All articles tagged with #operating system
Debian marks 33 years since its 1993 founding by Ian Murdock, remaining one of the oldest maintained Linux distros and the basis for Ubuntu and many derivatives, with Debian 14 Forky in development for next year’s release.
Gizmodo reviews You're the OS, Pier-Luc Brault’s indie game that puts you in the shoes of a simple operating system, juggling CPU cores, RAM, and user inputs. The frantic loop sees you shuffle processes, handle idle tasks and high-priority bursts, and swap pages when memory runs out. If you neglect a process, its smile fades; enough rage quits and the user resets the system. It’s a chaotic, meta-commentary on multitasking that’s as frustrating as real life with a dozen programs open.
Luke8086’s GentleOS offers a minimalist kernel-shell OS for older 16- and 32-bit x86 machines, boasting a small footprint, a simple GUI, and a handful of basic apps and games. It boots quickly, especially in modern hardware, and is positioned as a fun, curiosity-driven retro project rather than a productivity system.
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is on a limited-time sale for $12.97 (regularly $199), adding AI Copilot, improved multitasking with Snap Layouts, and security features like BitLocker and TPM 2.0 for eligible PCs; an extra 15% off is available with code MARCH15 through March 29.
A YouTuber reviews Vib-OS, a vibe-coded operating system claimed to run on ARM64/x86 with a macOS-like GUI and virtual filesystem; in its current state it’s buggy and largely unusable—no internet connection, unresponsive File Manager, Notepad can’t save, a nonfunctional or mislabelled Browser, and even classic games like Snake perform poorly—underscoring the gap between AI-generated concepts and usable software, despite heavy AI investment.
Contrary to rumors of a 2026 release, the article argues Windows 12 is unlikely until 2027, with Windows 11 receiving ongoing updates (26H2 and 26H1 for Snapdragon) and the next OS forecast to hinge on AI hardware (NPUs) and Copilot integration. It predicts a store-/cloud-based app model that restricts Win32 apps to Pro/Enterprise editions, possibly via containers or Windows 365, and a new paid subscription tier. Past missteps like Windows 10 S and Windows 10X inform these predictions, and a Windows 12 preview is expected in 2027 with a likely October 2027 launch, potentially branded as Windows Copilot Edition.
Google is pursuing a ChromeOS-Android union code-named Aluminum, potentially letting Chromebooks run Android apps natively and adopting a bigger-screen Android UI. Court filings suggest testing in late 2026 and a possible full release by 2028, with some obsolescence planning for 2034 and antitrust pressure as context for keeping Chrome and the Play Store central.
Windows 11 has surpassed 1 billion active users, a milestone reached faster than Windows 10, aided by a free upgrade but hampered by stricter hardware requirements that keep many PCs on Windows 10. With Windows 10 still widely in use and supported through 2028, usage figures vary, and Microsoft plans further performance and reliability improvements while critics note ongoing prompts for sign-ins and upsells that contribute to a mixed reception despite broad adoption.
Loss32 is a novel concept proposing a Linux distribution built entirely around running Windows binaries inside WINE, offering a different approach from traditional compatibility layers and emulators, and potentially providing a more seamless Windows experience on Linux. The idea, presented at the Chaos Communication Congress, explores the possibility of a Linux OS that operates as a bare-metal WINE environment, which could revolutionize how Windows applications are run on Linux systems.
You can upgrade an old PC to Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97, significantly enhancing its features, security, and user experience, instead of buying a new device.
The article is a detailed appreciation of FreeBSD, highlighting its stability, performance, and cohesive design, contrasting it with Linux and other BSDs, and discussing hardware compatibility, release management, and system administration experiences. It emphasizes FreeBSD's strengths in documentation, security, and system integration, while also touching on challenges like release support and containerization.
Microsoft has finally fixed the long-standing issue in Windows 11 where the 'Update and Shut Down' option failed to turn off the PC after updates, a problem that persisted since Windows 10. The fix, introduced in Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200.7019, addresses underlying issues possibly caused by race conditions or servicing stack problems, improving user experience by ensuring proper shutdown after updates.
Microsoft aims to transform Windows 11 into an 'AI-native' operating system where AI features are integrated as core system components, enabling more autonomous and agentic interactions, with plans for significant AI-driven upgrades in Windows 11 26H2.
OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as an all-encompassing operating system, aiming to expand its role in daily digital interactions and enhance its utility as a foundational platform for various applications.
Google's free ChromeOS Flex allows users to repurpose aging laptops into Chromebooks, extending their useful life by providing a lightweight and efficient operating system, especially when traditional software updates are no longer available.