Stable yes easy to use is a bit debatable but they have become undeniably forceful in their methods of bringing new "features" to the user base. These features are shoved on users regardless of the practicality and real world needs which earns much of the ire directed toward MS and disapproval of these new "features"/functions. MS has also shown reason to not be trusted so the skepticism of the reality of these new features/functions is also something MS has earned.
You’re absolutely right about Microsoft’s increasingly forceful approach. The problem is these “features” aren’t truly optional. They arrive whether you want them or not, and they can’t simply be uninstalled. They sit there, collecting telemetry and serving Microsoft’s agenda rather than the user’s. Where is the “No, I don’t want this” button? Where is the uninstall option once these features are pushed?
By contrast, with Linux, anything installed during the initial setup can be removed, changed, or disabled with minimal effort. Nothing gets added, altered, or removed without my explicit permission. I'm not forced or coerced into creating a "Microsoft account" to make tracking easier for them.
That level of control is something Microsoft stopped respecting long ago.
If I didn't have the knowledge of how Windows works, in its current guises, at my fingertips I would not be able to do probably 98% of the work I'm called on to do. It would be career suicide.
I find your comment puzzling. Stepping away from Windows doesn’t automatically make someone uninformed or incapable of supporting it. Knowledge doesn’t vanish the moment you stop using a product daily.
I’m retired now, but I still support clients who insist on sticking with Microsoft, and I do so without running Windows on my own systems. Staying up to date doesn’t require total immersion - there are countless ways to keep sharp, from documentation to professional forums like Technibble.
Suggesting that not running Windows is “career suicide” implies dependency rather than skill. A strong IT professional should be adaptable, capable of learning and troubleshooting without needing to live inside a single ecosystem.
