I've seen no compelling reason to upgrade to Windows 11. One of the big things with Win11 is that Microsoft is REALLY starting to leverage the TPM ("Trusted" Platform Module) that have been getting integrated into computers for years now. It was, oh, probably over a decade ago now that Microsoft first started talking about what they can do with a TPM. There was a rather lengthy video at the time that marked the beginning of my decline in trusting Microsoft. (I'd been a Microsoft platform software engineer for over 15 years at that point.) I've been looking for the video, but it seems finding something that old will take time. Top Microsoft enginners and execs were talking about how the user has to be assumed to be untrustworthy, and must be protected against. They were discussing how they could use a TPM to facilitate protecting the world from "users"... I supposed at the time this was because there were the very occasional and rare malicious actors here and there, but to protect against them, Microsoft decided that ALL users must be treated as hostile.
In any case, Windows 11 is now fully integrated with the modern TPMs. Microsoft openly touts their user-facing benefits publicly, such as how a TPM can potentially help thwart ransomware attacks. They have stopped talking about how they can use it to thwart what Microsoft deems unacceptable user behavior, however...and that, that is the real problem with TPMs. Who was it, Benjamine Franklin (?), who stated that whoever was willing to give up freedom (or liberty) for a little bit of temporary safety, deserved neither freedom/liberty nor safety? Beware of Microsoft...
Well, some decade on, look at how Microsoft treats its users. With hostility, as untrustworthy! Here is a recent article on Microsoft taking their lack of interest in supporting or trusting their users to the next level with just one small aspect of Windows 11:
How long ago was it that Microsoft was facing an anti-trust suit for EXACTLY this very thing??? Right back at it...treating users with hostility. (I think, although I can't find it now, that Microsoft ultimately ended up reversing this anti-competitive change earlier this year...however, they did so very quietly, secretively, and did not announce the change when that build was officially rolled out. People only discovered it was simplified after the fact. However, they continue to use Edge as the browser whenever you use the built in Windows search feature, or any other feature that launches a browser...Microsoft still refuses to use the users browser of choice for ALL web browsing.) FWIW, I'm no Apple fan either. Apple has their own issues, their own little acts of user hostility here and there. They are just better at glossing over it all and putting a pretty, highly appealing brushed metal and gloss finish over it all.
I would be a hard-core Linux user, if I could actually get and use the software I really need on that platform... Anyway, I digress.
I've been watching Microsoft treat their users worse and worse for over a decade now. I've decided I'll be sticking with Windows 10 for the foreseeable future. Here is the deal. Just because Microsoft "officially" stops "supporting" Windows 10 in 2025, does not mean they will officially brick your computer at the same moment. Windows 10 will continue to function, you will be able to use it as you always have. It just won't receive all those annoying, forced updates that cause constant rebooting all the time. So long as you remain vigilant yourselves (something we have always been able to do, without Microsoft forcing their version of vigilance on us!), you can keep your system virus and malware free, and operating in prime condition.
Don't install lots of utilities or other junk. In fact, be very careful about downloading anything off the internet, don't download most things if you can avoid it, and IF you MUST download something, such as a driver...just make certain you are getting them direct from the manufacturer. NEVER use third-party driver sites (these places are sketchy to start, but many are just "friendly looking" fronts for extremely malicious actors redistributing infected drivers and other core system software so they can install trojans, viruses and other malware...usually stuff that operates silently behind the scenes, but opens up little access gateways into your system so that said malicious actors can hack in easily without being detected!!!)
Be VERY selective in what virus and malware scanning tools you use (Norton, McAffee, for example...they are SO intrusive, and consume SO many resources, I consider them to be malware themselves!! In fact, I consider both to be some of the most egregious malware on the planet, given how and how broadly they have managed to infiltrate so many computers!) Do your research, find the lowest profile anti-virus/anti-malware program you can find that has the highest success rate.
Living with Windows 10 for years beyond the unsupported date should be fine. I used Windows 7 for years after its EOL date. I was running Windows 8.1 on this computer for years before I finally moved to Windows 10 (I don't think I moved to Win10 until late 2019!!!) There should be no rush to prepare for upgrading, just because Microsoft tells you its time. Microsoft has demonstrated hostility towards its users for a very long time now. Their word is not the most trustworthy, and there is no reason you should think your Windows 10 computer will suddenly become unusable the moment Microsoft ends support for it. Even long after long term EOL, you should still be able to use old versions of windows (heck, I think I have some old friends who still use Windows 7!)
