I switched to Windows temporarily...And I have made some observations

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Most of you may know that the reason I switched to linux was the BSODs in Windows. In the lockdown period when you had to do everything on a computer, I got frustrated and made the switch.

I had to temporarily switch to Windows 10 last weekend (I won't disclose the reason). And I decided to not dual boot because it was a terrible experience for me the last time.

It is true that in order to compare them you need try both of them. And surprisingly I found some good things in windows after returning to it after almost 1 year.

  1. It feels like home- Even after staying away from it for almost a year, Windows feels more like home than Linux does. I tried to find the reason and came to the conclusion that it was because everything is so straightforward in Windows. What makes it straightforward?
  • Less troubleshooting
  • Hardware works out of the box
  • No need for hunting down alternative apps

Basically, you don't have to spend hours to get everything working.

  1. Everything is there- Everything you would ever need in your computer is there. You don't need to go looking for this extension and that extension.This applet and that applet. And you won't be missing out on Eye-candy either. It all sits there. KDE comes very close to this which also makes it my favorite desktop but it comes with the dreaded Kwin which is simply unusable for me because it keeps crashing constantly.

  2. Hardware runs better on Windows- On linux the fans used to kick in as soon as I switched on my laptop. On Windows Fans run only after an hour or so during heavy use. Battery life also is much much better on Windows.

  3. Linux is not faster that Windows - Windows is faster than Linux in my case. Must have something to do with hardware. Firefox opens almost instantly and VS code takes just 3-4 secs to open. Boot time in Windows is also significantly lower. Almost 40 seconds faster with Fast Startup on and ~~ 15secs faster when Fast Startup is off.

  4. Apps are better in Windows - The apps that we use on linux are okay but the same apps on Windows works so much better. The stock apps of Windows are also better. The MS store is much better than any other software store. Apps also integrate better with Windows and are much more smoother. The same app on linux has less features and are less stable than on Windows.

  5. No need of antivirus anymore (for me)- While I was on linux my antivirus subscription expired but I use the default Windows Defender now and it works better than enough for me.

  6. Some apps I need for my academics work only on Windows and Wine is of no use in this case. Specifically AutoCAD. And no linux alternatives are not good enough and I don't want to pay 300-400$ again for another CAD software when I already have an AutoCAD license.

  7. No more BSODs? - I think it was fixed or something because I am not experiencing any BSODs now.

None of the above issues are Linux's faults. They are mostly because of hardware and software makers but it does explain why Linux is still behind Windows even though Linux has come to a point where everything eventually works out for the user.

EDIT: I am not a privacy freak. I am not concerned about the privacy issues so, if that's the only reason to not use Windows, then I wouldn't be bothered to make the switch.

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Examples? Are you stating a personal anecdotal opinion that they are more stable? I am not attacking you - this is a perfectly valid question.

I agree that Windows has shown many improvements in speed and performance. But I do not agree that it is generally faster than Linux. Some apps, including Browsers, open faster. However, editing and development software opens about the same speed, but is much more sluggish in application.
That is just my own experience. I dread having to develop anything using Windows.
Fans and battery life are improved on Windows - Agreed.
However:

I disagree on this heavily. Windows still uses gtk2 resource files for some appearance settings and QT for others. In many other cases, the application itself must determine appearance - like the Browsers (much like the direction Gnome is desperately pushing toward).
This causes Windows appearance to be strangely inconsistent across applications.
Test this:
Open Device Manager and tell me if that window is not the Spitting Image of Windows 95?
Because it pretty much is. It has not changed at all. Yet, the settings window to reach it looks much more decorated and refined. That is another heavy inconsistency.
And good luck getting any Stardock Windowblinds to work on it properly.

How much time have you had to test this?
I can ask this on the BSODS, too...

This is true and why for many businesses, using Windows is a must.
Sadly.

I sense a certain bias in this writing. Eventually everything works out for the user?
I have installed many Linux Distros and they work Out of the Box. Not eventually. Everything works.
This forum exists to help Zorin OS specific users of which there are literally in excess of 1.2million users - yet we only see a handful of requests on most any given day for help - many of which deal with using Other Software... For that many users, by the standard you just suggested, this forum should be flooded daily, with a few hundred members posting answers to questions.

