There are a number of things that Linux Mint objectively does better than Windows 11, and in this video I’m going to show you what those things are.

TLDW of this video from ChatGPT

The video highlights the following main points about why Linux Mint is considered better than Windows 11:

  1. Start Menu and Customization: Linux Mint’s menu is more organized and customizable than Windows 11’s start menu. It offers three columns, resizable icons, and customizable labels.

  2. Taskbar (Panel) Features: Linux Mint’s panel is more flexible, allowing repositioning, resizing, and creation of additional panels. Applets enhance functionality, offering features like quick desktop access and window behavior customization.

  3. Privacy and Telemetry: Linux Mint is privacy-focused, avoiding telemetry. Certain apps’ telemetry can be manually disabled. Windows 11 is criticized for lacking privacy.

  4. Bloatware and Pre-installed Apps: Linux Mint has minimal bloatware, including useful tools or open-source alternatives. Windows 11 can have cluttered start menus with unwanted icons.

  5. Batch File Renaming and Management: Linux Mint’s file management includes advanced batch renaming with insertion, removal, and case conversion. Windows 11 lacks similar features.

  6. Security (Future Topic): Security is mentioned as a potential future topic, with Linux Mint considered more privacy-oriented than Windows 11. Discussions about security are acknowledged.

The narrator encourages viewer engagement and discussion on the covered topics.

  • DreamButt@lemmy.worldEnglish
    221·
    1 year ago

    I mean imo everything about Windows is terrible. But I don’t think you’re going to win (lol) anyone over with debates, at least no one who doesn’t already complain about Windows. I think the main reasons people use Windows are:

    1. Ubiquity (they use it at work, at the library, and at home)
    2. Familiarity (it’s what they grew up with)
    3. Barrier to entry (the average person doesn’t have to install windows. And even if they do it’s a lot less painful than installing a Linux distro)
    4. Gaming (this is sliding a little bit but many many people still install windows on a homebrew tower specifically for gaming)

    Ubiquity will have a hard time changing as long as Microsoft continues to bastardize their own products for the sake of B2B relationships. Familiarity is a chance of history so that’s kinda up to you to get your kids into what you like. Barrier to entry is a systemic issue with the Linux and FOSS communities at large and I genuinely don’t see this changing anytime soon (and I’m not just speaking culturally although that’s an issue too). And gaming, well we all know the Linux gaming community has been slowly but steadily growing for a while now, cue the steamdeck enjoyers

    • aSingularFemboyHooter@sh.itjust.works
      52·
      2 years ago

      I love Linux, but I do generally consider it a special-purpose OS. Servers, embedded stuff, etc, I will always go with some flavour of Linux.

      But for a daily driver I do struggle imagining using anything other than Windows. Like sure, I could probably get all my games and CAD software working in a Linux OS. But I can easily grab Win10 LTSB and have everything just work. I have to make a living from my machine, and ultimately I just need it to work.

      If I was doing just web and office work, then it would be no harder really, but I’ve finally accepted that not everything should be a project!

      • droans@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 years ago

        CAD software

        Well, not really. I couldn’t get anything other than FreeCAD/LibreCAD to work on Linux. Blender is supposed to work but it gave me nothing but issues.

  • mub@lemmy.ml
    122·
    2 years ago

    Ok. Now, change the audio bit rate in the GUI? You can try any Linux you like.

    The Lack of functions in the GUI to configure Hardware devices is a serious problem for Linux. You can’t Configure anything on your AMD graphics card, set sleep timeout of you wireless game controller, or enable HDR.

    I’m currently having a good time in Arch but I’m frustrated that GUI controls for basic stuff is still missing. Most of this stuff has been in Windows for decades.

    Rather focusing on the how customisable the desktop environment is, they need to focus on making Hardware configuration easier.

    • jarredpickles87@lemmy.world
      4·
      2 years ago

      How DARE you ask about GUI controls! But seriously I’d love to see more of it. It certainly would make on-boarding of windows users much easier. All the CLI functions scare most away. It seems like every time I ask about a GUI for something I get shot down hard. Like I understand why CLI is more prevalent, way easier to troubleshoot and instruct people across multiple distros. But if you want to grow the Linux community, ease of use to the broad public has to become priority, and I think GUIs is the best starting point for that.

      And having things built in would be a major help as well, instead of having to see if the software center has it, and then searching GitHub when it doesn’t. Again, I get that some distros might have that, but that would be a niche distro for certain things. A nice GUI tool to adjust GPU parameters would be super (using coolero at the moment), a better audio device manager, gamepad device manager as well, task manager that’s a little more user friendly.

