[{"id":"6a8dc4854aeae73bbfda1b24","active":true,"allowComments":true,"banner":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/banners/opinion-two-men.png","body":"\u0026lt;h1\u0026gt;Documentation Should Be an Art Form\u0026lt;/h1\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Your documentation is terrible, and stop acting like it isn\u0026#39;t.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I\u0026#39;m tired of companies putting documentation out that isn\u0026#39;t worth the digital space or the resources consumed to support it. I could list 10, 100, 1,000 companies whose documentation, if printed, wouldn\u0026#39;t be good enough for toilet paper. Probably not 1,000, but you get the point.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;It\u0026#39;s most companies, and we have to stop lying to ourselves and accepting the overflowing dumpsters of documentation slop that companies are putting out.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;So, let me flip the script: \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;what makes good documentation?\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Ease of Access\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Is it easy to find?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;When I search for \u0026#34;How to do X\u0026#34;, do I get X for the current version? If not, does the document I land on allow me to jump to the current documentation?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If I have to navigate a forest of confusing, versioned documentation, that\u0026#39;s unacceptable. I understand that you might have V1, V2, V3, V4, and so on, but if I land on V1, I should be able to quickly tell that I\u0026#39;m looking at an older version and jump to V2, V3, V10, or whatever the current version is.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Do you bundle the documentation?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Not only do my systems include documentation in a documentation folder, but the software can also generate it or download it for you. You have one of my tools; it makes sure you\u0026#39;re not left in the dark.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Including Notes\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Does your documentation include notes or important considerations?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Let\u0026#39;s take an example from ESRI—not to single them out: \u0026lt;a href=\u0026#34;https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/users-groups-and-items/generate-token/\u0026#34;\u0026gt;https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/users-groups-and-items/generate-token/\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Clearly, at the top of that page, it says \u0026lt;code\u0026gt;/generateToken\u0026lt;/code\u0026gt;. So, are any other variations allowed?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If I can use \u0026lt;code\u0026gt;/generatetoken\u0026lt;/code\u0026gt;, then you need to have a note block on the page telling me that it isn\u0026#39;t case-sensitive and giving examples of case variations that work.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If case-sensitive variants are not supported, again, state that outright so it\u0026#39;s clear and obvious that only \u0026lt;code\u0026gt;/generateToken\u0026lt;/code\u0026gt; is accepted.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I\u0026#39;ll take an example from my own documentation. This is a sentence in one of my platform documents for setup, and you don\u0026#39;t have to literally use the word \u0026#34;NOTE\u0026#34;, but have notes available:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;NOTE:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; If you use a Linux variant that has replaced the GNU CoreUtils with the Rust-based UUtils, these steps might not work and will not be supported. Please ensure you use a working base Linux variant.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Right away, you know that I won\u0026#39;t support the installation if you used a distro with UUtils. That\u0026#39;s important because, as of August 25, 2026, they\u0026#39;re incredibly unstable and broken.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;This also allows me to ignore your request for UUtils support because I\u0026#39;ve clearly stated that I don\u0026#39;t support that toolchain. You\u0026#39;re not confused, you\u0026#39;re not puzzled, and you don\u0026#39;t have to guess.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Other examples of things you want to see: \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;when was the documentation updated?\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;NOTE:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; This document has been updated as of July 8, 2026.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Great. Now you know when I updated it. And do I explain what was updated?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You bet!\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I even have a version log on the document, which is a great lead-off.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Versioning\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Do you have versioning built into the documentation?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You know I updated it on July 8, 2026, but what did it look like before that? Can I go back to the first version? Can I compare them? Have you left me with enough information that I can follow the changes?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Who made the changes, and why were the changes made?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;What did the July 8, 2026, update include?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;All the screenshots were replaced, and I ran the setup using Fedora 44 KDE Edition, which I state in the document:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;NOTE:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; The documentation will show you how to build the system on Fedora 44 KDE, although any Linux or Unix variant should work. The software can be stood up on Windows, although it isn\u0026#39;t recommended or supported.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You can even figure out that I dropped official Windows support.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;But put a pin in that, because it leads to the next point.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Examples\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Do you provide useful, meaningful, complete, detailed, and functional examples?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;At the bottom of that document is a table:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;Set Up and Install — Linux (Fedora 44 KDE) - Video Link - \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;Set Up and Install — Unix (FreeBSD 15.1 CDE) - Video Link - \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt; Set Up and Install — Unix (OpenBSD 7.9 MATE) - Video Link - \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;Set Up and Install — Windows (Windows 11 26H2) - Video Link - \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If you watch those videos, they\u0026#39;re unbroken, unedited, and show me standing up the software on those operating systems.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;During the videos, I literally start by opening the documentation and doing a full read-through, reading every note, every point, and every example, explaining why you have to make a \u0026#34;note\u0026#34; of it.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I then stand up the software in its complete, functional, and working form and demonstrate it working.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Why?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Well, can you trust me that the documentation is accurate and functional?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;No. You have to assume it\u0026#39;s broken, useless, and already outdated.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;At every step in that document, I have a screenshot taken directly from either my terminal, browser, file manager, or whatever is relevant, showing the command and its output.