| ▲ | gnabgib a day ago |
| Less clickbait coverage from ghacks: Copilot App will install automatically on Windows for many users, but there are exceptions https://www.ghacks.net/2025/09/15/copilot-app-will-install-a... (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45249782) Notably: - You can opt out (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Enable the "Turn off Windows Copilot" policy) - You won't get it if you're in the EU - You'll only get it if you have an M365 app installed (not all windows users) |
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| ▲ | ndiddy a day ago | parent | next [-] |
| I don’t think it’s clickbait to say that Microsoft is forcing Copilot onto people’s computers just because they let you opt out if you know exactly where to go in the group policy editor, or that they know they can’t get away with pushing their AI service over Windows Update to force adoption in areas that actually bother regulating tech companies. I’m tired of Microsoft pulling bullshit like this and then people say “oh but you can turn it off if you dig through the group policy editor” or “you can opt out if you make this specific registry key”. Maybe I don’t enjoy having an adversarial relationship with my computer. |
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| ▲ | scuff3d a day ago | parent | next [-] | | Microsoft is constantly trying to push the envelope to see what they can get away with. Anyone defending this kind of crap hasn't been paying attention for the last 20 friggin years | |
| ▲ | ThrowawayR2 a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | It's "your computer" but it's "their OS". Go ahead and switch to Linux but the "systemd / snap packages / telementry etc. is being forced on my distro" complaints is exactly the same "adversarial relationship with my computer"(sic). If you want things exactly your way, there's the Gentoo route if you don't mind supporting it yourself. | | |
| ▲ | dabockster a day ago | parent | next [-] | | I’ve been playing around with Fedora KDE more lately and it’s made me realize how vertically integrated Windows is. Like there’s all these edge cases (too many to list) that Windows has taken care of years ago, whereas on Linux you’re usually downloading some 3rd party app that feels rough when installed. Or it’s something the kernel expects a driver to implement, but Windows handles it natively in Microsoft’s code. When you think of it in a supply chain sense, Linux is one giant outsourcing operation and a whole bunch of “not my problem” project management styles. | | |
| ▲ | LexiMax a day ago | parent | next [-] | | That's strange, because in my time using Fedora it was far and away the most vertically integrated Linux distro I've ever used. It had the fewest Linux-typical papercuts, it was well-documented, and most importantly required the least amount of system tinkering I've ever done on Linux, allowing me to use my operating system to actually operate my system. It wasn't as turnkey as macOS, wasn't as compatible as Windows, and wasn't as "tinker" friendly as other distros, but it _worked_. Then again, I was using the default GNOME spin, and I also try to meet OS's in the middle instead of brazenly insisting on my way or the highway. But it _is_ used as a base for RHEL, so it's not like Fedora is a typical stone soup distro either. | | |
| ▲ | samtheDamned a day ago | parent [-] | | This is my experience too, I distrohopped for about 2-3 years, and then when I found fedora it just clicked. I've been using it exclusively ever since. It was my first experience with vanilla GNOME and like you I wanted to meet the OS in the middle. The stability while still having reasonably up-to-date packages is so pleasant and everything felt like it was part of a whole in a way that my prior experimentation with arch and its derivatives and the different ubuntu skins didn't fully achive. |
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| ▲ | anal_reactor a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | I've migrated to Fedora KDE recently after having used Windows since childhood. Honestly it's not that bad. I mean, it's not good either - there are lots of random bugs or strange UI decisions - but all in all, it's not bad. I wouldn't install it on my mom's machine, but any tech-savvy person can use Fedora KDE with relative comfort. As in, the rough edges are there, but you won't hurt yourself if you know how to hold it. |
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| ▲ | soraminazuki a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | Most Linux users don't have an adversarial relationship with systemd. | | |
| ▲ | pessimizer a day ago | parent [-] | | Most don't know anything about it. Those who jump in to defend it constantly will keep calling anti-systemd people names even after it has a hard dependency on an IBM AI. | | |
| ▲ | happymellon 6 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | The only people I see defending systemd is normally due to baseless claims. My personal issue with it is that logs are stored in a database that (unless it's changed) the documentation is the implementation. There are a few places where people have reverse engineered the design to document it, but it would have been much better for them to use a documented format like sqlite. | |
| ▲ | soraminazuki a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | > Most don't know anything about it. Yes, thanks for confirming what I wrote... Uh, wait a moment, what? Most Linux users know nothing about systemd? Are we talking about the same Linux, the OS whose main users are developers and sysadmins? > even after it has a hard dependency on an IBM AI What are you on about? Nothing of the sort has happened. | |
| ▲ | nixosbestos 14 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | [flagged] |
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| ▲ | KronisLV a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | I feel like one could imagine some hypothetical Linux distro that works out of the box, has some baseline level of coherency and polish without you having to get your hands dirty, and also hasn’t been enshittified. I have no idea what distro fits the bill the best, but surely it’s not like the only two options are: “be treated with no respect as the user” and “sink all of your time into into fixing things up” Like how Linux Mint doesn’t force snaps on you like Ubuntu does. Probably not it, but one step of many in the right direction. Plain Debian is probably pretty close. | | |
