4 ms·

I miss the magical feeling windows releases like XP and 7 gave you. Now it’s an exercise in crossing your fingers and hoping the next update doesn’t use more da

I miss the magical feeling windows releases like XP and 7 gave you. Now it’s an exercise in crossing your fingers and hoping the next update doesn’t use more dark patterns to destroy your privacy and security.

freeAgent 1y ago
You don’t even really have a legitimate reason to hope for those things at this point. It’s just a matter of how much worse MS are going to make it.
- varispeed 1y ago
  The problem is virtually defunct regulators inviting all kind of toxic and exploitative behaviour from big corporations. Sure they _do something_, but it is ineffective and more like windows dressing.
whalesalad 1y ago
In 2025, I can only think of two reasons to use Windows as a primary operating system: 1. You develop Windows software, exclusively to be deployed on Windows. 2. You play games that use kernel-level anti-cheat that are incompatible with Linux. I am really really happy with Debian+KDE combo.
- kstrauser 1y ago
  3. Your employer’s IT team refuses to let you use something else.
  - ronsor 1y ago
    At work or at home? At work, I'd argue the employer is mostly using it. Windows's problems are their problems then.
    - hulitu 1y ago
      > Windows's problems are their problems then. Unfortunately, the user bears the masochism of using Windows. The employer gives only the deadlines.
- spacedrone808 1y ago
  I am having Windows 7 not only at home, but at work also and successfully doing web apps and sites.
  - throitallaway 1y ago
    Congrats on your vulnerable system. I hope you're not doing anything important at all on it.
    - MrRadar 1y ago
      Seriously. Also less and less software is supporting 7. Importantly, Firefox ESR 115 is the last modern browser to support Windows 7 and it's entering EOL after this month[1]; Chrome dropped Windows 7 support in 2023[2]. [1] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7... [2] https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626 https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626
      - spacedrone808 1y ago
        Who needs 115 ESR? I am running RedFox 140.
      - keyringlight 1y ago
        Right now I wonder if a browser or chrome embedded framework (and then when applications that use it update past the cut-off version) is the 'killer app' that motivates upgrades. The CEF cut-off for win7/8/8.1 was when their extended support periods ended, and presumably they upgraded the underlying SDK they to rely on features not present pre-win10, and presumably oct 2028 (+3 years) is when the same will happen again
        spacedrone808 1y ago
        Just made dirty hack and be able to run latest LibreOffice 25.8 on Win7 despite official "unsupported status". Save dialog is not working but luckily software is cross platform and has it's native dialog and it can be enabled in options.
- matsemann 1y ago
  3. You just prefer how it works after being used to it for decades. Had a Mac through work for a couple of years, so it's not for lack of trying. Also had Ubuntu as main boot for a while. They are kinda destroying much of what I like, though. As if the Windows designers at MS are all using Macs as their daily driver and want to make it the same. I had to hold off upgrading to Win11 for a while due to the stupid new task bar couldn't ungroup windows. Why continuously hurt power users?
  - pjerem 1y ago
