Technology

this isn’t about the age of the OS, it’s the age of the device. I can install linux on a device from 20 years ago if not more.

They didn't say you could not do version upgrade...

yeah but you don't pay 150euros for it + all the ads and stuffs

but yeah, I don't see the point of this, it's clearly aimed at Microsoft, and at this point alternative solutions exist

Then you can have a company that acquires the original failed company and provides “support” in the form of one bugfix per year.

All of these solutions are gamable except for requiring that the solution be open source from the get-go.

I'd add the hardware drivers must be open sourced at the end of support as well, and no drm, patent, reverse engineering legal protections for a out of support Device/chipset

Fuck it. Force them from release date. There's no reason for them to dictate what you can and cannot run on the hardware you purchase. If they can't compete by providing a better OS or software, and must rely on anti-competitive models to profit, then they don't deserve to waste the planets resources.

Abandonware must be open sourced, publishing a new version doesn't count as a exception.

This would almost certainly rule out Linux as an option. What Linux vendor feels comfortable committing to something, anything, for 15 years?

That is way more sensible, than the other way around.

Linux and all its flavors?

What’s wrong with libreoffice or anyoffice? For a large percentage of users, Linux is fine, especially as many applications have an online option. For the stuff I do, in Linux, online Office is more than sufficient.

An org I work with provides me with a 365 license, but I I’m more comfortable in Libreoffice.

Office is used bythe majority, but majority doesn’t mean they are right, they are simply more.

Instagram has existed for 14 years and 11 months. I think you might be pushing it on the not 15 years.

But more importantly though, Windows XP was supported for 18 years…

So it’s not like it can’t be done.

"Microsoft's decision to end support for Windows 10 could make 400 million computers obsolete

This is more stupid, and I absolutely agree with the article it shouldn't be legal to end support of an OS this quickly, mind you this is not update to a new OS, like is common on phones, but mostly security updates for the OS you purchased with the device.
I absolutely think 10 years should be a minimum, but for PC, I can easily see an argument for 15 years, as many systems are purpose built, and should keep working even if an OS is discontinued.

A similar argument can be made for phones, but maybe that should just be 10 or maybe even just 5 years, which very few phones have. My vote is on 10 years, because what some companies have been doing for a long time, only supporting security updates for 3 years is not acceptable IMO. If the phone is free to install custom ROM unhindered, I would be more understanding, but phones are generally locked, potentially rendering them worthless if updates are not available.

Windows used to support really old hardware, I believe more than 15 years old until they introduced the new requirements for particular CPU models and TPM 2.0 chips. If anything, I feel that 15 years is too short. iPads and Hadoop have nothing to do with PC hardware.

My ThinkPad x230 will soon turn 13 (since it was manufactured, I picked it up second hand from a business that went bankrupt). It’s still alive and kicking, just not with Windows. The hardware is dated, but for what I do it’s good enough. I only replaced the battery and the screen. I don’t care for instagram or any of that crap, this machine chugged along for 13 years, it will chug at least for another 5. Don’t let hardware manufacturers normalize dunking perfectly capable good hardware into a landfill because it hurts their profits. If you need any further proof just look into the old Apple hardware modding and some of the stuff they pulled off.

15 years is a massive time to just update your OS.

The last version of Windows 10 (22H2) is nothing like the RTM release from 2015 (1507). 1507 still has Cortana and their failed "Continuum" concept.

Essentially we are asking Microsoft to support Windows 10 22H2 for another ~5 years, which is reasonable considering 22H2 is a just under 3 years old.

that's what the greatest technician that's ever lived does.

Don't manufacturers purposefuly destroy the computers and such just to ensure that doesn't happen?

would this not be a good idea for a start up company that recycle computer parts?

I really don't think so. Computer recycling already seems to be a low profit business, as evidenced by there not being any large companies that do it (that I'm aware of). This number of computers flooding the market would probably make it even less profitable. Sure, it may be profitable for some small businesses, but nothing on the scale required to address the problem.

Would Linux even count since it’s foss?

I think it would need to be a commercial product like Red Hat or preinstalled OS by the company that sell the computer.
With a FOSS distribution that is made freely available without charge, that people download and install themselves, people are probably themselves responsible for their choice of OS.