Keep it updated.

If you’re using Windows 11, either your privacy is less important than your convenience, or your threat model doesn’t include Windows telemetry (which honestly can be tamed for the most part). I do have some concerns about Windows, but I’m a Mac user, so I only use Windows at work. Where I feel like I’m losing a battle trying to get others to not tell Copilot anything that isn’t public information (i.e. they don’t realise that talking to the computer may not be private) and hardening it — any time I sit at a computer, I tend to go in and “fix” the settings… and I’m not even the IT guy. The IT guy doesn’t care, but he’s not a total loss. I told him I want Firefox (it’s not in the image by default), he asks why, I say I know how to harden it. Mostly that’s turn off telemetry and install uBlock Origin, but there are a couple other things too. Stuff that doesn’t work in Edge and Chrome (which oddly, IS included in the image). So yeah, as a Mac user and a privacy guy, I’m good with Windows 11 and my relationship with it. Keep it updated.

But we are in a privacy comm, so obviously know your threat level and know how to harden the software you use. It’s not as easy as “just use Linux.” The person who can’t harden a Windows installation shouldn’t just be thrown to Linux, and I don’t even mean Arch. Even if they just use Ubuntu or Mint. People should learn to secure the software they have. Moving to Linux is a great recommendation for someone who can harden Windows but it’s not enough for them. Someone like me — I would be using Linux now if my computers didn’t die. Laptop died, I made a great choice by getting a MacBook. Love it. M2 Air, 16GB RAM. Best laptop ever, obviously not counting the newer models (or the MacBook Pro). So when my desktop died, I was quickly becoming an intermediate Mac user. Sometimes I regret not getting a cheap PC, throwing Linux on it, and gaming via Proton. Linux gaming is kind of awesome now? Still tempted to get an older/new-ish office PC that got stuck on Windows 10, one without a hard drive, put a SATA SSD in it and run Linux. Get a dock for my desk and run all the peripherals to it, then run it to my Mac (M2 Pro, also 16GB RAM) and be able to hot-swap it to the Linux desktop. I dunno, computers are fun to fuck around with, I just don’t really have the room (or the money). And Mac is fine (like Firefox, it has telemetry stuff), but I could be a Linux user. I just chose easy this time. But my privacy threat level doesn’t require me to not use Apple products. If yours does, you’re probably already running Linux, and more power to ya. It’s just about knowing your threat level and skill and working within that.