On October 14 2025, a few months from now at the time I’m writing these lines, something special takes place in the context of computers and operating systems. It’s the day when support ends for Windows 10. And, to throw a science-fiction twist into the mix, I’d say this is the day I anticipated when I first tried Linux back in 2005. It sounds absurd, but sometimes reality lies in the things we can’t quite see. In these two decades since I first tried Linux I’ve learned a lot of things – including learning how to learn – and it all led to this moment in time.
For the vast majority of people, this means nothing. They will continue to happily use Windows 10 unsupported – some of them might even think they’re smart, claiming they don’t need security updates because they have an anti-virus program. Or, they will succumb to the blackmail and buy a new machine to use Windows 11. Some of them might already be using a Mac, thinking they’re really smart.
Truly smart people aren’t necessarily defined by their actions, and that certainly includes the computer they use. But they are defined by their understanding of why they act the way they do.
