this post was submitted on 04 May 2025
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Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I’d argue that’s true of any user’s experience with any OS, including what you just experienced with Windows.
Getting out of S mode is actually very trivial, certainly moreso than many of the changes one might be expected to make in Linux. There’s a certain type of user that “S Mode” is intended for. You’re not that user, and Linux is likely to be a negative experience for that user.
Never heard of that mode, what is it?
I hadn't either until last night. From what I gathered it disables the installation of any softwares that don't come from the microsoft store i.e. .EXE files for programs that were downloaded from the browser. Getting out of S mode is as easy as creating a microsoft account. I had no interest in that for a variety of reasons.
You can disable it and run windows like normal.
Except they use a bunch of dark patterns to discourge any user from doing it by calling it 'Developer mode' and throwing a bunch of scary sounding warning screens at you when all you're doing is disabling the forced use of the Microsoft store.
It's a super scummy move that will be very effective. Many people will just use the Microsoft store and Microsoft will, once again, have used their monopoly to manipulate the market by forcing their own product to be used (like they got in trouble for in the IE vs Netscape Navigator case)
I guess I just didn't have the patience enough to even get that far with it haha All I could think of was the Netscape thing. It was sooo obvious when i opened edge and got halfway into typing "google chrome" when a giant banner pops up and says "you don't have to install another browser! please bro! Don't do it!"
Oh yeah, Microsoft has really leaned into the dark patterns.
You don't ever need to launch edge, you can just use winget now:
or
well man, I was scrambling looking for a terminal to actually do something and It was disabled in S mode O.o I will keep that in mind though should I ever be called to mess with another windows machine.
Oh yeah, you gotta get rid of S mode before you can do essentially anything.
I've only dealt with one laptop that came with that 'feature' so I just ignored all of the warnings that they've posted around the official way of disabling it (I mean "Enabling Developer Mode", i.e. regular Windows)
I remember being stressed when I deactivated the S mode on my Surface Go 1 as if I was about to make a big mistake😅
That was way before (re)discovering Linux and installing Fedora on it.
This is exactly what Google did on Android.
Did they? Installing APKs doesn't require an account afaik, just a settings toggle (not even in developer mode, just the regular settings).
Okay, so it's just similar to what Google did on Android.