux fight. I picked kde neon because I love the ui and neon is bleeding edge for plasma updates. being based on Ubuntu which I was already familiar with sealed the deal. it's very comfortable for Windows users out of the box,and can be customised further into a visual clone of Windows 10/11. I've had a great time gaming on it, very little set up for amd.
Glad I could help, if you're looking to try it out and have a spare usb lying around you can try a live version. That loads the OS into ram and allows you to try out the os. most(maybe all) linux distros have one. Fair warning it will be noticeably faster than everything due to running off ram. if you like it enough you can install it alongside Windows, then if you're completely sold you can use the live disk again to expand the Linux partition over Windows.
There is a possible version of windows that is good and that people want. It's a just a shame that Microsoft isn't interested it making it.
As someone who grew up on windows, I'm willing to stay with it for as long as I can make it like that version. I don't want Mac, and Linux doesn't support enough (still, but maybe one day)
I laughed at Microsoft a lot when they basically made Windows 10 beg people to try edge.
You tried to change your default and it was like, this isn't recommended! And you're like, idgaf change the default, and Windows is like, are you sure? Yes! But edge can save battery power. Are you really sure?
I work IT support. I've seen the dialog about 1000 times.
It's crazy how many people prefer a browser that's not edge.
They seem to have removed it in Windows 11, and even might have disabled it in later versions of 10. Idk, everything I'm dealing with now in terms of new setups are Windows 11.
A post about Windows being shit? On Lemmy? I wonder what the comments are going to be about. Maybe someone will have found an alternative system to use.
Have you tried the new update? It actually isn't all that bad. It is terrible from a security perspective but if you just want to play some Win XP games it works fine offline.
I think reactOS is perfect for old terminals that use windows XP. Like PoS and other.
I mean using XP is already terrible for security and many government pay Microsoft for support to continue using them on dumb terminals. I don't even know if they are sending security updates anymore.
But, If they can setup ReactOS to run those apps (after testing they're fully compatible). Air gap them from the internet, they could be an alternative path forward for a lot of old hardware. At least reactOS will get updates, unlike Windows XP.
Microsoft needs to hire a psychologist or something. Their senseless nagging on forcing shit down our throats doesn't psychologically work the way they think it does.
Except it does work. Its easy to forget that most users dont really know or care that much about their browser or care what their laptop is doing.
They just click things until something with search bar comes up.
The tech savy people are not their biggest customer group so they can risk annoying some people as long as they know they are getting more people in to their enviroment than they are loosing their users.
I mean, if the alternative is vanilla Chrome, it hardly matters at this point. They're both so loaded with tracking your computer will dent the floor, and they have basically the same capabilities.
Obviously FF is better, but what I'm saying is, statistically, for the vast majority, this is only pulling folks off of Chrome.
I mean it goes back and forth so much. I remember when Firefox was the king of browsers 15 years maybe 18 years ago. It then got so loaded with shit that Chrome was the only way to go for about 10 years or so now at this point I think it's pretty much a wash between the two. If nothing else you can use a lighter browser. I personally prefer Chrome because then I can use it on my phone my tablet my computer and have access to all of my tabs as access to all of my searches everything between the three devices.
because then I can use it on my phone my tablet my computer and have access to all of my tabs as access to all of my searches everything between the three devices.
You can do that with Firefox.
If you use Android you can also run uBlock in the mobile version of Firefox, which is why I'll never use Chrome again.
What I meant is there are tons of alternatives to Google-branded Chrome, that are basically Chrome underneath but at least stripped out. Including ones with browser sync across devices.
I am using DuckDuckGo for mobile/desktop sync at the moment. But mostly Cromite (or Firefox) on desktop, and only because Cromite sadly isnt available on iOS.
It's not a wash anymore though, it's not even close. Plain Chrome tracks you so much it definitely eats CPU doing so, no matter how many extensions you install.
I mean I've started utilizing duck duck go for most of my searches on my phone about five six months ago or so. But that has been limited in a number of things in a professional sense where I have had to switch over to Google to be able to actually find the correct answers that I need.
Unfortunately, I feel this way too. It is easier and more productive for me atm. I would like to get away from Google but it works seamlessly with everything I use.
I remember my Firefox browser got hijacked so badly, that I had to never install it again on one of my computers, because it would pick up the extension I guess that was left behind in app data or something? Anyway, I was afraid to touch it, long after it was cleared.
Remember those horrible toolbars? Those were a problem on all browsers and reinstalled themselves automatically unless you fully purged them from your pc. I don't think Chrome ever supported toolbars, that was actually a feature back then
I mean the only reason I could think of is that the number of sites which do not support Firefox increases. So I always need Chrome to get some websites working.
I find Librewolf to be a bit annoying as well. You can disable that cookie-deleting behavior, but I was annoyed that when I signed in with my Firefox account that it had deleted my history and synced that deletion, so now my history was gone everywhere.
Zen is my current favorite Firefox derivative. Whether you like it or not will depend on if you like their UI choices. I actually wasn't a tabs-on-the-side guy, but after using it for a day or so I've come to like it a lot.
Waterfox was nice too, but it was a bit unstable last time I used it.
I have never had a Windows PC, I use Mac (I want to use Linux but I'm still waiting for Asahi Linux to have a driver for DisplayPort over USB-C), my photos are backed up and synced on iCloud already.
I don't use any Xbox thing, I don't have an Xbox; My Microsoft account only exists for one purpose and reason: Minecraft made me migrate my account.
Also isnt not having an unsubscribe button illegal?
Something I've noticed, and it's consistent enough that I suspect that microsoft does it on purpose, there's a 50/50 chance that your windows instal will either be fine forever without problems, or plagued with constant issues that get worse with every update. 2 identical machines with the same install media can produce very different experiences.
I use linux now, and I no longer do tech support, so I'm glad I don't have to deal with that shit anymore.
You're absolutely right, but there's a bit more to it than that.
As someone who deployed Windows professionally for years and was a power user at home, let me supply some additional details,
Windows has become business software through and through. It can run fine enough if you go with a basic install and minimal tweaks through only the standard channels (like Group Policy) and this is probably what those people always loudly claiming "well I never have an issue!" are doing and then they'll accuse you for bringing it on yourself from deviating from this.
