Speaker
Description
- How Linux and Windows differ as desktop environments
- Linux as Lego bricks; Windows as a finished product.
- Proprietary Windows applications that Linux users sometimes have no
choice but to use. - Windows as an accessible environment for less technical users; Linux for
professional work. - macOS as a middle ground between the two.
- How deeply can Windows internals actually be investigated?
- The challenge of investigating a proprietary operating system.
- Linux users are not Windows kernel or core system developers.
-
With AI's help, investigating and finding practical answers.
-
Windows tools Masafumi built as a Linux user
- Controlling application startup order as far as possible with Task
Scheduler. - Stopping unwanted applications from launching at startup.
- Shutting Windows down when the normal shutdown action does not work.
- Terminating child applications when their parent application exits.
- Crash dump analysis, with AI offering an interpretation.
- Temperature and system load monitoring, with AI offering an assessment.
-
An SBOM checking tool.
-
Major differences in system behavior
- svchost: the monster that eats your system.
- Why startup order cannot be fully controlled.
- Why sudden crashes such as Blue Screens of Death (BSODs) are so hard to diagnose.
-
How Linux kernel panics and Windows BSODs differ.
-
Conclusion
- What can Linux users do when they have no choice but to use Windows?
Talk Description
[Abstruct]
For those who use Linux or Unix on the desktop, Windows is a natural point of
comparison—and sometimes an unavoidable necessity. Linux users working with
Windows often find the differences in system behavior confusing, and the
proprietary nature of Windows makes parts of its internals difficult to
investigate.
In this talk, Masafumi will share his experience using AI-assisted "vibe
coding" to build tools that address differences between Windows and the
desktop behavior he is accustomed to on Linux. From what he learned building
them, he will explore how Linux users can understand Windows better, adapt
their workflows, and find practical ways to live with it. The talk should be a
good opportunity for desktop Linux users to make sense of the friction they
feel when working with Windows.
[Detailed Description]
1. How Linux and Windows differ as desktop environments
* Linux as Lego bricks; Windows as a finished product.
* Proprietary Windows applications that Linux users sometimes have no
choice but to use.
* Windows as an accessible environment for less technical users; Linux for
professional work.
* macOS as a middle ground between the two.
2. How deeply can Windows internals actually be investigated?
* The challenge of investigating a proprietary operating system.
* Linux users are not Windows kernel or core system developers.
* With AI's help, investigating and finding practical answers.
3. Windows tools Masafumi built as a Linux user
* Controlling application startup order as far as possible with Task
Scheduler.
* Stopping unwanted applications from launching at startup.
* Shutting Windows down when the normal shutdown action does not work.
* Terminating child applications when their parent application exits.
* Crash dump analysis, with AI offering an interpretation.
* Temperature and system load monitoring, with AI offering an assessment.
* An SBOM checking tool.
4. Major differences in system behavior
* svchost: the monster that eats your system.
* Why startup order cannot be fully controlled.
* Why sudden crashes such as Blue Screens of Death (BSODs) are so hard to diagnose.
* How Linux kernel panics and Windows BSODs differ.
5. Conclusion
* What can Linux users do when they have no choice but to use Windows?
Author(s) Bio
Masafumi leads the Raspberry Pi community in Japan and helps businesses adopt
Raspberry Pi across Asia. He works as an IT consultant for public sector
customers, helping them improve their digital transformation with AI, and is
currently evaluating vibe coding for them. He has built some software with AI
himself so that he can teach others how to use it, and as a consultant he is
exploring how people new to IT can put AI to work. A long-time Linux and Unix
desktop user, he has organized the Japan track at COSCUP since 2019. for more informmation please check https://masafumi.me/
| Category | Design of Users and Developer Experiences |
|---|---|
| Twitter and/or Mastodon Handle | masafumiohta |
| Where are you located? | Japan |
| Do you need travel sponsorship from GNOME Foundation in order to join our event? | Yes |