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Microsoft has recently released Windows 11. To our surprise, or actually we kinda expected this, most computers can't be upgraded to the latest operating system offering from Microsoft.

We already had a lot of critique and privacy issues with Windows 10 during it's release and hoped for improvement. We already realised that Windows 11 would also be a disappointment in that regard. Especially when the news came that Windows 11 would refuse to boot when a laptop did not have a working camera or Bluetooth (anymore). It would not be a viable operating system choice for laptops without this potential spy hardware build in. Nor for laptops that are equipped with build-in hardware kill switches. Nor for people who disconnect their camera, microphone, Bluetooth or WiFi for one reason or another.

We and others have tried out and tested Windows 11. Or in better words, we're completely unable to test Windows 11 on real hardware. Microsoft not only requires a computer with a TPM and with secure boot enabled. It also has a seemingly artificial line in the sand, requiring a processor designed, not made, after a certain date.

The newest hardware we've got here at our office, has a recently manufactured, 7th generation Intel Core I7 processor. In fact, you can buy brand new computers today, that will not be able to run Windows 11. We've looked into the differences between both the Intel and AMD processors that are, and aren't supported. We seriously can’t find a real reason why this line has been drawn. Even the members of our staff who have years of experience with motherboard design and embedded computer design have no clue as why slightly older generation processors are not supported. And older as in designed in recent years, but still being produced to this day.

Microsoft claims this is for your protection, otherwise you are in danger. But it is a false argument, because these processors of older design can provide these security features, only with more impact on performance. There is no good real reason why an operating system would demand these security features being present, enabled, and fully done in hardware, under all circumstances, for everybody and for all computers in any situation. It's like a knife manufacturer who desides that from now on all knives will be sold in a box that can only be opened by the newest iteration of a kitchen robot because otherwise, some people would misuse the knife and potentially hurt themselves or others.

Millions of computers will end up in a landfill, long before their expected lifespan is reached. Perfectly working, usable and secure computers. Otherwise, people have little choice other than running unsupported Windows 7, 8 and 10 with potential security risks and not being able to install newer applications. The other option is to switch to a different operation system such as POP!_OS, CentOS, Ubuntu, SUSE Linux, Haiku OS and others, like we've done years ago.

We can only conclude that it is very clear Microsoft is no longer an operation system manufacturer. Again Microsoft gives Windows 11 away for free, and focusses on sales of new hardware and data collection.