But what everyone should understand, especially them, is that this is not how normal people use their computers and it's utter bullshit that Microsoft continues to restrict people into this box. Most businesses don't need hardly anything aside from Office and perhaps one or two industry specific applications, an overwhelming number of these being SaaS these days anyways. Normal people on the other hand use a wide variety of software for their businesses and hobbies in a wide array of configurations and what's more, we enjoy personalizing our experiences on top of it, as we should! This unsurprisingly leads to more instability that Microsoft simply doesn't want to take responsibility for.
People still complain about not being able to move the taskbar from the bottom of the screen and Microsoft apologists will say, "but it's such a small thing!" And well, it is and that's kind of my point; it's a bellweather. I bet it's a simple fix, they could do it, they could please people and provide further usability but they just don't have to. How long has it gone unaddressed now? You want to play Call of Duty, you cretin? Lick our boots! And don't even get me started on the whole SecureBoot/TPM 2.0 DRM lockdown issue.
I use Arch BTW and here's my quick pitch for that. It really is a good distro for people of moderate or above skill level. I slowly built it out over time, bolted on each carefully selected piece of software from the repository, reading the wiki and making configurations as I went. In doing so, I gained a better understanding of Linux in general and my system in specific so on the rare occasions something does break, I don't feel as clueless addressing it. The reason we all start to sound like cult-like zealots after awhile is because we've established a personal relationship with our computers; it is my friend again. It's hard to understate the actual palpable relief that comes from cutting out a bloated, malicious corporation from that chain of trust with a machine we use in our daily lives.
It's time to end Microsoft. Reach out, be helpful and welcoming in the Linux community. They're losing balance, they've overplayed their hand on 11 and over-invested in AI and while I doubt we'd be lucky enough to be truly rid of them, we can see them suffer some real damage.
Obviously it's not technically possible for a Microsoft program to open links in a different browser than their own. It's really hard to code that sort of cross compatibility. At least when your company name is Microsoft.
Switched to Ubuntu completely this year and I think it's finally ready. There are still issues, there are always going to be issues, but at least I get to choose which apps I want to use.
Windows 11 is just objectively terrible. It's Microsoft turning your power bill into their profit.
If you use Solid works at work you'll be welcome with More retarded ones like:
Error occurred.
An item in your assembly needs to be saved X 1000 consecutive windows saying the same thing even if you hit cancel or don't show again.
Playing devils advocate here. If there was a bug when chrome/Firefox/whatever tried to set the default browser, wouldn't the most logical action to reset the default back to edge, instead of leaving it in a weird bugged out state?
Definitely a very low chance for chrome or Firefox to bug it out, but there's tons of apps out there that could break it. Like how many sketchy "PC cleaner" applications are out there? Those could definitely cause weird issues.
I love to hate on Microsoft as much as anyone, but without context on what the user was doing prior to seeing this error, this just seems like normal error handling to me.
I manage a ton of consumer Windows devices and have seldom seen this message. It also hasn’t ever appeared on any of the multitude my own Windows devices that I’m using for hours every week.
I have also seen this message with regard to other file associations like .PDF, certain image formats, and archive formats.
Microsoft has plenty of dark patterns to try and loop users back into Microsoft Edge, but I don’t think this is one of them.
Edge just happens to be the “constant” in an ocean of variables because it ships with the OS and is integrated into so many other facets.
The broken .PDF association also defaults back Edge, Image formats to Photos, Archive formats to the Explorer archive utility. I’m sure .txt would scale back to Notepad.
Likely that the browser they were pointed at went missing (executable moved or something), or was crashing at launch, and this is just Windows saying "I can't find the default you wanted so I am falling back to Edge, otherwise a lot of stuff is going to be broken".
I disagree with this assessment. If the default association suddenly disappears, I want it to prompt me the next time what I want to use as default instead. Not arbitrarily set a default for me that I do not agree with.
Luckily I run linux now (Arch btw) since last summer.
But Windows isn’t built for advanced users, it’s a mainstream OS built for the average consumer. What you and I might see as “taking control away from the user”, the general population might see as “one less confusing choice” if only they had a clue.
I’m glad you’ve finally found your home with Linux :) There are still too many frustrated Windows power users who still don’t know how much better they could have it.
I use a bit of everything, btw. Platform agnostic with more Windows/MacOS experience only because the nature of my job demands it.
I've heard that the last time I said I till use 7, six months ago. Still waiting for that malware. You understand the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?
Thats not remotely true, there's many ways to inject things through ads or hacked websites onto your computer without you intentionally installing or downloading anything. Much much more rare and on updated systems generally will be better protected from those things, however using an outdated OS intentionally is asking for trouble.
Using an adblocker solves that. Not sure how that is specific to Win 7. Hacked websites? Name an example, source it. Difficulty: not from a movie with a skull and crossbones laughing on my screen.
None of these hacker fantasies happen in real life.
You do have a big hosts file and manage your router, yes?
Give me a link to a "hacked website" (F! U! D! Oh my!) right now that I can click on and will install malware on my Windows 7 PC.
Adversaries may gain access to a system through a user visiting a website over the normal course of browsing. Multiple ways of delivering exploit code to a browser exist (i.e., Drive-by Target), including:
A legitimate website is compromised, allowing adversaries to inject malicious code
Script files served to a legitimate website from a publicly writeable cloud storage bucket are modified by an adversary
Malicious ads are paid for and served through legitimate ad providers (i.e., Malvertising)
Built-in web application interfaces that allow user-controllable content are leveraged for the insertion of malicious scripts or iFrames (e.g., cross-site scripting)
Browser push notifications may also be abused by adversaries and leveraged for malicious code injection via User Execution. By clicking "allow" on browser push notifications, users may be granting a website permission to run JavaScript code on their browser.
It's not Hollywood fantasy, as you claim. It is a well documented attack vector.
This is a browser security and PEBKAC error, nothing to do with Windows 7. You've simply proven my point that all these attacks are installed and run by the user. If they're tricked by the site, that's not on Windows 7.
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
" via User Execution. By clicking “allow” on browser push notifications"
Which is what I said: "the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?"
So you agreed with me on all points, why write so much, though? A simple "yes" would suffice next time. Or "HugeNerd, as usual, is correct and his Windows 7 machine has been running 24/7 for months uncompromised through the miracle of using a hosts file, managing his router, and using his tiny old brain."
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
I used no AI. Had you actually paid attention you'd see that I cited my source in the first link. The summary I posted it a direct quote from that source. Just because you don't like what you read that doesn't automatically make it AI slop.
