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I installed the N version once, and the lack of media codecs was infuriating. Most programs assume they are always present, so the error messages they give are

I installed the N version once, and the lack of media codecs was infuriating. Most programs assume they are always present, so the error messages they give are cryptic and the average user won't guess the problem lies in their Windows having been N(eutered). What's worse, Microsoft website provides several guides that explain how to install the codecs, and they all contradict each other. I think https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/media-feature-pack-for-windows-10-11-n-february-2023-2aaf89b8-f9d3-4322-98d0-612c9bea9c01 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/media-feature-pa... is the correct link, but I might be mistaken. And of course Microsoft bundles a lot of additional programs like Groove Music and Skype with the codecs in a single pack.

soco 3y ago
Only when I started programming lambdas I realized how life-saving resource tests and error messages really are. You could say it was straightforward, when you think about it, but I definitely wasn't following it properly before. It turned to be a very important lesson, which I carried with me in all other environments as well "for fun and profit".
tambre 3y ago
The fact that made me switch away from the N edition was the fact that the separately installable media codecs weren't available for weeks after my computer auto-updated to a new major Windows release. This basically made my computer unusable for many regular tasks I did, since as you noted most programs assume they're available.
mike_d 3y ago
I thought I would be clever and install the N edition of Windows 11, took me nearly two weeks to figure out what extra bits needed to be installed to allow a webcam to work.
- cookiengineer 3y ago
  Windows N(SA safe) :D Jokes aside I am assuming if people are willing to go down the N route, they could probably also use tiny11 and just DIY install all drivers and codecs they need on that machine
lostmsu 3y ago
Speaking as a dev, I recently hit that. In N editions even the APIs to query installed codecs do not work with a generic E_CLASS_NOT_REG. The docs for the API never mention that they are not available in N editions.

soco 3y ago

Only when I started programming lambdas I realized how life-saving resource tests and error messages really are. You could say it was straightforward, when you think about it, but I definitely wasn't following it properly before. It turned to be a very important lesson, which I carried with me in all other environments as well "for fun and profit".

tambre 3y ago

The fact that made me switch away from the N edition was the fact that the separately installable media codecs weren't available for weeks after my computer auto-updated to a new major Windows release. This basically made my computer unusable for many regular tasks I did, since as you noted most programs assume they're available.

mike_d 3y ago

I thought I would be clever and install the N edition of Windows 11, took me nearly two weeks to figure out what extra bits needed to be installed to allow a webcam to work.

cookiengineer 3y ago
Windows N(SA safe) :D Jokes aside I am assuming if people are willing to go down the N route, they could probably also use tiny11 and just DIY install all drivers and codecs they need on that machine

lostmsu 3y ago

Speaking as a dev, I recently hit that. In N editions even the APIs to query installed codecs do not work with a generic E_CLASS_NOT_REG. The docs for the API never mention that they are not available in N editions.