There are pros and cons for what people prioritize. I prefer stability, functionality and also customizability - I want my computer set up and organized My Way.
On Linux I can do that. A decade and a half on Windows never allowed me to really do it My Way- even on Windows 7, 10 or 11.
Especially Windows 11.
I'd rather swallow raw pig guts than experience Windows 11 ever again...

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I've only been using Zorin OS for a short time, but I'm not considering going back to Windows.

  • My PC cannot be updated to Win11, but with the current stagflation in Japan, I don't want to replace it.
  • Windows' poor font rendering is not suitable for displaying Japanese.
  • Windows 10 and 11 keep removing features I need and adding features I don't need.

These points have made me lose hope in Windows.

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Sure.
Foxit Reader, WPS Office, Proton VPN, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Microsoft Edge, Mega client are the ones that I noticed. Plex was recently made available for Linux but it is incomplete. It does not work on Wayland. It keeps crashing and sometimes would not open until you restart.

Sorry, I can't spot any inconsistency here. Here is what it looks like:

image
image1366×768 206 KB

This might be something that's true but I should tell you I ran into BSODs a hundred times each day and now I don't. I have been using Windows since last Saturday. I did not need antivirus yet and if I ever do I will update my post.

I might be biased but that would be perfectly unintentional. This post was made to highlight the good things about Windows that keeps people from using Linux.

I still believe that Linux requires a lot of configurations to be made before it can be made ready for production. I mean who hasn't wasted hours looking for alternatives? Who hasn't wasted hours to get their bluetooth or any other hardware to work? Who hasn't spent hours looking for the perfect linux distribution? If this is something that is specific to me then be it. That's why this is on feedback.

Thanks.

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Its perfectly fine to stay with Windows 10 for as long as you want even after 2025, you can keep using it without any risk but you must install an antivirus after 2025.

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@Elegant_Emperor As was the case with Windows XP, the risk of using Windows that is no longer supported will be extremely high. I tried Zorin OS because I thought it would be too late to take measures in a hurry in 2025.

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How are they more stable? This is unclear. I have used most of those.
I agree that Proton VPN needs work on Linux.
But the claim remains vague. You said those apps have more features and are more stable.

To give you a bit of perspective...
Many users have joined this forum to state that they are very happy with Zorin OS because everything worked out of the box. Every single thing.
You have seen these posts.
And I made one of my own when I got my new computer with Nvidia 3060 card.
I use Mega still to this day on Zorin OS and I have never had any instability.
Microsoft Teams... Ummm.
I use Discord to this day on Zorin OS and I have never had any instability.
So, it is a very legitimate question to ask what these instabilities are and what features are present on Windows but lacking on Linux.

Change the themes in Windows Color settings instead of using the default...

Or better still, apply a theme from Windowblinds. The difference is glaring. I even see users on Windows with multicolored windows all the time because the OS does not respect a system theme.

It is human nature. We all are.

It's an opinion piece. People post on this very forum saying the polar opposite from what you said pretty frequently, too.
It's the same across many fields - Check out apps and games on their forums. Some people say they had nothing but trouble with a game and it's lousy and others say they have never had any trouble and it runs flawlessly.
It's perceptions based on our experiences.

Wasted hours? I imagine very few people.
Alternatives are very easy to find. And only needed when an application simply will not work on Linux but only works on Windows.
How many alternatives do people search for on Windows, using Windows, for their media player? That's a stretch as an argument that Windows is better than Linux.

The Vast Majority:

The vast majority have no trouble with printers, bluetooth or anything else. We see Very Few Help requests when you look at the sheer number of users.
And who hasn't experienced such troubles on Windows? I have- Within the last month! And searching for the solution is nowhere near as straightforward either...
Error code 0x0001x... What?
On Linux the error actually Tells You What Went Wrong. No Illegal operations.

Linux has been in production for years and is used by about 3.3 Billlion people.
You say this like it is a fly by night project that has not yet even got off the ground.

