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

I’m sure you’d agree that spending some time away can help you gain perspective. After leaving my Windows 11 desktop mostly unused for a while, returning to it and starting fresh with a factory reset made me appreciate it for what it is (and isn’t).

To be clear, I’m no stranger to Windows. I’ve been using it on some level for as long as I can remember, but I’ve at times spent more time daily driving Linux desktops or, for a short while, a MacBook. I always have a Windows operating system on hand for testing and for occasionally playing a game that’s unplayable on Linux. Sometimes I boot Windows in a virtual machine for those tasks, but I have a dedicated drive in my desktop PC where I dual-boot Windows alongside a drive dedicated to Linux too.

When I say I “went back,” I mean I decided to factory reset my bare-metal Windows 11 to remove all the cruft that had built up over the years. I tried driving it daily with fresh eyes to see what I’d been missing out on lately.

The CMD Local Account Bypass Still Works

One of the most annoying parts of the modern Windows installation experience is the fact that Windows really wants you to log in or create a Microsoft account before letting you use your computer. Creating a local account instead got harder between Windows 10 and 11. There were fewer workarounds, and for a while they were becoming even fewer. Microsoft killed one of the easiest workarounds: trying to create an account with an invalid email address. It seemed like Microsoft was making it nigh-impossible for Home users.

Relievedly, that wasn’t the case. I was able to follow the first method in our guide to setting up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, the one that involves using command prompt, uninterrupted. I’d actually heard rumors that that loophole specifically had been closed by Microsoft, but that rumor can be put to rest.

The only real trouble was that I didn’t have on-hand an Ethernet cable long enough to reach my router. So at the point where I had to disconnect from the internet, I had to turn off Wi-Fi on my router. In retrospect, I could have just booted the computer from my network individually. These will be notes for next time.

Windows Doesn’t Really “Just Work”

You might have seen the memes where a stereotypical hacker is operating multiple keyboards and terminals beneath text like, “Average Linux user installing Firefox.” They’re worth a laugh; to any satirical joke there’s a grain of truth. Yes, I do open the terminal on my Linux desktops daily, and for some tasks I prefer the fast and efficient experience of automated and streamlined commands. And yes, some manual configuration is required for certain tasks that “just work” on Windows.

So what if I told you that when I tried to run a popular program on my computer today these things happened:

• Got a confusing error message that gave me troubleshooting advice that didn’t work
• Had to search the internet for a solution
• Learned that I needed additional libraries to run the app
• Had to visit a website for developers just to download those libraries

You might guess I was describing a day in the life of a Linux user. Guess again.

I was just trying to run a common Windows program on a Windows computer and that’s what I had to go through. I’m not listening anymore to the people who prefer Windows over Linux because Windows “just works.” I’ve had far smoother setup experiences with distros like Linux Mint.

It’s Truly Becoming the Copilot Operating System

Copilot in the task bar, Copilot in the start menu, Copilot in Edge. Even Notepad and Paint have AI features, and Microsoft 365 is now Microsoft 365 Copilot. You can go about removing Copilot from certain elements and from certain Office apps, but in some places, you’re stuck with it. The name Copilot implies I’m still the captain of this craft, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way.

I don’t plan on making great use of Copilot; current AI tech is hugely wasteful and inefficient, just to name two issues, and there are options out there that don’t lock you in Microsoft’s ecosystem. So the fact I can’t do much about its presence in my desktop tells me this desktop isn’t my home.

I Don’t Feel Safe Installing Software

To install programs on Windows 11, I usually have to do a web search, avoid scams and malware as I try to find the right website, download the installation file, and install the app. I remember when this process was second nature to me. Moving over to Linux has spoiled me, though, with its convenient software repositories that hold most of what I need within easy reach.

It isn’t just an issue of convenience, though, because search-based scams are prevalent. Even for all of Google’s work on refining search results and trying to deliver safe and accurate resources, malware still finds a way to the top of the results. Sometimes hackers are even impersonating Google itself.

The Microsoft Store, now 12 years old, still isn’t great as an alternative. Apps I typically install like Steam, Chrome, and Standard Notes still aren’t there, and there are a lot of questionable-looking apps that pop up when you try searching for them.

Edge Actually Gave Me a Break

Speaking of installing software, I was pleasantly surprised by Edge’s respect for my choices. You’ve probably seen the countless news stories about Microsoft making Edge beg you to turn against other browsers or just needle you with questions. Despite its seemingly constant presence in the news, Microsoft has been doing this for something like a decade. They’ve also diversified their efforts to push their own software, going as far as to generate a facsimile of Google’s search bar when you try to use Bing to get to Google Search.

So imagine my surprise when I dared to use Microsoft Edge to find and install Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox on my PC and, incredibly, I managed it unmolested. Edge did not give me any pleadings or dire warnings about the risks of other browsers. Maybe it was luck, maybe it was because I was a “new” user and Microsoft didn’t want to bother me too much. Changing the default browser wasn’t difficult either.

Still, in certain ways, I notice Edge getting the last laugh. For example, even though I set Firefox as my default browser and most web links I click act accordingly, links in the start menu still open in Edge.

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Looking at my current Garuda Linux desktop next to my fresh Windows 11 experience, the winner for me doesn’t have Microsoft’s trademark on it. I’ll continue using Windows to some extent so I can stay in the Redmond loop, but the nice surprises here aren’t making me rethink my desktop choices.