this post was submitted on 01 Sep 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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[–] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 8 points 17 hours ago

That’s the whole intention of requiring TPM for Windows 11. It’s coming soon.

They also banned Kaspersky in the states because they weren’t whitelisting state malware.

[–] handsoffmydata@lemmy.zip 7 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Now? Doesn’t M$ still release the "S" mode version of Windows that only allow downloads via their "official App Store"?

[–] xvertigox@lemmy.world 4 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

My girlfriends laptop came with S mode and holy shit, I just about threw it out the window. I knew Windows 11 would be dogshit but when I couldn't run firefoxinstaller.exe I got so annoyed. I then spent ~30 minutes troubleshooting how to allow running fucking exes as the guides were all out of date, including the one that were a month old.

I've been using Linux and XP for a few years now and god damn does it feel gross to use Win11. Not having control over your own PC is disgusting.

[–] handsoffmydata@lemmy.zip 2 points 16 hours ago

Windows machines make great Linux devices. Hope your gf likes her new Ubuntu laptop :)

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 17 hours ago

You can convert to the home edition for free (for now at least)

Also you can disable secure boot and just install linux.

[–] DoctorPress@lemmy.zip 21 points 1 day ago

We already have "secure boot" BS. For now it's easy to turn off but it's only a matter of time before getting locked and forced everywhere.

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And just like that I’m all about Ubuntu phones now

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Which devices are you planning to get at right now?

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago

Either buy pine or try out userland for current but I haven’t completed the research yet

[–] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 1 day ago

I kind of expect this to happen with Apple's rumored $600 macbook. Since they just updated ipadOS to run like a locked down version of macOS. I bet they will offer this cheap mac with the same locked down OS since it will have a "phone" processor in it.

They will say this was a compromise needed, but the majority of people will not care. After a few years, the macs that are open will get more and more expensive.

I'm guessing Windows will slowly start to move in thie direction, but I think they will try to push their remote computers thing to accomplish this.

I'm not sure about bootloaders being locked, I am guessing there will always be something that is unlocked and able to run linux though. It is needed for servers and stuff like that. In the worst case, someone will likely sell arm or risc-v powered boards that can be used to run linux.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 13 points 1 day ago

Didn't MS already try this with Windows S editions?

[–] Clbull@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago

Mmmm, Linux

[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

This is already happening, but it's on an organisational level by policy. These policies can be applied to systems that follow trusted computing rules, which is most Windows 10 systems and pretty much all windows 11 systems. Google has laid the groundwork for this since the pixel 3 was released in 2018.

Since then, we have seen Google put the Titan security module in all phones and I'm certain Chromebooks are requiring TPM modules that serve the same function.

Apple has been doing the same since God knows when. Their systems have had unique chips that ensure that when MacOS is installed, it is only installed in Apple computers. There are ways around this, just as there are ways around the TPM requirement for Windows 11.

The trusted computing model, when fully imposed, can basically stop any applications from running that have not been given the blessing of the security team.

As far as I'm aware, the only people taking advantage of the technology are government institutions.

The fact that this can be wielded to enforce control over private individuals by our corporate masters is becoming a very real possibility, but the fact that it hasn't happened yet, by any vendor, is, in my opinion, good evidence to say that it's unlikely, but not impossible. Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.

In any case, the only truly free operating system left is GNU/Linux, with few other exceptions.

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They're waiting until all the products in the wild can be locked down.

Right now, they're struggling to get people.to jump to Windows 11, and people are hoarding their old computers. They want all the products that don't have TPM or its equivalent to be outmoded before they remove the mask.

[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 1 points 21 hours ago

Maybe. In my experience business isn't that patient.

A TPM is otherwise a good thing. It can extend cryptographic capabilities and the overall security stance of the system.

But I digress. I will reserve judgement for now. Time will tell either way, and I don't think anyone will feel like gloating if they start to lock it down like you believe they will.

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[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Fear of this is why I have been hoarding any computer that runs for a long time now

[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Thinkcentre club stand uup !

I think I have 5 😐 or 6 IDK

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[–] Unlocking_Freedom@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Linux is quite well established now on home pc's and servers to the dismay of Microsoft and Apple. I hated Secureboot , built into UEFI, during startup by verifying the digital signatures of firmware, drivers, and the OS bootloader. Reading into Deep State Mass surveillance helps:

https://www.printernational.co.uk/timmann/history.htm#surveillance

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Nothing says that Linux could eventually evolve into the same thing or fail to ever really function for the masses.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's not going to happen.

Motherboard manufacturers are not going to start making Windows only BIOS.

Microsofts target audience isn't the private user. It's companies. The money they make selling their OS to private persons are table scraps compared to their enterprise licenses. Any such initiative would fuck over every single enterprise customer.

[–] SirEDCaLot@lemmy.today 10 points 1 day ago (3 children)

It's been attempted in two ways.
First is secure boot. There were a handful of computers sold that did not allow disabling of secure boot, or changing the loaded keys. So it was basically essentially a Windows only computer.
More recently is there was Microsoft Windows S. This was a cheap version of Windows Home that ran on low end computers and was locked to only allow installing apps from the Microsoft store. It was possible to unlock it but as I recall it required an additional fee.

Enterprises almost all run Windows anyway so they DGAF.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago

Enterprises use a lot, and I do mean A LOT of custom software. Either developed in house or by others. They absolutely care.

