Why the end of support for Windows 10 is uniquely troubling

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Scale of impact & lifecycle comparisons

  • Many find the end of Windows 10 support uniquely bad because: it still has ~40% market share, was sold as late as 2023, and some variants (e.g., IoT/LTSC) get support to 2032.
  • Compared with previous transitions (e.g., from 8/8.1), far more users and machines are being left behind.
  • Some argue Microsoft is technically following its usual ~10‑year lifecycle; others say the long period where 10 was “the current OS” means users are getting cut off much sooner after purchase than before.

Hardware requirements & TPM controversy

  • A major frustration is that ~40% of Windows 10 machines reportedly can’t officially upgrade to 11 due to TPM, CPU, or RAM requirements.
  • Critics see this as an artificial cutoff to drive new PC sales and prepare for a more locked‑down, signed‑code ecosystem.
  • Others argue raising the hardware security floor (TPM, secure boot) is necessary to materially improve Windows security.
  • Several note 11 runs fine on “unsupported” hardware and that bypassing checks (e.g., via Rufus or registry tweaks) is trivial—but not realistic for non‑technical users.

Security, patches, and “theater”

  • One camp claims end‑of‑life patching is less catastrophic than portrayed: serious attackers already exploit unknown bugs, and human factors (phishing, running malware) dominate risk.
  • Others strongly reject that, insisting new vulnerabilities will continue to be found and that unpatched systems are dangerous to both their owners and the wider ecosystem.
  • Concern is raised about unpatched browsers, Office, and Outlook on Windows 10 creating a “bloodbath” once major vulns appear.

User experience, trust, and alternatives

  • Many dislike Windows 11’s UI changes, ads, telemetry, and perceived “AI/Edge bloat,” calling it malware‑like and hostile.
  • A minority report that 11 is slightly nicer than 10 (snappier, better window management, improved settings, passkey support) and don’t understand the intense backlash.
  • Some are responding by moving to macOS or Linux; others are considering ESU, staying on 10 past EOL, or hoping for community/third‑party security patches.

Bigger-picture worries

  • Several see this as part of a trend toward locked‑down, surveillance‑oriented computing platforms, with Windows following Android/iOS.
  • There’s discussion that user trust in Microsoft is eroding, especially after earlier messaging that Windows 10 would be the “last” Windows.