Microsoft needs to sell its software (including OS) and they’ve always done so through manufacturers.

The average user, in their mind, doesn’t care about/want/have a choice for Windows, they just went to a shop to buy a computer, Windows was just on it. So for Microsoft, a public company who’s graphs need to keep going up forever, “increasing revenue from Windows” equates to “making people buy more computers” - this, in my opinion, is why they went down the TPM route (which consumers didn’t care about), and now, the “Copilot compatible” PC (whixh users don’t care about) routes. For the shareholders, you need a new computer, not an update to your existing one.

So this is where it gets interesting - a catch 22 for Microsoft - the average user doesn’t want a new computer (the internet works fine right), but Microsoft need their graphs to go up and they don’t want to work for free… BUT they can’t afford to have “Windows” become synonymous with “viruses” again (they bothered to make Windows defender for free for this reason), so if people don’t pay up, there could be millions of virus ridden computers and everyone will look for a new laptop “but not windows again” because of the viruses…

Mac instead? Maybe, but most laptops are sold for €300, not €1000+…

Current known, “safe consumer choice” brands (OEMs) and big box retailers are and will continue to be influenced/controlled/blackmailed by Microsoft’s license pricing and legal teams to maintain the status quo on the shelves and we’ll see what plays out.

This subscription talk then is big news, not just because of the controversy surround subscriptions generally, but because this could change the shape of supply and demand in the PC market significantly.

As always there won’t be one answer for everyone, but these are some ways it could play out.

• Microsoft forgets the idea
• Microsoft offers a free version supported by ads
• Consumers pay up, even if it takes a generation
• Consumers move to Apple
• Major PC manufacturers and retailers spite Microsoft terms, and offer alternative OS’s
• Smaller/new PC manufacturers rise, and offer alternative OS’s

Will people pay up? Will Chromebooks take over?

Or…

(Removes sunglasses)

…will 2025 be the year of the Linux desktop?

For the UK alone:

In 2022, they found more than 40 tonnes of lithium from single-use vapes was discarded, which is the same amount used to power 5,000 electric vehicles.

Source

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Kinda cool though tbf. Wrappable tech would be an awesome next step, like a watch that’s all screen that you can completely wrap around your wrist.

Author: “write me a 4000 word article on why microplastics are bad

ChatGPT: generates 4000 words of text explaining what micro means, what plastic means, and paraphrasing the “controversy” section of the Wikipedia page on microplastics

Reader: “Summarise this article”

GhatGPT: “Microplastics are bad”

PHP should stand for “Pre Hypertext Processor”.

Instead of being a recursive acronym for “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor”.

Russia releases the compromat

Indeed.

When popular “real artists” release songs, they usually won’t have written the lyrics or the music, leaving just the vocals, which they will auto tune and possibly even mime in future performances.

A producer will then use powerful software to mix and refine everything.

So really the question to me is not about “is there anything impure in this art?” It’s “where is the line?”.

How does the image scanning compare to docker scout? (Or whatever the docket desktop one is called).

Controversial but I was surprised at how well trump did for himself.

He managed to dial down the lies and rhetoric from “how stupid does he think the audience is” to “obviously bullshit”.

Well done to Harris of course, in particular for calling his playbook tactics out at the start, then repeatedly calling out the lies and dog whistling each time - the way to beat a manipulating bully is to shine a light on their behaviour plainly in public and she nailed it.

Bonus points to Harris as well for laughing at him whilst maintaining class.

Outsmarted. Technically a board game but with an app.

It’s actually not the gimmick I thought it would be! Cast that bad boy to the tv and you’ve got a game show in the family room!

For those also wondering (and I’m quoting a comment on Ars so may stand corrected…):

Isn’t this a violation of the Geneva Conventions?

Only if used to deliberately target infantry. The videoed operations so far seem to have been intended to burn away protective cover (trees/brush), which is a permitted use even if there’s a risk of inflicting casualties as a side effect of the application of incendiaries.

Double upvote

Super interesting!

I wonder how far this could go in time.

Thank you!

Looking at the form, EU citizens living abroad apparently cannot sign either.

Agree they’ve being easing their way in for a while. My point was specifically about advertising within the content itself which would be a new line crossed.

Edit: actually yes they did do this with Apple News didn’t they! (Which is why I stopped paying for it).

Content advertising isn’t “on brand” for Apple, so this would be a bold move.

They go into a massive Lego box then whenever someone in the office needs a brick they trawl through the box with both hands to find the exact piece they need.

As is tradition.

The only thing holding me back from switching to Linux is gaming.

Nowadays you can run windows games with proton just as well if not better than on windows.

I’m thinking about tying Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is garbage and canonical are pure evil for everything they’ve done. Snaps? Garbage you need flatpaks/debs/app images.

Bro it’s easy just avoid any distro with systemd and gnome/goblin/plasma that’s why I use Trilby. It’s a molecular version of Susan.

I installed Linux mint for my Granma if she can use it anyone can. Though personally I use arch btw.

(I actually do use Linux, for anyone curious a bastardisation of Ubuntu + KDE wrangled to work on a MacBook that Apple are ditching support for… , btw)

I’m so glad you posted this - my integrated fridge door has dropped slightly after being taken off and put back on when installed. Can’t really screw back into mdf/chipboard/whatever and I’ve been stressing about getting it fixed for months because whilst it’ll get worse over time, it technically works and no doubt the fitter would say I need to take the whole thing out and replace the side panel.

Thank you!