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;What about bigger examples?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Installing software and setting it up is one thing, but running it at scale is another.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I have documents for that, in the same format. You want to do X? There\u0026#39;s a document and video to accompany it.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You want to see it running at scale? I can show you it\u0026#39;s running at scale on live hardware—unbroken, uncut, and unedited.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Let\u0026#39;s go back to ESRI. Do they have useful examples?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Sometimes, but usually not.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If I wish to set up a Feature Layer and show 500,000 features, can I find an example of 100,000 features?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;No.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;What about 50,000, 25,000, 10,000, 5,000, or 1,000?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Can I find an example showing it running at scale?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;No, no you can\u0026#39;t.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;They don\u0026#39;t offer examples that show it flexing its dominance. They show examples of its special-needs abilities, regardless of whether the platform is a powerhouse.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Why not show off the power?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If you can map 100,000 features with barely a sweat, show that example. Don\u0026#39;t show the 100-feature example.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Openness\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Think about documentation from decades past, where a car manual would include information on how to reset the timing of the engine, or even take the engine apart and rebuild it.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Is that in your documentation?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Do you offer detailed breakdowns of the platform?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;This gets into a side topic of Open Source and Libre Source, but what do you lock away?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I\u0026#39;ll give you the documentation, but I\u0026#39;ll also give you the source code, design files, working internal version systems, and helper tools.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;If I used it and it was relevant to the platform, you\u0026#39;ll get it.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Hell, I even document the software to a standard that\u0026#39;s rarely seen.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I\u0026#39;ve said many times that approximately 50 percent of any software project should be comments. Explain the five Ws, including your process for breaking down the problem, the steps you followed, how you structured blocks of the code, and everything required so someone with no experience in software could get to 100 percent competence without your help.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You want to know what removing the function \u0026lt;code\u0026gt;doNotRemoveThisFunction\u0026lt;/code\u0026gt; does?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Great.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;It\u0026#39;s mentioned immediately above it in a large block comment explaining what the function does, why it exists, where I use it, when I wrote it, and other relevant details.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;It might contain warning notes, important notes, or normal notes, but it\u0026#39;s all there because you should have access to it.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Summary\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;This is getting long, and I think you get the point.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Just stop writing crap.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Make documentation an art form.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Put as much effort into the documentation and supporting resources as you put into the thing itself.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Documentation isn\u0026#39;t a passing extra task to rush through. It\u0026#39;s a careful, detailed interaction system that shows you care about your platform, product, customers, clients, and your own sanity.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Good documentation isn\u0026#39;t an afterthought.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt; \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;It\u0026#39;s part of the product.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;","comment":[],"icon":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/icons/quote.png","locked":false,"stamp":"1787675781","statuses":"[\"Bookshelf\",\"Book\"]","title":"Documentation Should Be an Art Form"},{"id":"6a7de296846d0bf63721cc92","active":true,"allowComments":true,"banner":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/banners/microsoft-banner.jpg","body":"\n    \u0026lt;article\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;header\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h1\u0026gt;Why I Still Can\u0026#39;t Stand Windows\u0026lt;/h1\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;time datetime=2026-08-12\u0026gt;August 12, 2026\u0026lt;/time\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/header\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Good day.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            I talk a lot of shit about Windows.\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            I\u0026#39;ve said, in various forms, something similar to:\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\n                    Windows isn\u0026#39;t designed for professionals, and I don\u0026#39;t think\n                    it can be used effectively by one.\n                \u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            That\u0026#39;s obviously provocative, and I\u0026#39;ve had plenty of people respond\n            with some variation of:\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Just run Windows. Everyone else does.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Fair enough.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            More importantly, though, I periodically want to know whether I\u0026#39;m\n            still right or whether I\u0026#39;ve become fundamentally wrong and am\n            simply hanging onto an old opinion because it\u0026#39;s comfortable.\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;So I tried Windows again.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;And here we are.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            What follows is my experience with Windows 11, with many of the same\n            complaints applying to Windows 10. These issues are still relevant\n            to my experience, as of \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;August 12, 2026\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            A lot of this is subjective. I\u0026#39;m sure people will disagree with me,\n            argue individual points, tell me their installation works perfectly,\n            or explain that I could fix some of these problems with enough\n            registry changes, third-party utilities, Group Policy settings,\n            PowerShell scripts, debloating tools, sacrificial goats, and prayer.\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;That\u0026#39;s fine.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n        \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n            This is what \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; think, what \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            experience, and why I still can\u0026#39;t stand using Windows.\n        \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Its Slow\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;And I don\u0026#39;t mean:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                    \u0026lt;em\u0026gt;\n                        I ran one benchmark, Linux won by 4 percent, therefore Windows\n                        is garbage.