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!

  • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
    561·
    18 hours ago

    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
      204·
      18 hours ago

      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.

          • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            23·
            8 hours ago

            Tempted to put this through let me google that for you just to be smug, but here’s the direct link instead since I’m sure I’d also need to click the results for you. Do I need to read this to you too?

            https://windowsreport.com/disable-keylogger-windows-11/

            Not even my claim, yet I googled it for you. Guess the burden is on a third party who happened to know this common knowledge already.

              • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
                211·
                16 hours ago

                Anyone who’s so lazy they literally refuse to type the same words used in their comment into a search engine doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously. There are lots of adults on Lemmy, but apparently we have a few children too.

                • lud@lemm.ee
                  52·
                  12 hours ago

                  It isn’t about laziness it’s about principles.

                  I simply won’t argue with someone that refuses to provide their sources. Doesn’t matter if they say something dubious about Windows, say that vaccines cause autism, or that the earth is flat.

                  • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
                    1·
                    6 minutes ago

                    No argument about anything, nor will I provide you sources that show thunder isn’t caused by Thor’s hammer, the moon causes tides, or that Ivermectin doesn’t cure Covid,

                    Enjoy your principled ignorance, you’ve earned it.

                  • Viri4thus@feddit.org
                    6·
                    10 hours ago

                    Here, it’s the “writing style” applet, it also exists in 11.

                    Science would be wild if the onus of finding citations would be on the readers, this mindset is dangerous and the mark of room temp IQ.

    • Hawke@lemmy.world
      68·
      19 hours ago

      Forcing upgrades at Microsoft’s convenience.

      This is the only one I agree with. Upgrades are necessary for security, it’s just a fact of life.

      • glitchdx@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        17 hours ago

        The problem isn’t the updates. The problem is microsoft downloading things and restarting my pc without my consent (annoying me until I say “fine, do it” is not consent). No one but me decides when my machine installs updates and reboots. I know I’m putting myself at risk if I let my system fall behind on updates. That’s on me, it’s my computer, it is my right to make that decision.

        • Hawke@lemmy.world
          19·
          17 hours ago

          It’s not just your decision though. Like vaccinations, your decision affects everyone else so it’s not your decision alone.

          • iopq@lemmy.world
            41·
            15 hours ago

            Nobody’s writing a NixOS virus to target me. Even if I download a linux virus it will probably complain about unmet dependencies

            • Hawke@lemmy.world
              22·
              14 hours ago

              Not talking about viruses despite the vaccine comparison.

              Software has vulnerabilities, even on NixOS.

              • iopq@lemmy.world
                1·
                30 minutes ago

                Sure, all software has vulnerabilities, I just don’t think people will bother to exploit my particular software combination since it’s rare

                • Hawke@lemmy.world
                  1·
                  13 minutes ago

                  NixOS is not special there. It runs the same software as any other Linux distro.

      • ddh@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        14·
        18 hours ago

        On my kid’s laptop I was holding Windows 11 24H2 back because of Recall, but this week it just decided to install itself. Now it’s a Linux laptop.

        • lud@lemm.ee
          5·
          18 hours ago

          FYI: Recall is delayed and will only work on specific arm computers anyway. So you weren’t in at any immediate risk. Not arguing against installing Linux though. That’s great!

    • Sarcasmo220@lemmy.ml
      15·
      16 hours ago

      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.

      • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
        11·
        14 hours ago

        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.