this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2025
459 points (94.0% liked)

Linux

51990 readers
750 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I've been using Linux exclusively for about 8 years. Recently I got frustrated with a bunch of issues that popped one after another. I had a spare SSD so I decided to check out Windows again. I've installed Windows 11 LTSC. It was a nightmare. After all the years on Linux, I forgot how terrible Windows actually is.

On the day I installed the system and a bunch of basic software, I had two bluescreens. I wasn't even doing anything at that time, just going through basic settings and software installation. Okay, it happens. So I installed Steam and tried to play a game I've been currently playing on Linux just to see the performance difference. And it was... worse, for some reason. The "autodetect" in game changed my settings from Ultra to High. On Linux, the game was running at the 75 fps cap all the time. Windows kept dropping them to around 67-ish a lot of times. But the weirdest part was actual power consumption and the way GPU worked. Both systems kept the GPU temperature at around 50C. But the fans were running at 100% speed at that temperature on Windows, while Linux kept them pretty quiet. I had to change the fan controls by myself on Windows just because it was so annoying. The power consumption difference was even harder to explain, as I was getting 190-210W under Linux and under Windows I got 220-250W. And mind you, under Linux I had not only higher graphical settings set up, but was also getting better performance.

I tried connecting my bluetooth earbuds to my PC. Alright, the setup itself was fine. But then the problems started. My earbuds support opus codec for audio. Do you think I can change the bluetooth codec easily, just like on Linux? Nope. There is no way to do it without some third party programs. And don't even get me started on Windows randomly changing my default audio output and trying to play sound through my controller.

Today I decided to make this rant-post after yet another game crashed on me twice under Windows. I bought Watch Dogs since it's currently really cheap on Steam. I click play. I get the loading screen. The game crashed. I try again. I play through the basic "tutorial". After going out of the building, game crashed again. I'm going to play again, this time under Linux.

I've had my share of frustrations under Linux, but that experience made me realise that Windows is not a perfect solution either. Spending a lot of time with Linux and it's bugs made me forget all the bad experience in the past with Windows, and I was craving to go back to the "just works" solution. But it's not "just works". Two days was all it took for me to realize that I'll actually stick with Linux, probably forever. The spare SSD went back to my drawer, maybe so I can try something new in the future. It's so good to be back after a short trip to the other side!

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] scratchandgame@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 days ago

Linux and BSD doesn't just work. I've been using Plan 9 and when I have to use linux I feel very frustrated when graphical windows doesn't open in a terminal like in plan 9.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 122 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Well, Windows was never perfect. People just got used to its shenanigans. They tend to meddle with bullshit registry yet somehow basic commands on Linux is too complicated.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 2 weeks ago

In windows' defense, the "complication" comes from the fact that there is no constant visual display of the filesystem structure in a terminal window like there is in the Windows registry.

That said, taking an hour to become comfortable with the terminal is not a difficult task. Understanding ~, and constantly using df -h and ls -al (for me anyway) will help a lot of people figure it out.

[–] Reil@beehaw.org 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Poor comparison, honestly. Only like 5% of Windows users will only have a vague notion about what a registry is and a fraction of that would have messed with it under duress. By comparison, nearly all Linux users are expected to learn a handful of commands with strange abbreviations and arcane symbols to perform otherwise basic tasks. That's not some unsubstantial barrier to be dismissed.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 79 points 1 week ago (5 children)

My main issue with Windows isn’t its technology, but its attitude. The user is no longer the most important consideration. In that way it’s become adversarial.

[–] bhamlin@lemmy.world 32 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Yes. I prefer my os to be more passively adversarial. Like Gentoo. It hates everything equally.

[–] Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Now I'm imagining an angry Gentoo penguin snapping at fingers any time someone wants to use their PC 😅

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] rekabis@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)

In that way it’s become adversarial.

Back in the 2000s, I was able to say that while a fundamental install took only about a half hour to set up, usability tweaks and a full fleshing out of functionality took another 4-8 hours depending on what the user was going to use the machine for.

I just did a Win11 24h2 install. It took nearly 24 working hours before I considered it even minimally functional for my needs. Cycling through Win10Privacy two or three times was particularly frustrating. Registry work alone took me a good 8-10 hours of trying stuff a step at a time and then rebooting to see how it worked.

At this point, the only reason why I am still running with a Windows rig is for those half-dozen programs that don’t have appropriate non-Windows variants. It’s why I’m also running a Mac Mini and an OpenSUSE tower through the same 4-port, 6-head KVM.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

My work just changed from gsuite to m365 and it is atrocious. Obviously fuck google but god damn if microsoft arent just the worst at designing UI and considering actual consumer concerns when dsigning programs. Quit your job if they change to office.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] limelight79@lemm.ee 71 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (12 children)

I have an ongoing irritation with windows (use it for work, Linux at home): It steals focus from the window you're using if another window opens.