I don't feel like refuting any of your other, unsourced assumptions. Good luck with your beloved Windows 7.
Why don't you provide evidence to your claim that the only way to get malware on an outdated os is by downloading and installing something lmfao.
A majority of users still using 7 are not technically savvy and wouldn't likely know to harden their devices to that extent, trust me I deal with them Irl for my work at a financial company.
I agree, all I ask is you show me one in Windows 7. Send me a URL that when I click it my bank account is emptied immediately.
All these threats people see are always something you actively install or are involved in, or some sort of social engineering scam. Even Windows 17 can't help you with that.
I don't know specific vulnarabilities but they either exist already or can be discovered at any moment without being patched. Not installing stuff yourself doesn't make you safe, just less unsafe.
I'm perfectly safe, and as usual, all I ask is evidence, not scare-mongering. Are you saying that if I stay with Win7, Russians will transmit themselves under my bed through my ISP?
Give me an example of a "less safe" website or application on Windows 7.
Maybe try ReviOS? It's a "playbook" file you run on a clean Windows 11 install that strips out all of the telemetry and junk, and mostly "just works". The only big potential pain point, imho, is not getting automatic driver updates from Windows Update.
I just installed CachyOS with virt-manager running ReviOS in a virtual machine. For my needs, it's amazing. Arch Linux allows for easy updates to the latest versions of software and CachyOS further improves it with optimized, pre-compiled packages, which is particularly relevant for a smooth gaming experience. (Outdated packages aren't a good mix with new games, and the optimized packages improve performance.)
The only "big" challenge I've had with Windows is getting videoconferencing working smoothly (my webcam is flickery), but that's not a big deal. Zoom in Linux works great, and Teams/Zoom both work well in browser (in Linux). So, most of my work stuff is in the VM, but I have Zoom and a separate browser (for Teams meetings) installed in Linux.
This setup requires a bit of technical skill; you need to be able to find and follow guides. (Ex. I needed to troubleshoot why I couldn't change the VM resolution, and the fix was to download a set of VM tools in Windows.) If you have light technical skills to search for and read guides, it shouldn't be too challenging.
Love seeing love for Linux, but my Macs have never once complained about me using Firefox. Safari is there if I want an objectively worse Internet that does a couple things Firefox does via paid extensions but are free in Firefox. But if I use Firefox, macOS does not care.
I think the lesson is, as long as you’re not choosing Windows, you are choosing well. If you have to use Windows at work, that’s fine. So do I. But you don’t have to use it at home too.
Apple users are already locked into the whole vertical stack. The friction in that ecosystem comes from trying to use other hardware. Every design choice in the ecosystem serves to keep users corralled. They aren't installing apps from outside the app store because Apple ensured that the thought never occurs to them in the first place. The tech stack of an Apple user is a continuous, gapless monolith made of glass and brushed aluminum. Unblemished by third-party vendors, it keeps them safe, serves their every need, just works and has "designed by Apple in California" stamped on the bottom. The Apple devotees even think they're unique and "creative". They freely open up their wallets for that feeling. They would gleefully volunteer to get fucked sideways with a MacBook Air™️ -- as long as it will be Apple doing the fucking.
Meanwhile, in Redmond, Microsoft roots around desperately in the same bag of dirty tricks they've been using for decades looking for something, anything, that will give them a fraction of that brand cohesion and devotion from users. They continue to not get it, it will continue to not solve their perpetual identity crisis, and half their user base will still not even know what their browser is called.
@herseycokguzelolacak Just like how clicking any web links (be it from the shitty widgets menu or from windows search) that open the browser, open as edge:// links which force opening on Microsoft Edge even if it's not your default browser. This sucks but at least I can uninstall Edge easily from the settings (maybe because I am in the EU)
Firefox is fundamentally fine; a lot of the recent-ish news about it has been sensationalist (and it wouldn't be surprising to find that Google or Brave LLC were seeding it, honestly, though I'm totally speculating).
The AI stuff is just them exposing the DOM to an LLM of your choice, if you want to, to stay competitive with the other browsers. If the telemetry is an issue for you even when you've changed your settings, use a fork like LibreWolf.
This. Firefox good, Mozilla bad. You just have to either customize Firefox yourself or use a fork. I prefer customizing it myself to get updates sooner.
This obviously sucks. But what led to this situation? Either it's forced on you at work, or you spent money on it, set up an account with e-mail and some other form of real life credentials, im- or explicitely agreed to all sorts of "telemetry", and now you're here.
There's a non-profit, free and libre alternative right there for the taking. It is private by default. They spent decades on making the process of installing it as convenient as possible, not to speak of the OS itself. Switch to Linux now.
The problem obviously being that it is not the browser they want you too use, so they create "a problem".
They don't even need to go that far. Windows has so many problems all the time, they just have to pick one and attribute this response to it.
Why stop at just one? Someday soon I'm sure they'll gleefully tell you that Windows couldn't format your USB thumb drive, so they reset your browser.
"Oops, couldn't find that file! Better reset your browser. Actually I'll just go ahead and turn Windows Recall back on, too. Better get your OneDrive trial started also, I know you wanted that..."
make sure to encrypt your drive so only we can spy on you, not scary people who steal your computer!
I love how in their minds this is going to be a win. Like there are going to be all these people out there who just quietly accept that they'll use Microsoft Edge from now on, and also in addition not form any kind of revision to their brand impression of Microsoft going forward.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don't give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it's a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
You're definitely overestimating the size of your own bubble. The vast, vast, vast majority of people won't even notice, forget caring or actually doing anything about it.
https://radar.cloudflare.com/reports/browser-market-share-2025-q1
Check "Market Share by OS" and switch it to Windows. Every one of those 67.359% of people who is using Chrome had it downloaded to their computer on purpose instead of just clicking "Internet" and getting Edge. Obviously they feel strongly enough to do that, so I don't see how they would be amenable to losing all their bookmarks and settings and just going with Edge when one day their OS tries to trick them into it.
many of those chrome 'users' got there after clicking on one of google's many somewhat misleading 'advertisements' or 'notices' or 'warnings'
Citation: It is known
How many of them? How do you know?
"Many. It is known."
I also like how you put "users" in quotes for some reason. Anyway, good talk.
