Title.
I would look forward to knowing which Windows version(s) all of you fellow forum members like and dislike the most.
My most favourite Windows versions are Vista and 7. 7 is stable right out of the box and looks really good, and Vista SP2 also is, but Vista RTM was not good, to say the least, and it was ahead of its time. Vista got too much of an unnecessary bad rap IMHO.
Next come 8.x, 2K and XP. 8.x looks UGLY on desktops and laptops but a little tweaking makes it fit for use on desktop and laptop PCs.
2K and XP are very stable, but they look a little archaic to me (computer veterans, pls do not hit out at me).
Windows 10 is my least favourite Windows version, because it is bloated, ugly, power-hungry and resource-hogging, more so than any other version of Windows.
From a Linux perspective, though, there are quite a few disadvantages of using Windows, such as the constant updating and reboots, instability of some applications, the dreaded BSODs, etc.etc.
I would actually have still been using Windows 7, had I not discovered Zorin OS and gotten to know about all the merits of using Linux and FOSS. I owe my thanks to the Zorin developers, you fellow members of the Zorin community and Linux software developers alike.
I too prefer Linux over Windows but I do have to go back to Win 10 dual boot with Zorin to do a few things ..... my favorite all time Win was 7 and I would have it on this laptop dual boot with Zorin if I could and dump 10 but unfortunately the drivers on my Asus will not support Win 7 .... I tried and found no way to make it work so I'm stuck with 10 which is what this Asus came with ....
I may be showing my age here, but I have to say Windows for Workgroups 3.11 worked well for me. After that Windows XP was pretty reliable and easy to work with.
My favorite old version is windows 2000, which I still have on a desktop. I used XP for a long time, then went to Windows 7 which is my current favorite and I still use on my laptops.
My least favorite is Windows 10. Yuck. I haven’t tried 11, and don’t plan to use it unless forced. My distaste for Windows after version 7 is why I started looking in Linux and went with Zorin. I really like Zorin. I’m enjoying my Windows7/Zorin OS setup.
But, these kind of posts are the kinds that have me puzzled.
I landed on Zorin OS after trying a bunch of other distros, I guess I took me like two days of testing before I bought the Pro (mainly to support the devs).
Zorin OS is actually the first distro I choose to install on a physical (home) machine to use as a desktop OS (Linux in general sucks on the desktop, especially in an enterprise setting .
I've been lurking around the forum for some time before I registered, and I always wonder why, very often in posts, Windows get bashed?
Windows is a very reliant OS, so is Zorin/Linux.
How about focusing on the strengths of Linux instead of (often wrongly) make assumptions/statements about Windows?
I used Windows almost my whole life- or at least since a young adult...
I switched to Linux only recently.
Last week, I got a new computer that came with Windows 11 on it. I kept it, in part, to fulfill some educational and work related needs.
And I have been reminded... with vigor Why I hate Windows.
Clunky. I needed to adjust at least a dozen things in the registry.
Many features have been removed since even Win 10 - much less Win 7. It really Reminds me of Gnome! with all the function removal.
File management is disorganized and chaotic.
But worst of all, (With the creepy "Hi. We're getting everything ready for you" a very close second)... is that Windows Takes Control. I cannot roll back an Upgrade like I can on Zorin. Or opt for a previous working package. No... Windows Updates it whether I want it to or not.
It upgrades anything it wants - sometimes with zero notification.
Then it restarts itself.
It doesn't care what you were working on at that moment- it decided it knows best.
Why does Windows get bashed? Because it deserves it.
Because there is a massive disconnect between the users and Windows management.
Because it controls you, instead of the other way around.
Because it is Sloppy. Fragmented. I have used Windows at least 10 times longer than I ever used Linux. In Linux, I can find anything I want. In Windows, finding what I need, am looking for or just plain want is like Finding Nemo. With more Shark and Less Dory.
And I absolutely cannot wait to scrape the pile of Microsoft Excrement off my new machine.
I do not "hate" an operating system (probably because I've been working with OS'es for 30 years), it is a piece of tech.
Use it, or don't, there are downsides, and upsides.
Zorin is excellent as a Linux distro, I will highly recommend it to anyone looking for that.
But comments like:
" And I absolutely cannot wait to scrape the pile of Microsoft Excrement off my new machine."
...is a good example of why I never ever recommend anyone to sign up to some Linux forums.
The zealot/jihad mode is disturbing.
All that you list is personal opinions/feelings, and what looks to me like lack of knowledge.
Adjusting: Yeah, I had to adjust noting after installing Zorin (sarcasm).
File Management: Yeah, there is not like there is x number of File Managers out there for Linux (personally I prefer Caja).
-Rollback/Upgrades: WRONG! Windows never ever forces you to reboot, or upgrade things you don't want. Btw, dependency hell is of course unknown in the Linux world (sarcasm, again).