Really.... :roll_eyes:
People Distro Hop enjoying exploring other configurations and they are now Wasting Hours looking for a perfect distro? Really!?

A member posted on this forum looking for tips for getting used to Zorin 16... Since he had been using Zorin OS ...9... Up until a couple months before moving to Zorin OS 16.

We could start a poll... But I suspect that the vast majority of users on this Forum would vouch for the ease of use, the functionality and the broad spectrum of Zorin OS. Which speaks for Linux. Zorin OS was not built from the ground up. It is based on other contributors work.
Your opinions are fine and what you prefer and prioritize is also fine. When making claims, though, those will need support.
It's simply invalid to claim Linux is "not ready for production" just because some users must learn a whole new system.
To give this perspective, if Windows was a minority and Linux was the Dominant OS, then all people switching from Linux to this upstart "Windows" system would be confused about settings and where they are, just as frustrated at having to learn new ways of doing things, upset that their terminal was so different and not accepting the usual Linux commands that are familiar...
They would balk at the Limited Desktop Options and lack of user controls. And they would riot over the privacy. Even if you do not care about privacy, many users really do.

Do you want to know why people don't switch to Linux?
For the same reason they do not stop eating fast food after their doctor tells them that their cholesterol is too high.
For the same reason they do not watch diet and exercise.
For the same reason they won't walk ten feet to a trash can.
For the same reason they can admit anthropogenic climate change, but won't change any habits to halt it.
That is the reason why and we all know it. Many of us had to personally resist our habits and frustration when we made the switch. And here we are.
It's not because Windows is great. It's because changing to a whole new Operating System requires time and effort and even transferring a lot of saved data. It requires learning New Software and that's a lot of work.

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Sure, use whatever fits you.

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The advantage of Linux is its thorough user management. Certainly, some settings need to be modified in order to use it comfortably. However, since they are stored in the user's directory, they can be restored to defaults if they can be deleted, or restored from a backup of the user's directory.

User management in Windows is not sophisticated and cannot do the same thing as in Linux.

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Much of what you say is true. The others I cannot speak for because I have no answer because they are incomplete.

How can you say alternatives are very easy to find. Till today MS Office users are reluctant to switch to Libre Ofiice why? Why is there no good CAD software that is good for 2d diagrams? And why is it that people are still searching for a good way to sign their pdfs offline?

You say a vast majority did not face any issues with their hardware. Fact: An even more vast majority of people have already switched back to Windows because they could not get their GPU to work. Fact: Today people are enjoying wifi. Tomorrow an update will break it. Fact: People can't game on linux because their fans run hot.
You may not have experienced them. I have:

Excuse me? Are you asking me to pin point each feature that is missing on linux bot not on Windows.

Foxit Reader

Fox
Fox1184×660 106 KB

Windows

Foxit-Reader-install-Ubuntu-20.04
Foxit-Reader-install-Ubuntu-20.041076×600 42.8 KB

Linux

Proton VPN

Protonvpn-gui_screenshot
Protonvpn-gui_screenshot800×433 87.5 KB

Windows

ubuntu
ubuntu1200×637 327 KB

Linux

Discord looks and works more or less the same but anyone who claims that discord has very few instabilities is absolutely drunk.

Microsoft Teams:
Name is self explanatory

I also changed the colour in windows settings and I did not notice any thing different. I did notice one inconsistency and that is with the UWP apps that are from the MS Store.

I meant to say that this post was specifically a feedback to linux about what keeps people from switching to Linux. There is no doubt that there are things that would make people want to switch to linux.

A Vast Majority distro hop to find distros that actually work for them. A perfect example would be me.

Can you please give the source? Are you counting Android also? You are saying that almost half the world's population is using linux, which we all know is not right if we exclude android. And android does not reflect the original linux kernel rather it uses its own modified version of linux kernel. And you should also know that the majority use linux as server and not on their PCs.

I did not claim that. I said that even though everything will eventually work out for users, there will always be things that Windows will do better than Linux and these things are not small either. They do affect the user experience.