To be fair, the claim that every single user deliberately installed chrome has the same citation lol
Maybe so. But Chrome got there some way, their computer didn't come with it. 100% of the computers in that sample came with Edge configured as the browser and nothing else installed, and 81.95% of them are currently accessing the internet using something else. That to me indicates some kind of decisive action to use something else, on somebody's part, and also that Microsoft's years-long endeavor to correct the "problem" by just continuing to ask like a drunk man at the bar in the hopes that the answer will change is not a winner for most people who use computers at this point.
Probably it's only as low as 81.95% because they do stuff like this. Obviously those people do still exist in a big contingent. My feeling is though that it's no longer 1998 and there's no longer this supermajority of AOL users out there who are confused by the very concept of a browser. Those people are in old folks' homes now, their kids who grew up programming are the middle-aged people of today who aren't hip to apps and TikTok, but they do understand about browsers. That's just my feeling and a narrative I produced out of my ass, sure, but it does seem to match the data.
Sure, but I'd wager there's a huge portion of chrome users who got there through the same tactic that Microsoft is deploying here - if you to go the world's most popular search engine on a non-Chrome browser, it tells you that you should be running Chrome and provides a download link
Y'all have set up this false dichotomy in which you've ignored the real majority of chrome installs on windows: children, grandchildren, and neighbors who just want to move on with their life. So they install "the one that looks like a beach ball" and they install a bunch of risky extensions that'll make reading and printing the internet easier.
Source: I used to work in computer repair and technology literacy. But, mostly my own ass.
Hey now, I wasn't ignoring anyone. The truth is somewhere between "all installs were deliberate" and "most installs were accidental"
Several coworkers user Edge because the computer said to use Edge and a computer wouldn't lie.
https://youtu.be/7nqcL0mjMjw?
I can assure you that the vast majority of users in my footprint, about 600 of them, use Chrome because we set it as default. Many people have no idea the difference between Chrome and edge. I am currently sitting at a desk where the user has opened Chrome, but it is not default.
That's why I used the specific phrasing "had it downloaded to their computer" instead of claiming that they were the ones to do it. You'll notice that those users in your footprint also fall into a category of people which this won't do a damn thing to influence.
Yes, they will.
I think you're overestimating the degree to which the majority of users are willing to inconvenience themselves over a browser. If Microsoft announced tomorrow that Windows no longer supported any browser other than edge you wouldn't see a mass migration to Linux. Instead you would see a healthy uptick in complaints about edge.
Maybe not mass migration, but that alone would probably add another percentage point or so to Linux's market share, while others would just set about breaking the limitation/working around it within probably hours.
Unless enterprise is part of the equation. All those people are simply stuck using whatever thier company uses. Which is usually Edge and Chrome. With no option to change.
Most workplaces I've been at let me pick, but one did not let me use Firefox (only Chrome or Safari).
Weirdly one place didn't block things but Brave wouldn't install because the installer was actually a downloader and I couldn't set it to use the corporate proxy. (Also don't hate me, I don't use Brave anymore and am not a fan, this was back in 2019.)
Genuine question. Why don't you use Brave anymore? I'm not a fan of edge or Chrome and am happy with Brave. Always open to ideas through.
Sure! Happy to talk about it. I was never a fan of the crypto but you can disable it so that's not my problem. My problem is that a while back they added affiliate information to links you clicked so that they got money. To me, something a browser should do is go to links you click on as you click on them and not mess with them (apart from privacy/security things). It's a huge loss of trust.
Apart from that, I view all Chromium based browsers negatively nowadays because I don't want to give Google de facto control of web standards. Chromium has a monopoly on browsers, basically. Especially since even Microsoft Edge is Chromium based now. The ad blocking changes were part of this, but just in general. I don't think one company should just be able to make a change and have everyone passively adopt it because they're downstream consumers of it. And yes, Brave is Chromium based.
Hi thanks for that. I now that Brave is Chromium based I did not know that it had affiliates so that is something to think about. My lap top is about to go obsolete due to windows 11 so am going to move to Linux in the very near future so I will think I will look around for a new browser at the same time. Again, thank for your reply.
The people who wouldn't notice wouldn't have changed their browser.
You're assuming they're the ones who installed it in the first place.
Ding ding ding
Most users I know can’t distinguish Edge from Chrome any longer. I have to ask them to look for the Copilot symbol to differentiate the two.
Stupid is as stupid does.
I am willing to bet there will be A LOT of people. I am a very tech savvy person, and I use edge on my work computer for many things (single sign on). My default search engine changed to bing, and I ended up using bing by accident for a while. And then for a while longer cause I was too lazy to change the setting.
All of that but then also that they will buy out any competition so you can care and notice, but fuck you.
There is no end on Microsoft nagging:
That's why i completely nuked Edge when i was still on windows 11. Including WebView. I simply did not give a fuck if anything used edge.
When i installed (fedora) linux for the first time, i was like:
wait... this really does only what i tell it to! holy shit!
And i never looked back. (And i distrohopped over time. I am currently using arch, and testing NixOS in a VM via virt-manager. If i find it to be good enough, i'll copy the config and install on my host, alongside arch. And slowly, i'll nixify my pc.)
nix>>>
although have you considered gentoo?
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and NO.
My laptop already suffers enough when compiling stuff through the AUR, i won't even try it.
Aww, I found you. My green twat tag buddy! See, it works great. Hope you have an excellent day!
oh yeah i made that one comment - what was the original comment i was replying to again? i can't remember and the post seems to have been deleted. (also do i actually have that tag or are you kidding? i can't see it)
The post was about mod abuse, I think, and I mentioned my process for tagging annoying users and adding arbitrary downvotes to them in the Voyager app! You wanted the same tag, but I didn't want it to get confused with the same tag for frustrating users, so I colored it green instead of red!
ahaha i remember now, thanks - i wish the tag were universal though :D
Nix made me love my computer. I have everything I want and if anything goes wrong I just rollback. After a taste it's the only OS that feels right
I did the same thing until I switched to Geruda Linux a few weeks ago. Neat arch based distro that is optimized for gaming. When I bought a laptop I explicitly chose the DIY Framework laptop so I didn't have to purchase Windows and have been running Fedora on that for years without issues.
I've been using Firefox for over a decade, and Windows has never complained about it. What are you talking about?