What Microsoft does within their own OS, as the "S" version you're talking about. That's a non issue given you can just flash the drive and install whatever OS you want.

As for the concern that you'd somehow be unable to install another OS. Due to Secure Boot. I personally have never come across a computer that I've had full BIOS access to that didn't allow disabling secure boot. Though some have been more cooperative than others. But maybe I'm just lucky.

But I'm also pretty sure there are linux distributions that support Secure Boot.

Secure Boot for what it's intended to do, is a pretty good feature. Which is to stop unauthorized software from running before initiating your OS

[–] Chrobin@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Fedora supports secure boot out of the box

[–] hayvan@feddit.nl 4 points 1 day ago

So does Ubuntu, but there is a catch. Secure boot relies on signature checking, so you can manually add the signature of your OS manually to the UEFI db, but can't do that on locked UEFI. Major Linux providers went another route, they paid Microsoft to sign a shim binary, which in turn can verify and boot the matching Linux kernels. Microsoft refusing to sign shims would be a rather crippling move, but they would get a massive backlash from that.

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[–] localhorst@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago

https://youtu.be/HUEvRyemKSg might be relevant.

Turns out some people can predict the future if they pay attention

[–] xia@lemmy.sdf.org 17 points 1 day ago

IIRC, I had a PC (since sold) that had secure boot permanently enabled from the factory. That is, in spirit, a PC with a "locked bootloader", but you might not even notice because many Linux distros have that Microsoft-blessed Linux loading shim... but it is still Microsoft inserting themselves between you and your hardware; they could decide in the next few years they no longer "support" Linux, hypothetically.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

Microsoft are smart enough to not piss off every giant corporation and destroy their entire business overnight, so you can count on it never being forced by them.

[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They certainly wouldn't roll it out overnight but they've had their long term targets on OS as a service since Windows 8 and these things tend to come bundled.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Nah, they know their limits. They will keep trying to make an optional locked down OS for regular users a thing, but there will always be a fully “unlocked” version available due to legacy software and the entire worlds reliance on it.

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[–] staph@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This kind of stuff never happens overnight. It happens slowly, incrementally, and the people are never mad enough at too much sudden change to be motivated enough to do anything. People should feel good about the imposition of boundaries, and it helps that for the average user, the boundaries often result in a better user experience.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 1 points 14 hours ago

I don’t think you guys understand that forcing windows to only run approved by Microsoft software would literally break the world as we know it. Microsoft know this. There’s no way around it.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Last time I used windows in a big corpo settings, there were so many things pudding off both us Devs but also IT.

Switch out a bad RAM stick? Spend an hour with IT.

Use a software? Spend an hour (or days) with IT

Compile your own software? Believe it or not, spend large amounts of time with IT

Like the compiler on a windows PC can't work without different windows protection systems gets in the way, repeatedly. And then your executable, or some .d'll just get wiped off the disk 😐🤷🏼‍♀️

I don't think they do it intentionally, but big corpos don't give a shit about their workers conditions, so if they were to enforce things (with backdoors ofc, so that if needed you can deactivate things, remember the unique installation code for windows like 95 or 98?) the grunts will just have to eat it up. And they would probably not have a much harder time, everything is already locked down hardware wise so they are used to all that jazz.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

None of your examples at the start I’d that comment make sense or are true.

Also you’re talking about corporate policies for businesses that use windows, not windows itself. Management of devices is one of the biggest reasons why windows is the only real option for big corporations.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Oh I'm very absolutely talking about windows itself, it's the reason you have go through so many loops to do the tiniest thing.

My point: Microsoft is already doing what you're supposing they never will.

BTW your first phrase doesn't make any sense?

[–] angband@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

pissing off customers never stopped them for decades different versions of office programs ran side by side with no issues. they auto uninstall other versions of office automatically while stopping the install with a big pop up about compatibility issues.

this impacts all businesses using old versions of access programs alongside more new versions of office with newer installers. along with a byzantine licensing model with bizarre "incompatibilities" between the same year versions in different licensing channels, yeah tell me how microsoft won't piss off corpo and government clients.

they seem to specialize in pissing off corpo and gov clients.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 1 points 12 hours ago

Sounds like the businesses you're talking about have incompetent IT staff.

[–] Aimeeloulm@feddit.uk 23 points 1 day ago (2 children)

To all those people saying this will never happen because people wouldn't accept or tolerate it ree living in a different reality, sorry to burst your bubble and faith in your fellow himans but....most people will just whinge whine cuss and then go do something else, people today have no guts in them to fight back and to lazy too, they expect others to do all the work for them, but wont lift a finger except to moan and whine about shit.

Long story short we are fucked, absolutely fucked, we....those that would/will do something are few and far between now, people aka the masses are used to being beaten down and being told to put up and shut up, just get on with it, so we few just have to look after ourselves, our families and friends, get through life best way we can, we be a small pocket of resistance but thats all sadly 🥺

[–] rocky1138@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago

This is a very American mindset

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[–] AdrianTheFrog@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (2 children)

For phones Google gets to decide, as an os maker. For PCs, there are multiple OSses so hardware manufacturers get to decide.

I personally don't see AMD or Intel doing that anytime soon, and if they do, at least Arm and Risc-V are making some good progress in the desktop space

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