Microsoft's newest tactic to convert Windows 10 users is giving them a big comparison list

snownyte@kbin.social to Technology@lemmy.world – 161 points –
xda-developers.com
73

No vertical Taskbar. -1

Horrible multiple monitor support. -1

AI built in. -1

Ads in the start menu. -1

Until this list starts at zero I'm not even remotely interested.

It's Microsoft. -5

Telemetry everywhere. -5

Upcoming automatic screenshots of your screen on a regular basis! - 1000 (Microsoft Recall)

This is a horrible, horrible software that nobody should run...

Isn't the multi-monitor support better in 11? It properly supports restoring windows into the correct monitor when you reconnect monitors.

Yeah that one works.

And there's so much more you could criticize anyway:

Edge? No thx, if I want it I will install it myself.

TPM? Wtf bro, take it out.

...

::: spoiler Title

:::> Edge? No thx, if I want it I will install it myself.

Hey now, back when I used Windows, I found Edge to be perfectly suited to it's job... of downloading Firefox.

I wish I could praise Edge as one of my top five favorite ways to install Firefox, but ...

  • flatpak
  • apt
  • Ansible
  • git clone; make install
  • curl | sudo

Edge doesn't crack the top 5 anymore, after all.

Well for me it does not work (T470s, two docks, different monitors). Well, it does sometimes work after the second reboot.

I already switched

...to Linux.

Microsoft doing great things for Linux adoption. Linux is incredible btw

Yeah. I spent years saying "Linux is a bit better than Windows now, but I can't give you a compelling reason to switch, if you're comfortable and happy."

Nice of Microsoft to take care of that last part.

I feel like ~5 years ago Windows 10 was really making some great strives to get developers back on Windows instead of Apple and Linux. Oh well.

So, basically nothing new in Windows 11 that I want and a whole lot of things I don't.

Don't you fucking disregard Paint...

NOBODY ignores Paint.

They're removing Wordpad. WORDPAD. because they want people to buy Office 365. The bastards. And they wonder why people turn on them.
It's death by 1000 cuts.

There is not a single thing Windows 11 does better than Windows 10 that benefits me. I'm sure I'll get a good chuckle out of that list.

The list is effectively all bs and such a stretch. The 'feature parity' begins at windows backup:

New interface

Windows 11 is easier on the eyes and easier to use. We took the best elements of Windows 10 and refined them to create a soothing place to work and play.

Wake on approach. Lock on leave.

Windows 11 can automatically wake up when you approach and lock when you leave. 3

Smart App Control

Exclusive to Windows 11 is Smart App Control. It provides a layer of security by only permitting apps with good reputations to be installed. Only available on the latest version of Windows 11. 4

Seamless redocking

If you connect your PC to an external display, Windows 11 can remember where you had those windows when you leave, come back, and reconnect. 6 This feature is new and exclusive to Windows 11.

Live captions

With live captions on Windows 11, speech in incoming audio (such as through a Microsoft Teams call) can be transcribed into captions. 7

Natural Narrator

To read, or to be read to? Natural Narrator can turn text into spoken words. 7

Windows Studio Effects

Background Blur, Eye Contact, Voice Focus, and Automatic Framing. Better video calling awaits. 14

Controller bar

Jump back into the game you last played or into a new game entirely with the Controller bar. 19 Only on Windows 11.

Auto HDR

Auto HDR increases the range of colors both new and old games can produce. Available only on Windows 11, this new calibration app increases control of color. 15

Widgets

Widgets are new for Windows 11. It’s best for staying up to date with all the things you need to keep tabs on: schedules, weather, stocks, sports—even celebrity gossip.

Windows Backup

Feel at home instantly on your new PC. With Windows Backup, 28 29 30 you can set things up to your liking by easily transferring some of your favorite settings, files, and apps from your old PC.

Backup and restore

Backup only

Paint

Paint is a simple and powerful graphics editor that comes with Windows. You can use it to create and edit images, draw shapes, add text, and more. New to Windows 11, Paint now comes with AI-powered tools 31 to help you edit images like a pro and create art like a visionary.

Cocreator, 31 32 33 Background Removal, 31 and Layers

Sync your PC and phone

Make and take calls. Reply to texts. Check and dismiss notifications. Use Phone Link to do it all from your Windows PC without even taking your phone out of your pocket. This feature is available for Android™ and iPhone® devices in Windows 11, and is available for Android in Windows 10. 27

Android and iPhone

Android only

Touchscreen

While Windows 10 worked well with touch inputs 1 , Windows 11 has been designed with them in mind for a true mouse-less or keyboard-less experience.

Search

You can find the Search bar in the Start Menu of Windows 11, and it can find whatever you can’t. That’s files, apps, or anything you want online. On Windows 11 the Search bar is in a new, easy to find, central location.

TPM

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) technology is designed to provide hardware-based, security-related functions. Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 for features that rely on the TPM for capabilities such as key generation, secure storage, encryption, boot integrity measurements, and attestation. These capabilities help organizations strengthen the protection of their identities and data. TPM 2.0 includes support for newer algorithms, which provides improvements like support for stronger cryptography.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is optimized for Windows 11. The browser and OS will work together to bring you the browsing speed and security you need.

