For anyone who still needs Windows, I recommend you try the Windows 10 LTSC IoT variant.
It has support until 2032 and has all the bloatware ripped out. It's extremely good.
They even have a Windows 11 version. That's also really good. But I'm guessing if you've avoided upgrading to Windows 11, you'd prefer to stay on 10 anyway.
I keep seeing these " time to move to Linux" threads. For my work I have to use super proprietary software which I know for a fact is Windows only. Not only that it's GPU intensive CPU intensive and niche. I'm sure there's a way to run Windows within Linux but I can only imagine the pain in trying to get proprietary shite to work.
On top of that I need specific CAD software, Photoshop and Illustrator. I don't think any of these daily used programs support Linux.
From the outside, Linux just seems like an absolute ball ache to get working with all of the things I currently do without even thinking about it.
I'd love to do it. Not sure it's going to work. Am I wrong?
Different OSes for different use cases. You have a job to do. Just use Windows.
If you want to use Linux, use it on your own machines on your own time.
That said, there are a few things you can do if you really want to use Linux:
No, you are right. In your situation, Linux is just not an option - yet.
I think these posts are meant for the 95% of people that use a browser, and maaaaybe a mail client on their PC.
Photoshop/Illustrator will only ever get ported if enough people have already made the move that Adobe can't afford to ignore Linux any longer.
That being said, if those requirements are just for work, what's keeping you on Windows on your private devices?
That's a fair point, other than I do need to work at home on occasion!
I'll have a good think about it.
You could switch to Linux at home and just have a windows VM in case you need to do something for work urgently.
FWIW, Photoshop and Illustrator generally work very well through Wine, not sure about CAD so I can't comment on that.
In general though, yeah, if you have to use some super proprietary Windows-only software, you very well may be out of luck for Linux. In which case, yeah, you have to put up with Windows and jump through whatever hoops Microsoft wants you to jump through.
Last month, for the first time, Windows 11 was a more popular OS than Windows 10 in the Steam Hardware Survey. Of course, this is an imprecise science as people have to opt in to having their machines measured but it's a sign of wider adoption. Windows 8, on the other hand, never made it big enough to do the same in its lifespan. Windows 7 was a very popular OS and adoption even to Windows 10 was fairly slow initially, partially down to that skepticism.
You can't cite the jump from 7 to 8 or 7 to 10 without also remarking on the fact users had far more.control over updates back then.
Yeah, Windows 11 adoption is up, because most people don't have a choice, or they didn't care enough to stop it happening automatically, and don't know how to roll it back. That doesn't translate to approval.
At a certain point, adoption rates just don't matter anymore because increasingly the user doesn't have a choice anymore.
There's Windows 10 LTSC, which gets security updates til 2027. And IoT Enterprise LTSC, which gets security updates until 2032.
"But should you even use those versions?!? They are not meant to be installed on a desktop PC/laptop" - idk, it's either this or Win11.
For more info on how to install, check https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links
Serious question : My desktop is incompatible with Win11, I run Win10, and I use it for web browsing, Excel, and a little Word processing. Nothing else. Can't i just continue on as is? Not a gamer, not a heavy user...
The problem with that is that vulnerability will be found and used. Since it's connected to the internet it will be exposed to attackers and could be infected with botnet viruses/tools and used to attack other computer/services.
you'll most likely be fine, there still exists people who use Windows 7 for that workflow. You have to be more aware of vulnerabilities that could be found on your operating system though; and over time more and more software might drop support for your OS (realistically, this will be more noticable when Windows 12-13 gets released) so you might not be able to use latest Office version's features.
Thank you. I'm retired, and unlikely to upgrade Office. Ver 2016 still does exactly what I need to do.
I'll keep my router secured, my firewall updated as long as it will, and anti virus /malware up to date.
Look into Rufus, it will help you create a bootable USB with windows 11 and you can use it to do a upgrade or clean install from your windows 10 installation (clean install preferred IMO), it will even help bypass the hardware requirements and you can even remove the email account and use a local account. Make sure to use or write down your windows 10 activation/license for a clean install.
That being said you could potentially still run the old wondows OS, but as time goes on new exploits could be found that can compromise the OS. If its behind a firewall such as your router its safer, but there is still the possibility of it being infected way off into the future.
Here is a video of windows XP running on a PC connected directly to the internet with no firewall. Its infected almost instantaneously. (Dont try this at home).
Dual-boot Linux Mint, and install Microsoft fonts from the package manager to make documents more cross compatible. Should be a fairly easy migration for your use case. It took me about a year of dual booting to completely switch over to Mint, but it was worthwhile.
I am quite disappointed. Given the title, I was like, wow, a generalist PC gaming website recommending people to switch to Linux! Read the article, Linux is not mentioned at all, I don't even know why it is in the title. Getting a few clicks from hippies?
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
