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Google enables OS upgrades for older PCs post-Windows 10 support cutoff
Reuters ^ | 02 14 2024 | Staff

Posted on 02/16/2024 8:17:19 AM PST by yesthatjallen

Google will allow businesses to install an auto-updating version of the Chrome operating system to Windows devices, potentially preventing millions of PCs from hitting landfills after Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab ends support for Windows 10 next year, parent company Alphabet (GOOGL.O), opens new tab said on Wednesday.

The company said ChromeOS Flex will continue receiving regular security updates and features like data encryption, allowing users to keep using their Windows 10 systems.

Microsoft has said that its Windows 10 will reach the end of support on Oct. 14 2025, and will no longer provide regular security updates, bug fixes, or technical support. It has asked customers to transition to Windows 11 or explore other options.

However, a report from Canalys Research suggests that the termination of Windows 10 support could send about 240 million PCs to landfills, as demand for devices without security updates could be low.

Still, many PCs with Windows 10 could remain functional for years after the end of OS support.

ChromeOS is significantly less popular than other operating systems. In January 2024, it held a 1.8% share of the worldwide desktop OS market, far behind Windows' share of about 73%, according to data from research firm Statcounter.

ChromeOS has struggled with wider adaptability due to its incompatibility with legacy Windows applications and productivity suites used by businesses.

SNIP

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: google; microsoft; os; windows10; windowspinglist
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To: yesthatjallen; Abby4116; afraidfortherepublic; aft_lizard; AF_Blue; AppyPappy; arnoldc1; ...
Windows 11 Google ChromeOS ... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: just search on keyword "windowspinglist".

21 posted on 02/16/2024 10:26:47 AM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: z3n

Yup! They’ll clean up in the unwary fools who install that crap.


22 posted on 02/16/2024 10:26:58 AM PST by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
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To: MikelTackNailer; dayglored
With regard to installing ChromeOS: I've used it, it's cool, it's functional, and can do a lot of useful things.

But beware: ChromeOS is NOT Windows and is incompatible with most Windows programs

Replacing Windows 10 with ChromeOS is an "upgrade" of sorts, but it's not like you're getting Windows 10 "extended support". If you want that past the EOL date, you probably have to be a big company with a Windows Volume License, and you have to fork over some pretty big cash to Microsoft.

23 posted on 02/16/2024 10:31:45 AM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: crazycat
"Put a Linux o/s on ‘em ....

ChromeOS is Linux. Or at least Linux-based. There's been so much inbreeding between the UNIX variants that they've created the umbrella term "UNIX-like" to cover them all.

24 posted on 02/16/2024 10:32:36 AM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: Jeff Chandler
> Windows 10 pre-installed and do NOT want 11
Your choices are:
1.) Run W10 without security updates
2.) Upgrade to W11
3.) Replace W10 with another OS

Strictly speaking, there's one more: You can try to negotiate with Microsoft for extended support past EOL, but you have to have some serious pull (big company, volume licensing, pallets of cash,...).

25 posted on 02/16/2024 10:34:14 AM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: yesthatjallen
G**gle is the largest and most pervasive censor and manipulator of information that has ever existed ...






... at least on this planet.



It exists solely to invade your privacy and manipulate your thought processes. If you use any G**gle product (without first making some technically-astute modifications), you're as much as begging for a proctological exam every time you fire up a PC or handheld digital device.

26 posted on 02/16/2024 10:50:52 AM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: yesthatjallen
I just had to transition off my old Outlook 2013 email app because that's now out of support (and suddenly started throwing authentication errors like magic!) - so the only thing I really need Microsoft for is a few legacy games. The main workstation is now 12 years old and there's nothing wrong with the hardware except that Win 11 won't run on it. The article estimates 240 million workstations that will be hitting the landfills but I strongly suspect it's a lot more than that, and it won't be landfills at all, it'll be a market share just waiting for someone to fill. If new hardware is inevitable, I'm sure Apple is watching this one very carefully.

