Across multiple laptops the Win 11 iso doesn't have Wifi drivers. And since we're in hell, you can't finish the setup process and actually use your computer without an Internet connection. Since then you'd be able to run an installer for the WiFi drivers.
Luckily you can use an Android phone to create an Internet bridge which will allow you to proceed.
However, The OEMs will automatically install CrapWare( we should start calling it this) even on vanilla Windows installs.
Compared to my last few CachyOS installs where everything just works out of the box. I don't need to provide my email address to use my computer.
Honestly as long as I can disable secureboot and install Linux it's ok. The moment I can't do this I'll be using legacy hardware ( or import a laptop from the EU where this is banned).
Edit: Hopefully the EU will make secure boot an option we can disable...
To be fair normal people don't care. My friend needed a new laptop, and since she's not too worried about the latest specs I just picked up what I could find at target for 300$. She is never going to reinstall. When Windows messes itself up in a year or two she'll probably just buy another 300$ laptop.
If this isn't explained during the setup process, it doesn't count. Magic undocumented incantations are not a user interface. Normal users will never discover this.
I've done my share of installing all kinds of OS's and flashing Android ROMs and I feel like I re-discovered crtl+C ctrl+V all over again with this revelation.
This is why you have to pay me to use Microsoft products. Their user experience is contentious with the continual degradation. The only nice thing I have to say about Microsoft is that when I retire, I will no longer be forced to engage with them and their enshitification.
They are even trying to push out local user accounts on their embedded / IoT version of their OS. The company I work for is evening having me port their product's hosted OS from Windows to Linux so they don't have to deal with their hostel user experience.
Because they closed the one where you use a fake email and get the password wrong.
Because they closed the one where you could fake not having an internet connection.
Because they removed the workflow to set up a local account. After they used dark patterns and misleading language to convince people to set up MS accounts instead.
Only on Windows Home, though. Windows Professional has none of that bullshit and I've done many installs.
Anyone who is this passionate about computers should be buying a Professional license anyway, namely to get proper access to Group Policy and other things peasants won't care for.
OP here, I run a computer shop that handles consumer computers. People bring me machines they purchased from electronics store. So i have to mainly contend with what is out there. I looked into getting into a partnership with a reseller, but since I dont really have much revenue it always seems like a zero sum game. Sometimes customers want me to purchase laptops for them, and this particular model I had trouble with was one of them. I'll admit I'm not very versed in areas I should be focusing on if I need to purchase OEM products because I am mostly a system builder for gamers. If anyone has any recommendations for getting system licensing and hardware from 3rd parties that's not to much of a upfront expense, I'm all ears.
>Windows Professional has none of that bullshit and I've done many installs.
Windows Professional has a lot of bullshit.Yesterday I lost 3 hours because, after a crash, Windows will run an "online checkdisk" and die before completion. Pulling the ethernet cable solved the issue. (this machine does not and will not have a wifi connection).
IIRC Windows 11 doesn't even have WiFi drivers for older Microsoft Surface tablets. I've got a Surface from ~2017 and I had to do a dance to get a fresh install on there.
We’ve taken to recommending Rufus in our setup guides rather than the Windows installation media tool due to the lack of recent Wi-Fi drivers in vanilla Windows.
Across multiple laptops the Win 11 iso doesn't have Wifi drivers. And since we're in hell, you can't finish the setup process and actually use your computer without an Internet connection. Since then you'd be able to run an installer for the WiFi drivers.
Luckily you can use an Android phone to create an Internet bridge which will allow you to proceed.
However, The OEMs will automatically install CrapWare( we should start calling it this) even on vanilla Windows installs.
Compared to my last few CachyOS installs where everything just works out of the box. I don't need to provide my email address to use my computer.
Honestly as long as I can disable secureboot and install Linux it's ok. The moment I can't do this I'll be using legacy hardware ( or import a laptop from the EU where this is banned).
Edit: Hopefully the EU will make secure boot an option we can disable...
To be fair normal people don't care. My friend needed a new laptop, and since she's not too worried about the latest specs I just picked up what I could find at target for 300$. She is never going to reinstall. When Windows messes itself up in a year or two she'll probably just buy another 300$ laptop.