Giving Up Windows 11

Overview

That’s it, the latest updates, the latest news have finally convinced me to switch to Linux.

For years I have been using Windows, starting with Windows 3, then 3.11, long long ago … Then I have iterated from mostly all versions. My feelings about Windows Vista were different from most, I liked the platform, and I ve never had issues with it. But I have learnt to be be clean in my usage, disciplined about the application I would install, taking care of my system. I think this helped a lot mitigating most issues other users may have encountered. Event Mesh was a game changer to me, syncing files accross my computers, before one drive…

Windows was a tool for my work that was helping me achieving my projects, my tasks. For testing application I would use Hyper-V to clean my main OS safe and clean. I thrusted the platform and the operating system. My box was blazingly fast and efficient.

The Pain points

Then lately, things got worse. This might have started less than a year ago. Windows updates would break my workflow. File explorer contextual menu disappearing, replaced by something else, requiring me to tweak the system to retrieve the menu. This is just an exemple. But lately this became worst. The latest update resulting in an unstable system, were I was getting blue screens. I havent had any for years, I forgot what they looked like. I have tried troubleshooting the issue and could not find anything wrong, so I decided to do a clean installation of windows 11. When this would have taken me less than 5 minutes in the past, it ended a day of hell, to have the system up and running again. And yet, I would get issues with Terminal, not able to show properly fonts I have selected, sluggishness on the interface, and so on… The new Outlook mail application has not been the best experience, freezing, crashing. After a few days I would get again blue screen… Not often, but enough to undermine my thrust in the system. Moreover during that time, there has been that whole drama about the Windows Recall functionnality. The biggest issue for me being the amount of data going through my bandwidth, which can be an issue when I am connected through 4G. The other issue is related to private / personal information being potentially shared over the net.

Using Docker to host some containers, I did try to host them in a mini PC, it was working well until the system would reboot after Windows updates. Docker would only run if logged with a user, and the WSL was eating all ressources over time. Thus a year ago I have tried using Linux Ubuntu instead, and this would work better. At least, I could let it run without taking care of it, and for a year, I had no need to reboot or log in to do any activity. It s been a bliss since.

So if I summarize

  • Breaking Updates
  • Disruption in my work process
  • Docker issues (related to docker client)
  • Linux WSL2 ressource issues
  • Recall functionality

Getting home having to fix home computer after a hard day at work, just removed the fun out of me. Once the issue was fixed I would be so disgusted, I would not be interested in doing anything else on the computer. This happening

Linux experiences

First approach has been to use Ubuntu to host docker. I believe the cinnamon version. Since then I have not done anything on that box.

Instead I have been installing different linux distribution on an old laptop:

  • Ubuntu Plasma
  • Kubuntu
  • EndeavourOS
  • Nix OS
  • CachyOs
  • Mint
  • LMDE
  • Debian 12
  • Arch Linux

Also tries different “flavor”, KDE, Gnome, … but the one I like the best so far is Xfce I have tried using VM, conclusion was not that great. But I will come back to it at some point. It’s been far less convenient than Hyper-V so far.

Today, my system is now running Linux Mint 22, with Xfce and i3. It s perfectly functional for my needs. I am trying Jetbrains Rider to replace Visual Studio for my developments. Libre Office is working fine, audio is working fine, video also working properly.

The next things I need to do :

  • Sync OneDrive with my user folders
  • Find a Backup solution
  • Revisit virtualization options