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Winux Tries to Mimic Windows While Staying Fully Linux (linuxiac.com)

submitted 19 hours ago by cm0002@toast.ooo to c/linux@programming.dev

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Over the years, I’ve often thought that, despite how fast-moving the desktop Linux ecosystem is, there’s not much left that could truly surprise me. Yet I keep being proven wrong, and that’s a good thing. Winux, one of the newest additions to the scene, is a clear example.

Whether I like it or not, this distribution brings back memories of about 20 years ago, when Lindows, later renamed Linspire under legal (and fully justified) pressure from Microsoft, first tried to take the path of a Linux distribution built entirely to be as close as possible to the Windows experience.

Today, several Linux distributions aim to position themselves as an easy starting point, and even a replacement for Windows users looking to switch without friction. Zorin OS is a well-known example. Even so, these projects keep their own Linux identity, with similarities to Windows being more indirect than literal.

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[–] LostWanderer@fedia.io 12 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

It's certainly a surprising addition to the circle of distros...Reminds me TOO much of Windows and that's a big negative for me. However, for someone else this would be a pathway towards escaping Microsoft that has gotten lobotomized by their lust for AI.

[–] Telorand@reddthat.com 4 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Honestly, if someone wants the ease of Windows but isn't tech savvy enough to figure out "typical" Linux, I'd just point them to Aurora. Fedora atomic, easy system upgrades, easy rollbacks, nearly no downtime due to backup images.

[–] LostWanderer@fedia.io 3 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Atomic distros have a set-back of having to deal with Package Layering in the case of those that aren't found on Flathub. That's a bit outside of the wheelhouse of a non-tech savvy person. You or I could easily deal with package layering, as it's important to remove them before a major system update...We'd remember to do that before applying such an upgrade. They might not, leading to frustration. I think Linux Mint, ZorinOS, or even just Ubuntu would be better.

Still, I do use Bazzite, as I am comfortable with the package layering and understand mostly how atomic distros work.

[–] Telorand@reddthat.com 3 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

That's a good point. You'd have to know your intended user. Somebody who only uses flatpak probably doesn't need to worry about anything, but if they want to start layering, they'd run into problems on a major version change.

[–] LostWanderer@fedia.io 2 points 8 hours ago

Yeah, it is understanding the user and trying to give them recommends that would suit their technical ability and desire to learn. As using Linux (any distro) requires varying degrees of knowledge, I often ask people what they do with their computer and if they are fairly comfortable with technical things before making a recommend. I also firmly remind them they need to learn the basics, as it will often save them a lot of trouble!