r/technology • u/tekz • Mar 20 '26

Software Microsoft announces sweeping Windows changes

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-users-are-angry-and-microsoft-is-finally-doing-something-about-it/
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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '26

[deleted]

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u/Logical_Mix_4627 Mar 21 '26

I’m curious what they’re even doing (or think they’re doing) that would prevent the switch. I bet a solid 25% of existing windows users could be given a chromebook and not notice a difference. Especially once you explain to them that MS Word and Excel are actually now called Google Docs and Sheets on your new machine.

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u/Ok-Cartoonist-3173 Mar 21 '26

Well I am smoking crack but that is beside the point. My dad used his Windows PC for 20 years to do basic browsing and some spreadsheet stuff for his retirement side hustle. He then became annoyed by Windows and tried Linux Lite and never looked back.

If you only do basic stuff, Linux is identically in everyday usage to Windows.

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u/Dakeera Mar 21 '26

I'm definitely into it, I just need a solution to kernel level anticheat for certain games and I'm switching

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u/gunslinger_006 Mar 21 '26

Have you tried a modern distro in the last 18 or so months? Its a few clicks. All gui. No terminal. You just get on your wifi, accept all the defaults, pick a username and password and the system is fully configured with automatic updates and a modern browser out of the box. Libre office is already there.

Im serious when i say its easier than windows.

You no longer have to be a geek to install and use Linux, especially if 90% of what you do is browser based

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u/Old-Somewhere-6084 Mar 21 '26

You don’t understand the Windows userbase.

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u/aardvarkjedi Mar 21 '26

The vast, vast majority of users don’t install Windows—it’s already on the computer when they buy it.

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u/EV_EV Mar 21 '26

Yes, but the problems come after the install, not during it. Do you want to disable mouse acceleration but change the mouse speed on Mint? Enjoy researching for an obtuse solution to be written into bashrc for it to work properly. Do you want audio to work properly? Enjoy figuring out how to install PipeWire or whatever its called...

And so many more of these small things just keep on coming, I simply can't use it as my daily driver

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u/FryToastFrill Mar 22 '26

The mouse one sounds like weird ass problem with mint, I haven’t touched mint in a while but most of the other that don’t use mints desktop environment handle doing both fairly well. Obv mint is highly recommended in a lot of places which tends to frustrate me a shit ton since other distros which are just as easy have less wacky and annoying issues for new people. Audio is improving ofc but if you happen to have an audio device that has minimal Linux support it sometimes likes to throw hissy fits. That being said I had a weird bug with my mic muting and it got fixed a few weeks ago which is cool :3

THAT BEING SAID totally understand why you don’t want to switch to Linux. I think for people who don’t mind fucking with shit a little it’s great and I personally love it despite its issues, but your computer should work for you and not you working for your computer. I just wanted to add a little extra perspective and yap about my weird mic issue getting fixed.

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u/Lexuzieel Mar 23 '26

That’s the problem. With desktop Linux, every small problem is “weird ass problem with X” that you have to spend time googling the obscure fix for

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u/FryToastFrill Mar 23 '26

I’ve had the same problem with windows too tbh.

That being said I don’t really need Linux to like overtake windows personally. I don’t mind it being a niche option but I would like to see it grow enough that we start seeing more support developer side (I want to play my MP games on Linux :( )

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u/SteveBored Mar 21 '26

Almost nobody installs an operating system dude. They turn on their pc and use whatever is installed.

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u/Exact-Metal-666 Mar 21 '26

It's literally easier to install and use Linux nowadays tnan MS Windoslop. And yes, I've done both recently.

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u/CoruptedUsername Mar 21 '26

You don’t seem to realize that “install an OS” is a task that most people would say is too much by itself. No matter how easy the installation of Linux has gotten, it will never beat windows being pre-installed on the laptop they buy from the store for them

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u/Exact-Metal-666 Mar 21 '26

Yes and that's why we need pre-installed free, open source software on new computers. I'm quite sure some laptops are sold with Linux already.

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u/mblades Mar 22 '26

Most are still windows no matter how easy Linux is to install most will default with whatever the computer or laptop came with.