Yes It is time for everyone to get off of everything and anything micro$oft. There's a FOSS (free open source software) alternative out there to just about any major software package. I've been on Linux for 10 years, never looked back. Let me know if you have questions, I can help.
Unfortunately IBM purchased Red Hat a little while back, but no, as of now, Linux is an open source project and is not owned by anyone. Load Linux on a separate hard disk (or USB flash drive if you have one) so you can boot back to windows if you absolutely have to.
No because your CPU has the backdoor. Doesnt matter what OS you are running.
Time to make our own silicon fabs and get to making cpus.
haha jk. There is nothing you can do to stop them from having full access to your computer. Linux or windows. Doesnt matter when its built into the hardware.
you cant overwrite a backdoor built into the hardware. Sorry but IS NOT SOFTWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, and that's been proven by the nerds (term of endearment) who figured all this stuff out. But the fact is that the hardware is still there however useless. Newer Intel chips have made the IME part of the boot process, which means patching the firmware effectively disables the chip. Unfortunate. This is a huge rabbit hole, but I encourage everyone to read up on it.
That is not necessarily true. OK, they might all work that way in practice but it is not necessarily so. For instance, even if we assume that hardware needs machine code level instructions to function those instructions could be in a regular ROM which cannot then be changed by flashing.
Also, below machine code level hardware works on microcode. That could also be in a Read Only Memory chip or even built-in. Early CPUs used to use counters and logic gates to produce the sequence of instructions required so not even a ROM would be necessary.
Then we have the Intel CPU recall from many years ago. If the chips could have been re-flashed instead of collected in and replacements issued don't you think they might have done that?
All that is before we start on the Chinese hack of Super Micro motherboards. They added extra components during the manufacturing state and they sent data back to China.
The best way I've found is to use a new/used hard drive (or SSD or USB flash drive if that's all you have) and install Linux to that. That leaves your windoze install intact in case you absolutely need to boot back to it. Copy your files over at will.
The most non invasive way to learn linux is to make a bootable USB stick, boot to that and leave your windows install and files intact. Start with Linux Mint. Word!
EDIT:- I missed BatteryBaron's comment. I concur!
I agree, linux is pretty good and very powerful. I'm running fedora just because I assume it's going to be closer to redhat which is one of the server OS's used at work. The only downside I've run into so far is lesser support for device drivers. For instance, haven't found a good device driver for my multi-function printer. Yeah, I can print to it pretty good under linux, but have yet to find a driver that will allow me to scan from it.
Also, unfortunately still have what seems like a bunch of lefties writing the software. Maybe that's inevitable. I was shocked to see they even put their beliefs in the documentation. Check this out:
I emailed them and suggested they keep their political beliefs out of the code. I don't expect people to have the same beliefs as myself, but in most cases they should keep it to themselves. Similar to the sports fiasco we're going through. The players are free to have whatever beliefs they want, but the fans paid good money to watch a sporting event not a protest.
I switched my primary desktop to Linux Ubuntu about 12 years ago then Linux Mint about 4 years ago. I do Linux for work and consider myself an advanced user. I wouldn't recommend Linux as a desktop to anyone that needs recommending.
Switching OSs will do nothing - MINIX is an operating system with full hardware control operating on ring -3 (the MINIX OS operates on the chip level/its own CPU and you as a user have zero access to it). Operating on ring -3 means MINIX has total and complete access to the entirety of your computer. Even if your computer is “off” but has access to a power source, MINIX can access/change/do whatever with your computers’ settings. Hell it even has its own web server. Just think about what that means - a completely hidden way of communicating online that has 100% access to every single thing on a computer. It’s a privacy/security nightmare.
MINIX is easily the world’s most populous OS and the grand majority of people have zero idea it exists.
Yes. Your OS runs on ring 0. It literally doesn't matter what you have installed as MINIX controls it all and it's pre-kernel. It's the dude (MINIX) playing the dude (your hardware) disguised as another dude (your OS and all other software). To quote Meek Mill, "There's levels to this shit."
I should clarify, when I refer to MINIX I mean that and/or other microcodes interacting at, effectively, the silicon level.
Already ahead of you, buddy! Fedora Linux'er here! Been on Linux for over 10 years now!