This old machine will make one heck of a Linux box, which conversion will take all of about an hour, Lord knows I've done that a few dozen times. And the games will run fine on a standalone or a virtual box. It's not even as painful as it used to be. Microsoft wants a divorce, I won't contest.

27 posted on 02/16/2024 10:54:16 AM PST by Billthedrill
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To: dayglored

I read about that but appreciate the heads up. I was doing well with Linux Mint on the old machine (2011 is computer old) and this new one is a $1200 screamer from Amazon marked down to $260.

So I’ll probably shuffle partition and go Penguin again, retaining Windows for off-line use like games and snobbish applications.


28 posted on 02/16/2024 10:59:27 AM PST by MikelTackNailer (We can never stop failing for the minute we do, we fail.)
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To: yesthatjallen

Neither Mint nor Unbuntu will feed most of your metadata back to Google’s servers...

Just sayin’...

CentOS used to be in that category as well... :-(


29 posted on 02/16/2024 11:03:25 AM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: MikelTackNailer
> ...I’ll probably shuffle partition and go Penguin again, retaining Windows for off-line use...

Yep that's the ticket.

I run Mac hardware and use MacOS as my on-the-metal OS, but have VMware VMs of Linux and Windows. I often have all three running simultaneously on different monitors and copy/paste between, etc.

For offline use I have Windows 7 and Windows 10 VMs. I don't intend to use Windows 11 myself; enough is enough. My job may require Win11 in the future, but they will pay me well to mess with that. :-)

30 posted on 02/16/2024 11:11:30 AM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: Dead Corpse
"Neither Mint nor Unbuntu will feed most of your metadata back to Google’s servers......"

It most certainly will if you're foolish enough to use a G**gle-branded browser (or most anything else that's G**gle-branded).

31 posted on 02/16/2024 11:18:01 AM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: Paal Gulli

Iceweasel, Brave, and Libre Office. GIMP for a photo editor...

Life is good.


32 posted on 02/16/2024 11:45:44 AM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: dayglored
Yep that's the ticket.

SNL
(who he's seen naked.)

The good ole days when SNL was funny (sigh).

That's a good setup - people here continually badmouth Apple but you get dependability and support that's not figuratively shaking you upside down to snatch up the last coins falling from your pockets.

Bad enough my pre-installed Windows 10 has an app sitting in the tray wanting me to install Win 11 - and they've got that in there so hard I'd have to fool around with the registry to remove it. So I defer and leave it be as a reminder why I don't like nor trust them.

33 posted on 02/16/2024 1:28:03 PM PST by MikelTackNailer (We can never stop failing for the minute we do, we fail.)
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To: Bayard

“Now why would a PC World article need a headline like that?”

PC World? Link is Reuters.


34 posted on 02/16/2024 2:22:09 PM PST by TexasGator
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To: yesthatjallen

Iff subject...isn’t there a Tech Group on FR? I want to see if ppl have ideas about secure “cloud” services, ie mega and sinc


35 posted on 02/16/2024 3:39:33 PM PST by goodnesswins ( We pretend to vote and they pretend to count the votes.)
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To: goodnesswins

Ask dayglored.


36 posted on 02/16/2024 7:05:44 PM PST by yesthatjallen
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To: dayglored

Off subject...isn’t there a Tech Group on FR? I want to see if ppl have ideas about secure “cloud” services, ie mega and sinc


37 posted on 02/16/2024 7:28:42 PM PST by goodnesswins ( We pretend to vote and they pretend to count the votes.)
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To: goodnesswins; ShadowAce

> Off subject...isn’t there a Tech Group on FR? I want to see if ppl have ideas about secure “cloud” services, ie mega and sinc

Contact ShadowAce who runs the Tech Ping List.


38 posted on 02/16/2024 7:39:40 PM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: goodnesswins

Follow-up. I run the Windows Ping List, so if your topic involves specifically Windows you can direct it at me as well.


39 posted on 02/16/2024 7:42:22 PM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: dayglored

Thanks


40 posted on 02/16/2024 8:51:20 PM PST by goodnesswins ( We pretend to vote and they pretend to count the votes.)
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