While Windows and Linux have long been rivals, Windows 11 looks more like a desktop Linux distro than you might think, no matter which side of the aisle you’re on. Here are some of the reasons why.
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1. Windows 11 runs graphical Linux (and Android) apps
Windows 10 introduced the Windows Subsystem for Linux, allowing Windows users to run Linux apps natively in text mode, but now Windows 11 can run full graphical Linux apps using WSLg. With a few clicks, you can run the same editors, IDEs, and even web browsers that you would use on a desktop Linux system. You can run both X11 and Wayland apps alongside your favorite Windows apps.
For many people, Windows 11 and WSLg could completely replace a separate Linux partition or virtual machine.
And that’s not the only Linux-based system you can use to install apps on a Windows 11 device. You can now also install Android apps from the Amazon Web Store. This is something you can’t do on most desktop Linux distributions.
2. Windows 11 does not support all hardware, just like Linux
One reason you might want to run Linux apps on Windows using WSL via a desktop Linux distro is that, great as it is, Linux doesn’t always match every piece of hardware. This is a real sticking point for laptop users as Wi-Fi and power management seem to be the biggest hardware compatibility issues.
Windows 11 also has its issues that prevent some Windows 10 users from upgrading to the new operating system. The biggest is the requirement for a TPM module. While this makes it harder for malware to take over the machine, it’s only standard on machines manufactured in the last few years.
While it is possible to bypass Windows 11 minimum requirements, you should do so at your own risk.
3. Windows 11 has a different look like some Linux desktop environments
The most radical change in Windows 11 from a user’s perspective is the desktop. The taskbar theme that’s been around since Windows 95 has been moved to a centered theme, and it looks more like the dock used in macOS or in some Linux desktops, including GNOME.
While you can’t currently move the taskbar, Microsoft promises you will be able to do so in future updates.
If Microsoft says they “love Linux”, maybe they also secretly love Linux desktops? If imitation could be the sincerest form of flattery, then that might be true based on the way Microsoft has mimicked some other Linux desktop features.
For many years, a technical advantage that Linux desktops had over Windows was virtual desktops, where you could have many desktops on one physical screen. While this was possible on Windows with add-ons, Windows 10 added Task View and Windows 11 simplified access from the taskbar.
4. Installing software in Windows 11 is very similar to installing Linux software
Another thing Linux users liked to brag about was that installing software was easier than Windows. While Windows users had to contend with downloading installers from all over the Internet, Linux users simply had to launch their distribution’s package manager to install software from a central repository.
Microsoft seems to have taken notes. You have optimized the software installation with the Microsoft Store. You can install many popular Windows apps (and even Linux distributions with WSL). And with Winget, you can even install programs from the command line in PowerShell.
5. Both Windows 11 and Linux have powerful terminals
Another thing that Linux users liked to rub in the face of Windows users was the power of the terminal. Although Windows had a command line interface, it seemed like a relic from the MS-DOS era.
Worse still, Windows didn’t implement a pseudoterminal until then Microsoft built one for WSL, which made porting many console-based Linux apps difficult. Windows users who wanted a powerful command-line environment often turned to third-party tools like Cygwin, which promised a Unix-like experience on Windows.
The command line environment on Windows 11 is much better. You can use PowerShell as the default command line interface, but Linux is also available on WSL. And both use the Windows Terminal on Windows 11 by default.
If you’re used to terminal applications on Linux, you’ll feel right at home in Windows Terminal. You can have multiple tabs and multiple themes.
6. Windows 11 has desktop widgets, like some Linux desktops
Windows 11 still uses desktop widgets, although they’re not exactly on the desktop. To press window + w or click the icon on the left of the taskbar to display the widgets. You can catch up on the latest news, check the weather forecast and follow stocks in a sidebar.
Linux desktops and macOS had a similar feature. Microsoft had its own “gadgets” for a while before shelving the idea, but it seems to have come back. It’s the latest iteration of an “active desktop” that contains content downloaded from the Internet. It seems Microsoft can’t give up the idea as other operating systems implement this feature.
7. Some users don’t like the changes of Windows 11 just like Linux distributions
As much as Linux and Windows users like to argue in the comment sections, they do have one thing in common: They love to complain about changes to their system. It seems that any change, no matter how trivial, will incite a torrent of nerd anger on forums and forums subreddits.
Windows 11 is no exception. One problem seems to be the previously mentioned changed taskbar. It’s a radical redesign, so this reaction might be expected.
It’s similar to responding to major changes to distributions like Ubuntu, from the introduction of the Unity interface to systemd to snap packages. There is always someone who is sure that these changes will mean the end of the world.
Whenever Microsoft releases a new version, there seem to be people loudly proclaiming that this is the last straw and they’re finally making the move to Linux. This is amusing considering that Windows and desktop Linux are more alike these days.
Linux and Windows 11 are more alike than you think
With all of the Windows 11 changes including a new taskbar, the ability to run Linux GUI and Android apps, issues with running some hardware, Linux package manager-like software installation, and the inevitable complaints about changes, Windows 11 and Desktop Linux is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from one another.
If you’re wondering why Linux isn’t more popular on the desktop when many people say they had it with Windows, read on to find some of the reasons why Windows still dominates.
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