The last time I had to "use" Windows was when I had to service a laptop for a family member and while on paper, the fix would have took me 5 minutes, but it took me an hour to fix the issue because Microsoft products are BLOATWARE!!!!
Don't get me started on my experiences with applying a hotfix that took half a day to accomplish! I'm done with that nightmare!
All CPUs made in the last 8 or so years have backdoors. IME can be overwritten in some cases and CPUs in some cases can be purchased without the backdoor. That's a rabbit hole. But, windoze is terrible. Just get rid of it.
Well I've been using 'Windows 7' with service pack 1 that I've installed on a working Desktop computer with 12GB Ram.
Since I installed Windows 7 I disabled the Updates turning the whole thing off. And using AVG.com for protection. And let me tell yeah I haven't had any serious problems since 2018. I figure I'll keep on using this OS until something happens to it but will see... One step at a time I figure.
And my other computer is a new laptop with Windows 10 installed on it, which I formatted and been trying a number of Linux OS's that look similar to Windows...
Two things I dislike about Windows 10 is the lack of privacy which is mentioned here and the forced updates. Also the design sucks but I guess that's three things :)
Would not recommend this approach. Just finished cleaning virus from client site. Virus came in due to security issues with Windows 7. Client was running professional grade subscription anti-virus.
I'm not sure what you mean by "APT spyware" but what you say is true. Spyware does exist on all platforms. The difference with open source software is that you can look at the code (or leave it to the experts) and determine if what a piece of software "does" is right for you. With closed source (windoze) you don't even have that option. It's a black box, it does what it does, and you can't change it.
If you are targeted by "the pros of the pros" then good luck. If you are concerned about that, then maybe you should reconsider whether or not you should be using a PC or cellphone at all.
The difference is, you can build Linux from scratch (literally) and inspect every last line of code if you want. Good luck doing that on windoze. You're not wrong my friend, but one option is terrible and the other is much better.
The rabbit hole is deep. For casual web surfing you're better off with Linux. Use hardware that doesn't have things like built in cameras and microphones (or worse). We know Q HAS IT ALL. We also know how that's possible.
I think a lot of people feel that way and it comes down to whether or not you trust Apple as a company. Personally I won't use a laptop if I can't easily and quickly remove the battery.
Linux is a secure operating system and is secure by default. It can always be hardened. Windoz just has too many holes. Linux is much more secure than windoz. Its pretty widely accepted fact.
I looked at the Linux ones. Most are covered in RHCE. You are talking to a dood who has zero trust in computers, lol. I just make them as secure as possible for whatever tasks they need to accomplish.
Yes It is time for everyone to get off of everything and anything micro$oft. There's a FOSS (free open source software) alternative out there to just about any major software package. I've been on Linux for 10 years, never looked back. Let me know if you have questions, I can help.
Yes Krita is great.
https://www.fosshub.com/
Yes! Proton is friggin awesome. If you need to install steam on Linux, head over to rpmfusion.org, they've made it dead simple.
Can I just reload current machine with Linux? Is Linux an IBM product?
Unfortunately IBM purchased Red Hat a little while back, but no, as of now, Linux is an open source project and is not owned by anyone. Load Linux on a separate hard disk (or USB flash drive if you have one) so you can boot back to windows if you absolutely have to.
thanks
Linux is an open source code world wide...
No because your CPU has the backdoor. Doesnt matter what OS you are running.
Time to make our own silicon fabs and get to making cpus.
haha jk. There is nothing you can do to stop them from having full access to your computer. Linux or windows. Doesnt matter when its built into the hardware.
While this is true, you can in a lot of cases overwrite the IME. But Linux is far better than windoze in any case.
you cant overwrite a backdoor built into the hardware. Sorry but IS NOT SOFTWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can agree with your statement. But, some hardcore nerds have found that you can effectively disable it by overwriting the firmware.
Yes, and that's been proven by the nerds (term of endearment) who figured all this stuff out. But the fact is that the hardware is still there however useless. Newer Intel chips have made the IME part of the boot process, which means patching the firmware effectively disables the chip. Unfortunate. This is a huge rabbit hole, but I encourage everyone to read up on it.
That is not necessarily true. OK, they might all work that way in practice but it is not necessarily so. For instance, even if we assume that hardware needs machine code level instructions to function those instructions could be in a regular ROM which cannot then be changed by flashing.
