Microsoft Windows
Microsoft's proprietary desktop operating system for PCs.
The commenters who recommend it credit its serious backward compatibility and long-kept APIs,12 along with everyday productivity features like quick app search, window snapping and WSL.34 The most common complaint is that it has become buggier and worse over time,5678 with constant pop-ups and a bloated, slow feel close behind.91011
Why people recommend it
Backward compatibility · 2
Commenters say Microsoft keeps old APIs around, so new Windows versions rarely break their software.
“Windows takes backwards compatibility very seriously, so I’ve never run into issues with new versions of windows.”
“Microsoft is one of the few OS vendors that actually keeps the APIs around”
Productivity features · 1
Search-to-launch, window snapping and display scaling make modern Windows productive and customizable enough for one commenter.
“I can also customize modern Windows, at least in the ways I need it to be productive.”
WSL · 2
Windows with WSL is preferred by some over alternatives, and WSL now includes a first-class Linux container runtime.
“I would definitely prefer macOS or Windows + WSL”
“shows how far windows has fallen as a developer environment”
Robustness · 1
A former IT contact says NT-based Windows almost never needs a reinstall, with unbootable PCs traced to hardware failures.
“Windows is a very robust OS, despite all the real negative issues in other aspects.”
Overall capability · 1
One developer says that despite Microsoft's missteps, Windows is still better in most respects.
“while MS works hard to f...up windows it is still way better in most respects.”
Caveats and dissent
Bugs and decline · 3
Many say Windows is buggy and has gotten worse, with some switching to Linux as a result.
“Windows is such a bugs galore it's crazy how people use it as their daily drivers.”
“I had to reinstall Windows because they did not bother to test USB input devices on their new "recovery" feature”
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“Never expected that this switch happens because Windows gets worse”
Pop-ups · 3
Commenters describe a stream of pop-ups and prompts competing for attention, even after heavy configuration.
“there's always something trying to grab attention on a Windows desktop”
“there's always something trying to grab attention on a Windows desktop”
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“no activation, no Microsoft account, no cloud backup, and no pop-up requesting that you install crapware”
Bloat and slowness · 2
It is called a bloated, slow mess, with reboots and virus scanning as long-running annoyances.
“Windows being a bloated slow mess even when run locally”
“decades of windows reboots and virus scanning”
Lost customization · 2
UI customization is said to have shrunk to little more than a color picker.
“Now it has devolved into little more than this”
“I remember Windows trying to look like my smartphone screen a few years back”
Accounts and tracking · 1
Activation, Microsoft account requirements and a trackable device identifier are raised as drawbacks compared with Linux.
“no activation, no Microsoft account, no cloud backup, and no pop-up requesting that you install crapware”
File system confusion · 1
One user reports the Desktop folder appearing in four places and OneDrive confusing home-folder paths.
“Windows shows my Desktop folder in four distinct locations in the native file manager.”
Often compared with
4 moved from macOS to Microsoft Windows
21 moved from Microsoft Windows to macOS
1 moved from Linux to Microsoft Windows
20 moved from Microsoft Windows to Linux
17 moved from Microsoft Windows to Ubuntu
13 moved from Microsoft Windows to Linux Mint
12 moved from Microsoft Windows to Fedora
10 moved from Microsoft Windows to Arch Linux
10 moved from Microsoft Windows to BazziteWindows Subsystem for Linux31 comments mention both
Who recommends it in their own words
From the makers not counted in the ranking
“We don't want the NT kernel to end up like Linux, after all”
“I was a developer at Microsoft in the 90s (Visual Studio (Boston) and Windows teams).”
Threads where it came up
- Our Commitment to Windows Quality 34 mentions
- Microsoft forced me to switch to Linux 20 mentions
- People inside Microsoft are fighting to drop mandatory Microsoft Account 17 mentions
- Microsoft's "Fix" for Windows 11: Flowers After the Beating 15 mentions
- Linux is good now; to feel like you actually own your PC, put Linux on it 14 mentions
- I replaced Windows with Linux and everything's going great 12 mentions
Also written as Microsoft Windows. Data: microsoft-windows.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 41
“that piece of shit that Windows is”
“That is the beginning of enshittification”
“I had to reinstall Windows because they did not bother to test USB input devices on their new "recovery" feature”
“perhaps MS should have shipped WoW16 with limitations instead of nothing”
“I can also customize modern Windows, at least in the ways I need it to be productive.”
“Windows at ~76% market share for desktop OSes”
“please don't remove them entirely”
“You go for Windows and macOS for cohesive defaults”
“Windows is such a bugs galore it's crazy how people use it as their daily drivers.”
“On Windows, restart and shut down (power off) are not the same.”
Apparently it's not your final straw because they did it almost 2 years ago https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-paint-gets-copilot-button-to-streamline-ai-image-editing-details-125020300409_1.html
“In Windows, things mostly worked, with some minor annoyances.”
“There exist a number of Windows images which can be run without any paid license requirements”
“how did we end up with a Windows that's so much worse?”
“I regularly use Windows for a few things, and do not have this problem.”
“shows how far windows has fallen as a developer environment”
“they added the Experimental_CreateProcessInSandbox API to Windows”
“i use windows by choice”
“decades of windows reboots and virus scanning”
“Windows shows my Desktop folder in four distinct locations in the native file manager.”
“Why build the fuel controller for a helicopter engine on windows?”
“Windows takes backwards compatibility very seriously, so I’ve never run into issues with new versions of windows.”
“I've worked with Windows, Linux, and macOS/iOS across these domains.”
“Microsoft is one of the few OS vendors that actually keeps the APIs around”
“Windows being a bloated slow mess even when run locally”
“I've not really used Windows for years”
“Real windows is still actually worse...”
“there's always something trying to grab attention on a Windows desktop”
“no activation, no Microsoft account, no cloud backup, and no pop-up requesting that you install crapware”
“there's always something trying to grab attention on a Windows desktop”
“while MS works hard to f...up windows it is still way better in most respects.”
“I was mad that I had to pay for windows just to wipe that shit and put linux on.”
“It had very strong functions for office work and stock trading, but the only drawback was that there were many advertisements and vulnerabilities.”
“I'm already upset that I have to use Windows at work”
“Now it has devolved into little more than this”
“I remember Windows trying to look like my smartphone screen a few years back”
“Windows has supported capabilities from the start of NT”
“internal email from Bill Gates complaining about the usability of some Windows features”
“both MacOS and Windows look more amateur with some leftovers not translated”
“I would definitely prefer macOS or Windows + WSL”
“Never expected that this switch happens because Windows gets worse”