EDIT: The above images are not mine but they do reflect the present state of those apps on linux and windows.

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@Elegant_Emperor I understand why you need Windows and your decision is not wrong. I don't think the human race is smart enough to create an OS that satisfies everyone, and that problem cannot be solved by discussion.

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I sign a LOT of pdfs online just fine, without any trouble whatsoever, on Zorin OS.
I agree about CAD, I really do.
I find LibreOffice to be a viable alternative- others disagree. There are several others out there... But for those who really **use MS Office, they all complain of a lack of viable alternatives - So, I agree with you based on their expertise.
So, how can I say alternatives are easy to find? Because just because a Few Apps do not have a viable alternative, doesn't mean that the majority of apps don't.
From editing software to video, to media players, to organization software to translators and to productivity apps, most software out there is well supported and developed in Linux.
As an example, I always used Xampp on Windows - I couldn't stand Windows Media Player and finding a good alternative wasn't easy.
On Linux, there is an explosion of alternatives, many of which are better for me than the ones on Windows.

Support this "fact" with actual statistical evidence, please.
No really...

Support that Hard Claim you just made.
**You just claimed in your own words that The Majority of Linux Users switched back to Windows because their GPU did not work. Good luck...
All the avid gamers on this forum would chuckle at your "Fact."

Fact: Pink dragons get more lollypops than Purple ones.

Anyone can make something up, then call it a fact.
Let's focus on this One Statement:

This is an apologists statement. In it, you claim that Linux is not a viable desktop. Not a viable operating system. You ignore the Hard Evidence that 3.3 Billion people use it globally. And you make up facts to suit your arguments. You claimed "Fact: An even more vast majority of people have already switched back to Windows because they could not get their GPU to work."

I really do not see how anyone can take this thread seriously with that One Sentence you just posted.

Excuse you, YES. You made the claim - Support it.

You showed images of different layouts. You did not List The actual Missing Features.

Support this claim.

Approximately 3.3 Billion users that use it regularly. That number jumps to 30 Billion if you include those that use it incidentally:

Used on Server? That is your argument? They don't use it the right way that pleases you? Your made up "Facts" and that Linux is "not ready for production" remains valid because they are not using it they Way You Want them to for your claims to have merit?

You 100% did claim that:

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Like I said you counted android. Android does not reflect the original linux kernel. They use a heavily modified older linux kernel. And calling it a linux distro is far from truth. Android also plans to ditch the Linux kernel in future. Look how the numbers fall then.

That many people don't live on earth.
Current world population=7.97 billion.

I don't have time to reply to your post now. I will come back to it later.

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The number of Linux users is 32.8 million, in addition to 1.6 billion Android users.

From one of the links that you posted yourself.

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Sorry I mistyped. Jumps up another 30 million including those who use it incidentally.
I am leaving that original post as is- for the record -with this correction posted here.
You may have noticed all the typoes I have been repeatedly editing in each post from typing so much, so fast.

@Elegant_Emperor
You have made some pretty hard and bold claims.
While some are easy to ignore; The claim that the Vast Majority OF Linux Users Switched Back to Windows because they could not get their GPU to work is problematic.
While discussing Windows vs. Linux (Which can get heated) is acceptable, getting on a Linux Forum and misrepresenting the facts and realities in such a manner really cannot be tolerated. This forums existence is predicated on providing support to users who are making the switch from Windows to Linux. Making such harsh claims against Linux as a whole would make the prospect of switching from Windows look like a very poor idea should a reader actually believe your claim and suspect they will be a member of that vast majority whose GPU won't work (False).

The Onus is on you:
Support that claim with statistical evidence. If you cannot, I am closing this thread since the forum simply Does Not Need to have members on here making false claims in order to promote Windows and disparage Linux.

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For your satisfaction and for the well-being of the forum, I have edited my post. Although it was used as a hyperbolic expression.

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The Thing is, You Just made the Switch dear, You will not notice Tons of Updates arriving just in a week and for Linux is not faster than Windows. Trying using it for a year and see how much bloatware and slow your PC gets without troubleshooting. The Entire Project is based on Marketing for bill gates pocket. So, that he can say cryptocurrencies are useless :joy:

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By striking out these statements, I assume your intent is to retract them.

