We all complain but in the end the result is the same. The majority of PC gamers will stay on windows for 2 reasons:
1. Retro game compatibility
2. Online multiplayer anti cheat
There are old game mods or patches that are no longer in development but still fairly popularly among their respective communities in online multiplayer circles. They were designed and mostly tested for windows. They likely do run on linux but you may run into unexpected behaviour, additional bugs or crashes due to lack of testing.
Then there's the obvious more modern online multiplayer games with their kernel anti cheats that break Linux compatibility and cause issues.
If there was some kind of universal compatibility layer like proton but for online multiplayer servers and anticheat that could solve this, I think people would switch in a heartbeat, at least I would.
If you only game offline, on single player, idk what you're doing still on windows. Same if you don't game at all.
Nothing against Linux on the desktop I myself have dabbled in several distributions trials over the years to see if I can switch from Windows. In the end I ended up moving to Mac OS mainly because I feel Windows was going the wrong direction after many decades of using it. My issue with Linux isn't the OS but rather what can run on the OS as is the case always. But I have no issue with anyone who can switch to a Linux distribution and find alternative applications that work for them. I unfortunately never felt comfortable with anyone who of the alternatives and Mac OS has mostly offered them as the same as in Windows.
For decades we have been ripped off by Microsoft's monopoly when we were forced to pay Windows without even being given the option to refuse paying for them every time we bought a PC. Only recently other option became more popular, and some OEM's started giving the option to NOT include Windows.
This article expresses the author's opinion, and he has every right to have one. But I am socked to see so many bullies with Stockholm syndrome defending their corporate overlords!
Been using Linux since 2008 and I have to say -- first with Ubuntu -- maybe a different distro would be more fitting for normies, like Ubuntu, but Arch definitely isn't, because repairing (or even reinstalling) it 0.5-3 times a year is going to be required.
This isn't journalism so much as a personal rant dressed up as advice. The piece relies almost entirely on anecdote, makes sweeping claims without evidence, and then jumps straight to "you should too" as if one individual's experience on a niche, non-systemd Linux distro is remotely representative of the general user base.
There are no benchmarks, no comparative data, no discussion of software compatibility, enterprise use, hardware support variance, or the very real trade-offs most users face. Even the privacy claims are asserted rather than demonstrated. That might be fine for a personal blog, but it's weak coming from a site that presents itself as a hardware and technology review outlet.
Linux can be a perfectly good choice for the right user. Declaring Windows 11 "garbage" on the basis of a single frustrated setup, then recommending an advanced distro to everyone else, isn't insight. It's just confirmation bias with a headline.
Pretty arrogant to presume moving to Linux would be equally successful and pleasant for everyone because it was for you.
I have never experienced your problems with Windows 10 or 11, I create these issues when I tinker with registry hacks, group policy, permissions and security settings. I have had several minor issues from Windows 11 updates, but nothing affecting usability. It is puzzling to me that people won't learn the changes to the Settings menus or changes in Windows interface and take the time to learn about the inner workings of Windows so moving to Linux is the easier choice.
Much of Windows 10\11 telemetry can be disabled in Services by disabling 'Connected User Experiences and Telemetry' and 'Inventory and Compatibility Appraisal service' to keep Microsoft from inventorying your PC, also keeping your data collection on "required data'. Given the vast quantities of our data that is collected, Microsoft's telemetry through Windows 10\11 is trivial. Copilot can be disabled in group policy (in Pro or higher versions) and since I avoid Edge browser like the plague it is a nonissue.
You give out more personal data on the Internet and in real life than Microsoft ever collect!
For folks who experience negative emotion toward inanimate objects like Linux.
People are naturally afraid of uncertainty.
Also, Unix based Linux isn't intuitive like absolutely at all, and for the touchscreen swipe-generation even terribly scary.
Which means one starts to climb the mountain from the bottom.
As soon as one cross the point of no return, though the learning curve is quite steep, you realize that the view from the top is something you can't live without.
Being a child(gamer) is a temporary condition which will pass hence doesn't really worth attention.
The similar situation with the philosophy, the one which is born into slavery(which is "representative" democracy) has no knowledge about the opposite state which is even sounds crazy at first.
But after the line of no return has been crossed (Simiotic, Stierner, Foucault, Nietsche, Deleuze, Baudrillard, Agamben etc) , one wonders why did it take so long to start the journey.
Learn to live with uncertainty, it is the only way to learn new things.
Unless I am you or I have the exact same needs, situation, tasks and spare time you apparently have. then ANY time someone comes up with a blanket statement like "I did X and you should too..." the answer is an immediate "No."
A better approach would be "For these tasks: (fill in the list), Linux might be as good if not better for you" but even then it kind of ignores workflow.
In fact, some of the other comments that are pro-Linux bizarrely prove the point. They are long time Linux users who are used to how Linux and the apps they use on it work and find using Windows (which most users find easy) really frustrating. That's not surprising and reflects the whole issue of having to change workflows.
Yea. On old hardware for casual gamer it's probably fine to use Linux. But for modern gamer on new hardware - Linux isn't the right call by a long shot.
I'm glad to see a well-written, reasoned version of this type of post, and I want to add my two cents: 1. I've used Windows and Linux for literally 2 decades, at work and home. My recently built AMD machine has no issue with Windows 11, it functions well - largely as a 'Steam Launcher'. 2. Windows 11 really is worse. I've been upgraded to the Windows Server version as well as at home, and it's definitely a backwards step in terms of getting to work and having things at your fingertips. A fresh install can't even open the Start Menu responsively. It was better a decade ago. 3. This is a trend that will get worse - Windows admins at Microsoft itself clearly use the command line and Azure cloud apps and it shows. None of the mainline admin tools, configuration boxes are being updated. 4. The recent security tsunami is something they're clearly drowning in. Everything is additions bolted onto additions in response to crises. I routinely hit multiple security confirmations, inside a corporate network, during day to day business, not my admin work. So, what is the value of Windows here, if it can't talk to itself? 5. People point to the flexibility of the AD group policies, but it's growth is unsustainable imo. All of our major issues seem to be AD issues, even running on Azure's latest.
Again, I use Win11 at home with few issues. But I don't think it's good at anything, I think it's just the lingua franca of game devs and that's it. They need a Windows NT type reset and I don't think they're up for it.
It's funny to see hatred comments against linux from people acting as corporate bullies.
I use Linux professionally for almost 20 years and whenever I have to use Windows for some strange reason (not on my PC) i feel like i am in hell.
Linux has better open source support, it is used from scientists, IT professionals, Servers, Developers, Super computers and none of those ever consider to use the mess called Windows.
You should have it made more obvious in the article that you used a more obscure distribution and wanted something to play with. I have installed Linux Mint on many machines the last 5 years on everything from a 2008 desktop to a 2023 laptop with absolutely no issues. I use it myself on a 2011 laptop, 2013 laptop, 2011 desktop and a 2017 desktop.
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