Meanwhile with Windows not only you pay for the OS but also with your time to make it approximate a decent environment (with increasingly less options ever new version).

Only when you start to learn to use it, just like when you start to learn to use Windows.

That line seems to often be said in threads where people are fighting against Microsoft's latest barrage of dark patterns. For some reason the time spent on dealing with that is never compared fairly: "Windows is only usable if your time has no value".

This quote dates back to earlier than 2010. I don't think jwz would agree with it in 2023.

On Windows you burn time eliminating ads, Edge, "set up your machine" popups, and other bullshit.

On MacOS you burn time papering over what is a completely incompetent OS for dev: containers, package management, fourty-fucking-five minute security patches, and other bullshit.

Linux generally just works.

> “Linux is only free if your time has no value”

This motto, although actually true in the past, is probably no longer valid. Install the latest Ubuntu/Kubuntu with KDE/Plasma and you get a high performance, GUI-configurable, aesthetically pleasing desktop. You will need to drop down to the Linux command line only if you need to pull off some kind of advanced networking, virtualization, etc. setup. (While you're at it, switch to the free ZFS filesystem and enjoy disk bit rot checking without Windows Enterprise/Pro ReFS). The entire Linux system and almost all user apps upgrade automatically from a set of pre-defined online installer repositories. If you want to game, boot Linux on a CPU-integrated graphics card and pass-through your stand-alone GPU to a Windows-guest KVM-host (QEMU) virtual machine for 99% native gaming performance, no need to dual-boot.

Time wasted. I tried to install Windows recently on a completely wiped laptop. I couldn't do it, it failed after partitioning or copying in several different ways. I find comments online that it might be sensitive to what USB drive is used (might be?). I had a license and an image from Microsoft and one from the laptop manufacturer, both failed the same way. I've installed a bunch of Linux distros on it in the past with no problem. When reinstalling a Mac you just go into recovery and net install.

I find it bizarre that windows is as bad as it is.

No, but the least-bad choice clearly isn't Windows.

I saw your same - not really valuable - comment above. If you're using Windows for games only, then having or not having an Edge icon on the desktop is not an issue.

If you're using it professionally, then it's annoying, along with all the ads, tracking, dark patterns and other bullshit you receive in Windows - especially that you already pay for a license.

Compare that with Linux, which mostly gets out of your way, doesn't track you and is free.

I've been using (Fedora) Linux for professional work for more than 5 years now and still very happy with it. I'm also gaming occasionally on a dual-booted Windows (browsing HN while Death Stranding is installing :)) and get annoyed every time when booting into it.

It always feels good to go back to Linux, where you can play most non-AAA game titles anyway.