I’m sure that they said Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows…?
Even more so, if you want them patched and secure, you can move to Linux. Nothing about Windows stops the hardware from working with another operating system.
Artificial obsolescence is when an Apple Device stops being patched and they put weird battery hacks in that confuse users into buying new devices.
Some of it does raise the question how much Windows 11 is an artificial compatibility break with Windows 10 (which again, is mostly brought here because this is after they once said they didn't expect to do that again) and how much they were either wrong about the service model in the early Windows 10 days versus how much they are getting paid by PC OEMs to sell new computers and "force" hardware upgrades at a "regular cadence again".
So, a Universal Audio UAD-2 DSP accelerator card now magically works on Linux along with the entire software ecosystem built on top of it? That's disingenuous to say the least.
*EDIT for posterity: I'd like to note the lack of absolutisms or personal defamations in this post (contrary to what has been described below).
I say this as a Fedora user, and people say it's never had any problems, yet Fedora 35 broke TimeShift for all users. Linux on servers? Great. Linux on desktops? Be honest with people about what the limitations are rather than talking in broad strokes. It's flakey. It's better than it used to be, but it's flakey.
Bold of you to assume I bought one or use one and to attack me for it. Speaks volumes and isn't in the spirit of the HN guidelines, but is absolutely par for the course for HN, and absolutely the typical Linux fanboy retort. By your same logic, people bought an "expensive" OS in the form of Windows 10, which is the topic of discussion.
Furthermore, "expensive" is relative. The accelerator is far cheaper than buying all the pieces of hardware it models in DSP. As tools go, it's cheap in terms of actionable value and resale value.
Linux has its place. It isn't for everybody. Stop pretending it is appropriate for the "majority" of cases when we are talking about people staying on Windows 10 for specific reasons who are likely power users with specific needs in the first place.
Shall we discuss the woeful state of compatibility of Linux with modern laptops where some but not all features work or they don't work well or they don't work consistently? I bought a ThinkPad to get a decent laptop experience with Linux. Even with that said, the dock connector doesn't work, that's a big selling point of buying a ThinkPad.
The reality is that Windows and macOS suits most people better than Linux because their software and hardware works today. Why switch to Linux and get less functionality out of your existing setup?