With Windows 11 release coming right around the corner, there are many reasons why you should forget about it and divorce Windows right now. I know, I know, there are a lot of positives for the Windows operating system, but let’s go over the reasons you should forget 11 and break up with Windows.
Reason 1: Your new computer is too old
So that computer you bought 3-4 years ago, the one that is really nice and doesn’t disappoint you, is actually too old for Windows 11 officially. That’s really annoying. It would make sense if they barred installations on computers 5+ years old, but that’s not even realistic.
In fact the installer can be jury-rigged to allow installations on computers as old as from 2009! Will it run well? No. But it will run.
The reason Microsoft bars support for older computers is because they’re now requiring something called TPM 2.0 to be present and enabled. Computers older than 7th-gen Intel processors and AMD 3000 series do not support this security feature out of the box and would need an additional device installed on your system. An additional device that probably CAN’T be added…
Reason 2: Required connection to Microsoft Cloud
For now, Windows 11 Home users can still create regular accounts on the computer, but not if you’re on Pro. Funny, I know. It doesn’t make sense to me either. But Microsoft is really pushing their cloud services and single sign-on super hard these days. When this was first introduced in Windows 10, many people found out the hard way that forgetting your Live account credentials would lock you out of your computer and your files, without intervention from Microsoft. Techs like myself couldn’t do squat for you (and still can’t). This is why we always prefer to create “local” accounts on your computer so if you do need a reset there’s something for us that’s within our reach.
But Windows 11 forcing Microsoft Live sign-ins appears to be an attempt to move away from what is sane and rational, and locking you in to their platform. This puts you at their mercy. In fact, a computer signed into Onedrive automatically uploads all of your documents, pictures, and god-knows-what-else into their cloud. This can spell bad news if you are working with sensitive data protected under various laws. Of course, if you’re doing illegal things and you aren’t paying attention, this is how you get busted. Normally, I wouldn’t bring up anything illegal, but truth is, these days there’s a lot that can get you in trouble that never used to be a problem.
With that said, this also brings up the issue of security. Without proper security on your Microsoft account, you can get locked out of your account and all your files leaked.
Reason 3: They moved stuff around again
Does it seem like every time there’s a new version of Windows, you have to learn to use your computer again? In a lot of ways, that’s really what happens for everyone, even techs like me. In fact, I’m running it now on a computer so I can get familiar with the ins and outs and be able to help y’all when you get a new computer with 11.
The start button and menu has moved entirely, the overall design feels ripped from MacOS, and general navigation feels very very different. I’m not saying it’s bad- I actually like it very much. But I’m going to regret saying its really nice when I’m having to fix things for people so it goes closer to normal. It’s not a bad thing, and I don’t want you to think you shouldn’t seek me out, but I’m just saying I’m going to be doing a LOT of these service calls making your computers livable again. It’s not your fault, it’s just what Microsoft has decided to do this time around.
How do I get out of this mess?
The good news is, you have a couple of choices. Windows 10 is going to be supported until 2025. So you could ride it out and chance it that Microsoft will have evolved 11 into a beautiful thing inside and out. Your other choice is to move away from Windows entirely and go to Linux Mint.
What is Linux Mint?
Linux is a free, open source operating system. By free, that refers to the price. By open source, I mean that it doesn’t use any proprietary code so you can customize it down to rewriting parts of it. Your choice. No need to ask anyone for permission.
Linux is not controlled by any one company, so different companies and organizations have been started to spurn out their own “distributions”. Distributions, often called “distros” for short, are basically different flavors of Linux. Mint is a great distro built on the strong heritage of Ubuntu Linux, but wrapped into a user interface that feels like the days of old. You can literally start this thing up and use it in minutes with little guidance. I’ll show you around anyway, but you won’t need much…
Just look at that! I mean, it’s a LITTLE different but not enough to be confusing. Best of all, nearly everything you’ll ever need is installed right out of the box! No cloud, no subscriptions to software, or price tags for anything you might want to add (for the most part). It even has an app store like you have on your phone, but for your computer. Many of your devices, such as printers and webcams, are also supported out of the box, too. For the things that aren’t, Linux is so popular that most manufacturers write linux drivers anyway, and because Mint is based on Ubuntu, it’s a popular OS for developers.
Why not just use Ubuntu? You could, but the interface is lousy and confusing, even for me. But Mint has picked up where Ubuntu dropped the ball while still retaining the best aspects of Ubuntu. They’re both really great systems, but for you, I’m going to recommend the choice with the least learning curve. That would be Mint, and it frees you from all the confusion caused by Microsoft and their cloud-based antics.
The Verdict
So in summary, Linux Mint gives you your conputer and digital life back. 99% of people will never have a problem switching. It’s not the same if you’re a business but we can always talk about that. If you’ve got an old computer lying around and you want to try it out, let me know and set up an appointment!
