I am down to one windows machine largely because it's so fatally wounded by the last update it's now in use as a door wedge. Others were converted to Linux of different flavours so they work

I don't have a huge problem with Windows 11, most of it is stuff I either slightly like or don't care about and there is one improvement I really like.

Really like:

Improved window docking, hover over the maximize button to see what I mean.

Windows Terminal becoming the default terminal application, tabs = better. This probably doesn't matter to most people who never use the terminal.

Don't Like:

Start menu can't be docked anywhere but the bottom.

Clock missing from secondary monitors (looks like this will be fixed, I'm using a 3rd party app for now).

Start menu different for no reason, having all apps hidden behind a button adds a click, minor.

Don't Care:

Updated design changes, this seems like the biggest Windows 11 thing. Yes, it looks slightly different, no care.

More virtual desktops, I'm sure someone cares but not me.

Settings replacing Control Panel, the Windows 11 version of Settings actually seems to work, unlike the last version but I need to figure out where everything is again.

Overall, my opinion of Windows 11 is fairly neutral but as a software developer running old versions isn't an option because the headaches start to pile up after the new Windows has been out more than a year or two, might as well get used to it now. As for Linux, I need both Linux and Windows for what I'm working on and I've found Windows + WSL is easier for my workflows than Linux + Windows VM but It's really down to what you're doing. My hardware config is much better supported under Windows than Linux.

I'm mixed regarding Windows 11 as well. I like that it looks more polished. I always thought Windows 10 looked incredibly bland, flat and lifeless. Windows 11 looks a lot prettier, and that's good IMO. Unfortunately the regressions to the task bar and start menu seem pretty illogical to me. I just don't understand the benefit of removing features and customisation options for no understandable reason.

The new task bar also means that OpenShell isn't currently a seamless option for adding a properly functional start menu back in just yet. For that reason, my W11 test rig will remain a VM until both MS fix some of Windows 11's stupidities and 3rd party tools catch up to fix the other annoyances.

The minimum requirements issue is also daft, but so far it is fairly easy to circumvent.

"but I need to figure out where everything is again."

Why bother? They'll only move them again.

Ah, remember the good old days, when there was one current version of Windows, perhaps with a "SP1" or "SP2" appended. Now there seem to be dozens of versions of the bloody system, all impenetrably titled and with bizarre tortuous upgrade paths. Microsoft have learned all the wrong things from Linux.

for all the different versions

Its called 'licencing' and its how m$ makes money off the corporate world.

In fact its now so convoluted that most m$ salesmen dont understand m$ licencing....

So, you're saying "Microsoft have learned all the wrong things from Linux Oracle."

and no, it's no longer connected to the internet, although it still insists on stealing my cpu to do unnecessary virus scans of my system that will never be on the internet again.

Not sure what all the fuss is about - just turn off windows updates

Surely I shouldn't need to. I see when my w10 updates that there is a "Windows Malicious Software: Removal Tool" downloading, but somehow, even when it's done, I find that w10 is still there!

Shouldn't this Removal Tool have replaced w10 with some sort of nice friendly linux by now?

:-)

"Not sure what all the fuss is about - just turn off windows updates"

Is that even possible? Surely the only option is to postpone updates, for a limited time. (Unless like another poster above, you don't connect it to the interwebs. At which point large portions of Windows will complain, not work, or warn you every time they launch that "your experience will be improved by connecting to the Internet", not least of which, if Windows can't phone home, it'll nag you about updates and probably eventually limit other features and tell you "Your copy of Windows may not be genuine".

Yes it is possible.

It is in theory easy to stop and start WU simply by starting and stopping the windows update service. However, as we all know, if you stop it the 'medic' service starts it again for you - very annoying. Thus you have to disable the medic service first. This is done by renaming the .dll file to eg .bak (or whatever you like). However, this .dll is owned by system, so you have to take ownership first and then you can rename it.

Open an elevated command prompt (in c:\windows\system32) and run the following commands (you need do this only once):

copy WaaSMedicSvc.dll WaaSMedicSvc.BAK /y

takeown /f c:\windows\system32\WaaSMedicSvc.dll

cacls c:\windows\system32\WaaSMedicSvc.dll /e /p "Preferred Customer":f

erase c:\windows\system32\WaaSMedicSvc.dll

(here, Preferred Customer is my windows account name - use your own)

You can also create a .cmd file with these 4 lines in and run it as an administrator if you prefer.

That has disabled the medic for good, although you will need to check if a new .dll is ever added if you do updates in future.

Now you can stop and start the windows update service as you wish. I have a couple of .cmd files on the desktop which stop and start the service - I just run the one I want as administrator. These are the 2 command files:

sc config wuauserv start=auto

sc start wuauserv

pause

sc stop wuauserv

sc config wuauserv start=disabled

pause

not sure what tje fuss is about - just turn off windows updates

First, I'm planning to move to Win11 and my daily driver supports it.

But I'm also planning on upgrading my hardware and figured I'd wait to get a clean version of Win11.

I wish the Windows Microsofties could coordinate better with the Surface Microsofties on release dates.

Got my two updates this weekend.

Microsoft can take their Windows 11 and insert it into the orifice of their choice, rotating the box slowly to cause maximum pain. :)

After all I've read about the problems to date and the problems that remain for AMD processors, there is NO WAY I am spending hard earned cash on a TPM module for my motherboard just so I can install software I never wanted in the first place!!!

I have a perfectly good AMD FX PC which runs 10 very well, but doesn't meet the requirements for 11. Wonder what will happen when they stop updating 10?

That is 4-5 years down the road at least. There is an awful lot of hardware that doesn't qualify.

Even my year old box doesn't, because I didn't buy the optional TPM module for it.

Well 21H2 is supposed to be the last update to W10, from now until October 14, 2025, its security patches...

I have several W10 systems with the "not compatible with Windows 11" warning on the WuP page. Currently, I'm quite happy, as it (hopefully) means MS won't be doing a GWX repeat on this system.

I imagine their corp customers are as fed up of dealing with the mishmash of versions and update control too.

But OS fragmentation is not unique to Windows, and in fact, I struggle to think of anything current that doesn't suffer from it one way or another.

Having some control over the system again would resolve most issues I have with 8/10/11. Fat chance. Even in enterprise licenses.

Server 2019 as a desktop recommended yet again if you want a 7like experience, in official support.

"But OS fragmentation is not unique to Windows"

OS fragmentation imposed by a single vendor is, however, a Windows speciality.

I'm not sure about Macs but with Linux and BSDs you can choose your preferred version, your preferred UI and run those on multiple machines if that's what you want*. You don't have to put up with a mishmash and you don't get forcibly updated by the vendor.

* In practice you might want to run different setups. For instance SWMBO suffers from macular degeneration and has had lens replacement. Her laptop also runs Devuan and KDE but some settings are changed to adapt to that.

Anyone else install that fun program that also works on win10? that and the anti-bloatware powershell patches that castrates windows ability to phone every keypress and mouse move back to M$'s overwatch servers ?