Geekly Update - 30 June 2021

Until they clear up the TPM requirement I doubt the switch for many will not happen since I don't think most non-business users will have TPM installed.

Louie nailed it with his TPM comment. Also, see Bob’s article from day or two ago regarding Win 11.

I read the highlighted article on the new machine requirements for Windows 11.All I can say is I am glad I am not using Microsoft software anymore.

I have been running Linux mint and Ubuntu since 2008 and have been happy with their performance.For most of the applications I use,I have done well with Linux.

If it is true what they are saying about the move to Windows 11,I bet when users try to upgrade to Windows 11,they will have problems and will just keep using Windows 10. As long as it works,you will end up with machines running an obsolete OS,much like what is going on with Windows XP.Disaster awaits!!

Well if my current PC/laptop will not support the new OS, then I will not be buying a new computer/laptop anytime soon, this will kill new sales. I think I will wait until support for Windows 10 stops in 2025.

Here comes all the naysayers promoting Linux

Seems to me that the requirement for Secure Boot, UEFI and TPM 2.0 is more relevant for business users with their need to connect to domains and run business-critical applications.

Maybe MS will see sense and implement a lower hardware requirement for machines that will run Windows 11 Home, leaving the more demanding spec for Windows 11 Pro.

After all, how many users migrate from the Home edition to Pro?

I suspect that Microsoft will see many hacked Windows 11 installs since most people do not have TPM and if they do they do not have a way or a clue how to turn it on. Personally, I have a high-end gaming computer that does not have TPM and I have no plan on getting TPM just so I can run a Windows version that looks a lot like Apple's desktop display.

I have seen a number of articles about Microsoft signing a driver containing a rootkit. What I have NOT seen is a single mention of dealing with it.I have searched my machines for that file without finding it, but is that enough?

The articles claim it isn't known to have affected enterprise accounts, and was only aimed at gaming computers, as if that didn't affect millions of users.

Regarding Win11, I suspect that Microsoft's goal is at least two-pronged. One aspect is bringing security control in-house for enhanced security. Another aspect would be to simplify their compatibility issues by dropping the need to account for multiple older hardware and driver scenarios. Nice for them, harsh for a lot of folks not running brand new systems.

Yes Marc, and I am going to become one of them Linux users and get myself away from all this crap OS these companies are pushing on us!
I just need an OS that works and not all the bells and whistles... I need to get work done. If I need a program to run something I'll download it.

Yes, Marc, I'm one of those naysayers.
Like Mr Deloyd, I am using Linux (Mint) for most of my day-to-day computer use. I have a variety of machines, from an old laptop that came with XP through a laptop with Win 10 to which I have yet to add Linux - if I can only get into the UEFI. Why should I be beholden to Microsoft's ideas of what hardware I should use? I moved away from Apple hardware years ago because of their controlling attitude towards software and hardware. I didn't ask for Microsoft's operating system, but it's almost impossible to buy a new computer without that or MacOS, and I'm certainly not buying any new hardware to 'comply' with Microsoft's ideas of 'security'. If they were serious about security they'd have rewritten Windows years ago to make it secure, but maybe that's too much like hard work. I have to keep at least one machine using Windows because there are certain applications for my hobby that will only run under Windows, but for everything else, I use Linux. Happily.

The Robocalls haven't slowed down any for me.

(Responding within the Vivaldi browser running on Q4OS/Linux.)

If anything the robocalls increased today at my house.

I'm a T-Mobile customer, and they have been stopping 99.9 percent of spam calls for well over a year. Have no idea how they accomplish it's, but it's a near-perfect system. T-mobile forces all questionable callers directly to voicemail and then marks the spam calls as spam. My phone doesn't even ring when this happens. They also provide a (free) transcription of all spam calls. They also block 100% of my spam texts and put them in a folder where I can review them if I wish. I don't want to make this sound like a T-Mobile advertisement, but they are 5-Star+++!! I've been a T-Mobile customer in the US for 10 years and before that was a T-Mobile customer for nearly as long in the UK. I've never had even a single problem with either the company or their services.

" Hey Marc, may I quote you (re: "Here comes all the naysayers promoting Linux")?

Hi Bob...whats the deal with YouTube covering the videos? about 1/4 of the video is covered with non applicable material..and it does partially block the video I want to watch..
are they wanting paid subscribers???
thanks as always..i must have gotten your emails and bought your "sold" packages of information from you for at least 12 years..enjoyed it all!!
thanks for your response!!!

Ken McInnes

I have a gaming computer that I bought over a year ago. It has Windows 10 on it. I feel like it would be hooking up something connecting to a thousand places on the Net for no good reason. I began using a Mac about 6 months before buying the "nice" gaming desktop. My Mac just works. I install Sophos antivirus on the Mac one or two times per year and run a full scan offline and it finds no issues. I run Malwarebytes anti-adware for Mac a couple times per year and it finds a couple supposedly suspicious cookies. If I feel like allowing all updates on the Mac, I do. If not, I don't. I have Libre Office for documents instead of "Office". I turn on my computer and in 30 seconds or faster am communicating with a place in a different country for work stuff. I understand the benefits and liabilities of each computer and operating system. Unlike the predictive writer earlier, I look forward to the Linux advocates. I've used Linux (actually, I'm willing to bet any amount all of us has including the Android phone, many digital TV boxes and TVs, inside many devices and websites, power grids and stations, satellites, all Apple devices either Linux or Unix based) on my personal computers before and generally have a live distro on USB someplace. However, it's just unique enough that I tend to go back to the premade cookie cutter OSs such as Mac OS or a version of Windows. I get inspiration and work with it again at times when I read about Microsoft issues or the excitement of others using an incredible and often community based Linux OS on a personal or server computer. Thank you to all who do this!