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Upcoming Windows 11 builds cannot install without internet and Microsoft Account

(infosec.exchange)
268 points tech234a | 11 comments | 29 Mar 25 04:13 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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samiv ◴[29 Mar 25 07:00 UTC] No.43513408[source]▶
I'm also 100% convinced Microsoft will introduce mandatory code signing at some point and make it so that you can only ever install software from Windows Store.

They are envious of the Google and Apple walled gardens/cashcows and are now determined to turn Windows into one.

Windows is no longer a product for users, the users of Windows are the product for Microsoft to be shoved into the Azure sales funnel.

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agilob ◴[29 Mar 25 07:12 UTC] No.43513481[source]▶
That's the main reason why Valve is investing in Linux and Steam Deck.
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eru ◴[29 Mar 25 08:47 UTC] No.43513877[source]▶
Apropos, running Steam on my Archlinux Desktop with Windows compatibility turned on works really, really well. Much better than what I remembered from the bad old days of trying to get stuff running in Wine.
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1. tmikaeld ◴[29 Mar 25 09:16 UTC] No.43514008[source]▶
I second that, everything "just works" as you'd expect it to.

If StreamOS can get widespread and they start to introduce desktop apps to the store, I think they can take some market share.

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2. herbst ◴[29 Mar 25 11:04 UTC] No.43514485[source]▶
Imo just works is an understatement. Many games work better than ever.
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3. throwaway48476 ◴[29 Mar 25 11:10 UTC] No.43514519[source]▶
On low power hardware many games run better because they not strangled by windows bloat.
replies(1): >>43514842 #
4. MonkeyClub ◴[29 Mar 25 12:03 UTC] No.43514833[source]▶
I still have a Windows computer for a single reason: PUBG on Steam.

If that worked on Linux, I would not longer need Windows at all...

replies(1): >>43516636 #
5. eru ◴[29 Mar 25 12:04 UTC] No.43514842{3}[source]▶
How bloated is Windows actually?
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6. throwaway48476 ◴[29 Mar 25 12:21 UTC] No.43514951{4}[source]▶
Idles at 50% CPU usage running background tasks on a dual core. For steam deck, enough to be noticeable in FPS.
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7. lcnPylGDnU4H9OF ◴[29 Mar 25 14:29 UTC] No.43515857[source]▶
> everything "just works"

Just a note to readers who are interested in this: some games in your Steam library may still not work with Proton, but the ones that do work should have rather few issues. (I play exclusively on a Steam Deck so “should” is in reference to the variance in hardware among bespoke machines.)

8. ThatMedicIsASpy ◴[29 Mar 25 16:22 UTC] No.43516636{3}[source]▶
PUBG - the game that must have tried every different AC at some point. Plus layering multiple at the same time.

I am glad they've added bots years ago which made me stop playing so I do not miss it.

9. eru ◴[30 Mar 25 03:23 UTC] No.43521005{5}[source]▶
Is that 50% CPU usage across all cores? That's impressive (as in impressively bad).

I haven't used Windows in a few years, but I was actually fairly happy with Windows 10 as a casual user.

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10. throwaway48476 ◴[30 Mar 25 07:48 UTC] No.43522229{6}[source]▶
One core, broadwell generation.

Devs don't test on low spec machines and MS fired the team that maintained the testing PC zoo a decade ago.

11. indemnity ◴[30 Mar 25 18:46 UTC] No.43526471{5}[source]▶
I have a 9950X3D and doing nothing Windows still lights up a core 5-20% every few seconds doing god knows what.

Linux on the same hardware does not.