Ubuntu-based Winux joins the Linux ecosystem by mimicking the Windows experience, but is imitation the best path?

Over the years, I’ve often thought that, despite how fast-moving the desktop Linux ecosystem is, there’s not much left that could truly surprise me. Yet I keep being proven wrong, and that’s a good thing. Winux, one of the newest additions to the scene, is a clear example.

Whether I like it or not, this distribution brings back memories of about 20 years ago, when Lindows, later renamed Linspire under legal (and fully justified) pressure from Microsoft, first tried to take the path of a Linux distribution built entirely to be as close as possible to the Windows experience.

Today, several Linux distributions aim to position themselves as an easy starting point, and even a replacement for Windows users looking to switch without friction. Zorin OS is a well-known example. Even so, these projects keep their own Linux identity, with similarities to Windows being more indirect than literal.

  • KoboldCoterie@pawb.socialEnglish
    571·
    2 days ago

    Purchasing the license unlocks features such as an even more Windows-inspired desktop and control panel, an integrated Android subsystem with graphics acceleration, a graphical OneDrive client inside the file manager, Copilot and ChatGPT integration, advanced system configuration tools, improved security for web browsing, and exclusive desktop enhancements that are not available in the free base Winux install.

    I’m surprised they didn’t include these things by default and remove them when you buy a license; that sounds like a straight downgrade. Aren’t these things some of the main reasons people stop using Windows?