But, from the context of your your answer I kind of agree with StarTrekker, you are obviously the gate keeper, and some of us "Will not pass!"
After Moderation Consideration: Thread Locked due to the New Member immediately resorting to Ad Hominem attacks.
The O.P. can PM me to request it be unlocked.
It is quite debatable as to whether Windows Reboots without user permission (It does) or upgrades without user consent (It does), but these things cannot be hashed out and debated when a user opts to immediately resort to attacking the character of the opponent, instead of the idea.
I am not sure about the thread closure..
But since I could not post there,
I found it fit to post the reply here..
First, All of your (@Aravisian's) claims don't look right to me..
Whenever one does a fresh installation of any operating system, they always change its settings to make themselves comfortable with it. And it is not unique to Windows. Even Linux users change the settings before they start using it. The fact that you needed to modify the registry doesn't matter either. In Linux it is too often that we need to use the dconf-editor or access some root file and change it in order to align the settings to our preferences.
Feature removal and addition is common in every software update. This too is not unique to Windows only. Every other software does this...Linux too.
When it comes to how many features were removed from Windows in Windows 11; It is very less; So less that it is surprising. In fact some of the features that were removed were disliked very much by the community. And the number of features that were added are far more in number than that of the removed features.
And not all updates are compulsory. Security updates install automatically. However, Feature updates and Quality updates are optional and don't update automatically.
And Windows does not restart itself. A notification is recieved when the computer needs to restart. They do have this feature called "Active Hours", where your activity time is recorded and Windows installs updates outside "Active Hours". If I remember correctly...this feature is disabled by default in Windows 10.
But the most important point is that...In Windows you can PAUSE THE UPDATES!!, for a limited time that is..the maximum time is 1 month or so. And no one would deny the fact that one should not keep their OS un-updated for more than a month.
Is this a joke?
Or was I asleep for years? Windows provides more "app support" and "hardware support" right now..More than Mac OS and Linux.
And when it comes to functionality....Windows rocks there too. The Windows settings is crowded with options. And there are several third party apps that further improve the functionality. Take Rainmeter for instance which is far better than Conky or KDE Widgets.
However, neither Linux nor Windows is necessarily worse than the other. They both fulfil their purposes and Linux is progressing very fast.
Windows 8.1 is my favourite, whereas Windows Vista is my least favourite.
Now my next few statements are directed to everyone in the linux community. And you may not like it so I am hiding it... and please don't hate me.
Click the arrow to reveal/hide
Why is that so many people in the linux community are so toxic?
I have seen posts on several forums, and social media platforms.
And I don't understand why people defame a software they don't like so much.
Not just Windows...Mac and Google and Snap/Flatpak and GNOME too. If you don't like it then is it necessary to call it useless and bad? It maybe useful to others.
If someone says, "Windows is easier to use". Almost everyone in the linux community jumps up and becomes so defensive.
It is clear that criticism even if it is constructive in nature, is not taken practically. One would write an angry essay about why they are a terrible human being as a reply to the above statement.
This kind of behaviour is downright offensive, discouraging and in no way welcoming to beginners.
"You should use Linux because Windows sucks" does not sound very welcoming and as @gilgamesh rightly says
I don't admire Micro!@#$ and certainly don't like their tactics but I do admire all of there software.
This very clearly applies to you and Gilgamesh completely. Your reactions Both have been not to point out what you dislike about the Other OS or cover the talking points, but to attack others character and even - call them liars.
And to this end...
This thread is Set on Slow Mode. Since another user has opted to try to Flame War and attack personal character instead of debating the talking points.
Further character attacks will result in closure.
I am 100% certain about the thread closure.
Users do not get to start being abusive to each other with Clear Character attacks, instead of debating differences of opinion or differences of fact.
What would the forum be like if users were able to resort to such with greater frequency? How would many users feel comfortable seeking help and troubleshooting here if they see abuse and character attacks?
There are better uses for everyones time, than to try to claim Oppression when users must be reminded to:
Debate topics and hash out the ideas, not attacking the person or throwing Insults and Accusations.
Take time to carefully consider your post.
Avoid flaming.
There are better uses for our time than For members to necessitate defending corrective actions taken agains those that choose to abuse others.
To the points on Topic:
No, they are not. Let's take it one step at a time...
This does not make my statement false, in any way whatsoever.
My statement never said it was Unique to Windows. You are putting words in my mouth.
What I said was : I find Windows to be clunky. This statement is true. I find it to be very clunky in relation to other OS's that I have used.
And in order to adjust things to be more conducive to my workflow, I needed to modify registry settings. This statement is also true.
I never said it was Unique to Windows.
Further, a large number of feature removals is Legitimate Grounds for User Complaint.