    > As if the Windows designers at MS are all using Macs as their daily driver and want to make it the same. I’m 100% sure that some months or years ago, someone working or who worked on the Windows team explained just here on HN that it’s exactly that.
- SilverElfin 1y ago
  To be honest, I’ve tried to find tutorials for using Linux daily and have come up short. It seems too intimidating or maybe like it will require a lot of fiddling unless you’re a software engineer.
- estimator7292 1y ago
  I ran into a problem at my new job where TI's typically garbage software doesn't work on Linux, not even inside a windows VM with the USB device passed through. Though it's hard to tell if it doesn't work because of the VM or if it's just simply broken garbage.
hnlmorg 1y ago
Honestly, I can’t say I ever had that magical feeling. In the 90s, it was more a case of “let’s see how much more system resource this new OS will consume when idle”. And the 00s was that and “let’s see how much more stupid this OS treats me”. By the time 7 came and MS started taking resource consumption seriously, I’d already given up on Windows completely and had been using desktop Linux full time for several years. I do have a Windows 10 floating about for gaming. But it’s really more of a chore to use than a joy. Albeit only because I seldom boot into Windows so I have to plan ahead to compensate for the two hours of system and application updates needed before Minecraft (Bedrock edition) will even start. A chore that’s hard to explain to my kids who, understandably, expect things to “just work”.
- uz3snolc3t6fnrq 1y ago
  any particular reason you're on bedrock instead of java? don't you get both versions when you buy the game? i bought mine when java was the only version and i think they gave me bedrock for free when that came out. or is it because of the lack of crossplay? just curious
  - hnlmorg 1y ago
    That’s a fair question. You’re right about the crossplay part. Kids have consoles, which only support Bedrock. So if I want to play with them, then I need to play Bedrock too. Which is a pity because, like yourself, I first played the Java edition too. As an aside, I think Bedrock is the only version that supports VR. I don’t play VR Minecraft often, but sometimes it’s fun. Albeit only for about 15 minutes, then the motion sickness kicks in (curiously it’s the only VR game I’ve played that does give me motion sickness)
    - uz3snolc3t6fnrq 1y ago
      i've got possible good news for you then, there's a project that adds a translation layer between the two server protocols[0]. it has some limitations dealing with the different quirks and features that differ between both games[1], but it looks like everything else works fine. you could try that out if you find it to be a better option than wrangling with windows updates as for VR, there's a third party mod for java[2], i tried it a couple years back and it felt pretty smooth, had no issues with it, but i don't have a point of reference to compare it to bedrock VR because i never tried it [0] https://github.com/GeyserMC/Geyser https://github.com/GeyserMC/Geyser [1] https://geysermc.org/wiki/geyser/current-limitations/ https://geysermc.org/wiki/geyser/current-limitations/ [2] https://www.vivecraft.org/ https://www.vivecraft.org/
alphager 1y ago
You don't remember the controversies with XP and XPAntiSpy?
estimator7292 1y ago
I remember staying up late on a school night to grab a beta iso for windows 7 because they were (supposed to) limit how many people could download it. That was the last time I ever got excited about a Microsoft product

