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Comment by criddell | Hacker News Reader

Windows isn't worsening in every regard. Some people don't like the telemetry so for them, that's a major privacy strike.

But the typical person taking home a new laptop from Best Buy doesn't care about installation. UX is the same as it has been for a while now - click on an icon and the application will start. Things like printers and scanners pretty much just work now.

The main market for Windows these days is corporate users and gamers and Microsoft is still doing a pretty good job of serving both of those markets.

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I would have to disagree. Since Windows 11 rolled out, calls from family have increased. This is not the usual "where is my printer", but basic stuff: "where are my files", "why can't i find the backup drive", "where is my computer", followed by "why do they change stuff".

Microsoft seems to insist on alienating a whole generation of computer users. I expect that this next Christmas I'll be doing a lot of Vista or 7 installations.

You would go back to an old vulnerability infested OS that nobody builds for anymore instead of dealing with a UI change every few years? I have elderly parents on windows 11 and they've been fine, as long as the browser works, outlook loads, and they can scan and print (and tbh a Chromebook may be even better for non techy folks)

> You would go back to an old vulnerability infested OS that nobody builds for anymore instead of dealing with a UI change every few years?

Not OP, but yes. I'd rather my computer be old and vulnerable than hostile.

> and tbh a Chromebook may be even better for non techy folks

well there you go.

>Windows isn't worsening in every regard.

It feels like it is. I was watching my wife use Outlook the other day and was appalled by how slow it is. The last time I used it it was fine on 2000 era hardware, now it barely runs on 2025 hardware. It seems Microsoft has forgotten how to write good software.

I run Windows 11 unofficially on hardware from 2014, it was relatively high-end but it runs just fine (in fact it feels snappier than some modern systems).

If you try to run the latest OS on dirt cheap hardware, it's going to run bad no matter what. Macs are not immune to this, in fact they are much more susceptible to it.

I should have been clearer, I meant Office 2000 on 2000 era hardware. ie after 25 years of progress everything from MS feels worse.

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