\n                    \u0026lt;/em\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I mean meaningfully, repeatedly, noticeably slower.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                On the same hardware, with things made as reasonably equivalent\n                and controlled as I can make them, Windows is routinely more\n                latent than Fedora Linux, FreeBSD, or OpenBSD.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Occasionally, the difference is relatively modest.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Occasionally, it’s ridiculous.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                One workload I regularly use takes roughly\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;90 seconds on Fedora\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                On Windows, the same workload took approximately\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;5 minutes and 30 seconds\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                That\u0026#39;s about \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;3.67\u0026amp;amp;times; the runtime\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;, or roughly\n                a \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;267 percent increase in elapsed time\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And no, I\u0026#39;m not making this determination from one test.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The problem appears everywhere.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Opening applications. Logging in. Starting tools. Using a\n                browser. Launching LibreOffice. Performing ordinary file system\n                operations. Doing development work. Moving through the interface.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The exact difference varies, obviously, but Windows consistently\n                feels like I\u0026#39;m waiting for the operating system to get out of\n                its own way.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Even in the best cases, where Windows performs reasonably well,\n                I\u0026#39;m still seeing enough additional latency that I notice it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And that\u0026#39;s the important question:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Can you afford that latency?\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Because I don\u0026#39;t particularly care whether a benchmark says my\n                computer is fast if the computer \u0026lt;em\u0026gt;feels slow while I\u0026#39;m trying\n                to work\u0026lt;/em\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;The User Interface Is Terrible\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                This one is obviously subjective.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I hate the Windows UI.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                What bothers me more, however, is that I\u0026#39;m largely stuck with it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Why?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                On other operating systems, I have an enormous selection of\n                mature desktop environments and window managers:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;KDE Plasma\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;GNOME\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;XFCE\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;LXQT\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Budgie\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Deepin\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;OpenBox\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Fluxbox\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;i3\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Awesome\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Sway\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Hyprland\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;TWM\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;and countless others\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Some are traditional desktops. Some are tiling environments.\n                Some are extremely lightweight. Some are eye candy. Some are\n                designed almost entirely around keyboard-driven workflows.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I can pick what suits \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;me\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Windows effectively says:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Here\u0026#39;s the Windows desktop. Enjoy.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Yes, I know these Unix/Linux desktop environments are built\n                around technologies such as X11/XLibre or Wayland and cant\n                simply be dropped onto Windows unchanged.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                That\u0026#39;s not my point.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Microsoft is a multi-trillion-dollar company.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                They can figure it out.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                If the Windows shell will be the primary interface\n                between me and the operating system, I should be able to replace\n                it with something substantially different without fighting the\n                operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n\n            \u0026lt;aside\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;h3\u0026gt;A Necessary Aside\u0026lt;/h3\u0026gt;\n\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                    When I mention open-source desktop projects, I\u0026#39;m talking\n                    about the software.\n                \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                    I don\u0026#39;t automatically endorse the actions, politics,\n                    backgrounds, legal histories, boards, maintainers, or\n                    contributors associated with every project I use.\n                \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                    I especially don\u0026#39;t excuse hate, radicalization, extremism,\n                    or people injecting unrelated political nonsense into\n                    technical projects.\n                \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                    Software can be useful without every person associated with\n                    it being someone I want to have dinner with.\n                \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/aside\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Why Are There So Many Versions of Windows?\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;What exactly is:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Home?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Pro?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Education?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Business?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Enterprise?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows Server?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Just make \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Windows\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I\u0026#39;m serious.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The usual response is that different editions contain features\n                different categories of users need.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;I don\u0026#39;t care.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Give me everything.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Lock the unnecessary pieces down by default. Crank privacy and\n                security to 11. Let administrators enable whatever additional\n                functionality they require.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Then get out of the way.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I would rather not install Windows 11 Pro on a work laptop and\n                Windows 11 Home on my personal laptop because Microsoft has\n                decided that certain operating-system features belong to\n                different market segments.