Gregory's ServerGood news everybody, companies can now place adverts in your Start Menu that lead to executable code. https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/24/24138949/microsoft-windows-11-start-menu-ads-recommendations-setting-disable
 147 comments
 @rubinjoni I don't know... ππππ Just bought a truckload of πΏπΏπΏ. @rubinjoni @GossiTheDog It's a good thing that Microsoft has a solid reputation for security. π  @GossiTheDog all PCs should now be called MCs. Microsoftβs Computers! Given there is nothing personal about them except the fact that Microsoft sucks all your personal data out of it! Different thing MC is an acronym for Mother****** in Hindi π€£π€ͺ @piofthings @GossiTheDog Not all PCs. A small village of penguins is resisting MS Cesar. π   @norbipeti @GossiTheDog it is curated by the same company that won't sign btrfs drivers for Windows but happily signs literal rootkits regularly
  @GossiTheDog windows app store, the new version of finding the right download button on tucows or download.com :/ @patterfloof  @GossiTheDog The Microsoft Store has always been like the early Android Marketplace (as an early Surface owner, I tried to use it). Of course, not that modern Google Play is much better, but in terms of "here are a few first party apps, notable 3rd party apps, and the rest is probably 99% dodgy". Tim Sweeney didn't have to save us from the Store monopoly, Microsoft were happy to essentially abandon it.   @GossiTheDog can we just go back to the times of 8.1, things looked brighter back then  @mike @GossiTheDog I don't know this Ubuntu patch might not suit everyone. They might want to try https://fedoraproject.org/workstation/ >.>  @xbezdick @mike @GossiTheDog I think this is the problem with us folks, we dont keep our nerdy nitpicks to ourselves, but will try to lead new users who have no idea how their computers work into this rabbithole to why XYZ distro is better than ABC. We should just have 2-3 choices for new inexperienced users, but how many do we have? From 1 (Ubuntu as the de-facto), we have went to 3+ (Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora). 1/X @xbezdick @mike @GossiTheDog We should just instead agree on to only suggest these handpicked ones and let users pick one based on their initial impressions of how they look and feel out of the box. I think we should stop going into details like Ubuntu ships with "snaps" which are known to be slow. Instead we can just introduce them like, "Ubuntu comes with a builtin software store to install any application you want",. 2/N @xbezdick @mike @GossiTheDog Similarly for Fedora, we can say that it includes another application store which can be used to also install some apps available for Ubuntu's. Additional info about why it is possible and how can be added after it for the smelly nerds like us. Just pointing out how we can do better to introduce absolute begineers to the amazing world of FOSS! Feel free to constructively criticize me. 3/3  @GossiTheDog @xbezdick @mike Is that Fedora distribution intended for either Mac or PC? I have a second MacBook old enough that its usefulness is becoming limited. @mike@sauropods.win @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social Better yet: https://ultramarine-linux.org/ (or any other Linux distro, really). Lately Ubuntu is going down a path that reminds me too much of Windows for my liking. @mike @GossiTheDog unfortunately I need to actually work with my computer... Linux system is unsuitable for anything than running Linux, so this won't do me any good. I don't get any salary for searching workarounds for basic tasks. @fionor @mike @GossiTheDog your personal discomfort with the operating system is not an objective truth about its capabilities. Anecdotally I use exclusively Linux for work @Skelemental @mike @GossiTheDog putting numbers in sheets is pretty easy on Linux. Even on Android. Or paper. I work with video. Editing software for Linux is beyond shitty. And pretty much every tool I need to use don't exist for Linux or it is decade behind professional needs. I understand that server admin circle-jerks feels good, but since Linux is unusable for actual work with actual data, it is basically proprietary trash to make entitled nerds feel special...  @fionor @Skelemental @mike @GossiTheDog And yet, VFX software for Linux is amazing and regularly handles intense data (geo, volume caches, and yeah, even frames and muxed video). @fionor @Skelemental @mike @GossiTheDog π you made my day. Everyone I know who used to run a Linux Desktop (myself included) has moved on to Mac. @Skelemental @fionor @mike @GossiTheDog Yes, but when it comes to the average user, personal comfort with the operating system is far more important than it capabilities (and I say that as someone who uses both Linux and Windows desktops on a daily basis). @IanSudbery @fionor @mike @GossiTheDog I did not make the objective claim that Linux is better or suitable for all or even the majority of users. I said anecdotally I use it for work, which means the original claim that it is unsuitable for work is false. It very well may be unsuitable for that persons work, but that is not what they stated  Linux can work for a a workplace. Google had been using their own distro for a while, and a few EU cities or government departments have tried switching. Though for the migration to work, it requires a fair amount of planning and IT help desk support. Just telling someone here use Linux will likely fail. Libreoffice has some documentation on how to improve the chances of a successful migration @GossiTheDog > βThese apps come from a small set of curated developers.β    @GossiTheDog this explains why Microsoft was on a crusade against Start Menu replacements @elbullazul they'll be adding it to Windows 10 in no time at all, I bet.  @elbullazul @GossiTheDog yeah we still have like 5 years left from windows 10(specific versions) i couldnt get activete win10 ltsc iot enterprise but that will be good until 2032  @chipswithfries @GossiTheDog You can disable the βrecommendationsβ in the Settings app, but they are spread in multiple locations, there. @dirksen @GossiTheDog @ganbatte @GossiTheDog I'm not really sure. Last time I checked things were blocked for legal reasons. But that could change at any time.  @GossiTheDog thank you for sharing this, especially how to βuncheckβ this feature.β ππΌ  @breadandwater @GossiTheDog sure, there's a switch for that. Just like there used to be a switch to disable "sending all of your Start menu searches to MS". That went away. There were registry keys to disable it. Those went away, too. There was a Group Policy to disable it. That went away, too. Maybe buying an E5 license will work?  @GossiTheDog WTF!? This sounds almost like a joke! On another note, my pc was apparently too weak for win 11(!) The only thing not fairly new on my pc is the GPU! Cue the banks, insurance companies, and, hospitals, removing MS software from their systems. If they're in a regulated industry, then this won't fly.  @BillySmith @GossiTheDog From what I understand, it isnβt on enterprise machines yet, just the regular ones. Microsoft appears to know it is a dumb move, so it is just inflicting it on the low-hanging fruit. @GossiTheDog didn't try yet but probably nothing one cannot silence with o&os shutup10 https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 Software has gone from something that a user could own and control a physical copy of to something we can only rent (subscription), at a higher price, and have to suffer through uncontrollable ads and harvesting of our personal data and activities. I feel like a dairy cow that has to pay the farmer to get milked and when I get sick from milking the farmer just moves on to the next cow. It's time for better data and privacy protections by law!   @jackemled @GossiTheDog If only MusicBee was cross platform, then I could actually stop depending on Windows tbh. @Flaky @GossiTheDog Does it not work in WINE? (I know most stuff seems to not work in WINE) @jackemled @GossiTheDog Too slow in WINE, and international characters get rendered as boxes due to broken font redirection  @GossiTheDog stuff like this will make my switchover to Linux easier when they stop supporting Windows 10 @GossiTheDog I've not used it forever, but I'm looking at the latest version of Stardock Start and it's $14.99 for 5 installs, so decent for a family. @GossiTheDog Thanks I hate it. My W10 box is going to Linux, and the W11 laptop will be close behind.  Oh. So that sounds - technically - the route that could be taken. I suppose a package advertising new updates and sponsors **might** be almost acceptable.... **might** ?? @JSharp1436 @GossiTheDog @GossiTheDog "Luckily you can disable these ads, or βrecommendationsβ as Microsoft calls them." - for now. @GossiTheDog    @GossiTheDog @GossiTheDog Looks like now is the time to completely ditch Windows. @GossiTheDog Microsoft is always one or more shit-brained ideas ahead of the competition. I mean that's what we love 'em for, right? @GossiTheDog didn't I pay for this OS already? I'd understand if this was a free product or had tiers. It's like how cable tv was supposed to be an ad free experience, until the networks learned they could get away with it :(( @GossiTheDog so #TechSupportScammers can not only use #Azure to host their #ScamAds / #Websites but also use #MicrosoftAdvertising to target their prey... Shit like this is why I won't use that #Govware and why it should be outlawed. @bsi @EU_Commission do something! Cc: @heisec @GossiTheDog everybody here is pretty quick to say "move to Linux". But as a Linux user myself, how am I supposed to learn about all the dumb stuff happening on Windows if people here aren't taking about it? It would be very selfish if all of you switched. @GossiTheDog exact reason I decided to Modify my windows install with AtlasOS (not really an OS but it overhauls windows completely.) @GossiTheDog @assaf I wonder how much people would pay to buy an app advertised on windows start menu (I mean owning the full app by buying the rights, not paying to install it), like the market to buy a famous browser extension  @GossiTheDog Why would a vendor think anyone would choose to see ads when using a product they purchased? Another very good reason to dump M$ and switch to Linux!! The Linux desktop is easy to use and the minor differences are no more difficult than switching from a Windows version of "yesterday" to "today." The apps perform as well (or better) and the business apps are compatible with Windows. Best of all, Linux works - ever see the Blue Screen of Death?   @GossiTheDog I know everyone hates #Linux users pointing out there's another option, but damn people, why the fuck do you accept this shit? @GossiTheDog Ads in the Start Menu? Oh, still my beating heart. I have been waiting years for this! @GossiTheDog I'm as anti-microshit as the next guy, but "adverts that lead to executable code" sounds like the ads execute code when clicked. They're just regular ads. And every app store has problems with malicious software.  @GossiTheDog the day the Nvidia wayland fix is released, I'm wiping my Windows drive. @GossiTheDog I find this a useful tool when I have to put Windows somewhere https://ameliorated.io/ @GossiTheDog Don't forget, the metrics show that Bing is still relevant because...so many 'users'.  @GossiTheDog *sigh* So now I need to put Linux on the one computer I had set up for casual use. More work for me, yay π @GossiTheDog The absurdity of this manufactured society never stop to amusing me. Thankfully we have great minds and open source. |
@GossiTheDog What could possibly go wrong?