Microsoft is releasing a big Windows 11 update on September 26. Update 23H2 includes the new AI-powered Windows Copilot feature, a native RAR app, a new volume mixer and a lot more.

  • Pyrrhichios@feddit.uk
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    1 year ago

    Gonna get downvoted to crap for this, but what the hell - hi, it’s me, I’m that one guy who actually loves Windows a little more with every release. I’m continually surprised by the good stuff that’s baked into the OS now (e.g. Much better multi-monitor support) and how the real power users can do a whole load more besides with Powertoys (key remapping!) - It’s really encouraging to see that I need fewer and fewer specialist programs to get Windows to work just how I want.

    I’m not wildly sold on AI being baked into the OS, but what the heck - Microsoft have earned their goodwill from me in recent years. I’ll play around with it with interest.

    • UnknownQuantity@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I was like you until windows 10. I opted out of that. It just felt like losing control over my computer. Windows 11 even more so.

    • Heavybell@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’ll be very surprised if AI is actually “baked into” the OS. A client to their cloud AI will be baked in, but that’s not the same thing IMO.

      (btw powertoys is great, multimonitor support is great too, if they finally fix the task bar I might finally go to Win11)

      • Sabata11792@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        A client to their cloud AI will be baked in

        That would instantly kill the feature for me. Hope its easy to remove but I know how shitty MS is about getting that data.

      • XLRV@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        You could use things like StartAllBack to bring back the “classic” taskbar and start menu (Windows 7 style) There’s Open Shell and Start 11 too, I don’t use them but they’re good afaik.

        • Heavybell@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I use Start 10. It’s good, and I’ve tried Start 11 on a Win 11 VM, but while it sort of lets you ungroup the taskbar it wasn’t a great experience. I want MS to do it for real.

          • XLRV@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            Well StartAllBack brings back the Windows 7 style taskbar with all of its functions, Microsoft may add some functionalities but don’t expect them to do it quickly or at all.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        I was dealing with this yesterday it’s so stupid.

        When I press the screenshot button on my keyboard it should only screenshot the display that the cursor is currently on. There is absolutely no reason that it should screenshot the entire display.

    • PlexSheep@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      Tl;Dr I hate hate hate windows, but 11 is better than 10 (feature wise) and works good for being windows.

      When using windows (at work and only at work), I hate it every day. I actively think “I hate windows”. Sometimes multiple times per day. It’s not objective at all (even through there are good, objective reasons to hate windows).

      BUT: Upgrading from windows 10 to windows 11 is an improvement (If you ignore all spyware and corporate crap shenanigans). Windows became a little less ugly and does some things that you would previously have to hack into it.

      Windows terminal is usable, at least compared to other windows terminals. Don’t get me wrong, it sucks, but it sucks less than many other things. Powertoys is band aid, but that band aid is still pretty useless.

      That new AI crap ware is just garbage that is forced on users. I don’t want their crappy “AI” that (in my opinion) highly violates open source licenses (the GPL at least). And I don’t get why they do that too, most people don’t even code, why would they need that copilot crap ware?

      Luckily, I might have the option to ditch windows and install a proper OS, only with the cost of being my own IT department.

      Honest question: What about the Monitor improvements? Haven’t noticed anything.

      • Pyrrhichios@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        I used to have DisplayFusion to customise just how I liked, so I don’t know exactly when a lot of this stuff changed - could even have been Windows 10 - but things like support for different backgrounds on each monitor, ability to indicate the relative heights your monitors are set at so the mouse flows smoothly between them (useful if you have a proper screen and a laptop one for example), mouse will scroll the window where the cursor is currently located rather than the active window as default, easier snap layouts to simulate a dual monitor setup on one…generally it just works exactly how I would expect out of the box.

    • Hadriscus@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I wouldn’t be surprised to learn you haven’t tried anything else

    • Ephur@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’ve been using Linux in various ways since the mid 90s, work has dictated OSX to me for the last decade or so, and I still choose windows as my desktop OS. I use copilot, and it’s great for development, but also great for generating text in a lot of ways. I miss it in my browser when I go to put in a pull request, and I miss it sometimes when explaining blocks of code or giving someone else an outline of how to do something. It doesn’t really lower my need to understand things, but it just speeds up the most mundane parts of the job. If ‘having it in the OS’ means it could fill in those bits, I’d wish even more I could use windows for work.

      It’s great as a dev platform with WSL2 a great experience, VS codes built in remote server, native first class hypervisor support (with competent virtual networking). I know IT admins still hate it, and I’m sure a lot of the things that don’t affect me still suck, but they are building a good user experience.