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                If I want Windows 11, give me \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Windows 11\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Look at Fedora.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I don\u0026#39;t need\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\n                    Fedora Linux 44 Professional Ultimate Business Edition\n                \u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n                on my workstation.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Its Fedora.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                There may be different spins, installation profiles, package\n                selections, and defaults, but fundamentally I\u0026#39;m dealing with\n                the same operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Which brings me to Windows Server.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                What exactly is a server operating system anymore?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                An operating system should be capable of serving as the\n                foundation for desktops, servers, edge systems, IoT,\n                development environments, compute nodes, and HPC workloads.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Obviously, those environments require radically different\n                packages and configurations.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;That\u0026#39;s fine.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                So make the installer ask:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;blockquote\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What kind of system are you building?\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/blockquote\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Desktop?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Workstation?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Server?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Virtualization host?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Minimal installation?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Kiosk?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Development system?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Then install and configure the appropriate components.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Don\u0026#39;t sell me an artificial taxonomy of Home, Pro, Enterprise,\n                Education, Server, Core, Business, Premium,\n                Super-Duper-Ultra, or whatever comes next.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                It\u0026#39;s an operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Stop Installing Crap I Didn\u0026#39;t Ask For\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                This one drives me insane.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Xbox Game Pass?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Why is my operating-system installer asking me about a gaming\n                subscription?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Microsoft Office?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Regardless of my feelings about the Office, why are you trying to\n                sell it to me while I\u0026#39;m installing my operating system?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Either include office software as part of the operating system,\n                install a freely available alternative such as LibreOffice, or\n                install nothing.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And then there\u0026#39;s everything else.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;AI integrations\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Edge\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;OneDrive\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Promotional applications\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Suggested applications\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Online services\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Advertising hooks\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Whatever Microsoft\u0026#39;s product strategy happens to involve this month\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Stop.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I installed an operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I didn\u0026#39;t request an interactive Microsoft product catalogue.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I understand shipping a browser.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Fine.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                A newly installed computer needs some mechanism for accessing\n                the web, downloading another browser, reading documentation,\n                and getting software.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                But once I\u0026#39;ve installed Firefox, Chromium, Brave, Vivaldi, or\n                whatever else I want, \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;let me remove Edge normally\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need WinToys, PowerShell incantations, registry\n                manipulation, debloating scripts, or questionable GitHub\n                utilities just to remove software I didn\u0026#39;t request.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Install the OS.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Give me a terminal, editor, browser, file manager, settings\n                interface, basic utilities, and whatever is genuinely necessary\n                to operate the machine.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Then leave me alone.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Windows Update Feels Like Russian Roulette\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Windows relationship with updates, sleep, shutdown, booting,\n                firmware, and BitLocker is one of the biggest reasons I don\u0026#39;t\n                trust the operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;ve watched Windows systems break after:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;going to sleep,\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;installing an update,\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;shutting down,\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;rebooting,\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;installing firmware,\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;or apparently because it was Tuesday and Windows felt adventurous.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;ve seen Windows Boot Manager become corrupted badly enough\n                that installation or recovery media was required to repair the\n                machine.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                If something like that happened once in five years, fine.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Computers break.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Software has bugs.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Hardware fails.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                But when recovery procedures become something you expect to\n                perform semi-regularly, there\u0026#39;s a larger problem.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And firmware updates?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Windows Update updating UEFI firmware sounds convenient.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Until the machine comes back asking for a BitLocker recovery key.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Which brings us neatly to…\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;BitLocker Can Fuck Right Off\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I do not like BitLocker.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I want control over my disk encryption.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I hold the keys.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I choose the passphrase.