Ben Santora - September 2024
(Img Credit— PIRG.org)
In October 2025, Microsoft will officially discontinue support for Windows 10, leaving millions of global users with tough decisions. While Windows 10 currently powers 69.77% of desktops worldwide, this operating system, once hailed as the last ‘major’ version of Windows, will soon be considered obsolete. The implications of this decision go beyond software, as it will directly (and unnecessarily) push millions of functional devices towards obsolescence — and potentially into landfills.
Many of Windows 10’s millions and millions of users will be unable to upgrade their machines to Windows 11 due to hardware limitations. Windows 11 requires stringent specifications like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, which many older but perfectly operational devices simply cannot meet. Faced with the choice of running Windows 10 insecurely after its support ends, upgrading hardware, or purchasing a new device entirely, a large segment of the user base will likely opt for the latter. As a result, millions of devices that still function well will be discarded, contributing to a growing e-waste crisis.
The environmental impact of this decision by Microsoft cannot be understated. According to the Global E-waste Monitor, 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste were generated globally in 2019, with only 17.4% properly recycled. Microsoft’s move is likely to accelerate this trend, consigning devices with years of life left on them into an environmentally hazardous cycle of disposal.
Consumers are left in a bind, especially those who cannot afford a new machine or are reluctant to embrace Windows 11, an OS that many find unnecessary for their needs. Rather than forcing users to upgrade their hardware to fit new software, Microsoft’s strategy is leading to a digital divide, where millions of perfectly capable machines are being rendered useless by software changes.
There is a solution, however, that many Microsoft users may not yet be aware of — Linux. Lightweight, secure, and often free, Linux offers a viable alternative for those unwilling to discard their devices. By switching to Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Mint, or Fedora, users can breathe new life into their existing machines and avoid the costly cycle of upgrades. Instead of contributing to e-waste, users can continue to use their devices well into the future while staying secure.
Most of the world’s servers are running the Linux OS so are Android phones. I’ve been converting obsolete Windows laptops to Linux for 12 years. Linux is easier on the machine and easy to learn and use — even Grandma can run Linux Mint. Linux is open-source and provides software of all kinds for free. And if you’re learning a programming language, Linux is a superior OS for doing so with its seamless interface between its terminal and file system. Linux is free to install and use. If Linux could find more acceptance among users of personal computers, its supporters and developers could be better appreciated and better financed.
Please keep perfectly functional electronics out of our landfills!
As we approach October 2025, the conversation about Microsoft’s decision should not just focus on software but also its environmental impact. Windows 10 is a perfectly good operating system — there is no reason to discontinue support for it! But MS will not reverse its decision. Don’t support this course — keep your computer!
Millions of perfectly good devices will be heading to landfills in 2025 and beyond - a consequence that could be avoided by Microsoft. But it won’t be — so do you what you can to mitigate the impact on both the environment and your personal computer use. Convert your PC's to Linux and pass the word to others to do the same.
Ben Santora — September 2024
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