Drives me nuts. I'll be typing my password and pop! Oh look I just typed my password into something else that popped up because IT requires this program to run on login today.

KDE is much better about not stealing window focus like that.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Mac os is pretty bad with that bullshit too

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (11 replies)
[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 66 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (23 children)

I just reinstalled and configured Windows for a friend who's machine was hacked, so my frustration with Microsoft is very fresh. (She lost 8 thousand dollars of her savings she's still trying to get back.) After years of using Linux I feel like I'm being punished every time I help someone with their Windows machine.

/Rant

These things in particular drive me nuts:

  • Sending everything users do and type (including passwords) back to Microsoft. It's called spyware when other companies do it. It should be called spyware when it's an OS called Microsoft Windows.
  • Flooding 1/2 the screen with web search results when a search is done from the start menu. I'm looking for an installed program, not a potato recipe.
  • Requiring a registry edit to turn that web search off and lots of other simple things that use to be configurable in settings.
  • Placing ads throughout the operating system and making it difficult to turn those ads off.
  • Forcing the use of the Edge browser no matter what users choose.
  • Preventing the removal of unwanted programs without editing the registry.
  • Forced updates at Microsoft's convenience.
  • Absurdly long restart times after updating.
  • Forced OS version upgrades.
  • Reverting settings that have been changed by the user to settings that directly benefit Microsoft's sales and marketing goals.
  • Forced restarts of the operating system causing data loss and the loss of millions of hours of work for millions of users.
  • Removing more and more user settings with each new OS release.
  • Burying commonly used menu items multiple menus deep.
  • Preventing the removal of Start menu items. I will never use the Xbox Game Bar no matter how many time I'm forced to see it.

/

[–] lud@lemm.ee 19 points 1 week ago (18 children)

Sending everything users do and type (including passwords) back to Microsoft. It's called spyware when other companies do it.

Do you have any proof that Microsoft keylogs you? That's quite a serious claim.

load more comments (18 replies)
[–] Sarcasmo220@lemmy.ml 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That sucks about your friend. I can relate.

Scammers hacked my elderly mother on her windows laptop. They tricked her with an ad saying there was a problem with her computer, and they had her install remote access software. She mentioned seeing the terminal so I assumed they installed (at least) a keylogger. Luckily, they either ran out of time, or their con took two days, but they said they were going to call my mom the next day and have her log in to the bank to make sure her computer was still working.

So, I wiped her computer and installed Linux Mint with auto updates set up. She only had one simple question about logging in to google chrome and that's been it for the last month. She has just been using it no problem.

Side note: The next day the scammers had the nerve to call my mom and ask her why her computer was turned off.

My friend got a call from "Best Buy" technical support saying they'd noticed her computer was slow and followed their instructions to set up remote access. Unfortunately she didn't realize that there was anything to be worried about. It wasn't until months later when she left the computer on and unattended that the scammers took control. Fidelity wired the money out of her account before she saw the notification and Fidelity has been jerking her around ever since. She's still badly shaken.

I'd put her on Mint, but as much as I enjoy her company I don't want to be permanent tech support for her computer.

load more comments (21 replies)
[–] LettucePrey@lemm.ee 49 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I forgot how terrible Windows actually is

Windows, while always shitty, has seriously gone downhill in the past 5 years. I'm looking to switch back to Linux myself, but I have an NVidia GPU that needs constant driver babying on OpenSUSE (my preferred distro). My current plan is to find someone who is willing to swap a RTX 4070 for a equivalent or slightly worse AMD card, and then switch back to OpenSUSE.

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

That's more of an OpenSUSE issue, as much as I hate to say it's not Nvidia. Fedora may work better for with the options available for non-free DKMS builds on kernel upgrades, but you'll always be battling the Nvidia side with newer kernels pack releases. The open builds don't work for display yet, so that's not an option anywhere.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] poke@sh.itjust.works 35 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

I dunno, I dont think it's normal to get two blue screens on a fresh windows install.

Windows audio really is trash though, I'm totally with you there.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 32 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Windows sure is bad, though I haven't seen an actual blue-screen in years. That's some foul luck.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] ShortN0te@lemmy.ml 28 points 1 week ago (11 children)

Yep. The difference is simply put just ppl are used to the quirks on Windows but not on Linux.