freeAgent 1y ago

You don’t even really have a legitimate reason to hope for those things at this point. It’s just a matter of how much worse MS are going to make it.

varispeed 1y ago
The problem is virtually defunct regulators inviting all kind of toxic and exploitative behaviour from big corporations. Sure they _do something_, but it is ineffective and more like windows dressing.

whalesalad 1y ago

In 2025, I can only think of two reasons to use Windows as a primary operating system: 1. You develop Windows software, exclusively to be deployed on Windows. 2. You play games that use kernel-level anti-cheat that are incompatible with Linux. I am really really happy with Debian+KDE combo.

kstrauser 1y ago
3. Your employer’s IT team refuses to let you use something else.
- ronsor 1y ago
  At work or at home? At work, I'd argue the employer is mostly using it. Windows's problems are their problems then.
  - hulitu 1y ago
    > Windows's problems are their problems then. Unfortunately, the user bears the masochism of using Windows. The employer gives only the deadlines.
spacedrone808 1y ago
I am having Windows 7 not only at home, but at work also and successfully doing web apps and sites.
- throitallaway 1y ago
  Congrats on your vulnerable system. I hope you're not doing anything important at all on it.
  - MrRadar 1y ago
    Seriously. Also less and less software is supporting 7. Importantly, Firefox ESR 115 is the last modern browser to support Windows 7 and it's entering EOL after this month[1]; Chrome dropped Windows 7 support in 2023[2]. [1] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7... [2] https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626 https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626
    - spacedrone808 1y ago
      Who needs 115 ESR? I am running RedFox 140.
    - keyringlight 1y ago
      Right now I wonder if a browser or chrome embedded framework (and then when applications that use it update past the cut-off version) is the 'killer app' that motivates upgrades. The CEF cut-off for win7/8/8.1 was when their extended support periods ended, and presumably they upgraded the underlying SDK they to rely on features not present pre-win10, and presumably oct 2028 (+3 years) is when the same will happen again
      - spacedrone808 1y ago
        Just made dirty hack and be able to run latest LibreOffice 25.8 on Win7 despite official "unsupported status". Save dialog is not working but luckily software is cross platform and has it's native dialog and it can be enabled in options.
matsemann 1y ago
3. You just prefer how it works after being used to it for decades. Had a Mac through work for a couple of years, so it's not for lack of trying. Also had Ubuntu as main boot for a while. They are kinda destroying much of what I like, though. As if the Windows designers at MS are all using Macs as their daily driver and want to make it the same. I had to hold off upgrading to Win11 for a while due to the stupid new task bar couldn't ungroup windows. Why continuously hurt power users?
- pjerem 1y ago
  > As if the Windows designers at MS are all using Macs as their daily driver and want to make it the same. I’m 100% sure that some months or years ago, someone working or who worked on the Windows team explained just here on HN that it’s exactly that.
SilverElfin 1y ago
To be honest, I’ve tried to find tutorials for using Linux daily and have come up short. It seems too intimidating or maybe like it will require a lot of fiddling unless you’re a software engineer.
estimator7292 1y ago
I ran into a problem at my new job where TI's typically garbage software doesn't work on Linux, not even inside a windows VM with the USB device passed through. Though it's hard to tell if it doesn't work because of the VM or if it's just simply broken garbage.

hnlmorg 1y ago

Honestly, I can’t say I ever had that magical feeling. In the 90s, it was more a case of “let’s see how much more system resource this new OS will consume when idle”. And the 00s was that and “let’s see how much more stupid this OS treats me”. By the time 7 came and MS started taking resource consumption seriously, I’d already given up on Windows completely and had been using desktop Linux full time for several years. I do have a Windows 10 floating about for gaming. But it’s really more of a chore to use than a joy. Albeit only because I seldom boot into Windows so I have to plan ahead to compensate for the two hours of system and application updates needed before Minecraft (Bedrock edition) will even start. A chore that’s hard to explain to my kids who, understandably, expect things to “just work”.

uz3snolc3t6fnrq 1y ago
any particular reason you're on bedrock instead of java? don't you get both versions when you buy the game? i bought mine when java was the only version and i think they gave me bedrock for free when that came out. or is it because of the lack of crossplay? just curious
- hnlmorg 1y ago
  That’s a fair question. You’re right about the crossplay part. Kids have consoles, which only support Bedrock. So if I want to play with them, then I need to play Bedrock too. Which is a pity because, like yourself, I first played the Java edition too. As an aside, I think Bedrock is the only version that supports VR. I don’t play VR Minecraft often, but sometimes it’s fun. Albeit only for about 15 minutes, then the motion sickness kicks in (curiously it’s the only VR game I’ve played that does give me motion sickness)
  - uz3snolc3t6fnrq 1y ago
    i've got possible good news for you then, there's a project that adds a translation layer between the two server protocols[0]. it has some limitations dealing with the different quirks and features that differ between both games[1], but it looks like everything else works fine. you could try that out if you find it to be a better option than wrangling with windows updates as for VR, there's a third party mod for java[2], i tried it a couple years back and it felt pretty smooth, had no issues with it, but i don't have a point of reference to compare it to bedrock VR because i never tried it [0] https://github.com/GeyserMC/Geyser https://github.com/GeyserMC/Geyser [1] https://geysermc.org/wiki/geyser/current-limitations/ https://geysermc.org/wiki/geyser/current-limitations/ [2] https://www.vivecraft.org/ https://www.vivecraft.org/

alphager 1y ago

You don't remember the controversies with XP and XPAntiSpy?

estimator7292 1y ago

I remember staying up late on a school night to grab a beta iso for windows 7 because they were (supposed to) limit how many people could download it. That was the last time I ever got excited about a Microsoft product