Microsoft has a big Windows 10 problem, and only one year to solve it
Microsoft has a big Windows 10 problem, and only one year to solve it
Microsoft has a serious problem on its hands, thanks to competition from ... itself?
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Many years ago, I attended a Windows XP launch event. The Microsoft presenter had the perfect line to describe how MS views this:
"Why should you upgrade to Windows XP? Because we're going to stop supporting Windows 98!"This was said completely unironically and with the expectation that people would just do what MS wanted them to do. That attitude hasn't changed in the years since. Win 10 is going to be left behind. You will either upgrade or be vulnerable. Also, MS doesn't care about the home users, they care about the businesses and the money to be had. And businesses will upgrade. They will invariably wait to the last minute and then scramble to get it done. But, whether because they actually give a shit about security or they have to comply with security frameworks (SOX, HIPAA, etc.), they will upgrade. Sure, they will insist on GPOs to disable 90% of the Ads and tracking shit, but they will upgrade.
Because we're going to stop supporting Windows 98!
At least there was a technical reason there, that Microsoft was merging the two separate codebases for consumer Windows and enterprise Windows, and building on the better NT codebase than the 95->98->ME codebase.
And XP was actually way better for the main thing that we were going to be using computers for going forward: networked with the actual internet.
Windows 11? Can't see any paradigm shift in how the operating system itself is supposed to work, at least not on anything that actually makes a difference in a favorable way.
Ya, in fairness to MS, Windows XP was a good release (post SP1, like most "good" MS releases). But, the fact is that MS is going to push the latest version, regardless of how ready it is for use. MS was hot for folks to switch to Windows ME. And holy fuck was that a terrible OS. MS also did everything short of bribery to get folks to switch to Vista (anyone remember Windows Mojave?). The "upgrade, or else" mantra has always been their way. Not that I blame them too much, it does need to happen. It just sucks when the reason for the new OS is more intrusive ads and user tracking.
Businesses (at least the larger ones) replace their hardware every few years anyway. They don't care whether their new Optiplexes run Windows 10 or 11 and most hardware bought since 2022 probably has Windows 11 installed already, probably all since 2020 supports it. So there's hardly a problem here. (Btw I'm taking the management view here, I know that it's a pain to actually deploy, but that doesn't matter to management).
Yes your right. Users only care if their software can run. Most could care less what OS is running under the hood.
I think you're wrong. Microsoft won't end support on a system over or around half the world's pc's run on.
They're just pulling a scare tactic right now. Before the security end date of win 10 is up, they'll announce continued support for another 2 years. They're just trying to push 11 and right now they're bluffing.
Imagine a company with the power to break half the worlds computers with a business decision.
If it does actually happen next year, I look forward to the probably 10% gain or better to Linux. Mint will probably get the lions share.