I think this started with Windows 10, don't know which version though. A couple examples from the net:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2383173/why-cant-i-run-the-firefox-installer
https://www.reddit.com/r/therewasanattempt/comments/tjxo0e/to_stop_me_from_downloading_a_new_browser/
Microsoft Edge encountered an error: Microsoft Edge is not the default browser. We reset your default browser to Microsoft Edge to resolve the problem
Install MSEdgeRedirect to solve this problem.
I also recommend O&O Shut Up 10 and StartAllBack to disable ads/AI/bloat and restore removed Start menu functionality (like vertical taskbars). Also, always build the ISO in Rufus so you have the option to disable the Microsoft account requirement.
Alternatively you could* switch to Linux.
Me: Why go through all that trouble, just install Linux
Welp
Damn it, could*
I just finished migrating our last windows holdout in my house. Honestly very painless and while everyone is different we haven't had any regrets. Eol for Windows 10 was a fantastic bogeyman.
What distribution did you migrate to? (Not trying to start a fight, I'd just like to switch myself)
oh jeez lol I've never had a Linux fight. I picked kde neon because I love the ui and neon is bleeding edge for plasma updates. being based on Ubuntu which I was already familiar with sealed the deal. it's very comfortable for Windows users out of the box,and can be customised further into a visual clone of Windows 10/11. I've had a great time gaming on it, very little set up for amd.
Thanks mate, I appreciate all the info
Glad I could help, if you're looking to try it out and have a spare usb lying around you can try a live version. That loads the OS into ram and allows you to try out the os. most(maybe all) linux distros have one. Fair warning it will be noticeably faster than everything due to running off ram. if you like it enough you can install it alongside Windows, then if you're completely sold you can use the live disk again to expand the Linux partition over Windows.
https://neon.kde.org/download
Here is the neon download page. It has instructions for making a live usb.
ps. i may have also undersold kde, they also have a whole suite of neat applications they've made for their os
Finally managed to get my dad to switch his laptop
nice, my wife was super hesitant. I had to remind her she only uses libreoffice and firefox anyway hahaha
To be fair
I didn't notice that either
They say that Stockholm syndrome is fake because of bad data. Windows is the proof that it's true.
There is a possible version of windows that is good and that people want. It's a just a shame that Microsoft isn't interested it making it.
As someone who grew up on windows, I'm willing to stay with it for as long as I can make it like that version. I don't want Mac, and Linux doesn't support enough (still, but maybe one day)
I laughed at Microsoft a lot when they basically made Windows 10 beg people to try edge.
You tried to change your default and it was like, this isn't recommended! And you're like, idgaf change the default, and Windows is like, are you sure? Yes! But edge can save battery power. Are you really sure?
Fuck off edge. Change the default.
Are you sure?
I work IT support. I've seen the dialog about 1000 times.
It's crazy how many people prefer a browser that's not edge.
They seem to have removed it in Windows 11, and even might have disabled it in later versions of 10. Idk, everything I'm dealing with now in terms of new setups are Windows 11.
But are you really sure?
You convinced me, it definitely didn't happen. I was hallucinating again.
I hate that Windows is like this
It would be better if people didn't need to worry about switching.
A post about Windows being shit? On Lemmy? I wonder what the comments are going to be about. Maybe someone will have found an alternative system to use.
Have you tried TempleOS by chance?
Or PonyOS
That's... impressive.
He died for our sins....
ReactOS ^/s^
Seriously, you know the answer.
Have you tried the new update? It actually isn't all that bad. It is terrible from a security perspective but if you just want to play some Win XP games it works fine offline.
I think reactOS is perfect for old terminals that use windows XP. Like PoS and other.
I mean using XP is already terrible for security and many government pay Microsoft for support to continue using them on dumb terminals. I don't even know if they are sending security updates anymore.
But, If they can setup ReactOS to run those apps (after testing they're fully compatible). Air gap them from the internet, they could be an alternative path forward for a lot of old hardware. At least reactOS will get updates, unlike Windows XP.
The big issue is that React OS very unstable. It has gotten much better in recent years but it is not even close to stable let alone production grade.
Best option is to replace 20+ year old hardware
That could be a slogan for WINE (and all game-oriented forks).
Wine doesn't target old games
It might work or it might not
Do you mean DOSbox old or is there a support gap between the two?
DOS box is DOS
Interestingly enough you can run it under React OS
That app was your other browser. And the problem was that it made itself your default browser. But no worries. We fixed that right up for you.
Microsoft needs to hire a psychologist or something. Their senseless nagging on forcing shit down our throats doesn't psychologically work the way they think it does.
Except it does work. Its easy to forget that most users dont really know or care that much about their browser or care what their laptop is doing.
They just click things until something with search bar comes up.
The tech savy people are not their biggest customer group so they can risk annoying some people as long as they know they are getting more people in to their enviroment than they are loosing their users.
I mean, if the alternative is vanilla Chrome, it hardly matters at this point. They're both so loaded with tracking your computer will dent the floor, and they have basically the same capabilities.
Obviously FF is better, but what I'm saying is, statistically, for the vast majority, this is only pulling folks off of Chrome.
I mean it goes back and forth so much. I remember when Firefox was the king of browsers 15 years maybe 18 years ago. It then got so loaded with shit that Chrome was the only way to go for about 10 years or so now at this point I think it's pretty much a wash between the two. If nothing else you can use a lighter browser. I personally prefer Chrome because then I can use it on my phone my tablet my computer and have access to all of my tabs as access to all of my searches everything between the three devices.
You can do that with Firefox. If you use Android you can also run uBlock in the mobile version of Firefox, which is why I'll never use Chrome again.
What I meant is there are tons of alternatives to Google-branded Chrome, that are basically Chrome underneath but at least stripped out. Including ones with browser sync across devices.
I am using DuckDuckGo for mobile/desktop sync at the moment. But mostly Cromite (or Firefox) on desktop, and only because Cromite sadly isnt available on iOS.
It's not a wash anymore though, it's not even close. Plain Chrome tracks you so much it definitely eats CPU doing so, no matter how many extensions you install.
I mean I've started utilizing duck duck go for most of my searches on my phone about five six months ago or so. But that has been limited in a number of things in a professional sense where I have had to switch over to Google to be able to actually find the correct answers that I need.
Their browser, I mean.
You can still use Google search in DDG browser. TBH I feel much safer with that than the other way around.
Unfortunately, I feel this way too. It is easier and more productive for me atm. I would like to get away from Google but it works seamlessly with everything I use.