OneDrive backup

OneDrive backup is available on both Windows 11 and 10, providing your photos, documents, and other files a second life if, for example, your PC is stolen.

Windows Security app

The Windows Security app serves as the security dashboard and is available on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Snap assist

Snap assist makes the most of your screen space by arranging your open windows into perfectly aligned grids. 5 And on Windows 11, it’s now easier to find and use.

Desktop groups

With desktop groups, you can organize your open apps and windows into separate “desktops” to make it easier to switch between work and play modes. It was introduced on Windows 10, but vastly improved for Windows 11.

Contrast themes

High contrast themes are available in both Windows 10 and 11 to help those with low vision see easier.

Voice control

Windows 11 can interpret your voice into commands, like “Open [name of app]” or “Scroll Down.” This feature builds on Windows 10 and is greatly enhanced on 11. 9

Redesigned Microsoft Store

The redesigned Microsoft Store makes finding apps, movies, and TV shows you love easy, and comes ready to do so on both Windows 10 and 11.

Snipping tool

Snipping Tool is available on both Windows 10 and 11 to help users crop screenshots to share to others exactly what you’re seeing.

Journal app

The Journal app on Windows 11 provides the intimacy of handwriting 11 with the convenience of a digital app.

Clipchamp

With dynamic templates 12 and dazzling effects, Clipchamp makes it easy for anyone to edit videos like a pro. It comes built into Windows 11 but is available for Windows 10 via download from the Microsoft Store.

Digital pen

Digital Pen 13 input on Windows 11 builds on the progress made on Windows 10, providing an improved feel and incorporating haptic feedback.

Emojis

Whenever words won't do, Emojis are just a couple clicks away. And only Windows 11 comes with the new emoji clipboard (win + v). 26

DirectStorage

Games with larger worlds that load in less time. It’s possible with DirectStorage 16 and available on both Windows 10 and 11.

DirectX 12 Ultimate

This is what harnesses your hardware to produce stunning graphics for your games and is available on both Windows 10 and 11. 17

3D spatial sound

This technology makes it possible for you to perceive the sources of sound in games. 3 It requires compatible headphones and is available on both Windows 10 and 11.

PC Game Pass

PC Game Pass grants you access to over a hundred games for one low monthly membership fee and is available for both Windows 10 and 11. 18

Xbox game bar

No need to Alt+tab to change songs, check graphics performance, or find friends. Just use the hotkey Win+G in Windows 11 and 10 to bring up the overlay made for better play.

Get Started

The Get Started app is designed to help you get to know Windows 11 better.

Microsoft account

A Microsoft account can be your one passport to all things Microsoft, from Office to Xbox and more.

OneDrive file transfer

When you upgrade your Windows device, you can use OneDrive file transfer to seamlessly roll over your files and settings. 25

Windows on ARM

Devices with thin and light designs and amazing battery life that run the apps you care about. 20

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro-versions

Majority of the shit that they're touting as 'new', have already been done in past Windows OSes.

Widgets? Vista did that. Touchscreen? Windows 8 did that. Search? Really, fucking search? All Windows OSes did that. Paint? Are they fucking serious?

3d spatial sound always gets me.

Seems like it literally never ends, claiming to have some kind of new tech that revolutionizes 3d sound for either music or games.

Reality is almost nobody even today releases music in 5.1 or 7.1 format, and 3d spatial sound via software for headphones has existed since like 2002.

The Xbox Game Bar certainly is not new to 11... They just made it more of a system component than a program.

MSFT Accounts aren't new, OneDrive isn't new...

Also, after the gigantic kerfuffle caused by TPM requirement for Win 11, they are now apparentlty dropping it as a requirement?

So fucking glad I don't work for MSFT anymore.

Technically touchscreen support has been around since XP, but who's counting? Definitely not microsoft lmao gottem

That's just a list of things I don't want (except Phone Link, which I'm already enjoying in Win10 as an Android phone user)

KDE Connect is awesome. And completely cross-platform, and FOSS.

Yeah, like I said. No benefit to me. If anything, lots of these 'features' are things I want to actively avoid in my closed-source operating systems.

Windows 11 is easier on the eyes and easier to use. We took the best elements of Windows 10 and refined them to create a soothing place to work and play.

Nah, no, hiding basic stuff behind bazillion clicks in nested menus deeper than hell is not "easier to use".

Wake on approach. Lock on leave.

Windows 11 can automatically wake up when you approach and lock when you leave.

Why would I want that on a desktop that needs to do work even when I'm AFK? My PC doesn't even have a password on it—because if a stranger gets access to it, something has already gone horribly wrong and a burglar seeing my furry pics is the least of my problems🤪

3D spatial sound

This technology makes it possible for you to perceive the sources of sound in games. 3 It requires compatible headphones and is available on both Windows 10 and 11.

I don't use headphones and I already have a bangin' good surround sound setup with 18" sub and tactile transducers.

