• AnimalsDream@slrpnk.netEnglish
    58·
    3 days ago

    I have one old laptop with Windows 10 sitting around, and only because it’s the only way to update the Xbox Series controller I have that randomly bootloops and thus is essentially useless anyway.

    So this begs the question: how much of Windows can I delete and replace with foss stuff, while still having it technically be a Windows OS?

    Soon:

    “I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Windows, is in fact, GNU/Windows/NT, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Windows plus NT. Windows is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another nonfree component of a fully functioning free GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX… and whatever NT does.”

    • Zink@programming.dev
      4·
      2 days ago

      I think better questions to ask first might be things like “Can I pass the controller USB connection to windows in a VM?” which is probably yes, and “Can I just never update this controller?” which I would normally say is a yes, but it sounds like yours has issues.

      • AnimalsDream@slrpnk.netEnglish
        5·
        2 days ago

        Yeah after some searches it sounded like updating the controller might fix the bootloop issue. Running the accessories app for the controller through Linux seemed like a no-go, so for me the path of least resistance was putting Windows on an old laptop I don’t generally use anymore.

        Updating fixed the bootloop issue, until it didn’t. The lesson I’m taking from all of this is to not buy Xbox controllers anymore. Currently the DualSense is my main, but I’m looking at the Gulikit ES Pro at some point.

        If I ever find a controller that has a companion app that natively runs on Linux, that’s what I will prefer. But really, controllers needing to be updated is dumb to begin with.

        • Zink@programming.dev
          3·
          1 day ago

          Yeah that controller might just have a hardware problem.

          I’ve had pretty good luck with Xbox controllers from multiple generations, but it sounds like a LOT of people have problems with them. Even the elite controllers! It’s a shame because their shape and layout work great for me, and I’m sure the same is true of other people with broken controllers and no spares.

          Controllers needing to be updated is dumb in a way, sure. But as somebody who has worked in the design/manufacture/test of embedded electronics & software systems, I know the development of those dumb little accessories was a massive project, and there’s so much potential for bugs or security issues down the line. After a quick search it looks like MS claims it was over $100 million in R&D for the xbone controller, and that’s 15 years of inflation ago.

          Back around the same time It was part of a $10M project at my job and that thing took over most of the damn company!

          • AnimalsDream@slrpnk.netEnglish
            2·
            1 day ago

            That is the unfortunate thing, it is clearly a very well designed controller. Even just the form factor - unlike any other controller I’ve had, the Xbox one has a just right feel to it. And it has by far the best dpad I’ve used (albeit loud).

            Although I’ve always grown up with Sony controllers, so for me the ideal would be something like the Xbox controller, but with both analogs either on bottom or top (like the Wii U Pro controller).

      • ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 day ago

        Looks nice, starred it so I might remember when I get the parts for my ThinkPad that (hopefully) will resurrect it (no screen, no booting, beeps that either indicate “motherboard failure”, or "failure of some other kind), CPU temperature control seems to work at least, one of the worst coil whine that seems to be temperature dependent -> this indicates me some kind of capacitor failure).

    • Nyadia (she/they)@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      Yeah it’s a real bummer that Foobar2000 doesn’t run natively on Linux, but I’ve heard it runs well through WINE. The same can’t be said of MusicBee though, which even WINE can’t get running smoothly on Linux. Honestly, MusicBee and Exact Audio Copy are the only pieces of Windows software I’ve yet to find a native Linux alternative for that I’m satisfied with.

      Edit: Apparently nowadays MusicBee runs better through WINE than it used to? I’ll have to try it out.

      • kadu@scribe.disroot.org
        4·
        1 day ago

        MusicBee works perfectly via Wine, and it’s a major part of my digital library. Without MusicBee my MP3 player would be worth 1/10 for me.

        But you can’t just take the installer and double click it, you need to follow these steps (naturally replace the directories):

        Install Wine Staging and Winetricks

        Create prefix for MusicBee and .NET

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/ wineboot –init

        Install .NET 4.0 and corefonts

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/ winetricks --force dotnet40 corefonts

        Install xmllite and gdiplus

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/ winetricks xmllite gdiplus

        Set Wine to Windows 7 compatibility mode

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/ winetricks win7

        Install .NET 4.8

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/  wine $HOME/Downloads/ndp48-x86-x64-allos-enu.exe /q

        Install Music Bee

        Bash:

        WINEPREFIX=/home/kadupse/Wine/MusicBee/  wine $HOME/Downloads/MusicBeeSetup_3_6.exe

        Downloads needed:
        This specific version of the .NET Framework installer

        You might see warnings about WoW64 mode, experimental flags, etc, just ignore them and keep going and MusicBee will work.

  • Anti_Iridium@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    1 day ago

    I have to use windows for work, and Windows Explorer annoys the everloving hell out of me.

    What idiot thought that the “Home” folder and the User folder should be the different?

    And regularly, when “Home” hasn’t loaded I’m halfway done typing the address in the address bar “//someletters/adv” for example, it will decide to clear it to let me know I’m “Home”

    You might have made my life just a little bit easier.

    • eRac@lemmings.world
      4·
      1 day ago

      Another annoying one is that the address bar obfuscates the folder path if you start at Documents, Photos, etc. If I want to get to my user folder without a shortcut, it makes sense to hop to Documents and go up a level, but up a level from Documents is the useless Home directory.

  • Rose@slrpnk.net
    46·
    3 days ago

    (Someone on the interweb:) “Hey, you should try KDE Connect”

    (Me:) Uh, I don’t use Linux on my laptop and that’s the computer that I use the most

    (S:) “Well it also runs on Windows.”