| ▲ | debo_ a day ago | parent [-] | | Zorin fits this bill, IMO. I install it for all kinds of non-tech folks and they all seem to be fine with it. | | |
| ▲ | brewdad 5 hours ago | parent [-] | | Zorin is great for users where the computer is an appliance. It was too dumbed down for me but I am not their target user. It would be perfect for my Dad or my brother. |
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| ▲ | ewest a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | It's only "your" computer insofar that you're the only person using it. | | |
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| ▲ | oeitho a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| Quick correction: You won't get it if you're in the EEA, which the EU is a subset of. Sincerely, a Norwegian guy who thinks the difference is important. |
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| ▲ | RajT88 a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| A clean windows install these days comes with those apps. It is there by default. I would swear I removed copilot from a Dell laptop I just purchased for my father, and it came back after a major update. I could be wrong. |
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| ▲ | WarOnPrivacy a day ago | parent [-] | | > I would swear I removed copilot from a Dell laptop I just purchased for my father, and it came back after a major update. I could be wrong. I've had feature-update crapware get reinstalled twice, some reinsallations happen only after a reboot and/or 5-10min delay. So upgrade, clean. Reboot, clean again. Reboot, wait 10 min, clean again. This during the last year and for dozens of machines. | | |
| ▲ | RajT88 a day ago | parent [-] | | OneDrive is very persistent. Every major upgrade seems like. Didn't they get hauled in front of congress for stuff like this back in the 90's? I feel like they are playing with fire. Once anti-trust comes back into vogue, this is going to be big trouble for them. | | |
| ▲ | dabockster a day ago | parent [-] | | OneDrive is a love/hate relationship for me. Yeah, it’s invasive. But it’s private [1], secure, and cheap (relatively) file storage. And very few of its competitors integrate into Windows Explorer in the way OneDrive does (even though the APIs are all there for everyone to use). [1] OneDrive privacy confirmed by my own consumer complaint to the Washington State Office of the Attorney General over ambiguities related to AI training and general privacy in Microsoft’s documentation. Both my complaint and Microsoft’s official response are subject to public record and can be legally actionable in the future. | | |
| ▲ | RajT88 a day ago | parent [-] | | I'd love to read more about it - I have privacy concerns about ever giving anything personal over to Microsoft. Can you link those? |
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| ▲ | redbell a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| > You won't get it if you're in the EU I'm dreaming of a day to come where all people on earth get a bare minimum of freedom to install, remove and disable whatever piece of software on their devices. As a non-EU citizen, I have to confess I'm having some jealous feeling of European citizens because they have a superior authority fighting big companies on behalf of them. |
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| ▲ | eastbound a day ago | parent [-] | | You may benefit from a non-socialist economy. I pay my best engineer 60k€, so 39.9 after tax, total cost 90k€ for me, and he couldn’t find an MD (the dedicated family doctor - so he has to pay any doctor with a 15€ surplus). In exchange, we go to the Theater (classic, not movies) for 30€ and we don’t have Copilot on our computer. We don’t have the translation on Airpods, and we have to click all cookie banners. If I had a visa for the USA, I’d be there. | | |
| ▲ | IAmBroom a day ago | parent | next [-] | | > he has to pay any doctor with a 15€ surplus That's the fee charged for giving you aspirin in a US hospital. I can't imagine why you think his US medical access would be better. | |
| ▲ | sillyfluke a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | >we go to the Theater (classic, not movies) for 30€ Now do broadway in New York. Hell, do off-broadway in new york and it's either barely the same price or even more expensive. Are you sarcastically making the opposite point, I can't tell. | |
| ▲ | mrguyorama a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | >he has to pay any doctor with a 15€ surplus Which is less than the co-pay you pay on good US insurance. >I pay my best engineer 60k€ Why don't you pay them more? | | |
| ▲ | netdevphoenix 12 hours ago | parent [-] | | Is that not relative? You could also ask Meta why they don't pay all the top engineers 100 times more. And the reason in both cases would be the same, it's not sustainable for the business. I often find Americans on here judging salaries from the point of view of an American economy which to me makes no sense. You can't expect an economy 100 times smaller than yours to pay its workers the same salary that you pay yours. |
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| ▲ | currency a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| That setting is under User Configuration on my Win11 Pro PC, so look in both. |
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| ▲ | croes a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| It’s not you can opt-out, it‘s you have to opt-out. Imagine every software vendor would install its software as a opt-out. MS abuses its power over the OS |
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| ▲ | sherburt3 a day ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| 4 levels of nesting is pretty low compared to the average windows setting |
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| ▲ | sorokod a day ago | parent | prev [-] |
| "The strong do what they can, the weak suffer what they must." |
