Bots and other bad actors thrive in free (as in beer) environments, for reasons that should be obvious. If we want to do anything meaningful about them, sites will need a nominal but real fee to use.

It's not what anyone wanted, but "free" was always inevitably going to lead to the Internet becoming a dump. The free ride is over.

>"Would be nice to be able to use it for actual work."

Would it? How would it be better than existing Linux distros with tons of high-performance native apps AND the ability to mimick whatever GUI the user is familiar with AND use WINE to do better at running MS-Windows programs?

ReactOS development has been going on for decades and still doesn't have much to show for itself. I see ReactOS as a kludge to try and make a free and open version of inferior technology. We already have a free and open OS with superior technology and with a tremendously larger installed user and developer base.

>"If anything will get people to move to Linux, increases in gaming performance will."

Maybe? I know few people, personally, who have much interest in gaming at all. Even fewer who are seriously into gaming. Gaming is an important market, for sure. But there are tons of people who don't game under MS-Windows. They use it because that is what they know, that is what was loaded, or that is what is required for package XYZ to run needed by work, school, or hobby.

As long as it is easy, "free"/included (it isn't free, in any sense of the word, but consumers don't know that), and not too painful or annoying, Microsoft will be able to carry on as always.....

But recently, Microsoft overplayed its "control" hand and it is biting them in the *ss. They are scrambling to try and undo some of it in time to save what is left of their eroding platform. I was kinda hoping they would keep doubling-down.... it has been one of the best boosts for people to finally seriously explore non MS-Windows options.

>"The problem is multiplayer. Very few games run under Linux with multiplayer because of the anti-cheat software."

If people start flocking to Linux, there will be so much pressure to drop anti-cheat or to have it use Linux-friendly methods, it won't last or be a barrier.

>"If anything moves people to Linux it's going to be America turning into a fascist hellscape"

Yawn. There is little difference from that perspective of now compared to a few years ago. Or a dozen years before that. The word "fascist" is mostly meaningless, like so many other words now, since it has been twisted to be whatever is needed to suit whatever political view you believe. And it was never really a great term in the first place. As for Europe, they are no bastion of freedom in comparison. They have plenty of their own issues.

Moving to Linux *is* about freedom, and all countries could benefit from more of that, including ours (USA). I wouldn't want the USA reliant on EU software control anymore than I would expect than to be reliant on ours.

OK, the way you describe it, it could be useful for some. Still not sure I would ever use it, though. I don't think it is a bad thing to have (and wasn't implying that).

To me, having the duplicated controls and taskbar icons is a benefit. As is making them different sizes independently.

>"Split View puts two webpages side by side in one window, making it easy to compare, copy and multitask without bouncing between tabs.

Yeah, that is called "open another window". It really isn't that hard. I have an ultrawide monitor and I always have at least two Firefox windows open at the same time, side-by-side, each with many tabs. You can drag tabs between windows, you can drag windows into tabs or tabs into windows. I thought people knew this.... oh yeah, I guess most people just freaking MAXIMIZE everything, sigh.

>"This strikes me as a way to make the browser able to fund itself while actually doing some good for people."

Exactly. Why complain about free 50GB? That is plenty enough for occasional use. And if you want to pay, you know it is a legit service from a trusted place and the money is going to someplace good.

Notable missing, perhaps the two most important and biggest problems for people:

* Remove/reverse artificial hardware requirements
* Remove/reverse requiring a "cloud" login

Don't hold your breath

>"you must have a ultra widescreen monitor. "

Indeed I do, geometry 2560x1054. And I never open windows more than half the screen width.

>"Firefox is a browser for people who only open 3 tabs max."

Ridiculous. At home on my main Linux desktop I typically have 3 Firefox windows each with multiple tabs and one with 11 open all day, every day, 24x7. I will occasionally close Firefox if I have to update it or the kernel or whatnot.

Yet Another Chrom*

No thanks.

>"Android could for example trivially allow users to deny access to networks, location, contacts or reveal identifiers like IMEI without an applications knowledge rather than present day take it or leave it demands."

^^THIS, exactly

I bought a car 12V battery monitor that has a required app to gather the data via bluetooth. Simple, right? Well, no. The app REQUIRES location to be on. And ALL THE TIME. Why? They claim Google's bluetooth system requires location services. Why? And if you refuse, the app doesn't work at all.

So what did I do? I installed the app on my tablet, which rarely leaves the house, instead of my phone. Now I can access the data without YET SOMETHING ELSE tracking my location. All they will know is where the tablet is sitting on my desk. But it means it is less convenient for me. And most users will not have an alternative (although they do, just use one of your many older phones sitting in a drawer somewhere), or don't care about their privacy.

And all those other apps that REQUIRE access to my contacts. They either don't need that, or need it only for some OPTIONAL function/feature in the app. But if you don't allow it, the app doesn't work at all. Or the apps that demand access to your camera, or your pictures, again, because of some non-primary function of the app. But refuse to even launch without it.

It is unacceptable.

>"Little did I know that when I fired up my TRS-80 Color Computer back in 1981 and saw "UNDER LICENSE FROM MICROSOFT" that Microsoft would be the company that would continue to screw the computing world for years to come ... and still does."

Yeah, that was ironic on my CoCo 1 and CoCo1. But the CoCo 3 was all about OS-9... ain't no Microsoft in that goodness.

>"In that phase they are living 100% off old glory"

Has there ever really been any glory? I have been very much into computers since something like 1981 and haven't seen any. Popularity, yes. But "glory"??

>"Helium consultant Phil Kornbluth, speaking at a Gasworld webinar on March 4, said"

But did he say it in an unusually high-toned/comical voice?