Smart App Control

Exclusive to Windows 11 is Smart App Control. It provides a layer of security by only permitting apps with good reputations to be installed. Only available on the latest version of Windows 11.

Why the fuck would I want that? I and only I get to decide what programs have the priviledge of getting installed and what don't. I bet M$ will deny "good reputation" to harmless code injection mods for games (SKSE/OBSE et al, ENB) because these are basically hacking while allowing data-stealing privacy nightmares like Discord app.

Oh that controller bar sounds awesome. I've always hated how on PC when you play a game, you can never launch that game again. So glad they finally solved that issue.

I'm was not allowed to upgrade from them. I'm not going to throw away a perfectly fine pc.

Installed Ubuntu and I'm having a blast.

Why tf do I have to spend thousands on new hardware to run a new OS that I don't want?

Fuck off Microsoft

The main reason I didn't move to Windows 11 when it was new was it being picky and refusing to install on a processor that was only released two years before the OS (my setup itself being only a year old at the time). Since most things I've read about it since then act as a deterrent to upgrading instead of an incentive I now have no real inclination to try and update from 10 until I'm forced to by software requirements.

But why would you upgrade if forced? You know you will have a subpar experience. Is it because of software you use that only runs on Windows?

The software I need on Windows will live on an isolated instance of Windows 10 in a VM on Linux when the time comes that MS stops releasing security updates for 10.

I still retain a Windows install for games, and eventually things stop working easily. I kept running Windows 7 up until around when I built my current PC (2020) and that upgrade was due to some compatibility issue - I can't remember whether it was hardware compatibility with the new setup or a game/launcher requiring Windows 10 before I upgraded. I expect that I will eventually get something that wants 11 to work.

Mind you I spend a lot less time on games these days and I will probably get a few more years out of that computer - it might be a good while before compatibility/security becomes an issue and I'm required to consider moving on.

How is the performance on a VM? I use Windows for VR and Musicproduction. Like 10%, 20% performance dip?

I don't know, I still haven't done this yet!

But my needs might be different from yours. In my case, my music production skills just require an old version of FL Studio. I'm sure it will run fine in a VM.

Yeah, I just upgrades my CPU, and even on my old one everything worked fine.

One more question though: why go the VM route instead of dualbooting? I guess mostly so you still have acces to all Linux stuff while using Windows?

Correct. I just want to remain in Linux. Plus the Windows OS will be unmaintained, so I will never connect it to the internet. So I'd be without Internet meanwhile I'm in the other partition. A VM solves that.

I assume they mean in the long long run when Windows 10 LTSC stops being supported

Sure, but the question still remains...

In my case, I will NEVER upgrade to Windows 11. I'd rather use another OS.

No arguments here Linux gets better every day but I understand why some people still need Windows in their life

Many folks have older PCs that won't run 11. And buying a new PC not high on the list when you're worried about paying for rent, food, transportation, medicine, etc.

My high end PC from 3 years ago won’t run Windows 11 because of TPM bullshit.

For many is probably just the right opportunity to jump to apple. For older folk, they will keep using windows xp/vista. Microsoft offers little to no value over the alternatives.

Most of us, tech savvy are already in linux we will probably just delete the Windows partition.

I've recently gotten a couple (absolutely tech illiterate) friends and family to move to Linux. It's finally there - it's much easier to use than windows now.

And if you don't want to keep shelling out for new computers every few years, doubly so - Linux works fine on decade+ old hardware (and you can keep upgrading practically indefinitely to stay within security windows, so you barely ever need to actually buy new hardware)

Ah Windows 11, Vista 2.0.

I already got upgraded. Notice the passive voice. That shit should be illegal.

You know what? Fuck you (installs windows 11 on your computer)

I had a nightmare where windows 11 was automatically installed on my Linux computer since it shared network with a windows one.

Literally just picked up a new laptop and immediately uninstalled windows 11. Drivers will be fiddly but it's already working fine.

I will never use the privacy ffest that is win 11.

Got my new Thinkpad T14S yesterday and immediately installed Linux Mint. I refuse to give in to the Windows 11 pressure.

Have you tried to refund the Windows license? (Assuming you didn't set it up)

Hmmm I couldn't get it to boot off the usb till I'd set up win11. I didn't know I could refund w11 or I'd have tried harder!

This list genuinely looks like some of the marketing they had around Win7 times. No joke.

Snap? Yep, advertised feature. Touchscreen stuff? Absolutely! Better search? Yeah, advertised (and it was true in Windows 7!). New app to make movies? They got it. I guess the Win 7 page was missing Widgets. That was a Vista feature instead...

Yeah, I've already moved most of machines over to various Linux distro because of Windows bloat, spying, ads, etc. For the one windows box I keep, Ameliorated Windows 10 has been treating me pretty well as it seems to strip out most of the crap that keeps getting grafted on to drive shareholder value or whatever.

The only thing on that comparison that I like is the snip tool. At least I assume I use the windows one. Nothing else on that list is vital.

When I'm using Explorer I can't drag and drop files onto one of the directories on the breadcrumb bar. I either have to cut and paste or open another instance. I also can't add items to jump lists unless I allow showing recent files on the Start Menu.