Element is a good alternative, OpenSource and federated

A Trump photo in front of the cam.

I am very far from being a child ( I’m over 70 and I probably have grandchildren of your age) and I know very well what is expected of the operating systems. What is childish is consider a system better than others, forgetting that this is always dependent on the opinions and needs of the individual.

I have used both, Windows as well as different distros of Linux, and I know very well the advantages and limitations of both. You forget that many corporate applications and professional ones (games apart) do only exist for Windows, with alternatives poor in Linux or just work poorly with Wine or in virtual environment.

Linux certainly has many advantages over Windows, but it has a big problem of a huge amount of different distros, not always compatible with each other, being apart (still) in general a minority system, with little presence in the market, and also a presence of less the availability of software, far from the amplitude of catalogues for Windows, even in respect of FOSS and FLOSS. Linux has advantages in field-specific uses, Windows, apart from its defects, is in the global scope. It’s very easy to say “use Linux” (Qu’ils mangent de la brioche) to someone who needs to use Windows for some reasons, instead of the way to get rid of the problems which he has with it.

But keep saying that the registry is of no importance, and with the following phrase that Windows stops working when something wrong is deactivated or deleted in one of the entries, just what I said before, this is childish and shows your “great knowledge” about how Windows works.

Cheers

Agree, it’s not recommended to edit the registry when you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, less in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, it’s very easy to have to re-install the OS because of an total crash.

The hellzerg Optimizer is FOSS and well known since years, do not confuse with proprietary tools, like those from IObit or Ashampoo, these are certainly not recommended. Anyway, also with the default Windows GodMode you can do a lot, also with the Regedit, if you know well what you do (somewhat risky)

It isn’t, I use currently W11 24H2 with less than 0,9GB on disk, no unwanted nettraffic shown in Portmaster. Full BOOT in less than 5 seconds and snappy responses. No problems with it, no unwanted apps in the updates or other issues. This certainly wasn’t the case as default in my new laptop. Well “un-microsofted” Windows, not even with it’s original UI.

Yes, as said, the problem isn’t the OS as is, it’s all the crap, spy- and bloatware which M$ put in it.

Yes, you can modify your property to your like, Windows needs your consents, not the other way arrount.

There are no need of subscriptions in Portmaster, it’s FOSS. Well, the subscription is only if you want to use additional also the inbuild SPN service (optional service), which need an paid subscription like any good VPN (server cost money). I Prefer to use Portmaster over Pi-Hole, because Portmaster permits per app settings, Pi-Hole don’tm apart is way easier to setup, with already a good default settings, its almost download it, run install and peace. Then maybe open it, browse your listed apps and block their traffic if needed with an click.

I use Portmaster, there go nothing in or out without my permissions.

Well, there are several methodes, WinX is one of the options and naturally can’t be OpenSource, because Windows isn’t, even not in this debloated version. As you said, there are several FOSS tools to do it, maybe the best is the hellzerg Optimizer, very capable to eliminate the bad Windows habits and apart improving the system-

Windows as is, is a valid, fast and private OS. The lack is that it is by default a bundleware, full of telemetries, spyware, services which nobody needs, trials and other crap “to improve the user experience”. All this can be gutted by an advanced user. The alternastive for those which need use Windows, is to install one of the WindowsX series, an independent modification and optimization, without all these M$ crap.

Watching YT works fine on desktop in the SMplayer or searching the Video with Andisearch and watch it there in the search result, sandboxed with random proxy.

Make America great again

The TOR network is certainly pretty secure, but it’s always advisible to use it in the Onion not without an additional layer, at least with a good VPN. Anyway I think that the future is in a descentralized web (I2P, Hyphanet, Snowflake, Shadowsocks and similar), the normal Internet is to heavy controlled by big companies and govs.

Don’t confuse TOR with security, you can get exposed to use the Onion without an additional encrytion layer or VPN. TOR cannot encrypt the traffic between an exit relay and the destination server.

