First post, by Kerr Avon
I've read more than a dozen different (magazine and online) articles about what to do when Microsoft stop supporting Windows 10, for people who can't or won't 'upgrade' to Windows 11.
They mention the usual answers, such as using Linux, or Linux + dual booting Windows 10 so you use Linux for online stuff and Windows 10 for offline gaming, or just sticking with
Windows 10 + third party anti-virus/anti-malware/firewall protection software to hopefully keep your PC safe, etc.
But today I learned about another possible solution, one that I've never seen either mentioned in the above kind of a articles, or anywhere else, be it on the 'net or when talking to other
Windows users, and that's Windows LTSC. Windows LTSC is a cut down version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 (you choose which version to download and install), and the Windows 10
version is supported by Microsoft, security and major bug/security-fix-wise, until 2032.
To quote from https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links :
"LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel)
It is designed for devices where functionality and features must remain constant over time, such as medical systems, industrial controllers, and air traffic control devices.
Examples of editions include: Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC.
Maximum support on the same build is usually 5 years for LTSC and 10 years for the IoT LTSC.
This is not the main servicing channel and other software and games usually don't follow this channel's life cycle. For example, browsers and games might not provide support for 10 years on same build.
It lacks most of the Store (UWP) apps.
Reasons to use LTSC:
You don't like annual Windows feature upgrades.
You don't like preinstalled Store (UWP) apps as well.
You want longer update support for Windows 10.
Reasons to avoid using LTSC:
As stated above, many games and software might not support LTSC once that same build has reached the end of life in GAC.
Games might not work out of the box and you will manually need to install store and Xbox apps.
New hardware might not be fully supported by a 2-3 year-old LTSC build (A new version of LTSC is released every 3 years).
You might miss new features added in GAC that aren't available in LTSC.
Common misconceptions
LTSC is fast.
It's not fast, although there might be a bit more RAM available because of no store apps running in the background, and you can achieve the same result in GAC channel editions by turning off background apps and startup apps.
It's more privacy-oriented.
No, telemetry options are the same as GAC Enterprise."
No one I've asked has even heard of this before, so has anyone here tried it? What is game compatibility like with it? Can it be a possible solution to the end-of-Windows-10-support problem that's coming this October?
And I have to say that the lack of new, added features is more of a good thing than a negative, as when I want a feature I prefer to use a third party solution, rather than Microsoft's usually inferior and integrated-even-if-you-don't-want-it efforts.
