They try this every 5 years or so. Microsoft gives them some short term discounts and they come running back back.
It’s different this time around.
The previous attempts were about freeing themselves from an abusive unprincipled data-hungry big data monopoly,
This attempt is about freeing themselves from an abusive unprincipled data-hungry big data monopoly operating in a fascist country and in cahoots with the regime.
I reckon it’s serious this time.
People are serious, I’ve never seen so many new users in the Linux groups I’m in
Life long windows user. I switched to Arch a few months ago and I’m not looking back. Will only be using windows in a sandboxed VM if absolutely necessary. Which, I haven’t needed to yet.
Life long windows user. I switched to Arch
Fuck. That’s like going straight from English breakfast tea to hash oil.
I’ve been using Linux almost exclusively both in my personal and professional life for a decade and a half. I only installed Arch a month or two ago.
That might not be so much down to how serious people are but rather just how good Linux has gotten lately (especially for games). Although I do think people are more serious now.
In any complex system or “wicked problem” involving positive and negative feedback cycles, a combination of factors that push into the same direction can cause the system to flip over - sometimes in dramatic ways.
Hell, I’m in Silicon Valley here in California, and some of my friends are also jumping off the proprietary ship because those large firms are willing to work hand in hand with federal agencies.
If you’ve read the NSA document disclosures by Edward Snowden, it’s apparent that there is an open door for data requests. The current administration isn’t a huge fan of California’s diversity, so we might as minimize our chances of being targetted…
I’m putting my money on the EU becoming just as openly Fascistic as the US and sticking with Microsoft.
Other countries like that and Europe deals with are: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Russia and of course, China.
The digital dependence on the US is much like the energy dependence on Russia.
Europe is ditching Russian energy. They may ditch US tech.
I don’t know about the whole Europe but Spain is buying more energy from Russia than before the war and sanctions.
Don’t get me wrong, I hope that would be the case but Europe is also Corporativist.
capitalist*
thats how its called.
They didn’t just give them a discount, and it was only a very small part of Europe you are talking about. It was Munich, and MS also moved a lot of workplaces to the city, to bribe it…
And at the same time we have the Jugendmedienstaatsvertrag in Germany (and with Germany as a strong force in the EU most likely everywhere in the EU soon) that will make all operating systems without fully integrated age restrictions illegal https://www.heise.de/en/news/Minors-protection-State-leaders-mandate-filters-for-operating-systems-10199455.html
Manufacturers of operating systems must then ensure that “only apps that correspond to the age specification or that have been individually and securely activated can be used”. The installation of programs should only be possible via distribution platforms such as app stores that take the age rating into account and have an automated rating system recognized by the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM).
This part of the law alone is impossible to implement on a open platform like Linux.
these types of laws usually come from the most technically illiterate people ever
Instrumenting a fascist society while pretending to protect children…
Don’t tell me it is law already!
It is in ratification, and will (most likely) become binding law by 1st of December 2025 in Germany
German link: https://rundfunkkommission.rlp.de/rundfunkkommission-der-laender/reform-des-jugendmedienschutz-staatsvertrages-2023
😨
Since it is impossible to implement on Linux, it may just be flagged as adult-only software.
But, there is still hope. What if Snaps and Flatpaks get properly flagged, allowing Ubuntu and/or Fedora to be legal?
Ok, but how to prevent programs installed as Appimage, by source compilation or just downloaded binaries from running? You need a way to prevent this methods of installation to be legal
This also applies to Windows. What prevents a user from downloading a Firefox fork that does not properly implement age verification?
Microsoft already has the S-Mode in Windows 11 that only allows to execute apps that come from the Microsoft Store. So it is already possible in Windows.
Any bit of user base growth helps get the ball rolling for future MS/USA missteps. Linux has just been getting better and easier year after year. It’s been a 30 year marathon ready for another 30+ years of development
I am all for ditching Microsoft, but why should this post be in this community? There are also Android, Mac OS, and all kinds of BSD.
Good F#$%^ riddance.
every user converted to linux is a win
I think that if Linux is to be more widely adopted a more easily used distro needs to become mainstream. Let’s face it, the average computer user barely knows how to use Windows, just because you find Linux easy doesn’t mean they will.
Do you think you could teach Linux to your grandmother?
Both of my grandmothers are dead, but I did teach my aunt to use Linux. She had a laptop that “ran” Windows 10. It would take 30 seconds to open the Start menu. One SSD, one RAM upgrade and one install of Mint later it’s a whole new machine. She can Firefox and Mahjongg just fine.
Do you think you could teach Linux to your grandmother?
Yes. Set automatic package updates, Install firefox with ublock and put it on the taskbar, and bookmark Facebook and Youtube for her. It is the same thing as under Windows.
Teaching people without computing skills to use linux is actually easier than teaching windows. Most trouble people have with linux comes from being used to windows and having difficulty to adapt.
It can’t fail, unless MS pulls a monopoly stunt or bribe politicians… There’s only a win, by ditching MS…
The German state of Bavaria once did something in the direction of moving away from MS. When Microsoft put their German headquarters into Munich the idea was scraped.
The HQ in Munich and nice bag full of cash in the hand of someone.
