Windows 12 May Require a Subscription
pcmag.com
[A]n INI configuration file in the Windows Canary channel, discovered by German website Deskmodder, includes references to a "Subscription Edition," "Subscription Type," and a "subscription status."
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I have used Windows for a decade now and keep using it because my workflows and the application support are there. But as someone that uses Linux on my server, has tried out Linux desktops, and uses WSL, I can confidently say that I am gone if they start charging me a subscription. It will be annoying as hell but just like leaving Reddit I am willing to give up some niceties to keep my money and my morals.
Leave now. I was using Windows for years until I finally made the full switch to Linux last year. I dropped iPhone too as well for GrapheneOS. I may honestly just keep an emergency phone on me and store it in a Faraday bag, I don't see a point of carrying around a tracking device.
Use Signal Desktop and have your co workers/family call you there and/or use email. On my resume I heavily point out that I highly depend on Linux and avoid Windows. Its up to them if it will be compatible with the line of work such as becoming a Help Desk in IT. Obviously, if you need to use Windows at work, only use it on your work PC. Eventually I'll become a Linux System Admin so that'll help out. I'm so much happier too as I stopped using social media like Instagram, Snapchat, etc. You don't need that proprietary garbage.
If you want to go extreme buy an X60 and flash Libreboot on it. Also, check out the LibreCMC R1400 router by ThinkPenguin. Achieve that Richard Stallman level freedom.
Make the switch, you won't regret it.
I will regret it actually, as I would constantly be struggling to play games my friends want to play (they are a picky bunch) and I would have to take probably a whole month installing and learning new applications, rewriting scripts, and so much more to integrate into Linux. Not to mention I would probably want to reformat and move 20TB of data to switch from NTFS. It's not something I want to do right now, but it is definitely something I am willing to do given enough provocation.
As for phones, I need one for work. Getting rid of it is a no-go.
For the beginning you can also dual boot. For games it depends. A lot of stuff works right out of the box but a lot of stuff requires additional steps or doesn't work. You can also check if a game is playable on Linux on protondb.com
I wouldn't mind dual booting, that's for sure. I looked into it previously but was put off because I saw discouraging information about Windows 11 with all the secure boot nonsense, but looking further it seems it may be a minor hiccup.
These can be bypassed with some registry editing in the installer. Press Shift+F10 to open cmd, type regedit, and in regedit, go in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup and in setup right click and create a key named "LabConfig" in it, you can add DWORD 32-bit values to bypass stuff. And double click them and set the value to 1. Here are the possibilities:
BypassSecureBootCheck
BypassCPUCheck
BypassTPMCheck
BypassRAMCheck
doubt it. you still use it? stockholm syndrome.