I remember my Firefox browser got hijacked so badly, that I had to never install it again on one of my computers, because it would pick up the extension I guess that was left behind in app data or something? Anyway, I was afraid to touch it, long after it was cleared.
Remember those horrible toolbars? Those were a problem on all browsers and reinstalled themselves automatically unless you fully purged them from your pc. I don't think Chrome ever supported toolbars, that was actually a feature back then
Why though?
I mean the only reason I could think of is that the number of sites which do not support Firefox increases. So I always need Chrome to get some websites working.
What did Firefox that Vivaldi does better?
Ok I get your point, but basically a Firefox alternative like libre wolf would work for you too
I find that Chromium derivates do perform much better as long as a Wayland+Nvidia combo isn’t freaking them out.
It’s usually not a huge deal on fast desktops though.
What are you using now
I’d recommend Cromite. For desktop and Android, it’s awesome.
DDG browser if you want multi device sync.
Maybe try LibreWolf, it’s just Firefox with the Mozilla bullshit removed and privacy respecting defaults. It’s identical besides that
Because of the anti fingerprinting changes so many sites don't work in it though, mapping utilities in particular, and banks.
I find Librewolf to be a bit annoying as well. You can disable that cookie-deleting behavior, but I was annoyed that when I signed in with my Firefox account that it had deleted my history and synced that deletion, so now my history was gone everywhere.
Zen is my current favorite Firefox derivative. Whether you like it or not will depend on if you like their UI choices. I actually wasn't a tabs-on-the-side guy, but after using it for a day or so I've come to like it a lot.
Waterfox was nice too, but it was a bit unstable last time I used it.
Funnily enough, I got an email from MS plugging their Copilot shit.
I don't give a fuck about what I'm subscribed to, I give a fuck about the link to unsubscribe from it.
Hmm is that illegal (missing unsub link) in this case?
I got this email from Microsoft a month ago
I have never had a Windows PC, I use Mac (I want to use Linux but I'm still waiting for Asahi Linux to have a driver for DisplayPort over USB-C), my photos are backed up and synced on iCloud already.
I don't use any Xbox thing, I don't have an Xbox; My Microsoft account only exists for one purpose and reason: Minecraft made me migrate my account.
Also isnt not having an unsubscribe button illegal?
"oopsie reawwy sowwy uwu"
Something I've noticed, and it's consistent enough that I suspect that microsoft does it on purpose, there's a 50/50 chance that your windows instal will either be fine forever without problems, or plagued with constant issues that get worse with every update. 2 identical machines with the same install media can produce very different experiences.
I use linux now, and I no longer do tech support, so I'm glad I don't have to deal with that shit anymore.
You're absolutely right, but there's a bit more to it than that.
As someone who deployed Windows professionally for years and was a power user at home, let me supply some additional details,
Windows has become business software through and through. It can run fine enough if you go with a basic install and minimal tweaks through only the standard channels (like Group Policy) and this is probably what those people always loudly claiming "well I never have an issue!" are doing and then they'll accuse you for bringing it on yourself from deviating from this.
But what everyone should understand, especially them, is that this is not how normal people use their computers and it's utter bullshit that Microsoft continues to restrict people into this box. Most businesses don't need hardly anything aside from Office and perhaps one or two industry specific applications, an overwhelming number of these being SaaS these days anyways. Normal people on the other hand use a wide variety of software for their businesses and hobbies in a wide array of configurations and what's more, we enjoy personalizing our experiences on top of it, as we should! This unsurprisingly leads to more instability that Microsoft simply doesn't want to take responsibility for.
People still complain about not being able to move the taskbar from the bottom of the screen and Microsoft apologists will say, "but it's such a small thing!" And well, it is and that's kind of my point; it's a bellweather. I bet it's a simple fix, they could do it, they could please people and provide further usability but they just don't have to. How long has it gone unaddressed now? You want to play Call of Duty, you cretin? Lick our boots! And don't even get me started on the whole SecureBoot/TPM 2.0 DRM lockdown issue.
I use Arch BTW and here's my quick pitch for that. It really is a good distro for people of moderate or above skill level. I slowly built it out over time, bolted on each carefully selected piece of software from the repository, reading the wiki and making configurations as I went. In doing so, I gained a better understanding of Linux in general and my system in specific so on the rare occasions something does break, I don't feel as clueless addressing it. The reason we all start to sound like cult-like zealots after awhile is because we've established a personal relationship with our computers; it is my friend again. It's hard to understate the actual palpable relief that comes from cutting out a bloated, malicious corporation from that chain of trust with a machine we use in our daily lives.
It's time to end Microsoft. Reach out, be helpful and welcoming in the Linux community. They're losing balance, they've overplayed their hand on 11 and over-invested in AI and while I doubt we'd be lucky enough to be truly rid of them, we can see them suffer some real damage.
Windows: The top choice when you want someone else to control your computer.
I just love it when I click on a link in Teams and it opens in Edge
Obviously it's not technically possible for a Microsoft program to open links in a different browser than their own. It's really hard to code that sort of cross compatibility. At least when your company name is Microsoft.
Translation.
We found a problem and its that you made the Wrong choice.
Set Microsoft edge to default browser
It's not your choice, it's Spacer's Choice!
Switched to Ubuntu completely this year and I think it's finally ready. There are still issues, there are always going to be issues, but at least I get to choose which apps I want to use.
Windows 11 is just objectively terrible. It's Microsoft turning your power bill into their profit.
New 3400$ laptop this year. I've had it for 5 months.
Sometimes the display driver wigs out and my cursor is permanently glitched until reboot.
Other times my browser is so sluggish until I close and restart it.
Sometimes my keyboard and mouse cut out, and I get repeated keystrokes for a few seconds or a brief period where it ignores my key presses.
I have so many more complaints about windows but I'd probably reach a character limit.
You know it's bad when I boot my manjaro Linux desktop for the first time in months and the first thing I notice is how fast everything is to load.
Is it a Razer laptop?
It is not
So, as with many other people. this stuff is certainly pushing me into Linux.
That said, is there no chance of the EU restarting their probes towards them with all the dark patterns they've been using to push people into Edge?
My day job is to fight ONE aspect of shady MS stuff. I don't have time or money at home to fight ALL of MS's shady shit at home.
