Good computer shops

[Judge]

There's no such thing as a "Windows computer". They're just computers. You can put almost any operating system you like on them. I haven't used Windows in over a decade.

Seems to me it's all a matter of how one configures their motherboard bios. It's true though, that Microsoft is making it difficult to achieve dual boot of Windows 11 and anything else, but it seems some have found ways around it.

On my primary computer I still run both Windows 10 and Linux Mint 20.3/21.0 using removable SSDs. But every day I seem to find new ways of not needing to load Windows at all.

 

[Outdated]

It's true though, that Microsoft is making it difficult to achieve dual boot of Windows 11 and anything else, but it seems some have found ways around it.

Use separate physical drives, and physically unplug all the other drives while you're installing Windows. Windows then thinks it has the only drive and doesn't interfere with anything. Use the bios boot menu to select which OS you want to boot.

Another reason to use desktops instead of laptops.

 

[Angular Chap]

It's true though, that Microsoft is making it difficult to achieve dual boot of Windows 11 and anything else, but it seems some have found ways around it.

People will always find ways. Some never stop finding workarounds. Some video games have taken years for the DRM to be cracked. The Sega Saturn was finally cracked 20 years after it's release. The Nintendo Switch is a good one, Nintendo wasted time and money on physical fuses that can be blown via software to try to prevent modding. It can be modded by just using a wire. The 3DS could be modded using a magnet.

 

[Judge]

People will always find ways. Some never stop finding workarounds. Some video games have taken years for the DRM to be cracked. The Sega Saturn was finally cracked 20 years after it's release. The Nintendo Switch is a good one, Nintendo wasted time and money on physical fuses that can be blown via software to try to prevent modding. It can be modded by just using a wire. The 3DS could be modded using a magnet.

Oh how I know that. On my legacy computer running Windows XP, virtually all the 20th century games I have on a removable IDE hard drive all have one thing in common. Third-party "No-CD" cracks, so I run the games directly from the hard drive rather than a cumbersome CD.

Though even then, that's hacking individual developers that don't have the clout of corporate entities like Microsoft or Google. It's why I haven't bothered to attempt to install Windows 11 to this computer. I could make it work, but there's no guarantee that Microsoft will inevitably introduce code to suddenly circumvent it. Greed and proprietary technology go hand-in-hand.

And then there's Google, who is poised to use programming to block any adblocking apps. I'm anxious to see how browser developers like "Brave" will get around that, or if Google will try to integrate their anti-adblocker into any and all browsers based on the Chrome engine. Meanwhile I suspect Firefox's numbers will grow.

I think we can count on third-party developers to always try to find workarounds, but with these mega-corporations they may not always be "ahead of the curve". Another instance of the big guys attempting to play "whack-a-mole", mostly because they can. Regardless of the cost and wasted effort. All in an endless, proprietary effort to dominate the market.

 

[Angular Chap]

I could make it work, but there's no guarantee that Microsoft will inevitably introduce code to suddenly circumvent it.

Ah yes, the old cat and mouse game.

And then there's Google, who is poised to use programming to block any adblocking apps. I'm anxious to see how browser developers like "Brave" will get around that, or if Google will try to integrate their anti-adblocker into any and all browsers based on the Chrome engine.

I'm interested to see how they respond to other methods of ad/tracker blocking, such as DNS level blocks, like with an external PiHole for example.

I've heard the term "privacy industry" used to describe developers who develop extensions, add-ons, browsers such as Brave and other tools. Of course, to me, privacy and security are the same thing.

 

[Judge]

Use separate physical drives, and physically unplug all the other drives while you're installing Windows. Windows then thinks it has the only drive and doesn't interfere with anything. Use the bios boot menu to select which OS you want to boot.

Another reason to use desktops instead of laptops.

I've been using removable/swappable drives for years. First with IDE, now with SSD.

The only issue I have right now is that I still have reiterate the boot drive in the bios for Linux Mint 21.0. Not sure what that's all about. Though if or when I finally stop using Windows, I shouldn't have any such problems in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/ICY-DOCK-Trayless-flexiDOCK-MB522SP-B/dp/B07Q711K8H/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Misery]

Of course, to me, privacy and security are the same thing.

Ya know, this reminds me of a quote I saw somewhere, on some Microsoft help forum or something.

Some guy was complaining about... something. I dont remember exactly what it was, but it was very clearly one of those Windows "features" that are kinda iffy at best.

A support rep comes on and tries to convince the guy that such thing is important because blah blah blah, I dont remember exactly what, and the guy (who clearly disagrees and was after a different type of solution) responds with "You know what, I really dont care. The only 'hacker' I worry about is Microsoft!"

That's generally how I feel about it.

 

[Outdated]

https://www.amazon.com/ICY-DOCK-Trayless-flexiDOCK-MB522SP-B/dp/B07Q711K8H/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

Where I was living up north a few people were using these:

except not for different OSs, just drives full of movies and TV series. No TV reception out there and very expensive and restrictive satellite internet connections. Also the "open to the air" design was important in the tropics, it's the only way they can dump enough heat.