Mastodawn

Microsoft thinks you should recycle pcs that can't be upgraded to windows 11...

Please do not do this. Try linux or give them to someone else who will, or donate them to charitable organizations.

Goblins need spare computers everywhere!

#question
Can we have a #hashtag on here for people who wish to discard perfectly good computers, so other people on here who are less fortunate can get them and use linux or something?

Any opinions on a best hashtag for that?

*edit @generationX mentioned a hashtag, #computertruhe (which is a group or the german equivalent to this paying it forward of computers or related parts, and is active on mastodon!) This may translate to #computerchest and is the best lead on a relevant hashtag for this purpose so far!

#retux (for games?)
possibly #upcycling

Unique for this purpose suggested:
#takemytech (at least 2 votes!)
#sparePChere
#pc2hand

by area:
@PCsfueralle for Austria, like computertruhe for DE

#LinuxInstallParty may be relevant! DE I think!

#FreeGeek for #Portland and maybe #Minneapolis !

#Debian 12 Bookworm made installation and GUI much easier than previous versions, including nonfree repositories for proprietary driver support! Debian 13 Trixie (stable) drops later this year. It is upstream and all about open source, as a Linux option.

#mastodon #windows #windows10 #recyclewindows10 #policy #terriblepolicy #linux #payitforward #charity #computer #computerrepair #goblinsolutions

CornOnTheGob Apr 11, 2025

...but if you don't upgrade to Windows 11, you will miss out on their hip Recall features!
...and who wouldn't want screenshots of their system- or the systems of your contemporarries who you send messages to, saved every 3 seconds and fed to AI?

https://sunny.garden/@goblingua/114321622619353716

CornOnTheGob (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image #question #didyouknow #todayilearned #til Windows is reinstating Recall, Snapshots of screen saved every 3 seconds and fed to AI. Previously introduced in May, 2024 to some backlash. (...)"a gold mine for malicious insiders, criminals, or nation-state spies if they managed to gain even brief administrative access to a Windows device." (...)"nothing stopping Recall from preserving sensitive disappearing content sent through privacy-protecting messengers such as Signal." (...)"Windows 11 Build 26100.3902 preview version. Over time, the feature will be rolled out more broadly." (...)"That would indiscriminately hoover up all kinds of User A's sensitive material, including photos, passwords, medical conditions, and encrypted videos and messages." (...)"That level of detailed archival material will undoubtedly be subject to subpoena by lawyers and governments." etc. etc. Yeah... #microsoft #windows #os #privacy #security #opsec #warning #article #arstechnica #computer #pc #internet #browser #personal #data #ai #llm #policy #new #news #headline

Sunny Garden

CornOnTheGob Apr 25, 2025

@generationX @PCsfueralle

update:
Copilot+, recall being shipped to all compatable devices

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexper

Democracy Dies in Dumbass Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua Desperately trying to prop up hardware sales. They're "Hoping" you're going to move to Surface.

And I wouldn't buy a Microsoft product with someone else's money.

Violet Madder Apr 7, 2025

@ShredderFeeder @goblingua

Yeah windows 11 can bite me. I'll figure out this Linux shit, I'm done.

vriesk (Jan Srz)Apr 7, 2025

@ShredderFeeder @goblingua Incidentally, I'm entertaining buying an old and cheap Surface device to run Linux on it. :)

Democracy Dies in Dumbass Apr 7, 2025

I don't even trust Microsoft not to embed spyware in the firwmare of the device.

Hard pass. Proud to be 100% microsoft free.

vriesk (Jan Srz)Apr 7, 2025

@ShredderFeeder @goblingua That's dandy, but who do you trust then to build your hardware?

Democracy Dies in Dumbass Apr 7, 2025

@vriesk I don't *Trust* anyone. But for laptops I've usually used Dell's when I have to...
Though my next one is going to be a Framework laptop..

Anything but:
Microsoft
HP
Lenovo

Is probably acceptable.

For desktops, I'm a big fan of building my own. That way I know what went into it.

CornOnTheGob Apr 7, 2025

@ShredderFeeder @vriesk
Yeah, HP with their printer ink DRM scam is solidly on my bad list.

Democracy Dies in Dumbass Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua I worked for HP and then HPE for about 8 years...
I have a good basis for "no HP enters this house" policy.

HP Sucks the sweat of a dead man's balls.

vriesk (Jan Srz)Apr 9, 2025

@ShredderFeeder @goblingua I do get what you're saying - however, I think that if your level of paranoia (not unjustified) is that you don't trust Microsoft not to put spyware or whatnot on ring -1 hypervisor on pretty stripped down (and thus resource hungry anyway) device, undetectable to any base OS, then I don't think you should put _any_ trust into any other vendor, be it CPU or SoC maker, _any_ UEFI/BIOS vendor, any binary Linux kernel module vendor, and so on.

Which is another way to say, this is a lost battle long time ago.

The hope is that it was never enough of an incentive (and some risk awareness too, if they'd get caugth) for all those hardware/firmware companies to actually embed such shit into their products - because the business gain is not really that big.

Democracy Dies in Dumbass Apr 9, 2025

@vriesk We did lose the battle long ago...but just because you lost a battle doesn't mean you stop fighting the war.

generationX Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua in Germany you can hashtag with #computertruhe. they are also on mastodon.

