Some PC tech advice

Public Shooting Range
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Hey guys,
Figured I’d mention this as Microsoft is running this one pretty hard this time, but if you have Windows 10 running on your PC and it’s compatible asking you to update to Windows 11 you might want to take the free upgrade. While I’ve been using Windows 11 for 2 years now, i’m not happy with it and would prefer staying on 10 or going back to Windows 7 for that matter, those aren’t viable options.

Microsoft plans to kill Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. So upgrade before then if you can. I’ve heard that you can stay on Windows 10 if you purchase a Extended Security Updates (ESU) program subscription but as far as I can tell that’s only for Organizations and Businesses and it’s $61 per device for one year.

Link to Information on Extended Security Updates: Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 | Microsoft Learn

Link to Windows 10 End of Life Announcement: End of support for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 | Microsoft Windows

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I’ve not left it, part of my post here

I’ve set a couple up, 11 I think, having to work around joining MSN is a bitch itself but the UI is just f’ing gross, like everything else actual controls are striped and replaced with idiocracy buttons

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I ran XP until IE5 woudn’t render then was forced to 7 which has been fine but pretty full of Rigor mortis now, I’ve played with Linux but for non server usage just can’t get into it, even bought one of these

along with

Both when they first came out, perhaps a revisit is due, but if you find anything worthwhile please post.

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Yeah, Honestly among the Linux Distros to use as Desktops, I’d recommend Xubuntu or Lubuntu as the UI’s are the fastest and it’s built right off of Ubuntu/Debian for ease of use. But if you need 3d Gaming, or 3d Rendering and Acceleration or just Video Editing, you probably want to go with something like Pop OS or Nobara. I’ve used Pop OS personally works great for a majority of my Steam Library, but I’ve not tried Nobara yet, it’s on my list of things to do. The key factor here is both Pop OS and Nobara use Proton to run Windows Applications rather than using Wine.

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I have used Linux on ARM64 before, and I think it’s not a good first introduction to Linux. Intel or AMD is a better option.

Most desktop/laptop Linux users are using Intel, and most source code and binaries are made for x86_64, not aarch64. Also, ARM64 hardware tends to be made for lower-performance applications. (Exception: Apple MacBook Pros, which are quite performant even under Linux, if the software is compatible. Still…)

Lack of ARM64 binaries

Some things simply won’t work under ARM64. I use ProtonMail and 1Password for example, and both of those companies provide Linux apps for x86_64 only, not ARM64. On other apps, even if you have access to the source code, you still descend into dependency hell trying to compile them. It’s much easier to just download a precompiled binary, which is more rare for ARM64.

With Intel/AMD, you also have better compatibility with graphics cards for driving high-resolution displays, Wifi and Bluetooth adapters, webcam and audio device drivers, audio and video codecs, and many other proprietary binary blobs. (Going non-proprietary is admirable, but I consider that to be an advanced Linux topic.)

Wine

With x86_64, you get better compatibility with Wine. That means many Steam games for Windows (e.g. Halo, Call of Duty series, Door Kickers 2, Raft, Hogwarts Legacy, Star Wars Battlefront II, etc.) are playable under Linux, frequently at comparable or slightly better framerates. Likewise, engineering tools can be made to work under Wine.

What I use

I’m typing this from a Framework 16 laptop running Fedora. Previously I was running Asahi on a MacBook Pro M1 Max. Before that I used macOS X and played on and off with Arch, Ubuntu, Slackware and other distros on Intel, ARM, PPC64 and PPC going back to Yellow Dog Linux in the early 2000s.

I’ve also tried the Pinephone, but it wasn’t responsive enough for me and wouldn’t hold enough charge. Today I’m running GrapheneOS on a Google Pixel phone as a compromise between performance, battery life, compatibility and security.

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Win 10 and below have been phased out. If you do not have the who you are chip installed with Win 11, you are S.O.L.

Most of us old foogies will just go away with our Win 10 machines.

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Happy with it?

After my failed pinephone I ran

but when it required a manual update I just couldn’t seem to get it done, it collects dust now and I quite trying, just went without a phone for a few years, now I pocket a flipphone, well, some days, most it just sits around somewhere, hate frickin phones

Listen here sonny :old_man:

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I said WE and Im not the Queen

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Robert don’t make me pull out my copy of Windows 3.1 on Floppy Diskette just to Flex!

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Yes.

Nothing is quite as snappy as iOS. But GrapheneOS is performant enough that my Pixel phone is usable.

I can go for 2-3 days without a charge. I don’t think that would be possible on stock Android.

Since GrapheneOS is based on AOSP (Android Open Source Project), I can run many Android apps like my banking apps, 1Password, Signal, Telegram, and 2FA authenticators for work. Mainly, GrapheneOS is de-Googled and my apps run inside sandboxes so that the apps can’t talk to each other without my approval.

GrapheneOS’s normal updater has been working just fine for more than a year now. I’ve never seen it bricking my phone or getting stuck. OS updates happen about every week, sometimes more often. I usually don’t notice, since I set it to do updates automatically when I’m not using the phone.

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lol, I used t play this on floppy

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So did I.

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@musashiaharon Yeah with ARM64 that’s not a good place to start with Linux, nowadays it’s better, but in the past not so much, and if you’re going to use Linux make sure you have a 64-bit Intel or AMD Processor which if you have a pre-built pc is now the standard these days if your computer was built in the last 4 to 5 years as it seems they’ve all but phased out 32-bit processors in favor of 64-bit.

If you don’t need 3d Acceleration for your PC and want to use Linux and be able to run certain Windows Applications, you could go with Zorin OS or Linux Mint those are pretty good too. Though keep in mind that if you’re going to use either you’re going to use Wine to run your Windows Apps.

Note: If anyone’s interested here are the links to Pop! OS and Nobara as previously mentioned.

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I have no idea what y’all are talking about seriously I don’t.

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I’ll try to help…

Some people try to figure out how to have tech that’s not out to rape and rob you.

The way tech companies do that is by taking base code and packaging it into a UI (user interface) where users have no idea WTF is going on behind the scenes but know only that it’s easy, just push a button,or swipe, or even speak your command, hence,

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Ill see your Window 3.1 and raise you the novell network to match.

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Alright, wow Novell, all i have to counter that is MS-DOS 6.0 on 3.5 Floppy and then a spare copy of OS/2 I have lying around.

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What no Red hat?

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Nah though I’m currently using Operating Systems based off of red hat for long term server applications, but that’s it.

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My memories of trying to use RHEL for work are not very pleasant. Many tools I use regularly elsewhere are not available, or else were very outdated and missing features that I had come to rely on.

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Derivatives of RHEL now are a lot better than 20 years ago that’s for sure.

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