The new Meta Quest Software Update Tool is a webpage that uses the WebUSB API to sideload the latest update to your USB-connected Quest headset.
WebUSB works on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, and even Android via Chromium browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Samsung Internet. That means you can use the Meta Quest Software Update Tool on almost any host device except an iPhone or iPad, and if you’re using a Mac you’ll need to use a browser other than Safari.
At what point was the OG Quest not chained to Metas shitty software? Are you talking about their operating system or games/content, or account to login?
Account to login, and the initial version of oculus program was pretty functional
Iirc Meta bought Oculus already but they didn’t push their stuff until halfway through Quest 1 lifetime and before Quest 2 launch