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E-waste or Linux? Charities face tough choices as Windows 10 support ends (www.techspot.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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In a nutshell: As Microsoft prepares to end free security updates for Windows 10 in October, a significant challenge looms for charities that refurbish and distribute older computers to those in need. With an estimated 240 million PCs unable to meet the stringent hardware requirements for Windows 11, these organizations face a difficult decision: provide potentially insecure Windows 10 systems, send them to e-waste recyclers, or explore alternative operating systems like Linux.

Microsoft's requirements for Windows 11 include a 1GHz or faster CPU with at least two cores, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, Secure Boot capability, and TPM 2.0 compatibility. However, the supported Intel CPU list only goes back to 8th Gen chips, introduced in 2017, while the AMD list includes Ryzen 2000 series and above.

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[–] Saik0Shinigami@lemmy.saik0.com 17 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

The choice is hard because many charities already have a hard time maintaining what they have. To move to linux, they'd need people to know linux. Many volunteers that support this stuff simply don't and are barely power-users themselves. I spend a good chunk of my day interacting with JUST windows users who have no idea how a computer actually works... they just know how to barely operate windows.

[–] horrorslice@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 weeks ago

I would also like to mention the situation of printers. I can get my office printer working on chromeOS, Windows, Mac, but no Linux distro (other than chromeOS) wanted to play nice with it.

[+] melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

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[–] Saik0Shinigami@lemmy.saik0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

okay but windows will at some point become unusable.

Why would windows 10 magically become unusable? It's not like Microsoft is going to send out a firmware brick at the EoL.

You know that you can still install XP today and get online... With minimal work you can actually get online completely on modern sites.

The same could be said for any linux distro.

[+] melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] Saik0Shinigami@lemmy.saik0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

yes. windows xp was a fully local OS, and when you installed it, you stilled owned your computer. these things are not true of windows 10.

Yes you can? It's windows 11 that tries to lock you out, and even then you can install it without internet if you know the magic incantation...

But windows 10 will just install with a local account if you don't give it internet (unplug ethernet and never setup a wifi).

sure, and I could say you’re a chainsaw juggling pedophile lizard person who came from the future to make sure flavored foams don’t have a resurgence in upscale dining at any cost because the consequences, drawn out 200 years, are so much worse than fascism and several possible extinction events. saying shit is easy. doesn’t make it true.

The fuck? Any linux install will eventually become unsupported. That is my claim to counter your nonsense claim of Windows becoming unusable.

Go take your pills.

[–] underfreyja@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

There's a barrier of entry to linux for sure BUT it really depends on the distro.

The issue I think is "marketing". I'm sure most of these computer agnostic folks would be fine using Linux Mint or Ubuntu but to someone who doesn't understand these things, just the fact that there's a choice to make there is probably barrier enough.

If we lower the barrier of entry for installation and choice for them, the decision to switch becomes way easier, I think.