I feel a sense of ownership over my OS. I tinker, I experiment, I break things and sometimes I fix them.
I still get mad, but it's our problem. We got here together and I know that we can do better.
Windows feels like renting. The landlord only shows up when I'm not ready, fixes stuff that wasn't broken, doesn't fix any of the things that I need fixed, keeps raising the rent and installing hidden cameras. If I want to fix anything, it costs way more, is way harder because the landlord won't tell me where anything is, gets un-fixed every time the landlord visits, and after all that it's just fixing someone else's house.

In my last job I had colleagues using Windows, and they were super chill. When they turned on their computer in the morning, it took 20 minutes to boot, install the latest updates and log on. I had to start working right away, while they were having their third coffee and second cigarette, waiting for their computer to get ready. I'm sure it wasn't healthy, but relaxing.

Back in the 90s, before the DOJ v Microsoft antitrust trial, Microsoft's licensing terms with OEMs required them to pay MS for every unit sold — even units that did not come with Windows. This meant that if Dell or HP or whoever wanted to offer Linux as an option, they'd still need to pay Microsoft for Windows or else lose the ability to sell Windows at all. It made no sense to offer Linux PCs at that point.

Just one of many many examples of Microsoft's illegal anti-competitive behaviors.

Red Hat

No, you're angry at IBM. When news of the IBM acquisition broke, sector veteran colleagues I'm close with moaned and groaned that IBM was sure to do something to piss everyone off again, which was apparently their habit a couple decades back. Sure enough, they could not have been more accurate in their assessment.

Turns out IBM is three hot messes in a trenchcoat and always has been. Hence why they have already lost the Quantum wars and likely the GenAI wars as well. One AI vet I know says they're posed to even lose the AI war altogether, which is pathetic given the groundwork provided by Watson alone.

And amazon, apple, meta, nvidia, half the gaming industry, ...

There are no Linux gatekeepers. There are assholes everywhere, that's the human condition. I came across these assholes and I learnt that I should take advice and consider it myself.

If you close your brain and listen to random online people without thought, you'll have a bad time, Linux or no Linux.

This stereotype of people in Linux or open source as assholes is FUD spread by people who have a vested interest in spreading it.

I've found people mostly very helpful and courteous.

Not only misinformation, but straight up condescending unhelpful answers, sometimes.

I'm a sub

Yeah it pisses me off the way people are like "tech bros ruined the internet". No, users ruined it! There was no reason to stop self-hosting webpages, forums and IRC servers. Users switched to Facebook instead because they preferred it and didn't care about the downsides. There's an alternative to every website and app which respects privacy, serves no ads, and has no algorithm to farm your outrage. Users refuse to use them because they aren't cool enough.

I have it at work, it makesme feel young again, feeling the OS speed like in the year 2000.

Half the time I have the circle of waiting, and right clicks can take up to 40 seconds before it shows the contextual menu, like wtf.

Yeah But if it's gonna get messed up I wanna at least do it myself lol

As far as I can tell nothing has actually changed. The "recommended" is the same shit as it's always been, and windows 10 already has that.