Some celebrity moves make the news. It depends on the "influencer's" fame, and they wouldn't carry that label if they didn't move people with their decisions. A while ago, One of the most important YouTubers in the history of the platform has switched to Linux (Mint)., but today we bring you a story of someone less famous who has done the route in reverse. In the media he is often labeled as «Linux expert», but even he doesn't refer to himself as such.
The experience of this Linux expert, whom we will refer to as such, but he says "advanced Linux user" in the Spanish translation, appears on Reddit. After a brief introduction, in which he talks about the fact of returning to Windows 11, what he does and his use of Linux, among which there has been distro hopping, explains the reasons why returned to the Microsoft system, currently Windows 11.
Why a Linux expert is returning to Windows 11
The games
Although Proton is very good, and in fact Linux + Proton performs better than Windows, There are titles that use some extra software such as anticheat. Not only do they not work on Linux; sometimes, getting them to work with something like Denuvo actually makes the game run terribly on Linux. For that reason, and if I'm not mistaken, Borderlands 4 performs poorly on the Steam Deck—we'll see in the future.
The other reasons given in the games section are the difficulty in modifying them — which is not that much, but perhaps not as direct and with less documentation — and its own Virtual Reality glasses.
In this regard, I'd add that yes, Proton works well, but not always. To give a few examples, I had to play Darksiders 1 on Windows, even though it's been tested for the Steam Deck, because the videos didn't sound right. And if I switched to another Proton, they would skip. I also played Devil May Cry 1 and 2 on Windows, but in 3, I discovered I could switch the videos to other ones, and I played it on SteamOS.
In any case, being able to do something in Linux is not always so convenient if you don't know how.
Wayland and X11
This Linux expert says that "the Linux desktop is in transition," and that sometimes it causes problems. I don't disagree. Wayland works fine for me, but lately the mouse pointer has been getting slow whenever it wants, and I haven't found a solution other than disconnecting it and reconnecting it with Fn+F7.
Other minor issues this Linux expert experienced
Then there were also minor issues, and rightly so. Just yesterday, the lock screen on my Plasma wouldn't let me unlock the screen. It happens that sometimes, when it locks and I interact with the device immediately afterward, it unlocks, but if I try a little too late, the screen won't accept the "Enter" or the login button. It's a problem I experienced just yesterday, and I also see little things from time to time that I'm not thrilled with.
Scoop and WSL2 bring the Linux experience closer
Scooo, which I admit I haven't tried, is very similar to a package manager like APT for installing software on Windows, and with WSL2 you can install Linux terminals (like Ubuntu, Kali, etc.) and have a sort of isolated Linux environment within Windows.
This Linux expert's conclusion vs. mine
Their conclusion is that there are different types of operating system uses and users. In Linux there is a fun part, which is to fiddle around, and another frustrating one, which is when you don't know how to fix a minor problem. In Windows, you're more limited, but it works.
My conclusion is similar: you should use what you like best and can afford. I think there are three cases:
Are you spending a fortune and not worried about proprietary software?
"Drip" isn't a very nice word, but it's enough to make it clear that there's plenty of money. In that case, I recommend a Mac. Almost all the most important applications are on a Mac, and in the years when my iMac was my main computer, I really enjoyed it. Multimedia applications like GarageBand, back when I was making music, the fluidity—especially in Snow Leopard—the lack of problems...
The problem is that a Mac is expensiveThe most basic model costs over €1000, with a 13" screen and the most basic hardware. The Mini costs over €700 and doesn't include a keyboard, mouse, or screen. Furthermore, they're usually only supported for 5-6 years, and after that time, you'll have to recycle it, install a newer version of macOS with some kind of hack, or... install Linux—something less easy these days on ARM systems.
Do you want games, a special program, or just to relax… in theory?
If you want play without problems and not fight too much with the computerWindows may be the best option, and that's what I usually recommend. Performance, depending on the system, may be significantly lower than Linux, but what's a few seconds worth if it works in the end?
You may run into problems in the future, such as it becoming increasingly cumbersome, but it's also possible to restore from the same operating system, saving data. On the subject of viruses, honestly, I don't know what people do to catch them, but by using official websites and using common sense, I've been virus-free on my virtual machines and other installations for a time I can't even remember when.
For everything else…:
For everything else, Linux. My cousin, whom I'll mention again, who started a cybersecurity course, installed Windows 11 on a computer that originally came with Windows 7. It works, but it's just barely working and requires a USB WiFi antenna because there's no working driver. When he finishes the course, I'll recommend he switch to Linux.
What I mean is, Linux rescues old computers. Besides, if you don't need any specific Windows applications, Linux will work for most tasks. For many years if the hardware doesn't fall apart.
You're right, but…
In the end, everyone has to use what suits them best. I'm not lying when I say it's something I've thought about too, but in general, I feel more comfortable with Linux. Besides, I write in this and some other media, and it's generally better for me. What would happen if I stopped writing in Linux? We'll see. I haven't felt comfortable using Windows as my main operating system for several decades. But the best is... not be a fanboy or a haterchum.