I was using Windows for a long time, from 95, XP, 7 and 10. Games just worked out fine, software that I needed I pirated. But I was annoyed from updates, (cannot turn off MY pc, just update and turn off option) bing, fokin bing and oh the best - F1 binded to it.
On parent’s pc is 7 still installed lol, not gonna change soon, anyway, my old laptop(server since 2017) wasn’t working properly with win, so only option to save it was Linux. Ubuntu was my choice in few years back, That was the moment I discovered open source software (head exploding image).
Recently i switched my main computer into PopOs, since I worked on it I was ,,scared,, to do it, because of some windows specific software. (I’m still able to boot into win, I kept it for some programs that I need once per year).
But I will never go back to windows as a main. First month was little bit stressful, configuring things and getting used to new workflows, but it is just a pleasure to use. No annoying popups, no preinstalled spyware, no stress related to running unknown .exe files, no bing. I just went from small dark closed box to a nice huge green open(source) forest..
Everything just works. If not, I still can fix it (mostly). I’ve got better with security, I understand more how things works generally. I found my peace in getting to know more how things works, not just guessing what it can do and never actually find out.
So if there is some one that is disgusted with how windows pc works, and is still using it, just switch it for Linux. Just do it, it will bring joy into using your machine as you need to and want to.
Just wanted to say this…
…and share the software, you’ll be free… https://youtu.be/9sJUDx7iEJw
It's interesting how far Linux desktop has progressed recently... I don't hate Windows, in fact I think it's a great OS for most purposes. But I happened to try Linux Mint a few years ago in a fit of pique about being excluded from the Win11 upgrade for spurious reasons... and it just kind of stuck.
Two years later and I am full on Linux now. Don't even have a Windows partition (though I do keep a VM). And I'm about to buy a new laptop that I intend to buy without an OS, it will never be touched by Windows, there's just no need.
For my purposes, Linux does everything now. OS, software, the games I want to play... I never even think about it. Also, everywhere I look, I see Linux - my Steamdeck, my MiSTer, my Pis, my Miyoo Mini. It's everywhere...
Your not missing much with window 11. It's like moving from a toxic relationship to an abusive one. Your constantly second guessing yourself on what your still allowed to do on it while you question if you actually own the os you spent $200 on.
I use it for work. Other than having to think for a second to find weirdly hidden menu items, it's fine. At least for my purposes, as a .NET dev. One thing I love about it is Windows Sandbox... really wish Linux would could up something similar.
As far as I'm aware WS is pretty close to what you get by just using virtalbox (with an easier setup) so you could do that on Linux. With Linux you also have more advanced solutions though like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qubes_OS
I mean, it kinda already exists. Just run it in a Docker container and remap the users in the container to non-existent uids/gids on the host.
I switched five years ago or so, but the last two years have been great. Almost all of the little annoyances I had disappeared in that time.
Yeah, it's weird. I'd been trying it on and off since 1997, and always bounced off because of some annoyance or other. Now... nothing. It's very low friction.
I had a similar experience. Tried Linux off and on since the early 2000s but never really got proper hardware support and kept giving up on it; only to try again some time later. Then around 2013 things just started to work and I got a usable experience overall. Though saying that Linux Mandrake did get pretty close at an earlier stage, I believe the accelerated graphics card was the only thing not working at the time (approx 2006-2008).
The past two years is mostly learning not to brute force the windows or macos way on Linux. I had the benefit of moving from windows to Mac os and back to windows.
Your not married to any software after the first time you switch OSes and open source is very good at existing everywhere there isn't a fee to operate.
I didnt hate Windows until 10/11. I hate the design aesthetic they've taken with it, and I hate the walled garden approach they are slowly moving the OS towards, and the ridiculous overbearing nature of the telemetry data gathering.
I still will argue any day that Windows 7 is the best OS ever made, It had the best balance of usability, stability, and performance, and I would still be using it today if it wasnt for being EoL'd. first OS I got at launch, and installed Day 1.
But I'm on linux now, and on Linux I'm staying.