Yet more reasons to move to Linux
Hey now, we need to let these folks fester in peace. They don’t want our religion shoved down their throats.
“Adobe is literally taking works I’ve made to train ai, Microsoft is forcing me to use AI and taking ownership of my PC and files away from me by forcing me to use the cloud, as well as tracking everything I do and taking screenshots of my screen every few seconds, Apple tries it damnest to squeeze every little bit of money from me, but at least I don’t need to download Linux Mint, flash it to a pen drive, back up my files and install it on my computer. It’s totally impossible for me to use Kdenlive, GIMP or libre office!”
Microsoft isn’t forcing me to use ai… And I don’t use adobe. My friend complains about windows all the time, but that is because he is using windows 11.
You make it sound complicated and scary!
They bought a computer with Windows on it.
They buy a computer with Linux instead.
They won’t tell you we are living in techno-feudalism, but there’ll be signs.
It’s like Microsoft is telling you that you don’t own the computer any more - “My Computer” is now “This PC”.
Joke explaining is an important community service.
Huh, thinking about it, I’ve never seen a computer in the 2009 icon form factor. Sure there’s the simple rectangle case, but that skinny silver curved case?
Also, its kind of funny the 2026 version is an all-in-one-computer, which is more of Apple’s thing. Sure there’s probably a dozen options for a Windows all in one, but when I see that icon I think of an iMac.
Compaq Evo T20
Compaq t5000
No, that’s the PlayStation -1.
You know something, I have a weird soft spot for thin clients. They’re so little and compact, but they do ordinary computer things?! Hmm… I think I need to be on the lookout for some to add to my collection so I can
forceget them to compile Gentoo for three days, or something equally silly. I’ve made a Compaq Deskpro EN run Arch Linux 32, so there’s that.You probably already know, but for the crowd:
Usually thin clients are clients that remotely connect into a central server that runs their VM, and the VM actually handles the compute. Like older mainframe and endpoint setups.
There’s still some minor compute hardware/resources on the thin client itself, but it’ll probably be more lightweight than expected. Maybe equivalent to an early model raspi?
Neat!
A school i went to around 2010 had something similar
It was all to connect remotely to a real server that ran windows
The device on the desktop was just for connecting peripherals, power, ethernet and monitor
Maybe the 2009 computer is supposed to be a thin client. Those are more prevalent in business settings.
I think the 2009 icon depicts a paper portfolio folder next to an LCD monitor. The computer case is elsewhere under the desk.
The 2026 icon depicts only the LCD monitor
Well, it was modeled after “This PC” that being the one he happened to be using when he made the picture, you better be glad it wasn’t modeled after a 2006 Wacom Tablet.
What a shit icon too
It’s to warm people up to the idea that eventually there will just be a screen connected to the network. Any actual computing being done will be hidden behind multiple subscriptions.
It would be hilarious if they reuse X11’s original server model and just start trying to stream draw events to and from the cloud.
A lot of computing “standards” seem to happen in waves. Not as directly as fashion, but still. Mainframes with endpoints are now the cloud.
PC revolution is over, back to terminal with accounting dept controlling the processor cycles you use for your petty project…
I prefer ≈/