Since they remain on record (Struck out but visible), I'd like to add a bit of clarity:

Any user can formulate opinions on the use of any product based on their perceptions and experiences. As humans, our natural tendency is to accept our own opinions or assumptions as "Truth".
Windows - as an Operating System, is generally well supported, solid and reliable. It wouldn't be the dominant OS if it lacked these things.
All things that attain dominance, also tend to like to see what more they can gain. Microsoft is not above this and this too, is well established.
Windows 11 has seen dramatic speed improvements over its predecessors. While Linux used to always be faster than Windows, it no longer is King of Speed as it once was. It is not generally slower, but user experiences may vary depending on what hardware they have and what apps they use.

What this means is: Windows is not better than Linux and Linux is not better than Windows. This is because we cannot properly define what "better" means. Both have their upsides and perks, and both have their flaws. Each tends to have different flaws and different upsides - So opinions will vary on what is better, since different people will focus on entirely different things from each other.

Linux has progresseda lot, too. GPU performance is better than it ever has been on Linux, with Nvidia even working with Linux far more than it ever did, where it used to utterly shun all Linux related topics before.
Gaming has improved much on Linux, though it still needs work. There are entire Linux Distros that focus exclusively on gaming and playability and most users today find themselves able to play all their favorite titles, thanks to support from Steam and other developers.

Mac OS is a very strong competitor against Windows. In spite of holding only about 9% of the market, it is on equal footing in profitability. Mac apps are extremely well developed and their desktop experience is superb to many. Yet, users are not flocking to Mac away from Windows.
This is due to a large part to the fact that changing your O.S. requires Commitment, Time, Effort and Learning. It requires change.
People notoriously shy away from many of these things. It is no different for Linux.
The argument that people do not switch because Linux is flawed falls face down when looking at the performance and reliability statistics of Linux.
It is because, like eBay... people don't like to move to a competitor if it means more work for them.

That a user may try out the latest Windows and be pleasantly surprised is a fine thing. But this does not necessitate leading readers to believe that Linux is not viable.
This forum provides support to those seeking to use Linux instead of Windows. As such, while we can recognize reports of subjects that need improvement or fixing; We cannot abide misrepresentation of Linux, used to promote Windows.
It is demoralizing and misleading.
As human beings, we all color our perceptions, and therefor our claims - what we say about a thing - based on the colors we ourselves painted on.
Linux users are biased against Windows (Self included) and Windows fans are biased against Linux.
Fighting over it does not help.

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It's a commercial product so obviously it is about marketing. I have used windows for 15 years. Do you think I don't know what it's like? On bloatware..I have removed everything that I think was bloatware. And it runs great.

And I don't understand by what you mean by saying:

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Fact: True Fact: MS Office is a productivity app.
Fact: Again True: AutoCAD is a productivity app.

Moreover, My saying that linux needs configuring to get it ready for production and saying that Linux is not production ready are two different things. However, I am willing to let that pass because I don't want this thread to die again for something that has happened in past. Flame War because of confusion on who said what.

The point of the thread was to point out my experience and state the reasons that piled on my head to make me switch back to windows.

Thanks for understanding. I have tried to say this too. My post was made to highlight things that I like about windows and that's why it is so inclined towards Windows the whole post was not made to shun Linux or to make Linux users feel low. I am sorry if that's what it felt like.

Fine

Here you go,

Discord:

I attached a link along with my claim.

MS Teams:
MS teams in linux is naked compared to what it is like on Windows. Check this out:

You already agreed on Proton VPN.

Mega client relies on System tray to function which is missing on GNOME desktop.

When it comes to stability....Foxit Reader is super slow to open on linux. Discord is a buggy mess and Proton VPN too.

That is true if you count android. Android, like I have already said a hundred times over, does not use the original kernel. It uses a heavily modified version of an older linux kernel. Moreover, Google is planning to switch android's kernel in future.

My post was basing Linux desktops in general but I had not made it clear so I guess it's my fault.