I Went Back to Windows 11, These 5 Things Surprised Me

Windows 11: A frustrating experience

Forced to log in to a Microsoft account? Is this really necessary?

I recently tried setting up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account and encountered some problems. The biggest trouble is that I don't have an Ethernet cable long enough to connect to the router, so when I disconnected the network, I had to turn off the router's Wi-Fi. In hindsight, I could have started the computer from my network alone. These will be my next lesson.

Windows is not "plug and play"

You may have seen those stereotyped hackers operating multiple keyboards and terminals with the meme that says "Average Linux users install Firefox browser." Although these pictures are funny, they also reflect a certain reality. Yes, I open the terminal on my Linux desktop every day, and for some tasks, I prefer the fast and efficient experience of automation and simplifying commands. Yes, some "plug and play" tasks on Windows do require some manual configuration.

Today, when I tried to run a popular program on my computer, the following happened:

• Received a puzzled error message with the troubleshooting suggestions provided ineffective;
• I had to search the internet for solutions;
• I learned that I need additional libraries to run the application;
• I had to visit the developer's website to download these libraries.

You might guess that I am describing the daily life of Linux users. Guessed wrongly.

I just tried to run a normal Windows program on a Windows computer and ended up going through it all. Those who think Windows is better than Linux because Windows is "plug and play" I can't listen anymore. When I use distributions like Linux Mint, the setup experience is much smoother.

It really became the co-pilot operating system

Copilot appears in the taskbar, the Start Menu, and in the Edge browser. Even Notepad and Drawing have AI capabilities, and Microsoft 365 is now a Microsoft 365 Copilot. You can remove Copilot from certain components and certain Office applications, but in some places you have to endure it. The name Copilot implies that I am still the captain of the ship, but it doesn't feel like that.

I don't plan to use Copilot in large quantities; current AI technology is extremely wasteful and inefficient, to name only two, and there are other options that won't let you be locked in the Microsoft ecosystem. So I can't do much about its presence on my desktop, which tells me that this desktop is not my home.

I don't think it's safe to install software

To install programs on Windows 11, I usually have to do a web search to avoid scams and malware while trying to find the right website, download the installation files, and install the application. I still remember this process was a breeze for me. However, turning to Linux made me a habit because its convenient software library makes it easy to get most of the software I need.

But this is not just a convenient question, as search-based scams are very common. Even though Google has done a lot of work to improve search results and try to provide secure and accurate resources, malware is still able to appear at the top of the results. Sometimes, hackers even pretend to be Google itself.

Microsoft Store is 12 years old, but it is still not outstanding enough as an alternative. The apps I usually install, like Steam, Chrome, and Standard Notes, still don't exist, and when you try to search for them, there are many suspicious-looking apps that appear.

Edge browser gave me a surprise

When it comes to installing the software, I was pleasantly surprised by the respect of my choices by Edge browser. You may have seen countless news reports about Microsoft making Edge browser begging you to give up other browsers or just annoy you with questions. Although it seems to keep coming in the news, Microsoft has been doing it for about a decade. They also diversify their efforts to promote their own software, even generating a copy of the Google search bar when you try to use Bing Search.

So, when I dared to find and install Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox on my computer using Microsoft Edge, my surprise was conceivable, and incredibly, I succeeded in doing this without any interruptions. Edge doesn't give me any pleading or horrible warnings about the risks of other browsers. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's because I'm a "new" user, and Microsoft doesn't want to bother me too much. Changing the default browser is not difficult.

However, in some ways, I noticed that Edge eventually won. For example, even though I set Firefox as my default browser and most of the web links I clicked work accordingly, the links in the Start menu still open in Edge.

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Compare my current Garuda Linux desktop with my brand new Windows 11 experience, and for me, the winner doesn't have a Microsoft trademark. I will continue to use Windows to some extent in order to be able to stay in the Redmond loop, but the surprise here doesn't make me rethink my desktop choices.

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