Retiring Windows 10 and Microsoft's move towards a surveillance state | Scott Larson

Recently, the Secure Resilient Future Foundation released a newsletter calling for Microsoft to extend Windows 10 support past the October 14th deadline. With the release of Windows 11, the threat to data privacy is the worst it’s ever been. In my recent article, “ Looking back at my transition from Windows to Linux in an anti-customer age ”, I wrote about my switch to Linux and how it saved me from having to sacrifice my freedom in the name of convenience. Whether you’re a business or a home user, I’m here to tell you that in many cases, Linux is a real alternative to Windows. So instead of pushing the goal post back from the brink of an Orwellian nightmare. I’m suggesting all of us consider switching Linux now. Microsoft’s design of Windows 11 is a concern because: Computer manufacturers, due to pressure from Microsoft, are designing new computers with artificial limitations like TPM and Secure Boot. These unnecessary add-ins push consumers to unnecessary hardware upgrades. In the setup of newly purchased consumer-grade computers, there is obfuscation in the installation language. Many of the default choices are aimed at confusing customers into selecting options that share data with vendors: The process of setting up OneDrive to act as a backup of data. Without consent, the setup of this configuration moves all customers’ data to the cloud service, re-points all the user folders to a cloud-specific OneDrive folder that’s very difficult to revert. The process of selecting a browser is obfuscated by Microsoft’s Edge Browser setup The AI tool Co-pilot is installed and enabled without consent. Removal is difficult or nonexistent. The history tracking tool “Recall” that is due to be released, sometime in the future, saves snapshots of your user experience into Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud. It looks great on paper, but in reality, this feature, along with others, will be used to move forward a surveillance state. Windows 11 prevents the complete uninstall of many of its built-in features. They can be removed from one user account, but they can be reinstalled during an update, or if you upgrade your computer, without your consent. Microsoft Edge is forced on users as a replacement by obfuscating choice in various ways. Due to these concerns, I will be recommending Linux as a replacement for new computers I build for my customers. You can still request Windows if Linux doesn’t work for you. Linux Distribution Replacements for Windows

1. Zorin OS: A Windows-like Linux experience, requires modern hardware

2. PopOS: Built for gamers out of the box

3. Ubuntu: All-around desktop, requires modern hardware

4. Elementary OS: For minimalist users

5. MX Linux: For 10+ years, hardware If you currently have a computer with Windows installed that you are unhappy with, contact me about migrating to Linux. It’s never been a better time for freedom in Linux. Caveats Linux is a different desktop environment from Windows, which requires different programs to make use of your data. Please note that if you are a power user or a gamer, due to the way developers use vendor lock-in with their software products, certain software or games might not work, or will need to be replaced by alternatives. Below is an incomplete list of typical situations that will not work at this time. If you have any questions about these concerns, contact me to schedule a consultation to further talk about your specific use-case and the costs involved: Adobe Cloud Products - See some alternatives Most anti-cheat specific games Microsoft Office and Outlook - Alternative for Microsoft Office: LibreOffice, Alternative for Outlook: Thunderbird (Does not handle Office 365 services very well; in this case, I suggest migrating your contacts, calendars, and email to an IMAP-hosted mail provider) QuickBooks - Requires an Online Hosted alternative Turbotax - Requires an Online Hosted alternative