this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2025

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366

Windows doesn't "just work" (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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!

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 hours ago

As somebody who works in IT at a Windows-only environment, I know exactly what you mean.

I have to fight with Windows on a weekly basis. Driver issues, firmware issues, software crashes/lockups, performance issues, etc etc.

Just this week, I have two users experiencing issues with their monitors. Identical enterprise grade laptops, identical drivers, identical docking stations, all totally up to date on Windows 11. Their old Windows 10 computers worked fine. Still trying to figure out what's wrong.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 hours ago

Yeah when I see people say that gaming on Linux "isn't there yet" I have to wonder how long it's been since they've tried. And people who install Windows on their Steam Deck? Don't get it.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Yep. The difference is simply put just ppl are used to the quirks on Windows but not on Linux.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Exactly. It took me 4 hours a couple months ago to get a scanner to work on our Windows 11 PC. It turns out there was some Windows Image Acquisition service built in that had to be disabled because it was conflicting with the driver of the scanner. Absolute insanity lmao

I told one of my friends about this since my friends sometimes tease me about using Linux, their response was get a better scanner.

lol

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 hours ago (3 children)

Bluetooth is so bad on Windows. You cannot simply "reconnect" a headset

You have to unpair and pair each time you want to use it.

This was with Intel Bluetooth too which works extremely well, under Linux and Macos.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

I will say I had a lot of trouble with Bluetooth (bluez) on Linux, but I think it mainly comes down to the implementation. I have a cheap dongle and pairing gamepads has been a nightmare sometimes.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 hours ago

I'm no great fan of windows, but I have no issues reconnecting to bluetooth things. Kinda the opposite really, my phone and windows keep wanting to compete for who gets to be connected to my headset as soon as I turn it on, I have to make sure to turn off bluetooth when I'm done with it. I think the problem may be on your end in this case.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I had to transfer files over Bluetooth to a Windows PC. Fuck that is terrible compared to doing it on my Linux PC.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

Oh yeah I just use magic wormhole now for file transfer it's much more reliable

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

The problem with Windows is that it is not build to be parametrised. Anyone a bit tech-savy will be frustrated by the inability to tune it effectively for their need.
The problem with Linux is that it is not tech-normie friendly. Sure it has distribution easy to use and pre-parametrised so anyone with basic computer skill can use it. But people with basic computer skill don't have computers with Linux. Anyone who just want to use a computer has to first learn how to install an OS.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

The problem with Linux is that it is not tech-normie friendly.

That probably was true 15 years ago. That is absolutely not true now. This misconception stems from the fact that most tech normies have a lot of experience with Windows through job, so people assume Windows is friendly, but in reality they just know how it works.
Learning how to use Linux is dead easy. It's not popular because it's not pre installed, as you said, but it's not because the OS is bad, it's because Linux doesn't have multibillion corporation behind it to make sure its everywhere.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 hours ago

You should have the end of my comment with more attention. That's not my point you counter here.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 11 hours ago

Third party licensed apps are everything on Windows.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 hours ago

i almost forget how much it sucks whenever i'm not forced to use it for a while.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 hours ago

I think Windows is successful because it creates a nice Enterprise environment, where companies can easily get into investing into new apps to use in their offices. I think that's why it's successful.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

In my experience as well, fedora just works more than windows. Games work and run better without crashing. No bsods. No needing to manually start drivers for my tablet and restart my DAC.

Only thing windows has is coherent one release and exclusives in terms of a few softwares. Like adobe which is a scam now.

And the second advantage will vanish with more people on linux.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

My exact experience too. Fedora "just works". I especially like the immutable varieties for even more "just works (and continues to just works)-iness"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 hours ago

I've had an issue where nvidia drivers stopped working. For half a day while the update was rolling in. Thankfully linux has super easy rollback feature that automagically activates when you force restart using the power button.

Seriously, ever since I went to "shitty, always broken tinkerers toy not a real os for real people" linux, I have not had to use the switch on my psu. Seems it's literally only there for windows.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 17 hours ago

Level1tech was reviewing the Ryzen 9950X/9900X and he noted how performance on Windows was wildly inconsistent depending on peculiar settings such as sidestepping security features and marking apps to run as administrator (aka also sidestepping windows security features) yet on Linux you can get better performance via Proton OOTB.

Linux has its quirks too but people kid themselves when they convince themselves that the dozens of weird tasks and apps and tweaks they make to Windows are "plug and play" compared to Linux, which in my experience has been way less tweaking.

The main tweaks I've done on linux usually include installing ROG-control-center (optional laptop faff) or cryotweaks on Steamdeck (which just sets some sensible options already enabled on most distros)

[–] [email protected] 8 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

You know what just works ? Bazzite. It's as easy to use as a PlayStation.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

You can also use it for everything else. It can be as easy to use as a PlayStation if that's what you want it for.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

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.

Bro wait until you want to use them for a call. How do you tell it to switch to call mode when it won't by default. Ah yeah that's right, you can't. And if you do, good luck switching it back for music when you're done. I've had friends who got bluetooth headphones and tried to use them wireless on Windows and it's just a battle every single time

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

I just recently learned this when I tried to take a Teams call (ugh) with my Bluetooth earbuds, only to find that the microphone worked, but I couldn't hear anything.

Turned out, by default, it had set the input as headset mode, but the output as stereo headphone mode, so I couldn't hear anything.

Because that makes sense.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

I have a wireless keyboard. It comes with its own dongle, so you can expect it to work with some generic keyboard driver. I plugged into my USB-hub, works just fine on Linux. No lag, no nothing.

On Windows? Well, it works, but the audio device I have plugged in just straight up refuses to function while the dongle is hooked up as well. It seems to gobble up pretty much the entire bandwidth. Amazing.

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