For those contemplating a shift to Linux, this site lets you kick the tires on different distros.
https://distrosea.com/
Or you can simply use Linux Mint or Zorin OS if you really can't stand with a new UI
Reminds of that kid that trips over and eats a class colleague's entire banana
miss those vague error messages, not.
If you use Solid works at work you'll be welcome with More retarded ones like:
Error occurred.
An item in your assembly needs to be saved X 1000 consecutive windows saying the same thing even if you hit cancel or don't show again.
Solid works is phaking regarde...retarded.
Would it work to just delete edge.exe and rename firefox.exe to it?
Nope. Not that simple. Windows will complain left and right and "repair" it self. Their are ways to fully remove edge how ever.
Oof. So that's why Windows 10+ has almost 400 background services and is so slow.
The "app" is called Windows. :)
Playing devils advocate here. If there was a bug when chrome/Firefox/whatever tried to set the default browser, wouldn't the most logical action to reset the default back to edge, instead of leaving it in a weird bugged out state?
How would something so simple bug out? It wouldn't be impossible I guess, but the chance that it isn't Windows' fault seem really slim
Definitely a very low chance for chrome or Firefox to bug it out, but there's tons of apps out there that could break it. Like how many sketchy "PC cleaner" applications are out there? Those could definitely cause weird issues. I love to hate on Microsoft as much as anyone, but without context on what the user was doing prior to seeing this error, this just seems like normal error handling to me.
My Linux firefotz browser never gives this error.
I manage a ton of consumer Windows devices and have seldom seen this message. It also hasn’t ever appeared on any of the multitude my own Windows devices that I’m using for hours every week.
I have also seen this message with regard to other file associations like .PDF, certain image formats, and archive formats.
Microsoft has plenty of dark patterns to try and loop users back into Microsoft Edge, but I don’t think this is one of them.
Edge just happens to be the “constant” in an ocean of variables because it ships with the OS and is integrated into so many other facets. The broken .PDF association also defaults back Edge, Image formats to Photos, Archive formats to the Explorer archive utility. I’m sure .txt would scale back to Notepad.
Likely that the browser they were pointed at went missing (executable moved or something), or was crashing at launch, and this is just Windows saying "I can't find the default you wanted so I am falling back to Edge, otherwise a lot of stuff is going to be broken".
I disagree with this assessment. If the default association suddenly disappears, I want it to prompt me the next time what I want to use as default instead. Not arbitrarily set a default for me that I do not agree with.
Luckily I run linux now (Arch btw) since last summer.
I agree, that would be my preference too.
But Windows isn’t built for advanced users, it’s a mainstream OS built for the average consumer. What you and I might see as “taking control away from the user”, the general population might see as “one less confusing choice” if only they had a clue.
I’m glad you’ve finally found your home with Linux :) There are still too many frustrated Windows power users who still don’t know how much better they could have it. I use a bit of everything, btw. Platform agnostic with more Windows/MacOS experience only because the nature of my job demands it.
Can I run Windows 7 in a VM if I am forced to use 10 or 11 somehow?
You can
Hm, I'll see what I can do about that. I have a Value Village rescue PC that will soon be set up.
Don't use 7, you're just asking for malware
It's actually fine if it doesn't have internet connection.
That's true of any OS.
Who uses an OS without internet though lol
For old software that don't work on modern OSes.
You must know that's not a majority of the people refusing to update to 11 lol
Sure, but they're asking for Windows 7 specifically which is already not supported for a while.
I've heard that the last time I said I till use 7, six months ago. Still waiting for that malware. You understand the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?
Thats not remotely true, there's many ways to inject things through ads or hacked websites onto your computer without you intentionally installing or downloading anything. Much much more rare and on updated systems generally will be better protected from those things, however using an outdated OS intentionally is asking for trouble.
Using an adblocker solves that. Not sure how that is specific to Win 7. Hacked websites? Name an example, source it. Difficulty: not from a movie with a skull and crossbones laughing on my screen. None of these hacker fantasies happen in real life. You do have a big hosts file and manage your router, yes? Give me a link to a "hacked website" (F! U! D! Oh my!) right now that I can click on and will install malware on my Windows 7 PC.
Simply untrue. Hollywood fantasies.
It's called a Drive-by Compromise:
A legitimate website is compromised, allowing adversaries to inject malicious code
Script files served to a legitimate website from a publicly writeable cloud storage bucket are modified by an adversary
Malicious ads are paid for and served through legitimate ad providers (i.e., Malvertising)
Built-in web application interfaces that allow user-controllable content are leveraged for the insertion of malicious scripts or iFrames (e.g., cross-site scripting)
It's not Hollywood fantasy, as you claim. It is a well documented attack vector.
This is a browser security and PEBKAC error, nothing to do with Windows 7. You've simply proven my point that all these attacks are installed and run by the user. If they're tricked by the site, that's not on Windows 7.
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
" via User Execution. By clicking “allow” on browser push notifications"
Which is what I said: "the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?"
So you agreed with me on all points, why write so much, though? A simple "yes" would suffice next time. Or "HugeNerd, as usual, is correct and his Windows 7 machine has been running 24/7 for months uncompromised through the miracle of using a hosts file, managing his router, and using his tiny old brain."
I used no AI. Had you actually paid attention you'd see that I cited my source in the first link. The summary I posted it a direct quote from that source. Just because you don't like what you read that doesn't automatically make it AI slop.
I don't feel like refuting any of your other, unsourced assumptions. Good luck with your beloved Windows 7.
Its not even the same person who replied lmfao
Why don't you provide evidence to your claim that the only way to get malware on an outdated os is by downloading and installing something lmfao.
A majority of users still using 7 are not technically savvy and wouldn't likely know to harden their devices to that extent, trust me I deal with them Irl for my work at a financial company.
there is a security risk so no
Please describe the nature of this risk, and explain why I don't have any of them?
No OS is safe, because within millions of lines of code, it is bound to have some vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
But what is absolutely unsafe, is an unsupported OS, where the vulnerabilities that are found are not solved/patched
I agree, all I ask is you show me one in Windows 7. Send me a URL that when I click it my bank account is emptied immediately.
All these threats people see are always something you actively install or are involved in, or some sort of social engineering scam. Even Windows 17 can't help you with that.
I don't know specific vulnarabilities but they either exist already or can be discovered at any moment without being patched. Not installing stuff yourself doesn't make you safe, just less unsafe.