  • ScrollinMyDayAway@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Can we just ungroup the damned Taskbar already? I don’t understand why they are being so stubborn on this.

    • GibSteamCodes@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I recommend StartAllBack. Granted no third party apps should be required for such a simple feature, StartAllBack does this and more.

      • Eddie@lem.lucitt.social
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        1 year ago

        I second this. I’ve tried all of the other programs that make customization changes to the taskbar and StartAllBack feels native. I forget that I’m using a third party tool until I switch to another computer and wonder why the start menu is utter garbage.

    • Clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      That’s the number one reason I stayed on 10. I’m figuring out a swap to Linux - gaming is my only concern. Might just dual boot.

      • Binthinkin@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        This is a LOT of people currently. We all want off of this Microsoft crapfest. Luckily a lot of us bailed on Windows 11 so we won’t have to deal with this further enshittification of windows.

        Gaben had a talk about the future of Linux gaming so things are moving and windows will finally be a forgotten memory.

      • PlexSheep@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        I’m a passionate Linux User, so take it from me: Many things won’t work. Especially without figuring technical things out. Steam stuff is often okay, modding sucks, Anti-Cheat crapware will Mist probably not work at all.

        That’s just what were dealing with. Praised be all game companies with Linux Support, this and “No Tux no Bux”.

        Due to lack of this I just started tinkering with computers instead.

        • merc@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          I much prefer Linux to Windows except for a few key things.

          One key thing is hardware / driver support. It isn’t that Windows is easier to develop drivers for, it’s just that most people use it, so that’s where manufacturers put their effort. But, it is really annoying that things mostly just work under Windows, but often under Linux they don’t. Sometimes getting them to work is a matter of a quick internet search and a small patch. Other times there is no solution and you’re stuck with hardware that doesn’t fully work.

          The other key thing is game support. Again, since Windows is the default platform, games work on Windows. But, for a long time, they didn’t work at all on Linux.

          I’m really excited that Valve is changing that thanks to the Steam Deck. It could end up solving both of those problems. As more and more games work on Windows, there will be less of a reason to use Windows if you’re into PC games. If more people use Linux, there will be more of an incentive for driver manufacturers to support Linux.

      • UnknownQuantity@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        I swapped about a month ago. I’m running Ubuntu on desktop and openSuse Tumbleweed on laptop; both with KDE Plasma desktop environment, which makes the transition from windows easier. It’s a little bit of a learning curve as the names of software packages are unfamiliar to me, but I’m liking it.

        My partner who never even contemplated anything else but windows did some work on my computer and I expected questions and frustration from her, but alas she did what she needed to do and I doubt she even noticed.

        Mind you, I don’t really do gaming.

        • gnygnygny@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Even gaming is good on Linux now. Until you use the minimum softwares portfolio it’s okay. But if you are a content creator or if you need many softwares for your work it’s better to keep windows. After years of testing and trying to swap, Linux still have issues with hardware compatibility and version update (without reinstalling all the stuff) on my concern. And it will never replace windows cause the software library is too small. I am not saying that is not polish or easy it just depends what you need to do with.

    • DaCrazyJamez@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Start11 by Stardock does this and more, its not FOSS, but is cheap (if you go the legal route). There is also Winhawk, which is FOSS, though is a little less intuitive.

    • premavansmuuf@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Ungroup icon of multiple instances of one app into separate taskbar items? That’s been in insider builds for some time now. (Luckily…)

    • XTornado@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I keep hearing this complain so I guess it clearly bothers some people but personally to me it never causes any issues nor I see the benefit on ungrouping.

      • amorpheus@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        If you have multiple windows of something you can go to the one you need directly. Them always bring grouped and requiring twice as many steps instead feels like I’m being handicapped by the OS.

        • XTornado@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          Idk I guess I barely use the mouse for windows changing and that’s why doesn’t bother me. Well that and I don’t think I have that many apps with multiple windows that group, except I guess the file explorer but now it has tabs support.

    • YⓄ乙 @aussie.zone
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      1 year ago

      Lol its a trillion dollar company. They make the rules. Its Not the other way around.

        • PlexSheep@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          You. But the People that provide the OS control it. That’s the case with Free OS too.

          • tabular@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            If someone else controls it then you don’t own it - it only does what you want if the real owners says so.