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I decide when encryption is enabled.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And above all:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\n                    Do not silently enable full-disk encryption on my computer.\n                \u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I have encountered Windows installations where BitLocker or\n                device encryption became enabled with surprisingly little user\n                involvement.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                That\u0026#39;s bad enough.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                What\u0026#39;s much worse is discovering there\u0026#39;s a recovery key involved\n                only after something triggers recovery.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Firmware update?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Hardware change?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Boot configuration change?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Windows update?\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Congratulations.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Please enter your recovery key.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Where is it?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Excellent question.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe it\u0026#39;s stored in a Microsoft account.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe it\u0026#39;s in an organizational directory.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe somebody documented it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe nobody did.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe you have it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe you don\u0026#39;t.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Encryption is supposed to protect my data from other people.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                It should not become a mechanism for protecting\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;my data from me\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Group Policy Is a Monument to Bad Defaults\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I don\u0026#39;t dislike Group Policy because it\u0026#39;s complex.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Complex systems sometimes require complex management.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;ve administered enough systems that a giant configuration tree\n                doesn\u0026#39;t frighten me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                What bothers me is how much time I can spend going through Group\n                Policy discovering useful privacy, security, networking, update,\n                telemetry, authentication, and performance settings that I\n                believe should have had stronger defaults in the first place.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Why am I spending days hardening the operating system against\n                the company that built the operating system?\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Make sane security the default.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Make sane privacy the default.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Make conservative data collection the default.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Make unnecessary services opt-in.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Crank security and privacy to 11.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                If somebody wants to loosen those controls, let them.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;Telemetry and Analytics: No\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;No.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                You don\u0026#39;t need to track me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                You really don\u0026#39;t.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                If diagnostic telemetry is genuinely valuable, ask me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Make it \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;opt-in\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Explain exactly what will be collected.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Explain why it\u0026#39;s useful.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Explain where it goes.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Explain how long it\u0026#39;s retained.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Give me controls over the categories of information being\n                transmitted.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Then let me decide.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Instead, modern software increasingly treats telemetry as\n                something the user must discover, understand, hunt down,\n                disable, and periodically verify hasn\u0026#39;t mysteriously been\n                enabled again.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Yes, there are registry settings.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Yes, there is Group Policy.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Yes, there are third-party tools.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Yes, tools like WinToys can help.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                That\u0026#39;s missing the point.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I should be able to install Windows with every optional\n                telemetry feature disabled and have Microsoft know essentially\n                nothing about that installation unless I explicitly choose\n                otherwise.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\n                    Privacy shouldn\u0026#39;t require reverse engineering the operating\n                    system.\n                \u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Software that insists on watching its users without meaningful\n                opt-in increasingly feels less like software and more like a\n                digital stalker.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;And Then There Are Microsoft Accounts\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                You knew this was coming.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I want to use my computer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I don\u0026#39;t want Microsoft\u0026#39;s permission to use my computer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                To be clear, I\u0026#39;m \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;not\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; talking about Microsoft\n                Entra ID.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;m not talking about domain-joined business systems.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;m not talking about managed corporate devices.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;m not talking about environments where centralized identity,\n                authentication policies, device management, credential rotation,\n                conditional access, or organizational governance are legitimate\n                requirements.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Those things have purposes.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;m talking about this:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I bought a computer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I installed an operating system.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I want to create:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;pre\u0026gt;\u0026lt;code\u0026gt;username: greg\u0026lt;/code\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/pre\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And then log in.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                That\u0026#39;s it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need a Microsoft account.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need an email address.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need cloud identity.