[GTALUG] Win 11 requirements may be windfall for cheapskate Linux users

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: o1bigtenor via talk <talk at gtalug.org>

| Somehow I'm supposed to believe that Windows is serious about security - -
| - - tough for me to believe.
| Yes they will eliminate a couple deep security flaws but what about the 10s
| of thousands of other flaws?

Security is very hard in the face of a bounty of features.  Windows
has a lot of features.

Microsoft wants backwards compatability compatibility, at least for 
software. This means that re-achitecting things for greater security is 
very hard.

Most people don't like the inconvenience that comes with greater
security.  Nor do they want to pay for it.

Linux security is subject to the same forces.  We should not presume
that Linux has the high moral ground.

Linux's transparency is a double-edged sword from a security standpoint, 
but I think that it is a net win.  The same can be said for the diversity 
of Linux systems.

| I found 'linux' back in early 2000 after I got a virus on Win 98 SE.

OK, I'll admit it.  Win 98 security was way way worse than early
2000's Linux.

| Did some thinking at the time and realized that even at that time the
| anti-virus/bug killing industry was
| 'only' worth $4 billion USD and today likely 'far much more'.
| I remain unconvinced that M$ wants this part of its cash cow to disappear.

I'm not sure.  AV software isn't directly a profit centre for them.

Additionally, the bundled AV software on Windows badly degrades the
performance of the only Windows application I use (Windows Update).  If it
degrades the performance of other applications as badly, it alone
would be a strong reason to run Linux.  But I don't know this and
don't care to waste my time experimenting.  Windows Update is the
worst application I use on Windows, but perhaps because it is
essentially the only one I run.  (I use Windows run tax software once
a year.)

| They are just trying to
| appease some vocal detractors and will be able to point at these
| couple three flaws and say - - - -
| look Ma - - - we fixed the holes - - - - whilst creating ever more - - - -
| what a royal joke!

Actually, the new baseline requirements add to "defence in depth".
This is a Good Thing.  I expect Linux to use the features on systems
that have them available (except for the new style of Windows
drivers (DCH)).

| These changes will force about 85% of users to upgrade - - - I suppose its
| part of the plan to
| drive profit margins up but this could backfire if john q public figures
| out how they're getting
| hosed! (Hope it does get out!!)
| Likely Win 11 is also part of the forced upgrade routine too - - - - argh!!

It's a little fuzzy, but it looks as if Win 11 can run on old hardware
but automatic upgrading to Win 11 will be blocked.  Whether old
hardware gets replaced depends on whether
(1) the transition is desired by ordinary users
(2) the transition is easy for ordinary users to effect
(3) users understand (1) and (2) -- advertising can influence this.

Certainly the value proposition of replacing old hardware has never
been lower.  System capabilities, performance, and price have not been
improving quickly since Intel Core's 4th generation.

(As I've said before, my main desktop is almost eight years old and I
don't have a good reason to replace it.  I keep wanting to for some
odd version of fun or adventure, but have so far resisted.)