I'm perfectly safe, and as usual, all I ask is evidence, not scare-mongering. Are you saying that if I stay with Win7, Russians will transmit themselves under my bed through my ISP?
Give me an example of a "less safe" website or application on Windows 7.
Classic anti vaxer logic
Impressive. That much stupid in such a compact and misspelled sentence.
Why the hell would you want to?
In case I want to use a OS that still works, as opposed to the user-hostile resource-depleting exhausting visual messes like Windows 11?
Yeah, it's called the Mint version.
/j
Seriously this!
Win7 in a VM work great in Linux. But what you SHOULD do is just install Linux Mint and use it for a week.
Maybe try ReviOS? It's a "playbook" file you run on a clean Windows 11 install that strips out all of the telemetry and junk, and mostly "just works". The only big potential pain point, imho, is not getting automatic driver updates from Windows Update.
I just installed CachyOS with virt-manager running ReviOS in a virtual machine. For my needs, it's amazing. Arch Linux allows for easy updates to the latest versions of software and CachyOS further improves it with optimized, pre-compiled packages, which is particularly relevant for a smooth gaming experience. (Outdated packages aren't a good mix with new games, and the optimized packages improve performance.)
The only "big" challenge I've had with Windows is getting videoconferencing working smoothly (my webcam is flickery), but that's not a big deal. Zoom in Linux works great, and Teams/Zoom both work well in browser (in Linux). So, most of my work stuff is in the VM, but I have Zoom and a separate browser (for Teams meetings) installed in Linux.
This setup requires a bit of technical skill; you need to be able to find and follow guides. (Ex. I needed to troubleshoot why I couldn't change the VM resolution, and the fix was to download a set of VM tools in Windows.) If you have light technical skills to search for and read guides, it shouldn't be too challenging.
(I use Arch, by the way.)
"An app caused a problem". Let me guess, that app was called "Edge", and it was just pissed to be ignored.
I think the app was "Firefox" and it was also set as the default.
You mean the error of the Firefox app was to set the browser default anywhere but Edge?
In EU you can uninstall Edge completely.
miss the golden days of antitrust actually antitrusting
Love seeing love for Linux, but my Macs have never once complained about me using Firefox. Safari is there if I want an objectively worse Internet that does a couple things Firefox does via paid extensions but are free in Firefox. But if I use Firefox, macOS does not care.
I think the lesson is, as long as you’re not choosing Windows, you are choosing well. If you have to use Windows at work, that’s fine. So do I. But you don’t have to use it at home too.
Apple stuff only works well with other Apple stuff
They are also very antirepair
Apple users are already locked into the whole vertical stack. The friction in that ecosystem comes from trying to use other hardware. Every design choice in the ecosystem serves to keep users corralled. They aren't installing apps from outside the app store because Apple ensured that the thought never occurs to them in the first place. The tech stack of an Apple user is a continuous, gapless monolith made of glass and brushed aluminum. Unblemished by third-party vendors, it keeps them safe, serves their every need, just works and has "designed by Apple in California" stamped on the bottom. The Apple devotees even think they're unique and "creative". They freely open up their wallets for that feeling. They would gleefully volunteer to get fucked sideways with a MacBook Air™️ -- as long as it will be Apple doing the fucking.
Meanwhile, in Redmond, Microsoft roots around desperately in the same bag of dirty tricks they've been using for decades looking for something, anything, that will give them a fraction of that brand cohesion and devotion from users. They continue to not get it, it will continue to not solve their perpetual identity crisis, and half their user base will still not even know what their browser is called.
Disagree. Apple is another evil. Period. They might be better than Microsoft, but thatvdoes not make them good in any way.
I got an email advertising Windows 11 features. It was a mandatory service email they would not let me unsubscribe from.
What is wrong with these people?
Mark spam?
Please don't run end of life software... (I'm assuming you are on Win10)
I switched to Linux and now, I'm in the mildlysoothing category
Last time Microsoft tried something like this, they got the shit slapped out of them by federal antitrust regulators:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.
Ah, the Golden Age of the USA... with a functional judicial system... I feel nostalgic
"Shit slapped out of them" is a bit of a exaggeration
MBAs
Why has OP's post been downvoted to begin with?
Some Lemmy clients make it insanely easy to accidentally down vote things without even noticing you did it.
Voyager when you want to move back to your feed is a good example of this
Your employment was removed
Your work caused a problem with your default job setting, so it was reset to Microsoft Copilot.
@herseycokguzelolacak Just like how clicking any web links (be it from the shitty widgets menu or from windows search) that open the browser, open as edge:// links which force opening on Microsoft Edge even if it's not your default browser. This sucks but at least I can uninstall Edge easily from the settings (maybe because I am in the EU)
Seriously considering switching to Linux lately!
As an aside, what web browser is everyone using these days? Chrome is obviously out. Firefox seems to be fucking up as of late. Opera? DDG?
Firefox is fundamentally fine; a lot of the recent-ish news about it has been sensationalist (and it wouldn't be surprising to find that Google or Brave LLC were seeding it, honestly, though I'm totally speculating).
The AI stuff is just them exposing the DOM to an LLM of your choice, if you want to, to stay competitive with the other browsers. If the telemetry is an issue for you even when you've changed your settings, use a fork like LibreWolf.
Mozilla sucks and its management needs to be replaced, but Firefox (or a fork of it) is still the least-bad option.
This. Firefox good, Mozilla bad. You just have to either customize Firefox yourself or use a fork. I prefer customizing it myself to get updates sooner.
Phew. I still use Firefox as my primary.
Librewolf for me
Zen
That means nothing
Micro-suffer
Satya, stop trying to make Edge happen. It's not going to happen.
M$: Whoopsie ¯\_( ´ _ `)_/¯
lolol sheesh
Nobaraproject.org
This obviously sucks. But what led to this situation? Either it's forced on you at work, or you spent money on it, set up an account with e-mail and some other form of real life credentials, im- or explicitely agreed to all sorts of "telemetry", and now you're here.
There's a non-profit, free and libre alternative right there for the taking. It is private by default. They spent decades on making the process of installing it as convenient as possible, not to speak of the OS itself. Switch to Linux now.
What was the problem? It was set to not Microsoft Edge.
As opposed to silently changing your default browser?
@herseycokguzelolacak Interesting. What was the app?
not mine, found it in the internet