Your claim that all my statements are false is clearly false- Unless you can demonstrate that Windows 11 did not, in fact remove features such as making the "Taskbar" much less configurable.
Having last used Windows 7 - I found a large number of settings simply removed that are noteworthy.
I started net searching how to restore these things, and while I came across a few pointers that did enable me to, for example, set a Windows 7 or 10 style Menu, I came across many that covered how many things are Just Removed as Settings in Windows 11. This is true and nothing you just said demonstrates that to be false, in any way.
You did not demonstrate that my statements are false because you did not show that any features were not removed.
Support this this with evidence. In fact, since we have not covered all the removals, how do you assume which features were "disliked by the community?"
Less compared to what? What is your frame of reference? Which features?
If I assume this statement is true... What difference does it make?
If the features I use and prefer have been removed, and the settings to restore them removed... Then I have legitimate grounds to dislike it.
-sigh-
This is an Ad Hominem attack and an assumption.
I can be mistaken about something, but not lying.
However, there are many updates that are performed without user consent and cannot be roilled back.
Before you say, "This is true on Linux, too" - I would agree. This is true for some packages on Linux. However, on Linux there no compulsory upgrades and you only cannot roll a package back if it is significantly less than what is contained within a Distro that you chose to install.
Windows upgrades you to Windows 11 Automatically - Whether you consent to it or not:
Clearly not a Lie. Many people I have spoken to did not want to upgrade to Windows 11. It happened on its own - they woke up to find it on their computer. Zorin OS does not automatically upgrade me to the next release. I have a choice.
And my son bought a Windows 10 disk for a hundred bucks or so and reinstalled 10 in order to get it back some months ago and it Upgraded him again...
He installed 10 again and this time, found the setting to stop it from upgrading without his consent. What a pain that was. Is it illegitimate that was unpleasant?
No, it is not a joke.
Windows having App support is also utterly irrelevant. I, personally, find Windows File management to be Clunky and hard to find files, folders, etc in. This is not a Lie. This is not false.
In Linux, files are arranged logically, in arrangement and in order that follows logical thinking.
In Windows 11, the file manager shows you the Most Recent files you opened in the lower pane and a set of most Common folders in the top pane.
In Linux, My home folder shows all my folders without deciding for me which I should see.
It is a Legitimate Complaint that I have that I dislike Windows Layout as illogical and guiding instead of directly showing all my folders.
Yes, I can hit the treeview on the left and take different paces toward navigating a tree - but the tree does not follow logical linear order as Linux does, to me. Instead, system files seem all over the place.
This is your opinion and that is fine.
Might I ask you- if I disagree, does this mean that I can attack your character as a person, try to rehash some other persons disagreement, call you a Liar or claim your statement is false?
Update- This comment above is outdated as it refers to the post made in a different thread before the posts were moved here.
Another Moderator lent some insight: He stated both sides have merit in debating the topic, however users may not see others perspectives.
This is a very valid point.
My perspective is that I have not used Windows at all since I switched to Zorin OS. Whereas other users have been using both regularly.
For me, using Windows 11 recently was a rather more stark and sudden shock.
While a user that has been using Windows along with Linux would be more accustomed to the changes in Windows.
To me, feature removals that disallow user configuration will always be seen as a loss of user control and worthy of valid response. Developers often wish for users to have less control - as this allows greater control to the developers.
Users often wish for greater control over their machines.
What sticks out in this the most - Is that understanding each other when you have different perspectives and understanding why you have them, is far more conducive than Just Attacking.
My Grandmother used to tell me you can disagree without being disagreeable. I am 76 years old and have learned that we do NOT always see things the same way. Sometimes people are just plain wrong in how they see things but most of the time the way they see things is just a matter of opinion and how they have experienced life.
I have been using Windows since the days of Windows 3.11. For many years I appreciated how much easier it was to use windows compared to just using DOS commands. And many of the programs I used at work required some version of windows to work.
A few years ago I decided I wanted something not connected to Bill Gates and Microsoft. But when I tried Linux there just wasn't enough support for someone that was coming from Windows. I learned some cli commands and still tried to use Linux by trying several different versions. But the programs I wanted just weren't there or I didn't know how to find them.
About 6 or 7 months ago I read about Zorin and decided to try Linux again. I was pleasantly surprised to find that almost anything I want to do now has a Linux program that will do the job.
Overall for me and my experience I have found Linux in the form of Zorin to actually be much easier to work with than Windows. I especially dislike Windows 10. I liked Windows 7 and Windows XP. But Windows 10 just seemed too intrusive. I haven't opened my dual boot laptop into Windows 10 for at least the last 4 months. And then it was only because I was trying to fix an Ipad for a friend and could't get Itunes to work in Linux. I haven't even turned on my desktop with Windows 7 on it for probably 6 months or so. I just don't need Windows anymore.
