this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2025

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What y'all talking about? (mastodon.ml)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

129 comments fedilink hide all child comments

What y'all talking about?

@linuxmemes

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[–] [email protected] 109 points 1 week ago (13 children)

Not really

Windows 7 was pretty, it was customisable, it was stable. And microshaft had yet to start fucking about with ads everywhere and invasive "features". Peak windows right there.

XP was also pretty good for its time. At that point Linux and OSX had caught up and surpassed it in many ways, but it did what it had to without getting in the way.

95 was an innovator if anything, ahead of pretty much anything else on desktop at the time, even if it DID fart and die whenever someone looked at it funny.

It was always a proprietary creation by an anticompetitive tech megacorp, and therefore bad from THAT angle, but it didn't start being truly shite from a pure user experience angle until like. 8.

[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Win 7 was ok but remember, it still came with three control panels, a fucking registry and 8bit palette drwatson icon in system32 along with gigabytes of absolutely useless shit.

It was good for a windows, but it was still windows.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Nothing wrong with the Registry

It's a different way of handling things compared to how Linux (and most unixes) does it with 18391823 text files

But it's a perfectly functional and sensible solution for storing system configurations.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The registery is much easier to break, much harder to debug and much harder to fix, UNIX config is more human-friendly, I'll never mess with the registery again

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

The technology behind the registry is fine (which is what I think @VinesNFluff meant)

But it's execution in Windows was ass

In theory, a configuration manager with DB-like abilities (to maintain relationships, schematic integrity, and to abstract the file storage details), isn't a bad idea

But the registry as it is today is pure pain

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Also add that registry exponantionally growing over time bad documented and not easy way to clean it up and thus as time going windows start booting up longer and longer

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

In theory having a database of configuration settings isn't a horrible idea.

But the execution was terrible.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

But it’s a perfectly functional and sensible solution for storing system configurations.

No. It was not. The concept was OK, but the execution was not. Even Microsoft didn't know what was in there. The design was horrific. They could have used keywords, they could have had a data dictionary, they could have standardized it. They could have made it not get corrupted by glancing at it.

But they didn't, at least not for a long time. And it still sucks, just a little less.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

A centralized place to store settings (e.g. the registery) isn't a bad idea in and of itself.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

That.

I'll add that a lot of the issues people have with the registry have less to do with the registry itself (it's just -- A database of settings. Nothing shocking about that) and a lot to do with Windows' philosophy and the problems that creates.

Like yes, the registry of a computer that has been running windows for a few years is a bloated mess which creates a bunch of problems of its own -- But that's not in and of itself because the registry is a centralised binary database.

Rather it is because -- Well. Microsoft. Tech corporations in general. Want computers to behave like magic boxes. Not machines you have to learn to operate. This means that whenever you install something or modify something on windows, you are left in the dark as to a lot of the stuff going on under the hood. Windows error messages are very obscure and nonspecific. When you install something, do you know what it has added to your registry? What dlls it has dropped around your machine? And with so many third party programmes and utilities dropping into the system, that shit builds up, and not even an experienced user will fully know what has built up unless they've been making a deliberate effort to keep track.

Compare that to Linux, which is made by nerds FOR nerds... And so everything is thoroughly documented. With the general unspoken understanding that a. You will sooner or later go under the hood and mess about in there; and b. If something fucks up, whether it is directly your fault or not, you're the one who will have to fix it, so here's ALL the receipts on how shit works so you CAN do that.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

I have an old rig for old games and I still have Win7 SP1 installed on that. It never gets updates as it's not connected to the internet. I know everything works there and thus it is now a time capsule. Never change a running system lol

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

You've perfectly summarized my own feelings toward the best versions of Windows. Thank you. I feel more centered seeing it summarized so well in writing.

I'll add that I found Vista cool and interesting on a technical level, even while the practical outcome was pretty awful.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I always get pooped on when I say this, but I didn't like 7. it brought the confusing libraries, ugly glass theme, and all computers I used it on, explorer (file manager, taskbar) crashed a lot and had to do win+r -> explorer.exe to get it going again.

I liked vista, but I only used it on my very first pc and for not much else but web browsing. I also liked 8.1, just needed to tweak it a bit, like replace that horrible start menu. I had instructions for myself for all kinds of registry stuff that needed to be done to a fresh install.

hated 10 from the beginning because it immediately seemed like it fights back too much, forcing microshit down your throat, and all that spying crap.

and finally when I saw 11....well, I've used mint for about two years now.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

People who don't like Glass Themes can't be my friends. Frutiger Aero looks like happiness and a better time when technology was exciting instead of alarming.

You are otherwise entitled to your opinion (fwiw I never used those libraries and still don't know what they were FOR) and I entirely believe your experience of having instability. Windows just be like that sometimes. No pooping here.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I totally forgot about explorer just s****ing the bed randomly in 7 lmao.

XP was bloated to hell and back, and yeah 10 was okay overall but the “kiddie gloves” hostility towards users sucked, especially hiding away control panel and trying to get rid of it altogether in 11 is what pushed me to Linux.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

explorer (file manager, taskbar) crashed a lot and had to do win+r -> explorer.exe to get it going again.

This still happens on up-to-date Win10 occasionally. I've seen it on multiple machines, hardware tests good. A variant I've seen is that the Start button responds to click (changes color) but does not open the menu.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 week ago (8 children)

7 from start to finish was the most polished and stable imo. Early 10, I would put right up there with it. 8.1 wasnt as awful as many claimed, despite gui changes. Xp took FOREVER to get to a good place, 95 was jank city.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

XP was fine after sp2 but to claim it was good is to give it too much credit.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

3.11 was solid. No frills, just basic Windows. Limited in use.

Bells and whistles may have been available depending on your own personal hardware and software limitations.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

Kind of, to varying degrees. Posting the ones I've actually used enough to have an opinion:

Win 3 through 3.11 and below: Limited
Win 9x: unstable
Win ME: don't get me started
Win 2k: Decent, actually. At least after a couple of service packs
Win XP: Win 2k with teletubbies theme
Win Vista: "users are too stupid to be allowed to do this just like that"
Win 7: Decent, actually
Win 8: worst UI ever
Win 8.1: sometimes MS actually listens to feedback

EDIT: While I absolutely hated using Vista, I think it's unfair to complain about its performance compared to that of Win XP. XP was 6-7 years old at the time of Vista release - of course it's going to demand less of your PC.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Win 10: 'the final version of Windows' actually kinda decent

Win 11: "when we said f'inal version of Windows' we meant it's the final version that your old ass computer would run. Go buy a new one."

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Win10 was extreme crap, you just feel it was good because Win11 is worse.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

@drq @linuxmemes some noses work better than others

but calling windows shit is unfair. shit can still help plants grow. this is the kind of stuff you lock away in a mine forever and put a sign in front that says this is not a place of honor.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (15 children)

@lritter Yeah, looks like this is what it will take because nothing else works (or everything else is much worse that no amount of enshitification offsets it).

Desktop OS marketshare for Jan 2025 with Windows taking 71.91%, OS X - 15% and the rest less than few percent each

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago

It's subjective, but I clearly remember saying Windows couldn't get any worse around the time that (Microsoft was claiming that) Internet Explorer was irrevocably integrated with Windows 98.

Never believe it when someone says such-and-such can't get any worse. Somehow it always can.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It's been less shit at running games than Linux for... Well, always?

Downvote all you want, I've seen what makes you cheer.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago

So long as the game in question doesn't block you for running linux (fortnight, for instance), then no, you are absolutely wrong. I get much better game performance on Arch Linux cachyos kernel than i do on windows 10. Every single time.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

spasms due to rage

At least the future is looking good with Valve supporting the cause

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Doesn't the prefix "en" in enshittification mean "more of"/"increasing"?

Because "Windows is even more shit" makes perfect sense to me.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (3 children)

No. Windows 7 was pretty good. Certainly a better desktop experience than Linux at the time (go on, roast me, I've got my flame proof undies on). Windows 10 started out pretty decent, until they ramped up the enshittification. I used Windows for over 30 years and never saw any reason to switch, although I've worked with Unix before Windows was even a thing. Only in the last couple of years did it really become unbearable. And I wouldn't even consider ever using Win11 on any personal machine.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago (3 children)

My understanding was it used to be windows was decent enough, whilst Linux was an upgrade for those who valued freedom.

Now Linux is quickly going from 'upgrade' to 'only sensible option.'

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

That's where I'm at. LMDE is what my desktop will run soon.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago

I think Windows 7 was the last version that wasn't there for the purposes of advertising and collecting data in the effort to achieve recurring revenue.

Legitimately Microsoft was trying to make it a better product until Windows 10. 10 was a better product on accident, but it's also where they started sliding down that slope...

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You are likely not old enough to remember windows 2000. It had the NT kernel and did nothing more than expected. It got out of your way so you could do work.

There have been some improvements over the years, but Microsoft's goals for windows changed after that, which is when enshitification started.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Windows 7 was the last good a Windows

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

98SE, 2000, XP (Service Pack 3) and 7 were Windows at their peak.

Windows 8 and 8.1 were screwed by Microsoft's insistence at creating a more mobile-friendly OS, when the Metro menu was just bad for the desktop user experience. A lot of disgruntled 8/8.1 users did flock to 10 because having the Start menu back was seen as a compromise to having forced telemetry tracking in your OS.

As for Windows 11, it's getting super shit. Recall AI is being baked into the OS, which will effectively allow Microsoft to snoop and capture data on your computer activity. They claim to not capture sensitive info like bank details or credit card numbers, but I think that's been proven wrong.

Also, 11 is hardly an upgrade feature-wise, yet requires a significantly beefier PC, and was released at a time when the world was still going through a significant semiconductor shortage.

The only real hurdle for widespread Linux adoption is anti-cheat support. That, and either getting Linux versions of industry standard software (Microsoft 365, Adobe CS, 3DS Max, etc) or decent support through Wine/Proton.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

As for later Windows versions 7 and 8.1 were pretty stable and lightweight. It was only in the later versions of Windows 10 when it became filled with ads and some stupid bloatware.

Earlier Windows 2000 and XP were of course also amazingly well made and even lighter, but weren't exactly as stable.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

This isn't a Linux meme

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Windows 10 was great without the bloatware and telemetry that was slowly added to it. At first it was only a small amount that could easily be removed with a script.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

I miss Windows 7 and the early days of Windows 10. Windows 7 was definitely peak Windows and I can't really remember any complaints I had with it. It did everything I needed it to and very rarely ran into issues. Gaming was great and the bloatware was minimal, at least compared to now.

Nowadays Windows is full of bloatware and shitty decisions. Gaming has been better on Linux ever since I started using it a couple months back. I'm playing games like the Final Fantasy VII Remake and No Man's Sky this past week and they've been running better on Linux.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yes, but now there is blood in the poop.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Windows 2000 was the last good windows version.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

@teft No, not really. It was stable but lacked versatility. It was nice for business but gave some headaches at home.

Also some people went even further and run Server 2000 on home computers :)

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Naw, Windows 2000 was legit. Everything after that was shit.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

I liked XP. Never had any issues with it and things mostly made sense

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

No, it was a bit crappy before, then got pretty good, but then went to shit.

Even the solitaire game in Windows now needs an Xbox account, shows an ad before you can play, nags you for s subscription to make ads go away and keeps sending notifications for challenges.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (5 children)

3.11 was pretty good. After that it's been a mixed bag. A bag of shit, but mixed.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

The moment they removed hotdog theme was the moment it started to fail

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

I remember having a bit of fun playing things like Stunt Car Racer on MS-DOS back in the early 90s for a few days. Yeah, that's about it. That's the best I can do even when I'm trying to be charitable. As soon as I owned my first computer (late 90s) I bought a Linux magazine, installed a distro from a cover CD-ROM, and never looked back.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Windows 2000 wasn't bad.

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