My first computer ran Windows 3.1 and I had to boot it in DOS to run some programs and, frankly, I would like to go back to that, with modern security and literally nothing else.
This isn't because I'm old (although maybe I am). It's because I would actually like to be in charge of my own computer.
This isn't because I'm old (although maybe I am). It's because I would actually like to be in charge of my own computer.
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I loved the old beast.
New programs won’t work
I too ran Windows 3.1, then discovered linux in grad school, just a little before Windows 95 came out. All my computers since then have run linux (or, briefly, FreeBSD). For exactly the reason you say: I'm in charge. And it just works (for me and many others).
Hate him! :D (for not doing the same for me.)
And having to rent everything monthly is just such a plague.
Or better still, the version called Raspbian on a Raspberry Pi 5.
Fast, runs Libre Office, etc, and will set you back juts a couple of hundred $.
And you can physically configure it how you like, plug in all sorts of stuff and generally have a ball.
Just like in the 1980/90s...
That also includes going to stores like CompUSA and Computer City. I can still remember the smell of the mouse pad aisle.
And this was my first computer. Good times, man.
The first one I used, however, loaded programs from paper tape and had a row of lights and toggle switches on the front panel.
When you use a computer
Cell phones are the best spy devices
No, desktops are obsolete except for gaming. Just buy a good laptop and some monitors and forget what happens inside.
*Solitare win screen*
You'll never know until you're being exploited through them
I’m not sure one could even get that in a more modern version.
Sorry so many Linux answers. 🤏🏻 Basically is the one.
I like what I've seen sofar of Linux, just haven't had the time yet ...
Day job is on z/OS (MVS) - now there's a REAL operating system!
All of these booted up in about 1-2 seconds 🙂
Hmmm I'm not a tech person but know a few and will pay.
It's easier than you think
I'm sick of Microsoft and sick of AI. Not going down the Mac road
It crashed often.
Yet there was a long line of people waiting to use it.
My burning hatred spills from me trying to shut down.
I want to go home!
A mother wiping smears of food off my face with spit on a hanky, 50 years ago.
I tense in my mindless anger.
I am old enough to be in charge of my own basic computer hygiene!
But oh no.
Here is update 1 of 13!
What even would you consider bloat in macOS? I mean sure there are a few Apple ecosystem specific things but you can easily delete/hide/ignore/disable them, where I feel you couldn’t in Windows.
since Windows 10, Microsoft has had only one major update
since macOS X, there's been 5 major updates
that's the bloat i'm talking about
Also I’m not sure how the amount of major updates correlates to “bloat.” macOS X and Windows 10 are like 14 years apart, so I’m not quite sure why you drew that comparison. I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing.
OS X was released in 2001, when Windows 10 was still being used
and i was even counting X as one major update, instead of the 15 that occurred after 10.0 was released
so, for the last 23 years, Windows has had 1 major update while macOS has had 20
The guy who wrote the command says it's OK to pronounce like Pseudo or Sue Dough or Sue Dew the pronunciation is open source :)
Otherwise you might not even be able to install it
You can set it up to look like Windows or Mac...and there's even times when you can switch to "terminal" mode and learn a bunch of commands. It isn't DOS, but very similar to what you're describing.
Plus, learning new things is good for the brain...
There are ways to run TCP-IP in DOS and run Lynx and other DOS-based internet software. There's no security risk if bad code can't run.
And also "my work is tied to MSFT ecosystem" still doesn't stop you from trying Linux for a personal environment. Dualbooting is pretty easy these days.
See also: https://www.pcjs.org/software/pcx86/sys/windows/3.10/
I used to love netware; you booted to dos first, but could later throw away dos to recover the memory space and not have an option to exit back after that.
unless you ran it on os/2 :D
Especially if somebody has a word processor program with typewriter sounds that can run in 3.1.
No publishing, no images, just words, saving, printing, and typewriter sounds.
I can tab and format myself.
And of course with a dot matrix printer.. no microdots or ink blending.
https://ubuntu.com/desktop
https://www.dosbox.com/
https://www.freedos.org/
And there is plenty of software out there. Plus Proton works very well with games.
I'm not the biggest fan of Ubuntu.
Or even knew what the Internet was!
Ah, those were the days...
I mean: I don't mind keeping my phone, but I *do* very much mind that it has become the focal point of everything by default.
Various reasons this is bad including: phone addiction and the absurdity of how tiny the interface is for long-term use.
1st computer was in about 1980. Bought from Dick Smith. Don't think megabytes even invented then, just bytes.
My mum uses it.
It runs any game I throw at it, whether it's native support or Proton.
And here is a crazy fact... My laptop literally doesn't run as hot as it did under Windows.
I've been using Linux on my desktop since 1996, but my employer requires me to use Windows for some key things.
My solution is a Windows laptop, while my workstation runs Linux. I use the laptop when needed, but do my real work (and all my personal stuff) with Linux.
1/3
For more than a casual one-off, though, I use the viewing software to export the data to CSV and then import it into my ETL software on the workstation.
2/3
Still, you might want to consider setting up a spare computer for Mint Linux for your personal, non-work usage, just to see if it makes you happier.
It included a CDROM for Slackware 3.0 in the back cover, so I installed that, and liked it a lot.
I've tried other distros over the years, but keep coming back to safe, sane Slackware.
The two major changes that make you secure are both from the windows vista era ( crazy, I know )
1. Split elevation ( if everyone is always admin, you're p0wnd)
2. Address space randomization ( crashes are harder to exploit )
You can spin up a Linux VM and give it a try before you switch. Maybe start with Debian/Ubuntu based Mint or Arch based Majaro before you try Gentoo 😎.
(Also would be a linux user if I didn't use windows for work and gaming)
Now, as to what version of Linux to use, that would be completely up to you.
I've been told that you should just start with one and try it out before you change versions.
You, most likely won't be right the first time.
I have a dead key on my keyboard because microsoft is trying to shill copilot and you can't remap the key once you uninstall it 🥲
It's just not user friendly in the slightest. Every setting is buried under 3 submenus if it gets a toggle at all
Plus a dot matrix printer.
😂