this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2026
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I don't know if it's funny or frustrating that everything people are complaining about with Windows 11 are the exact same things we were complaining about with every previous version of Windows from 95 to 10: lack of control, limited configuration and bugs. Yes, Linux was super raw and difficult back then but we still switched and worked hard to make it better. I think all the articles encouraging people to switch today are missing simple "Thank you".
The difference is more dramatic now. Linux isn’t so finicky, largely thanks to hard work but also to Windows’ feature stagnation, meaning Linux isn’t a “few years behind” like before. Imagine the situation if, say, Microsoft hadn’t completely screwed up UWP.
Meanwhile, users subconsciously ignored a lot of junk with 95, Vista, 8, whatever. But that’s much harder to ignore in 11.
Linux is so much better now! My only gripe is inconsistent/buggy dock support, but resetting Cinnamon every 15-20 minutes is a small price to pay for freedom.
Yeah, see, that’s an “old Windows” kind of problem! “Oh, the printer works fine as long as I don’t leave it plugged in too long.” Users learn to deal with that.
Outlook + the start menu changing overnight, and ceasing to work, and the younger tech scratching their head because they haven’t gotten the update? Or a “wait, it’s screenshotting my stuff?” That’s different. It’s completely out of the user’s control.
Indeed, the basic user experience has been turned to total shit. I never liked win10, but it worked in day-to-day use without any issues, wanna browse web or write some text? Sure thing, no problem. Diving any deeper... ohhh boy. But that has been an issue with all the latest win versions so that's not really new.
But win11's been fully, visibly garbage from the start. The forced upgrades from win10 without asking. Lacking simple features that have been part of windows for ages (like moving the task bar and wordpad). There's unnecessary bugs constantly, like the task bar images randomly changing sizes even during usage, the text on desktop shortcuts being unreadable because the fucker wants to remove shadows and turn the text to match color of the background (instead of having contrast against it), not to mention the goddamn sidebar that you can't turn off and will randomly jump out. At least you can turn the trash news feed off from it - if you can get around the bug of the settings menu button for it not appearing...
Just the fact that even as a totally basic user you will notice all this crap is completely unacceptable. I'd switch all my systems to linux in a blink but infuriatingly I'm stuck for now.
It's more dramatic now because a lot of people switched when it was less dramatic. People switched more on a principle than out of need because they understood what Microsoft represented and didn't want to support it in any way. They switched because they knew they don't control the direction Windows is going and this exact scenario can happen. Without those people Linux would still be a niche OS and Mac would be the only real alternative. People talk about it like Linux just magically got better on its own, like it was some natural evolution that happened in a vacuum while everyone was using Windows out of convenience. It didn't, we worked hard for it over the years. So yeah, a "thank you" would be nice.
None is forthcoming. Just more whining that fortnite won't run because it requires a rootkit.
But the comparison is different now, Linux on the desktop is better and Windows is worse.
For example, if you turn off a bunch of telemetry options instead of stopping sending data it stops collecting it. That sounds subtle but it matters. It breaks functionality that has existed for >20 years, simple things like remembering what the last command was in the run dialogue when you open it.
Uh, window was always worse. Well since at least windows XP. Linux desktop has been better for a very long time.
I think for most of us that use and understand Linux, it has been better for a while.
It hasn’t been very long since Linux has been better for your average, non techy users.
Windows XP added so many anti consumer features, along with horrible security, that it really was that bad.
While linux desktop environments added so many usable features that Windows didnt have.... I would say that windows people simply didnt know.