Or when they lock the bootloader ala android phones and you’re stuck with the default Windows on your laptop?

old hardware still runs great on linux. they’ll have to force windows apps on people and linux will prolly run them as well.

Old hardware is old. It will die eventually, and at some point there will be no more old hardware. Then what?

we’ll cross that bridge if we get there

That’s the kind of bridge you need to plan on crossing long before you get there.

It’s like driving a big truck. You get to the bridge and the sign says 5 ton(ne) weight limit and you’re driving a 40 ton(ne) truck. And there is a line of cars behind you that stretches to the horizon. You can’t turn around now. What are you going to do?

well, i for one am not buying new hardware

linux is in a great spot for gaming and openbsd for security

Since I’ve been Windows free for several decades now, I will hard agree with you that running your favorite distro is the Way^tm^ But I like I said, I’m under no illusions that my old hardware has a life span. Like me, someday it’s going to die and not even running Arch can fix it. And if there are no old affordable parts or whole computers, what then?