Also, below machine code level hardware works on microcode. That could also be in a Read Only Memory chip or even built-in. Early CPUs used to use counters and logic gates to produce the sequence of instructions required so not even a ROM would be necessary.
Then we have the Intel CPU recall from many years ago. If the chips could have been re-flashed instead of collected in and replacements issued don't you think they might have done that?
All that is before we start on the Chinese hack of Super Micro motherboards. They added extra components during the manufacturing state and they sent data back to China.
The intel IME has to be able to be disabled. Its a government requirement. So they can use intel cpus for sensitive information.
Plus this is just the backdoor that became public.
There are dozens of backdoors and zero day exploits that can be used for the NSA to do whatever the fuck they want with your computer.
Thanks. I guess there is no real privacy anymore unless the only electric device is an old 2 slice toaster .
Downloading Linux now. Is there a was to easily transfer all my data to a new OS?
The best way I've found is to use a new/used hard drive (or SSD or USB flash drive if that's all you have) and install Linux to that. That leaves your windoze install intact in case you absolutely need to boot back to it. Copy your files over at will.
The most non invasive way to learn linux is to make a bootable USB stick, boot to that and leave your windows install and files intact. Start with Linux Mint. Word! EDIT:- I missed BatteryBaron's comment. I concur!
Just so everyone knows WINE the linux windows emulator has come a long way and can run nearly any windows app on Linux.
Have you checked out Libre office? Its the open source version of M$ office. Runs on windows and Linux.
This doesn't look too bad.
https://www.linux.com/training-tutorials/how-install-and-use-wine-run-windows-applications-linux/
I assume you are more concerned with running/ installing an app rather than installing wine? One you see it, its extremely similar to windows...
I agree, linux is pretty good and very powerful. I'm running fedora just because I assume it's going to be closer to redhat which is one of the server OS's used at work. The only downside I've run into so far is lesser support for device drivers. For instance, haven't found a good device driver for my multi-function printer. Yeah, I can print to it pretty good under linux, but have yet to find a driver that will allow me to scan from it.
Also, unfortunately still have what seems like a bunch of lefties writing the software. Maybe that's inevitable. I was shocked to see they even put their beliefs in the documentation. Check this out:
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Init-Examples.html
You'll notice a few lines down:
I emailed them and suggested they keep their political beliefs out of the code. I don't expect people to have the same beliefs as myself, but in most cases they should keep it to themselves. Similar to the sports fiasco we're going through. The players are free to have whatever beliefs they want, but the fans paid good money to watch a sporting event not a protest.
Cheney is a bad dude though. We know now.
I switched my primary desktop to Linux Ubuntu about 12 years ago then Linux Mint about 4 years ago. I do Linux for work and consider myself an advanced user. I wouldn't recommend Linux as a desktop to anyone that needs recommending.
Switching OSs will do nothing - MINIX is an operating system with full hardware control operating on ring -3 (the MINIX OS operates on the chip level/its own CPU and you as a user have zero access to it). Operating on ring -3 means MINIX has total and complete access to the entirety of your computer. Even if your computer is “off” but has access to a power source, MINIX can access/change/do whatever with your computers’ settings. Hell it even has its own web server. Just think about what that means - a completely hidden way of communicating online that has 100% access to every single thing on a computer. It’s a privacy/security nightmare.
MINIX is easily the world’s most populous OS and the grand majority of people have zero idea it exists.
Yes. Your OS runs on ring 0. It literally doesn't matter what you have installed as MINIX controls it all and it's pre-kernel. It's the dude (MINIX) playing the dude (your hardware) disguised as another dude (your OS and all other software). To quote Meek Mill, "There's levels to this shit."
I should clarify, when I refer to MINIX I mean that and/or other microcodes interacting at, effectively, the silicon level.
Already ahead of you, buddy! Fedora Linux'er here! Been on Linux for over 10 years now!
The last time I had to "use" Windows was when I had to service a laptop for a family member and while on paper, the fix would have took me 5 minutes, but it took me an hour to fix the issue because Microsoft products are BLOATWARE!!!!
Don't get me started on my experiences with applying a hotfix that took half a day to accomplish! I'm done with that nightmare!