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need synchronization.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need OneDrive.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need an Internet connection.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I shouldn\u0026#39;t need to hunt for a hidden button, run a command,\n                disconnect the network, use an installation trick, or discover\n                whatever workaround still functions in this month\u0026#39;s installer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                It\u0026#39;s my computer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Let me make a local account.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n\n        \u0026lt;section\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;So, Do I Need to Keep Going?\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Probably not.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I don\u0026#39;t like Windows 11.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;ve tried.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                I\u0026#39;ve periodically come back to it because I want to make sure\n                I\u0026#39;m not simply holding on to an opinion formed years ago.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And every time, I end up in roughly the same place.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                It feels slower than the alternatives I use.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The interface gets in my way.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The product segmentation irritates me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The bundled software annoys me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The telemetry makes me distrust it.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The account requirements make the computer feel less like mine.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                BitLocker makes me nervous.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Updates make me nervous.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                The amount of configuration required to make Windows behave the\n                way I want makes me wonder why I\u0026#39;m running Windows in the first\n                place.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And eventually something breaks badly enough that I remember why\n                I left.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe your experience is thoroughly different.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe Windows 11 has been rock-solid for you.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe you like the interface.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe you use Microsoft\u0026#39;s entire ecosystem and genuinely\n                appreciate the integration.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Maybe OneDrive, Edge, Microsoft accounts, BitLocker, Windows\n                Update, Copilot, and Microsoft 365 make your life substantially\n                easier.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Great.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Your mileage may vary.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Mine doesn\u0026#39;t.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                For me, Windows continually gets between the computer and the\n                work I\u0026#39;m trying to accomplish.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                An operating system should disappear into the background.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                It should manage the hardware, provide a secure execution\n                environment, expose useful interfaces, run my applications,\n                protect my data, and otherwise stay the hell out of my way.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Windows doesn\u0026#39;t do that for me.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                Instead, using Windows feels like I\u0026#39;m constantly negotiating\n                with my computer.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                And I\u0026#39;m tired of negotiating.\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                So yes:\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\n            \u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\n                \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;I still can\u0026#39;t run Windows.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\n            \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n        \u0026lt;/section\u0026gt;\n\n    \u0026lt;/article\u0026gt;\n","comment":[],"icon":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/icons/quote.png","locked":false,"stamp":"1786634902","statuses":"[\"Bomb\",\"Offensive\",\"Denied\"]","title":"Why I Still Can't Stand Windows"},{"id":"6a760c11846d0bf63721cabd","active":true,"allowComments":false,"banner":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/banners/news.png","body":"I added a version system, a new analytic display, and improved the HTTP handling in the backend.","comment":[],"icon":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/icons/dev.png","locked":false,"stamp":"1786121233","statuses":"[\"Announcement\"]","title":"What's been going on?"},{"id":"6a44542a4016ecc10d10b54a","active":true,"allowComments":false,"banner":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/banners/canada_day_banner_2.jpg","body":"🇨🇦 Happy Canada Day 2026! 🍁 \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\nToday, we celebrate a country built on breathtaking landscapes, remarkable diversity, enduring resilience, and a shared belief that people from every background can call this incredible place home.\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\nOn July 1, 1867, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick united through Confederation to form the Dominion of Canada. What began as a young nation has grown into a vibrant country stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Arctic Oceans—home to over 40 million people, countless cultures, and some of the world\u0026amp;amp;#39;s most spectacular natural wonders.\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\nCanada\u0026amp;amp;#39;s story is one of growth, innovation, and perseverance. It\u0026amp;amp;#39;s a story that begins with the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, and continues through generations of newcomers who have helped shape the nation we know today. Together, Canadians have built a country known around the world for its kindness, diversity, freedom, peacekeeping, world-class healthcare, breathtaking national parks, hockey passion, maple syrup, and unwavering community spirit. \u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\nThis Canada Day, let\u0026amp;amp;#39;s celebrate not only our history but also the bright future we\u0026amp;amp;#39;re creating together. Whether you\u0026amp;amp;#39;re enjoying fireworks, a backyard BBQ, time at the cottage, a hike through nature, or simply spending time with family and friends, take a moment to appreciate the incredible privilege of calling Canada home.\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\nHere\u0026amp;amp;#39;s to the True North—strong, free, welcoming, and full of opportunity.\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br/\u0026gt;\n\n🍁 Happy Canada Day 2026! 🍁\n\nMay your day be filled with laughter, celebration, friendship, gratitude, and plenty of red and white pride.\n\nHappy Birthday, Canada! 🇨🇦❤️","comment":[],"icon":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/icons/news.png","locked":false,"stamp":"1782862890","statuses":"[\"Announcement\"]","title":"Happy Canada Day 2026"},{"id":"6a443605d779dc66238f1a1b","active":true,"allowComments":false,"banner":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/banners/news.png","body":"After a long time away, I\u0026#39;m going to take this more seriously, I\u0026#39;m getting back up and running with a new site.  More announcements to come.","comment":[],"icon":"https://api.andrewmurdoch.ca/files?path=/var/www/html/blog/icons/dev.png","locked":false,"stamp":"1782855173","statuses":"[\"Construction\"]","title":"New blog in the works"}]