Martin Vermeer 86 47 Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua #retux?

Martin Vermeer 86 47 Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua Inspiration:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repowering

Repowering - Wikipedia

Tor Lillqvist Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua Installing another OS on an old computer without modifying the hardware in any way *is* a form of recycling.

@tml @goblingua Recycling is turning a product back into raw materials, then making new products with them. This is reuse, which is far preferable.

Tor Lillqvist Apr 7, 2025

@ardaxi @goblingua Strictly speaking, yes, but "recycling" is often used also to include pure re-use (with just a software change, for computers). A consumer that brings an old computer that has lost its usefulness to them to some appropriate consumer no-cost recycling and reuse service doesn't care whether it is disassembled and recycled, or simply re-used. (In any case, the consumer has to make sure they have erased any confidential contents, of course.)

Angela Scholder Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua Well, I'm so glad getting the notification in my W10 Pro PC that it is not compatible with W11.....
I will just never ever be running W11.....

My W10 Pro will do wherever Linux will not give me the tools I need. And even my W2000 runs if needed.
But, my W10 Pro machine will just be upgraded to dual boot.....
On my W8.1 Pro I already had the space reserved for that, but in the end it never happened. Ubuntu currently runs on separate hardware. Does most.

@goblingua I think folks should be prepared to go dumpster diving if people still go to recycle their PCs, because that'll be a lot of PCs being thrown out that are still perfectly functional and can be repurposed into Linux machines.

gabe kamphuis Apr 7, 2025

and even worse is the upgrade to windows 11 needs more space 150mb on the boot than the old 100mb, the vast majority of people do not even know how to do this, a mean trick

bounding_star Apr 7, 2025

@catnip @goblin @ryan Digital lounge for upgrading to Linux before October hits?

Gumball Apr 7, 2025

@bounding_star @catnip @ryan definitely! i'm daily driving fedora kinite or whatever it's called to see how practical and stable it is for non tech savvy folk! trying to see how much stuff i can do with as minimal commandline as possible (gamgam-benchmarking?? idk what you'd call it)

It's Richie Apr 7, 2025

@goblin @bounding_star @catnip @ryan SA folk, might be a good moment for us to organise a collab with say IT Share, and organise a bit of a promo campaign to encourage orgs to recycle.

Top of my head make a campaign poster and a website and send it to each of the industry bodies and unions as well as socials.

Just ideas.

potion_genderqueer

@goblingua @generationX I'm definitely interested in having a computer or two that won't run 11 but will run Debian... #computertruhe #computerchest #retux

GJ Groothedde 🇪🇺Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua
I say we do some upcycling!
@generationX

arestelle Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua @generationX and the fact that they won’t even tell you which components make your computer ineligible for upgrade so you could replace them if you actually for some godsforsaken reason want windows 11.. 😡

(My not-even-old PC runs Linux now)

_L4NyrlfL1I0 Apr 7, 2025

@goblingua @generationX In Austria there is also @PCsfueralle who do the same

FiXato Apr 8, 2025

@goblingua #windowshopping, which can be a dual pun to window-shopping and Windows-hopping. ;)

Datenpunks e.V.Apr 8, 2025

@goblingua @generationX @Cyclist @PCsfueralle

Our activities in this direction are tagged #LinuxInstallParty.

BigD Apr 8, 2025

@goblingua
What will happen to Windows 10 other than Microsoft not supporting it?
I use a desktop to run midi and audio programs. These don't need online presence, unless I want to download additional plugins, upgrade my DAW or associated software from an online source.
My question is, if my software, programs are functioning in W10 , what is the benefit in upgrading to W11.
I'm not sure whether my DAW is compatible with Linux.

CornOnTheGob Apr 8, 2025

@BigD
#microsoft #windows #update #security #question

Original post to the effect of,
'If I run windows 10 beyond support, what are biggest risks with low online use?
'
I use a desktop to run midi and audio programs. These don't need online presence, unless I want to download additional plugins, upgrade my DAW or associated software from an online source.
My question is, if my software, programs are functioning in W10 , what is the benefit in upgrading to W11.
'

Ω 🌍 Gus Posey Apr 8, 2025

@goblingua I found an old Celeron laptop that was literally being thrown away and installed #BodhiLinux which has run perfectly for years.

CornOnTheGob Apr 8, 2025

@Gustodon
Hand me downs and 'broken' castoff devices are a mainstay of users invested in using what is available!

That is really cool!!

Lokjo - a European online map Apr 9, 2025

How about #pc2hand ?

tessarakt Apr 9, 2025

@goblingua @generationX @Cyclist @PCsfueralle Is this kind of disinformation legal?

Nate Allen Apr 9, 2025

@goblingua @generationX @Cyclist @PCsfueralle In #Portland and I think #Minneapolis you can donate unused computers to #FreeGeek, who will find good homes for them.

Nate Allen Apr 9, 2025

@goblingua @generationX @Cyclist @PCsfueralle I have confirmed that there is a Free Geek in the Twin Cities.

CornOnTheGob Apr 9, 2025

@mossyfoot @generationX @Cyclist @PCsfueralle

Nice!
Added via edits these and other area based # tags I have seen as replies, except for the various area based @ computertruhe groups,

as well as suggested # hashtags people have suggested for this purpose so far!

Thanks!!