            • PlexSheep@feddit.de
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              1 year ago

              I’d disagree.you can still sell it’s break it, throw it out of a window, and so on. But control is outsourced. And it has to be, because developing your own system is too impractical. It’s not a bad thing that your OS is controlled by orgs, they push updates and software we don’t even know about that makes stuff work. But it’s a bad thing when that org is scummy, like M$

              • tabular@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                I can’t make or fix a car but I choose the 3rd parties to fix my property how I want it, or if it gets fixed at all. Being able to crash my car or being able to “resell a license” (in the EU) is not enough.

  • akaifox@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    a native RAR app

    It better come with a “Trial Expired” pop-up or I am not using it

    • kersk@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Damn, this is actually kinda sad news that the OS will come with a rar app. Makes me finally want to buy a copy on WinRAR for like 15+ years of service.

  • Altima NEO@lemmy.zip
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    1 year ago

    Going off of Dave Plummer’s video, looks like copilot is kind of a wash. It has the potential to do some neat stuff on desktop, but its crappily shoehorned into the OS instead.

  • arymandias@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    I see you are trying to open the terminal, would you like me to:

    A: break your knees

    B: kill your entire family

    • TORFdot0@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      “I’m sorry but you didn’t supply a valid answer which means that you want both. I will send a contract killer to your house immediately. Would you like to leave feedback on how I did?”

    • Something Burger 🍔@jlai.lu
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      1 year ago

      Or make it open when clicking the icon instead of hiding it behind two clicks. Everytime I use Windows, I love KDE more.

      • prole@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        Same. Switched to Linux (also using KDE) a month or two ago on my personal laptop, and I’ll never go back. Using my work laptop is a daily reminder that I made the right choice.

        It feels like this is how using a PC was always supposed to be. Before the profit motive ruined it like it ruins everything.

    • Toribor@corndog.social
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      1 year ago

      “a new volume mixer” - please just be an interface change and nothing dramatic 👀

      Oof. As if the sound settings weren’t already fragmented to all hell.

    • 👁️👄👁️@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      We heard your feedback and the volume mixer is now controlled exclusively through ChatGPT! Also it’s their ChatGPT so you’re limited to like 20 commands an hour.

  • OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I actually spoke with one of the people on the team for this the other week.

    They have significant money problems. Copilot is expensive as crap to run, and this is about to make the situation 10x worse.

    (Also this feature was completely broken a few weeks ago, so I’d be surprised if it launches without a hitch)

    • prole@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      They have significant money problems.

      Who is “they” here? Microsoft?

      I think they’re doing just fine financially.

      • OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        The particular team is burning money to run Copilot, and this new feature will burn money faster. Microsoft is mega profitable and happy to do this in the short-term, but they’re banking on a better solution in the long run.

        I also specifically asked if Copilot was nerfed, and all the employee said was (paraphrasing): “Some people have run benchmarks and found it is worse than a year ago”

  • kowcop@aussie.zone
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    1 year ago

    If I look at what Windows 11 is, its features and the new features, I honestly can’t work out who Microsoft’s target market is anymore.

    With the pricing for AI, I can’t even work out which enterprises would consume it.

      • plactagonic@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        I got hands on w11 after 3 years on Linux and didn’t know what to do - it was some home edition and I couldn’t find what I want in the amount of unwanted apps.

        Btw it was fresh install.

        • Vlyn@lemmy.zip
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          1 year ago

          Most laptops are “made for Windows”, but they run Ubuntu just fine. It’s highly unlikely that wifi isn’t working out of the box nowadays.

          So the only reason not to switch would be if you have certain applications that only work on Windows.

        • GigglyBobble@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Oh, I’m stuck with Windows at work myself. It’s even more painful if you know what the user experience could be.

  • N3Cr0@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Who would even create rar archives these days, when there is 7zip?

    • ZILtoid1991@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Memesters, because WinRAR is a negware type of shareware (having an unlimited trial period), which constitutes as being “the good guy”.

    • Vanon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      People using WinRAR. “Why would people use WinRAR?” It has more features than 7zip (password, encryption, profile presets especially).

      If you’re asking why Microsoft would include it as a format for their extremely basic compression tool built into Explorer… why not, it’s one of the top three formats.

      • elephantium@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        more features than 7zip (password, encryption,

        Eh? 7zip supports these.

        profile presets

        I have to admit, I’m not familiar with this feature.

        • Vanon@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          What I mean is more options for those features. The profiles and password tools are especially clever. (Examples: Password organizer can be locked with short master password, great for quickly decrypting archives matching ANY stored password. Profiles can quickly encrypt using specific settings, including super-long saved password without entering it.)