More exactly by Defense and secret services

no-knowledge means that they only can share the encrypted data (AES 256), they don’t know the content and can’t share it, even with an court order. Only the user itself can do it the company only can give an 🤷‍♂️🖕

Filen offers 10GB for free, encrypted, no-knowledge, OpenSource, made in the EU

Yes, in an dictatorship where the gov have always access to your data and activity, but in the EU they need for it an court order to access the data from an individual. Meanwhile US companies like Google, are even reading your mail.

It is a big difference to confuse the lack of privacy when an gov can access userdata in the case of an court order with the lack of privacy when private companies can spread and sell userdata. The difference is the right of the user to access and delete his data, which exists by law in the EU, but not in the USA. The EU is far from perfect, but lightyears better in questions of privacy

Microsoft US

Microsoft EU

The first and best measures are not only privacy apps, but a good security education, explaining well the risks and a correct use of the mobile. The biggest segurity hole is ignorance. You can’t avoid with apps the missuse of the Phone by an teen with nonsense in the head. Establishing a strict Kiosk mode on the mobile is not the right way. A localisation app is of course a good idea, also InviZible Pro with permanent enabled DNScrypt is a good protection

The first I remember is Odysee, Vimeo es often used by the Vivaldi blog.

Every OS nowadays need a good DNS server and better DNScrypt above. An app to control the traffic, like Portmaster or Pi-Hole is also recommended, irrelevant in which OS. Most activity of everyone is online and there is important to protect the privacy, because there is the biggest privacy hole, not in the OS but PEBCAC

I use PC before MS DOS times and I also used several Linux distros in the past, last Kubuntu and Mint, always in dual boot. But I never saw big advantages above a gutted Windows, but problems with a lot of apps which I needed. Currently I’m on a heavy cleaned W11 which works fast, stable and exactly how I want 100%, why because of this I have to change it, installing another OS? There are no practical reasons for it.

That is the point, but Linux, as said above isn’t for everyone an option.

Comments in the web:

**Linux faces several key challenges that limit its broader adoption and effectiveness: **

1. Software Compatibility Major commercial applications like Adobe Creative Suite and industry-standard business software often don’t run natively on Linux^[1]. While alternatives exist, they frequently lack feature parity or full compatibility with industry file formats.

2. Hardware Support Complexity Device drivers and hardware compatibility remain inconsistent. According to ZDNET, even basic tasks like printer setup can require manual configuration^[2]. Multiple competing package formats (deb, rpm, flatpak, snap) create confusion for software installation^[3].

3. Fragmented Development Focus The Linux ecosystem suffers from too many competing distributions and desktop environments. As MIT researcher Jonathan Birge notes, “It’s downright laughable that an OS with single digit market share would further dilute its market share by having two competing desktops”^[4].

4. Learning Curve Despite improvements in user-friendly distributions like Ubuntu, Linux still requires more technical knowledge than Windows or macOS for many tasks^[1:1]. The command line remains necessary for certain operations, intimidating new users.

*(With this point I am not in total agreement, Windows with its plug & play and intuitive UI only SEEMS more simple, but to remove the bad habits, bloatware, telemetrias and other crap, are required a more advanced user to get it, entering quickly into Comanche territory. I think that Windows need a more advanced user as modern Linux distros) * 5. Support Structure Unlike commercial operating systems, Linux lacks centralized support. Users must rely on community forums and documentation that can be overwhelming for beginners^[3:1]. Enterprise-level support often requires expensive consulting contracts.

6. Market Share Impact With desktop market share around 3%, many software vendors can’t justify developing and maintaining Linux versions of their applications^[4:1]. This creates a negative feedback loop - fewer applications lead to fewer users, which leads to less software development.

Summary: the best OS is allways the one which best fits the individual needs, a perfect OS for everyone don’t exist. Every OS has its drawbacks, certainly Windows the most, but at least it’s possible to fix.

Yes, dual boot is an option, but for certain things user need to use Windows. But you can make Windows a valid, fast and private OS, not so easy but possible. Telemetries re a minor problem and easy to avoid not needed. My W11 instalation has less than 1 GB and there is nothing working in the background which I don’t want. Certainly I don’t use any of the default Windows apps, nor the infame powersHell. Only the Defender and security updates.

InviZible Pro is a good option. Download from F-Droid

How do you want to read this Brick above without bleeding eyes?

Andi Summary:

How to Upgrade to Windows 11 While Maintaining Privacy and Control

Before You Start

1. Back up all important files to an external drive or cloud storage
2. Verify system compatibility using Microsoft’s PC Health Check app
3. Disable third-party antivirus software temporarily to prevent installation conflicts

Most Efficient Method

1. Download the Windows 11 ISO file directly from Microsoft’s website
2. Mount the ISO by right-clicking and selecting “Mount”
3. Run setup.exe as administrator from the mounted drive
4. During installation, select “Keep personal files and apps” for fastest transition

Privacy-Focused Settings

1. During initial setup, decline optional data collection and analytics
2. Skip the “complete installation” prompts for Edge browser and OneDrive backup
3. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security after installation to disable unwanted tracking features

Maintain Control

1. Move the Start menu back to the left: Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors
2. Restore classic context menus and file explorer views for better efficiency
3. Set up default apps through Settings > Apps > Default apps to avoid Microsoft’s preferred applications

Recovery Options

• Within 10 days of upgrading, you can roll back to Windows 10 through Settings > System > Recovery
• Keep your Windows 10 backup for 30 days until you’re comfortable with Windows 11

Sources:

• PCWorld - How to upgrade to Windows 11: Every option explained
• Prajwal Desai - Best Guide to Upgrade to Windows 11
• PCWorld - How to update from Windows 10 to Windows 11

_________________________________________________________________________________________________–

I’ll add also WindHawk, which is imperative in W11

The problem is privacythis don’t change if the AI uses sources from big bompany - Google GPTs. I tested several free AIs from Hugging face, Futurepedia and Futuretools, and since over two years I use Andi as main search, I didn’t find anything better. It use an own LLM, because Andi was the first AI search ever, former LazyWeb, long before the others released AI searches.

Yes, you can use an locally hosted LLM, but these never can be so powerfull as an AI with a lot of servers supporting. We have to difference it, between mere Chatbots, relying on its own database, often outdated and with the tendece to invent answers, and AI supported search engines, like Andi, You, DDG AI and others, which retrieve informations in realtime from the Web. But there is important that these are capable to difference trustworth sources from those which are not. Andi does a very good job here, because compare informations from several sites for the answer.

Use Andisearch, there are zero privacy concerns and it’s apart the most accurate (independent Benchmark)

But it’s always better to seem less suspicious possible

Wearing an red MAGA hat

Andisearch admitts, among other commands, also !bangs

https://andisearch.com/help/

Andi is 100% free and anonymous, no logs, no ads, no tracking, random proxie, sandboxed results.

Yes, this was the the sense of FOSS in origen, buy not since big US companies, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, META, etc., appropriated FOSS, offering most of their products, even implementing their FOSS APIs in others (see Mozilla). Google with its Google Code and Experiments, Microsoft in Github…this is dominance and FOSS gives them a cheap method in achieving it. I speak of independence of the US market, outside its influences, especially these globalplayers. This is why it is necessary to promote EU products, preferable FOSS, yes, but even if not, it is way better in privacy and user rights, by law, non existent in US products. I am already bored of seeing in FOSS, which requires an account, the poster “Log in with Google”. The time of My little Pony under the FOSS rainbow has gone since time, now it is Google and the US which control 80% of the web and with this hegemony it is urgent to end.

It’s good to name OpenSource alternatives, but currently it’s more important to push generally EU products and services. The EU need to get independent as much as possible from the US IT hegemony. There are published several webs with EU alternatives, eg. this one from Portugal

https://www.escolho.eu/digital/

No issues in Vivaldi (it’s a ungoogled Chromium)

In this case the only alternative is to use Vivaldi instead of FF forks, it has an own EE2E no knowledge sync in all devices.

Searching the Video with Andi and watching it in the search result, anonym, sandboxed and random proxie, without ads.

https://i.vgy.me/is6tEG.png