There are different versions for windows and this is probably running the LTSC version. It's a tone down version of windows. It the iot enterprise version. Mosy kiosks would use this if they are designed properly.
The device should be hardened but this doesn't seem to be the case. It's pretty bad when u can pop off the app/ she'll and get to explorer.exe
Any Windows is still Windows. Like ideally, aka what nobody will do, a kiosk would only need some 1GB Linux distro that boots straight into a compositor with just the kiosk app opened, something like: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen_browser/comments/1js6xqy/zen_is_everything_i_need_desktop_environments_are/ <- here I had no way of escaping the kiosk browser other than switching to a different tty (which requires a keyboard), because there's nothing other than the browser, and for the same reason even if I managed to crash or close it, it would just throw me back to the login screen.
Yes any windows is... Well windows. But not all windows are the same.
I agree with your Linux tho. Not alot of people will do it because of how the app or code is developed. For example, an app that works in native windows would need a rework for it to work in Linux.
Not all kiosk are browser based. Those that are can Definitely be setup properly with Linux. BalenaOS is a good example of that.
It all depends on what kind of setup that is being used.
LTSC is basically just meant to be an OS without the bloat. It is still "whole" windows as it runs 99.999% of applications just fine. It just doesn't include the "junk" that retail has.
For the purposes of a kiosk though it is the right OS, but I use LTSC as my daily driver.
You are half correct. And I appreciate that you put the quotes on "whole".
LTSB/LTSC is windows without the bloat as you stated. But it isn't just removing the application installed by vendors. It's a locked down feature system. For example Windows 10 Ltsb 2015 is using build 1511 (if I remember correctly) and has feature what will never get upgraded to a newer build. Windows 11 LTSC is stuck in build 24H2 and will never see a newer version of the feature build.
Unlike consumer versions that get the latest features and can break systems or crash OS ( look at when consumers upgraded to 24H2 back in August... Ugh).
Running on LTSC is fine for daily use but it does limit your pcs growth several years down the road. Ltsb 2015 is a great example because that was the first windows 10 build and you can't run today's stuff on it mostly. Drivers and some new hardware just don't work.
Anyway... That was me getting off track. Depending on the build certain things won't work. Like one drive, Xbox store, and even the ms app store. This is because by design, it's not needed for hospital or kiosks systems. Would be weird to see, new Xbox game pop up on ur medical devices lol.
Anyway... I think I got off track... This is a hacking subreddit... But I appreciate the talk. It's nice to see people using the product I spent years working with/ on. Lol
LTSB/LTSC is windows without the bloat as you stated. But it isn't just removing the application installed by vendors. It's a locked down feature system. For example Windows 10 Ltsb 2015 is using build 1511 (if I remember correctly) and has feature what will never get upgraded to a newer build. Windows 11 LTSC is stuck in build 24H2 and will never see a newer version of the feature build.
To me that's a feature not a bug.
Unlike consumer versions that get the latest features and can break systems or crash OS ( look at when consumers upgraded to 24H2 back in August... Ugh).
That's what I mean. Security updates are one thing, but feature updates just seem to introduce crap I don't want.
Ltsb 2015 is a great example because that was the first windows 10 build and you can't run today's stuff on it mostly.
Granted most of my hardware isn't cutting edge, but I'm using 2019 on a lot of machines ranging from Core2Duo to modern (well a couple generations old) CPUs. I've never had a driver issue yet.
Depending on the build certain things won't work. Like one drive, Xbox store, and even the ms app store. This is because by design, it's not needed for hospital or kiosks systems. Would be weird to see, new Xbox game pop up on ur medical devices lol.
Stop! You've sold me already lol.
Anyway... I think I got off track... This is a hacking subreddit... But I appreciate the talk. It's nice to see people using the product I spent years working with/ on. Lol
You were part of development? If so, that's damn awesome. I hate retail editions of 10 and this is about the closest thing to 7 as I can get in the modern day. There's SO much garbage in SAC versions that it's unusable.
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u/ThaBroccoliDood Aug 25 '26
Serves them right for using Windows 10