[–] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Exactly. It took me 4 hours a couple months ago to get a scanner to work on our Windows 11 PC. It turns out there was some Windows Image Acquisition service built in that had to be disabled because it was conflicting with the driver of the scanner. Absolute insanity lmao

I told one of my friends about this since my friends sometimes tease me about using Linux, their response was get a better scanner.

lol

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (10 replies)
[–] nous@programming.dev 21 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

There is no perfect OS that just works for everyone. They are all software so they all have bugs. People how say an OS just works have never hit those bugs or have gotten used to fixing/working around or flat out ignoring them.

This is true of all OSs, including Windows, Linux and MacOS. They are all differently buggy messes.

Linux is the buggy mess that works best for me though.

load more comments (9 replies)
[–] houseofkeb@lemm.ee 18 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

It's interesting seeing the variety of experiences in this thread. I definitely had to fight Linux to get it setup and stable on my machine, but ever since then it's been rock solid in a way I've never experienced with a Windows install.

Windows has a mind of its own...and being at the mercy of their update cadence or w/e other nonsense Microsoft is pushing sucks.

Meanwhile on Linux, I've had two CPUs that have C-State/P-State issues (5900x, 1700x), some weirdness with my audio interface, and a GPP0 bug that interferes with sleep. All of them are fixed or managed on Bazzite now, and it took plenty of digging for docs/reddit threads but now it's rock solid.

On Windows, any time I've needed to deal with the Microsoft Store I run into issues that require registry fixes, uninstall/reinstalling various things, etc. Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 had issues launching as a result on Windows but not on Linux.

Ultimately, not being under the Microsoft gun is such a relief that the initial battle is completely put out of my mind. I've had some instances where I'll boot into Windows for games, or HDR/Atmos support more reliably for my living room setup, but they have gotten rarer and rarer over the past couple of months.

load more comments (8 replies)
[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yeah when I see people say that gaming on Linux "isn't there yet" I have to wonder how long it's been since they've tried. And people who install Windows on their Steam Deck? Don't get it.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 1 week ago (29 children)

I'd summarize the current OS situation as

Windows Just Works until it doesn't, at which point there's basically nothing you can do about it and you just have to kick it until something clicks into place and it starts working properly again.

Whereas linux Just Works to a slightly smaller degree, but when it stops Just Working it does so in granular steps most of the time, and every part of the ecosystem tries to help you fix things when they break.

Windows is a resin-potted black box that takes input and does stuff, if it breaks you're supposed to just chuck it and buy a new one.
Linux is a slightly bulkier thing that you can just unscrew and replace a capacitor when it breaks.

load more comments (29 replies)
[–] sibachian@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 weeks ago

i setup my old job with linux internally. never had issues. day i quit boss told me to install windows so he can find a replacement employee. sure.

3 years later. boss wants me back. they've had nothing but problems. but i'm not allowed to install linux again.

he says, "if windows didn't have so many problems you would be out of a job."

[–] TheRealCharlesEames@lemm.ee 16 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I disagree, as much as I wish it weren't so. Compared to Linux from the perspective of this gamer, it does just work. I wish I could main Linux but I can't handle any more critical boot issues or significant reductions in framerate. Not to mention that I cant easily auto-wol my lg tv "monitor" like I could from windows.

[–] warm@kbin.earth 12 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, op just had a very rare experience.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 week ago (10 children)

Bluetooth is so bad on Windows. You cannot simply "reconnect" a headset

You have to unpair and pair each time you want to use it.

This was with Intel Bluetooth too which works extremely well, under Linux and Macos.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] merthyr1831@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Level1tech was reviewing the Ryzen 9950X/9900X and he noted how performance on Windows was wildly inconsistent depending on peculiar settings such as sidestepping security features and marking apps to run as administrator (aka also sidestepping windows security features) yet on Linux you can get better performance via Proton OOTB.

Linux has its quirks too but people kid themselves when they convince themselves that the dozens of weird tasks and apps and tweaks they make to Windows are "plug and play" compared to Linux, which in my experience has been way less tweaking.

The main tweaks I've done on linux usually include installing ROG-control-center (optional laptop faff) or cryotweaks on Steamdeck (which just sets some sensible options already enabled on most distros)

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 week ago (2 children)

As somebody who works in IT at a Windows-only environment, I know exactly what you mean.

I have to fight with Windows on a weekly basis. Driver issues, firmware issues, software crashes/lockups, performance issues, etc etc.