Can you ever truly get rid of it? Are we sure it doesn't leave spy crap behind on your computer? Seems like they's leave a back door.
All CPUs made in the last 8 or so years have backdoors. IME can be overwritten in some cases and CPUs in some cases can be purchased without the backdoor. That's a rabbit hole. But, windoze is terrible. Just get rid of it.
Not to mention backdoors in your gcc.
You can't know what us really going on, even if you tried to read the bytes.
We can play devils advocate and what ifs all day. Windoz is a bad choice.
Yes you can. Its quite easy. What you are worried about is firmware.
Thanks for lending your expertise.
Only use it for work and VR. Not much choice for either.
The literal problem with this is that all OSes are compromised by the alphabet soups.
Stop pretending like linux is safe. The only safe thing is
abstenence from the internet.
If they want to watch you, they will.
Well I've been using 'Windows 7' with service pack 1 that I've installed on a working Desktop computer with 12GB Ram.
Since I installed Windows 7 I disabled the Updates turning the whole thing off. And using AVG.com for protection. And let me tell yeah I haven't had any serious problems since 2018. I figure I'll keep on using this OS until something happens to it but will see... One step at a time I figure.
And my other computer is a new laptop with Windows 10 installed on it, which I formatted and been trying a number of Linux OS's that look similar to Windows...
Two things I dislike about Windows 10 is the lack of privacy which is mentioned here and the forced updates. Also the design sucks but I guess that's three things :)
Would not recommend this approach. Just finished cleaning virus from client site. Virus came in due to security issues with Windows 7. Client was running professional grade subscription anti-virus.
True but you have to know what your doing to avoid such problems... And I use other software besides microsoft to avoid headaches.
Like Just Apps https://www.justapps.com/index this dude's software rocks!
alphabet[google],twiiter & facebook are the much larger problems
I know the ultimate IRON-CLAD computer OS... work computer! :D HAHA
I've been using Linux nonstop for over 20 years, both professionally and at home.
You're fine on Windows.
If that is the weakest point in your security then you have the best security in the world.
No one can really say what is on their networks, OS, or hardware, and its been that way for my entire adult life.
What desktop comes with linux instead of windows if I were to buy a new computer?
Desktops can be built cheaper and better from scratch.
I'm not sure what you mean by "APT spyware" but what you say is true. Spyware does exist on all platforms. The difference with open source software is that you can look at the code (or leave it to the experts) and determine if what a piece of software "does" is right for you. With closed source (windoze) you don't even have that option. It's a black box, it does what it does, and you can't change it.
APT = government paid hackers / military hackers / the pros of the pros.
If you are targeted by "the pros of the pros" then good luck. If you are concerned about that, then maybe you should reconsider whether or not you should be using a PC or cellphone at all.
The difference is, you can build Linux from scratch (literally) and inspect every last line of code if you want. Good luck doing that on windoze. You're not wrong my friend, but one option is terrible and the other is much better.
The rabbit hole is deep. For casual web surfing you're better off with Linux. Use hardware that doesn't have things like built in cameras and microphones (or worse). We know Q HAS IT ALL. We also know how that's possible.
I think a lot of people feel that way and it comes down to whether or not you trust Apple as a company. Personally I won't use a laptop if I can't easily and quickly remove the battery.
If you configure Linux properly and harden it, this is not strictly true. There is always room for zero days however.
If you are being attacked by state level actors and you are a private individual, you have much bigger problems on the horizon....
You are correct tho, threat model and who you are defending against is important to define
Linux is a secure operating system and is secure by default. It can always be hardened. Windoz just has too many holes. Linux is much more secure than windoz. Its pretty widely accepted fact.
Let's agree to disagree here, friend. We could torture this for hours, but I don't see a point.
I looked at the Linux ones. Most are covered in RHCE. You are talking to a dood who has zero trust in computers, lol. I just make them as secure as possible for whatever tasks they need to accomplish.
You are clearly the expert, so I'm going to step away from this conversation.
Why not just get cable internet with shitty upload speeds?
If they are "spying" on your computer thats using your upload.
If someone is stealing your money slowly, versus stealing your money fastly, it doesn't change the fact that they're stealing your money.
You think your data is worth anything lol.
Data is everything
Big tech values your data highly and make billions in selling it.