I was having lunch with some of my former coworkers when conversation turned to the vast number of devices that will be rendered vulnerable to security breeches when Microsoft stops supporting Windows 10.
The general belief is that Windows 11 is a resource hog in the typical, default configuration. There are ways to skinny-it-down but there is always the risk of somebody performing a reboot and vaporizing all of the tweaks, thereby paralyzing the device(s).
One of my friends provides computer expertise to a small footprint of equipment...somewhere between $0.5M and $1.5M of equipment. All of the devices carry mission critical CPUs and none of them have enough resources to be upgraded to stock, MS Windows 11.
He informed us that Microsoft is aware of the issue and has a solution. He does not know if his class of equipment qualifies for the solution...but he is looking very, very hard at it.
The solution is called Windows 10 I-o-T (Internet-of-Things) Enterprise and its genesis may have been sparked by the vast number of Automatic Teller Machines that cannot run Windows 11 and yet they must be secure (i.e. supported with security patches). Although the issue may have started with ATMs, many other users are now demanding this "low feature" Windows 10 so they would not have to scrap-out functional equipment and spend the money to replace that equipment solely because the old equipment's operating system had been abandoned by MS.
The devices have very simple needs. Ethernet communication. Ability to write to a log and display results on a low resolution monitor at 30fps. Maybe talk to GPS. In most instances, the users don't want WIFI or to have other devices find and try to shake-hands with it. It does not need to support a bunch of USB ports or manage files with foreign formats.
I wish MS would ease the restrictions on 10 IoT and let us switch our fleet of lap-tops to it.
I as well, ERJ. I have no desire to transfer to Windows 11.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that a lot of people and companies are impacted by this.
Interesting post! TIL most ATMs run Windows Embedded. I would have assumed some linux-based OS.
ReplyDeleteI finally switched my daily-driver to a Linux OS this year (NixOS) and it's been great. It's certainly obvious why it's not the dominant choice in the consumer market - but I've been able to get feature parity with Windows and don't see myself going back.
Linux
ReplyDeleteGentleman has a blog Borepatch where he post a lot of computer tech stuff as it's his field of employment. To this luddite he seem very knowledgeable.
ReplyDeleteI had to get a new computer for home and put one together and got Windows 11 with it. So far, it's ok. I'm retired now and with that don't really care about the business end but, I do know that as recent as four years ago I was aware of systems running Windows NT and some still using XP. One theory I've read about is the really old systems can be "locked up" and will still run whatever they are doing and not get/need updates.
ReplyDeleteHuh??? I was pissed off when they took dials of telephones and put on push-buttons. It gets worser all the time. ---ken
ReplyDeleteI still use 7 , no Internet just for cataloging my album collection or watching a movie. Glad to not have to worry about windows anymore.
ReplyDeleteI'm still running Windows 8. I just bought a new machine with Windows 10 on it but haven't switched to it yet. I may put Linux on it. I bought it because it still has a DVD drive - Windows 11 actively discourages those.
ReplyDeleteJonathan