Microsoft no longer signs Windows drivers for Process Hacker
One of the comments from the comment thread below the linked post, it's a rant and I don't like the tone but it sums up well some of the reasons why me and a few colleagues recently decided to switch to Linux:<p>> Dave-o says:<p>> 2021-10-24 at 23:45<p>> Notice how it's now virtually impossible to disable Windows Defender nowadays? Libvirt is also having trouble getting Microsoft to cert their drivers. Etc, etc etc. Who gave them the right to limit our freedom to run what we want on our computers?<p>> Reviews about Windows 11 at formerly-credible websites like <a href="http://www.arstechnica.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.arstechnica.com</a> & <a href="http://www.thevirge.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.thevirge.com</a>, etc are so pathetic, "oh the new toolbar! But mah techichial anayasis is that there are some old dialogs still in control panel! I wants mah new eye-candys!". And their sycophantic commenters are vastly worse.<p>> Truth is, Microsoft's strategy may have been FUD in the past but now it's evolved to 'slowly tighten the noose'. The reason I liked Windows was my ability to audit it. At least someone should be able to. Now with hardware-enabled DRM secure envelopes & encrypted memory regions, that is becoming impossible. Which is exactly their plan.<p>> Because, you see, Microsoft wants to become like Apple: "We respect your privacy; your secrets are between just you and us." Do you trust there's no and will be no future Microsoft-only back-doors in the Windows Firewall? Really?<p>> Who actually owns your machine? Can you actually stop your iPhone from updating? Nope. In the past I tried and their upgrade permanently broke some CAD apps I heavily relied on. And there's no way back, baby. The content I created? <i>poof</i><p>> It used to be more a Facebook / Google thing. Post on social, they have a permanent free license to use your content and treat it however they like. All corporations are liable to their shareholders if they don't maximize profits. Why are these guys so insanely profitable? What do they actually create? They're all just leaches on our data.<p>> SO, either get used to the 'brave' new world: mega-corporation$ & the government own your most intimate personal information and control the devices you rely on. Or switch to linux and at least have a prayer of someone keeping the software you rely on honest by auditing it. Just someone having the ability to see what's going on inside that secure-enclave hiding in your computer is enough of a threat to keep them honest.<p>> These days, most folks live in their browser. Maybe play some games. Install Kubuntu and run firefox and most Windows users will barely be able to tell the difference. Getting Windows running inside a QEMU virtual machine isn't really that difficult. At least that way you have a way of firewalling Windows that's outside of Microsoft's control. It's a bit more tricky for mom but is becoming more turn-key & productized all the time.<p>> Linux Wine is coming along nicely. The day is fast approaching when Windows games will run great directly on Linux. Steam Deck will push this over the curve and it's all down-hill from there. Why prioritize targeting Windows when Linux becomes a large market? Multi-platform is kinda ugly but it's a thing. All other things being equal (usability, compatibility, etc) consumers will always opt for more privacy and control. And this is the way out of this privacy & control mess.<p>> With IPFS and distributed platform tech so close, the new future will be the public ridding themselves of these menaces both for social and their personal devices. At least I hope so.<p>> /rant