One of the things that has really impressed me is how easy it is to install things like printers or wifi dongles. I have had to a couple of times find a tutorial on this forum to install a specific driver but most of the time Zorin automatically finds the device and then installs the driver and I don't have to do anything. Much simpler than trying to get Windows to find a driver and install it.
Thanks so much to the Zorin team and the great moderators of this forum.
I using W7 and Zorin for they hard work. Sample temple Os with one a Man and 120 000 lines code. Imaginetion how many time and line code. This is what brothers Zorin trying doing the best. I cannot waiting for new version Pro. They are better with all standard Linux distribution.
Objectively speaking, I'd say Windows has, overall, continued to improve with successive releases. In terms of engineering, presentation, ease of use, security, and general usefulness, Windows 11 is the best yet. It's a very polished OS to use.
But on a personal level, I hate it - not because it's poorly made, because it isn't. It's the user-hostile design decisions like making MSAs mandatory, dark patterns that railroad users into doing things that help Microsoft (widgets always opening in Edge and not respecting your default browser, bundling ads and crapware in default installations, malware-like bait-and-switch tactics used to get users to upgrade, updates that can't be disabled) that really irritate me. Somewhere, under all that corporate policy, is a fantastic OS.
And I don't know if I'm the only one on the planet that's bothered by this, but I despise the way recent versions of Windows talk to me.
Around the time Office 2013 released, the UX teams at Microsoft took it upon themselves to start going crazy with 'informalising' the app language, turning phrases like "The file is in use by another user" into "There's someone else here", "Do you want to save your changes to xx?" into "Want to save your changes to xx?".
Windows 11 is full of phrases like, "Hi. We're glad you're here." "Getting everything ready for you, just a little longer." "[App] just got installed, check it out." Windows' UX designers seem to think that Windows should be talking to its users like it wants to be their friend, but it somehow just comes across as condescending.
Anyway, for favourites...
Nostalgia points me to Windows 95, as it was the first version of Windows that I ever used, and it was my introduction to computers - I like to fire it up in DosBOX every now and then just to relive the childhood memories.
I also have a soft spot for Vista - I got caught up in all the Longhorn hype and I find the development story behind it to be fascinating. The end product, after service packs were issued and hardware vendors caught up with its new driver models, was quite pleasant to use for the time. DWM and WPF were massive steps up in improving the user experience of the OS, catching it up to Mac OS X. The entire thing just looked so revolutionary and futuristic.
I also loved Windows 8... on a tablet. I know there was a horrible duality to it that just didn't make sense for either tablets or desktop computers, but the tablet experience, on a base level, was wonderful. I was sad that so much of the good work that was done in Windows 8.x was thrown away for Windows 10. Perhaps for the best overall, but Windows 10 didn't care about UX like Windows 8 did. There are so many nice details about the movement and arrangement of Windows 8's tablet experience that they just tossed away afterwards.
You are not.
I comment on this often.
I find it very creepy: "Hi. Sit back and relax. We are getting everything ready for you." I imagine this is what you see on the display when abducted by aliens.
Umm... I want "Clippy" back. At least the Puppy or the Paperclip was just annoying, not super creepy.
You describe my recent experience with Windows 11 to a "T". Up until recently, I was not really antagonistic toward Windows.
And you can see this in posts even as recent as a month ago. Recently, however, I started using Windows 11 for the very first time and Windows again after using exclusively Linux for about a year and a half to two years or so. You would think that reverting back to an OS I used for the vast majority of my life would be pretty easy.
However, the short time of using Linux has spoiled me a lot more than I realized. In using Windows 11, I was struck by:
The complete loss of a feeling of user control
The inundation with integrated accounts and demands that I set up information the way Windows wants - or I am disallowed from proceeding. "Hi. Just give in. We are getting everything ready to spy on you. Relax, this won't hurt. Wanna be probed?"
The sudden unwanted "upgrade" and the inability to stop it.
Rebooting itself due to having installed updates of its own accord in the middle of me working without warning.
I have not booted Windows up for a few days... But because Zorin can access its files, I noted earlier today that it created a new partition and Put Things on it. I get why... I know why... but WHY is it doing that?
It's like buying one of those Robot Vacuum cleaners. Programming it. Setting it up.
Then... at three am, you are woken up to hearing it bumping up against the wall in the living room.
ONE: Why is it thinking for itself and Two: why is it failing at it?
Less compared to the number of features that Micro!@#$% removed when they built previous versions of Windows:
Compare the number:
It seems like, not many features were removed in Windows 11. However, the taskbar as you mention received severe hits. But I also found out that Micro!@#$% is working on bring back, most of the features, for example:
