2026: The Year Windows Annoyed Us Too Much

In the last few days, I’ve read several blog posts talking about how 2026 is the year of the Linux desktop, and that’s a great thing. However, I think many of the headlines and posts on this topic should have a different title: “The Year Windows Annoyed Us Too Much.”

A History of “Verschlimmbesserung”

For years now, Microsoft has been steadily making its operating system worse through supposed “improvements” (Verschlimmbesserung). Windows Vista was a difficult step because many computers weren’t ready for it yet, but there was at least technical progress that was successfully concluded with Windows 7.

One step that many couldn’t follow was the switch to Windows 8. Then-CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, was convinced of making Windows a universally applicable operating system. Whether on a tablet, a phone, a desktop, or an entirely new device, Windows should be the right choice. In doing so, he created a system that served almost no one well. On the desktop, the full-screen interface constantly got in the way and changed the workflow. There were few tablets, and those that existed struggled with the fact that all worthwhile programs weren’t adapted for touch, and the system was way too heavy. On phones, the system never gained traction because no one developed apps for it, making it unattractive. Other unwelcome innovations of Windows 8 included the Microsoft account login, where users were forced to log in with an online Microsoft account instead of a local one.

Some of the design decisions of Windows 8 were then “partially reversed” with Windows 8.1. The mandatory full-screen start menu was removed, and the system became more usable again. Nevertheless, Microsoft was already starting with its next great idea: automatic syncing of documents to OneDrive. Instead of asking users, Microsoft simply assumed users would love it if their data just landed in the Microsoft cloud. Additionally, the free storage was too small for most people anyway. But then you can just pay for it.

The “Forever” Windows

Windows 10 was then the “forever” Windows. It was supposed to be the last version of Windows and be continuously developed. The operating concept was now more classic again, but in many corners, things were strategically degraded. The start menu no longer just searched for programs but also documents and even online. Accordingly, it was slow and inaccurate. The tradition of pre-installed third-party software was continued with apps like Candy Crush and LinkedIn, which were automatically installed after a fresh installation of the system.

The “improvements” came gradually: OneDrive was touted ever more aggressively, Edge made itself the default browser, more and more apps that nobody wanted appeared in the taskbar, and much more. Every major update brought some improvements and many downgrades.

Windows 11 and AI

A strong shift in mood toward Microsoft was felt with the announcement of Windows 11. The Windows that was actually supposed to be the “forever” Windows would be replaced. And this time, many PCs were not allowed to come along. With Windows 11, Microsoft made TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot mandatory. For much older hardware, this was the end. The strong encouragement to use a Microsoft account in Windows 10 now became a requirement. Of course, this could be bypassed with a few tricks, but Microsoft quickly made it clear: “This is no longer your operating system; you are just a guest here.”

This mentality was only expanded further, and the pressure increased. Users were frustrated; we just wanted to use our computers. But then the unexpected happened that was to change the world: ChatGPT.

The gates were opened, tech companies got scared, and seemingly overnight, AI was what was supposed to rule everything. From now on, everything had to have AI. AI chat, AI search, AI-AI. If it didn’t have AI, it wasn’t good. The more invasive, the more intrusive, the more unavoidable, the better. AI in Windows, AI in Paint, AI in Word, AI in Excel, AI in Notepad. Nothing was safe. AI was even supposed to play our games for us from now on.

A Valve for Frustration

While Microsoft was working on designing our desktop more and more according to their ideas, a small company called Valve was quietly working on its own solution. With the Steam Deck, they brought a PC to the market, shaped like an overweight Nintendo Switch console. The hardware itself was very interesting, but the truly exciting part was the software. The special thing was that the device ran Linux.

It must be said that Valve had already tried once in the past to bring a Linux console to the market. Then conceived as a living room device, the hope was that by leading by example, other developers would also release their games for Linux. However, that did not happen.

But Valve had learned from it and invested a lot of money and time behind the scenes to make Windows games not just runnable on Linux, but run well. The Steam Deck was proof that it worked even without Microsoft and that the mantra that you can’t play games on Linux was from now on false. Of course, not everything was perfect from the start. But the foundation was laid, the infrastructure was there, and the dam was broken.

The Perfect Wave

Since the launch of the Steam Deck, a lot has happened in game support, and most titles run without problems (sometimes even better than under Windows). Only anti-cheat software still causes issues. Valve has announced more hardware that skips Windows. This, coupled with the increasing annoyance of Windows, has now convinced many people to give Linux a chance. And that is great news for everyone. When Microsoft suddenly has to compete with a free operating system that respects the user and constantly gets better, it can’t be bad for anyone. I very much hope for the year of the Linux desktop. It won’t always be easy, because not everyone wants to just play, and Linux still has many sharp edges.

For me personally, however, the year of the Linux desktop already began in 2025, and I can only benefit if more people take the step with me.