Just this week, I have two users experiencing issues with their monitors. Identical enterprise grade laptops, identical drivers, identical docking stations, all totally up to date on Windows 11. Their old Windows 10 computers worked fine. Still trying to figure out what's wrong.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] pseudo@jlai.lu 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (7 children)

The problem with Windows is that it is not build to be parametrised. Anyone a bit tech-savy will be frustrated by the inability to tune it effectively for their need.
The problem with Linux is that it is not tech-normie friendly. Sure it has distribution easy to use and pre-parametrised so anyone with basic computer skill can use it. But people with basic computer skill don't have computers with Linux. Anyone who just want to use a computer has to first learn how to install an OS.

load more comments (7 replies)
[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yep, I have used Linux since 2017 after W10 just made everything slower for home use and work. I have been using W11 for work lately, and it sucks. The office16/root/vfs/ProgramFilesCommonX64(86)/office16/ai.exe and aimgr.exe keep hogging resources in task manager and bogging down the system when ever I try to get work done. Deleteing those files helps but they come back after updates, so for now I created two empty text files and changed the filename and extensions to match the deleted files, so far that has kept updates from reinstalling those ai files

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] endeavor@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 week ago (3 children)

In my experience as well, fedora just works more than windows. Games work and run better without crashing. No bsods. No needing to manually start drivers for my tablet and restart my DAC.

Only thing windows has is coherent one release and exclusives in terms of a few softwares. Like adobe which is a scam now.

And the second advantage will vanish with more people on linux.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I can’t relate to this at all.

We use windows machines as software developers at work and really have no issues at all. Never had a bluescreen in these two years.

I use windows at home to play Factorio, Minecraft, and RDR2. Again, never had an issue. No blue screens. I turn it on open steam and play my games then turn it off when done.

I tried Linux again cause I got sucked in by this echo chamber and that did not go well at all. I explicitly said I don’t want to have to be a nerd in my free time to manage Linux which I was assured isn’t the case. Then one day I turn it on and have no sound and no idea why it just died. I swiftly removed Linux and went back to windows.

I do use Linux for servers for Jellyfin and stuff and I like it for those things, but me personally have had a better experience using windows and I can’t understand all these people against it.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

Welcome back to sanity

[–] obbeel@lemmy.eco.br 12 points 1 week ago

Third party licensed apps are everything on Windows.

[–] itmecorban@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I tried connecting my bluetooth earbuds to my PC. Alright, the setup itself was fine. But then the problems started. My earbuds support opus codec for audio. Do you think I can change the bluetooth codec easily, just like on Linux? Nope. There is no way to do it without some third party programs. And don’t even get me started on Windows randomly changing my default audio output and trying to play sound through my controller.

Bro wait until you want to use them for a call. How do you tell it to switch to call mode when it won't by default. Ah yeah that's right, you can't. And if you do, good luck switching it back for music when you're done. I've had friends who got bluetooth headphones and tried to use them wireless on Windows and it's just a battle every single time

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Akito@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Using Windows since Windows XP was sired. Using Linux for longer than that, mostly Linux servers, but have tons of years of Linux Desktop experience under my belt, with probably half of all Linux distributions on DistroWatch.com.

Conclusion: Linux server rocks. Windows Desktop sux in many ways, but it just works and I personally have no issues with it. Linux Desktop is the worst hell possible. Barely ever works. It is literal hell and I hate it.

Whenever I try to get into Linux Desktop, I have to meditate and drink a de-stressing tea beforehand, or else I cannot guarantee the laptop's or PC's screen's safety, when dealing with Linux Desktop.

For anyone attempting to comment: note, that there is a huge difference between headless server Linux usage and Linux Desktop/GUI usage. I'm only talking about Linux GUI. Linux headless is fine and works great!

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] juipeltje@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago

I came to the same conclusion recently. Had a bunch of issues after i decided to try running windows 11 instead of 10 in a vm. One of them being that my usb dac refused to work, turns out after googling and finding a weird random chatgpt article that it was caused by a specific update. Had to roll the update back to solve it. Now i have to hope that they solve it before they decide to force the update on me anyways.

[–] obbeel@lemmy.eco.br 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think Windows is successful because it creates a nice Enterprise environment, where companies can easily get into investing into new apps to use in their offices. I think that's why it's successful.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] MTK@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (8 children)

In my experience, a stable beginner friendly distro such as mint, is 10x closer to "just working" but...

I do think that the windos DE tends to be more reliable than any linux DE I have tested. The only DE that compares is gnome, which I find very very stable (but I hate it)

I think that non-technical people are just used to a simple playbook of:

  1. GUI is rarely the issue, so you never need to see the terminal.
  2. If there is an issue, restart
  3. If that didn't work, ask for help from your local techy

And for linux step 3 usually doesn't work because your local techy is probably someone who just knows how to google and paste into cmd.

load more comments (8 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›