    (Me:) Really?.. Holy sh- HOLY SHIT, this is so much better than every shitty cloud sync package, and that Google app they keep renaming every time I look at it so I can’t remember what it’s called this week

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
      30·
      3 days ago

      Kde connect just really feels like it was made by someone who wanted to use it. Also just the fact that I can beam stuff between my desktop, phone, and steam deck is so nice

      • uzay@infosec.pub
        3·
        2 days ago

        Especially the android app was made by someone who really wants to use it because it has literally no way of closing it or preventing it from auto-starting

  • TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world
    20·
    3 days ago

    NGL, I didn’t realise it’s an actual Dolphin icon on the folder until I saw this post. I always have the Dolphin pinned on my taskbar but it’s teeny tiny so I couldn’t make out the symbol.

    • Ephera@lemmy.mlEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      For what it’s worth, the dolphin face is a relatively recent addition. I wanna say three months tops.

  • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
    191·
    3 days ago

    I kinda dislike Dolphin, but I also know it’s very customizable and haven’t dig into the options, so it’s possible there’s a version of it I like that I haven’t found yet. If that makes sense.

    • tetris11@feddit.ukEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      Same. I try it every now and then and am constantly blown away with how it just seems to know my system and auto mounts things, and knows how to thumbnail images and videos without being nudged…

      …but I just can’t get over the clean glossy UI. It makes my whole system feel like a web app.

      And thus I always go back to Thunar or Dired because apparently cavemen just like to bang rocks rogether and that’s okay

    • Ofiuco@piefed.caEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      For me is the tree view (like explorer), it doesn’t feel comfortable and I can’t put my finger on why. On Windows explorer it felt quicker (like on a practical level, not about performance).

      But guess I gotta use it so… Dealing with it

      • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        Yeah, I miss Windows Explorer. Which I find really shocking. But I think it’s just missing the accumulated years of muscle memory.

  • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
    21·
    3 days ago

    Kde.org/apps

    You can run lots of kde apps on Windows and Mac OS. I personally use Kate at work since it is far faster than VScode

    There even is a konsole port in the works

  • Aeri@lemmy.world
    19·
    3 days ago

    When I look up “Dolphin windows” I just get the wii emulator (I am clueless)

  • stebator@lemmy.world
    5·
    2 days ago

    Great! Dolphin is also better than macOS Finder. I would replace it with Dolphin as well.

    However, Windows Explorer in Windows 11 still excels in one area: it doesn’t have a header, and the tabs are displayed on the header, like in Chromium.

    It’s also annoying that all KDE Dolphin tabs have that red [X] button. Sadly, the KDE developers reject great PRs like this one: https://invent.kde.org/system/dolphin/-/merge_requests/269

    Who even presses those [X] buttons? I always use the Ctrl+W shortcut.

    • blave@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 days ago

      the most recent version of Finder is… a bit weird. I like all of the tools and functions it has, but it’s a huge departure from the previous version of Finder, and I’m not a super-fan of some of the feature implementations. but, if you’re used to using Finder for a lot of work, you won’t feel too out-of-place.

      I haven’t used Dolphin in over a decade, so perhaps I’ll check it out.

    • NewNewAugustEast@lemmy.zip
      2·
      2 days ago

      Still excels? I don’t recall windows explorer ever being good at anything!

      You are saying you like the tabs in the header, so at the top. But Dolphin lets you split, which would make that not make as much sense.

  • apftwb@lemmy.world
    20·
    3 days ago

    I’m going to try to get Dolphin through security review at my company. QUICK everyone start listing reasons why my company should take on the risk of installing Dolphin.

    • slazer2au@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      3 days ago

      You don’t try company wide.

      Prepare a feasibility study on the merits on giving choice to power users without sacrificing security or increasing complexity. A multi departmental working group should be established to review the merits of the new platform, while a control group should also be established to monitor how existing solutions perform.
      Once completed a multi stage rollout plan should be compiled by a different multi departmental group to make sure all workflows are covered in the new system.

      • apftwb@lemmy.world
        6·
        3 days ago

        This guy corporates

        I have been down that path before with Obsidian and LaTeX (Obsidian was a success and LaTeX was meh). The first step is getting the executables white listed and Its always a PITA with our security team. I need to first convince them it is worth the study, which is always hard because they are not power users. Feature lists help. Win11 explorer being dogshit also helps.

  • BilSabab@lemmy.world
    7·
    3 days ago

    spent almost a decade straight on Win10 LTSC then switched to regular Win11 - I think Microsoft forgot how to make software. Vanilla edition is so bloated it is scary. Considering embracing Ubuntu.

    • odelik@lemmy.today
      4·
      2 days ago

      Check out Mint or PopOS! over Ubuntu.

      Ubuntu is falling behind in the desktop experience, as well as their insistence of using their proprietary backend for snaps over flatpaks, and overriding tools that you expect to get the flatpaks and causing trouble shooting issues because you are expecting one behavior but getting another (not that hard to work around or translate once you know, but still a hassle.

      Also, Mint and PopOS! are just great experiences and were top contenders for my personal desktop (dev, gaming, power user) switch from Win10 -> Linux. I wound up going with Arch/Garuda because it’s forcing me to learn far more about Nix than I’ve learned as a dev. I still might make the switch since Garuda can become unstable occasionally due to the way that the OS is “bleeding edge”, and forces me to troubleshoot the causes (I guess this is what I wanted to learn?) instead of doing personal dev, gaming, or desktop entertainment.

    • Zink@programming.dev
      2·
      2 days ago

      I recommend Mint. It’s basically ubuntu with the controversial stuff disabled (Canonical’s snaps mostly, but I guess also any ads for their pro services) and with an extra layer of polish.

      I’m happy with it for both the “I want something that works reliably” reasons and the “I’m an engineer who wants a free system that I can control and modify” reasons.