      I’m rambling and I don’t want to sound like I dislike Linux. I made Mint my only OS on my laptop and two PCs in my house. I love it. I keep W11 on my gaming PC as a dual boot strictly for VR. That’s all that’s holding me back. I’m fine with CLI tools but I’d reeeeeeally like it if GUI tools became more prevalent.

    • Hadriscus@lemm.ee
      3·
      2 years ago

      Agreed. Last time I used my Wacom tablet on a Linux station, I had to type a bunch of commands every start up to get it to work in the correct aspect ratio because there was no GUI tool for that. Surely there’s a way to register that kind of stuff for start up, but why do I have to figure this out ? I just need to get work done. Wacom tablets have been around for 30 years and are used by most of the digital artists out there, it’s not some exotic peripheral. It seems like it should be easier

  • Go-On-A-Steam-Train@lemmy.ml
    4·
    2 years ago

    I found it mildly funny reading this, I’ve not been using vanilla windows 10 for quite a while, but have resorted to sticking plasters to get the same effects as mint (start10, fences, and powertoys). It’s very true, out the box all that’s baked into mint, and with the privacy etc.

    I heartily miss Mint/Xubuntu, but am cursed with my interests being in game development and audio. :) one of these years…

  • cbarrick@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 years ago

    Security is mentioned as a potential future topic, with Linux Mint considered more privacy-oriented than Windows 11.

    Security and privacy are not the same thing!

  • Magusbear@lemmy.mlDeutsch
    1·
    2 years ago

    While it’s already been talked about, for no. 4, does anyone know a good batch renamer I can use with Arch/Gnome?

    On Windows I had BulkRenameUtility which was really good.

  • Eochaid@lemmy.world
    22·
    2 years ago

    1& 2: These are the kinds of things that appeal to people with OCD and enthusiasts with more time than work to do. And for the former, more customization can be destructive to productivity. Most people just want to sit down and either get work done or get their game open - not sit for hours customizing the interface.

    I rarely ever use my taskbar and start menu on Windows because I can hit the start key and type to find the thing I want. Linux can do that too, but you’re focusing instead on finnicky customization. Most people have a cluttered desktop for a reason - nobody cares or has the time to properly organize their shit. I would suggest focusing on the real performance and productivity benefits of Linux.

    3: The only people that care about telemetry are those that already hate Microsoft and already use Linux. Most Windows users couldn’t give two shits that Microsoft uses their anomymized usage data to fix bugs and evaluate feature adoption. Also, the only way to avoid telemetry is if the only servers you ever access are in your basement.

    4: I agree that Windows is really obnoxious about the bullshit they’re putting on even base Windows install, but it takes me like 5 minutes to go through add/remove programs. You know what takes me longer than 5 minutes? Getting any non-standard hardware working on Linux, and even some software, and often because the base OS is missing something or has some box unchecked because a FOSS enthusiast has opinions.

    5: Not enough people are aware of the fantastic set of freeware MS makes called PowerToys. PowerRenamer actually handles this gap for me. I feel like it should be included with windows but alas, some people would probably consider it “bloatware”.

    6: MS certainly has issues in this regard, but I’m curious to know how Linux Mint actually faires. Consumer-focused distros tend to benefit from their low adoption rate and don’t get hammered by attacks like Windows and RHEL derivatives do. But I’ll freely agree that most Linux distros tend to be more secure by default. That said, does it really matter to the average Windows user? No it doesn’t. Because the biggest security issue for both Windows and Linux is actually the user - not an OS flaw. Even a default Windows environment is normally secure enough for most users.

  • jsdz@lemmy.ml
    13·
    2 years ago

    EVEN MORE things Linux Mint does better than Win11:

    • Compiles linux kernels
    • Runs even demanding apps like systemd fast and smooth
    • Conforms with POSIX some of the time
    • Lets you configure everything with text files using ‘ed’ if you want to
    • Doesn’t spy on you so much
    • Rarely shows you ads
    • pastermil@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      2 years ago

      demanding apps like systemd

      Really?

      I know systemd is relatively bloated compared to other init system, but I don’t recall it being exactly heavy or demanding…

      • jsdz@lemmy.ml
        11·
        2 years ago

        I do find it way too overly complex in the design of various of its many parts, but my comment there is what among my people would be referred to as a “joke”.

  • anakin78z@lemmy.world
    18·
    2 years ago

    Huh, I’m honestly shocked Mint is still a thing. It screwed me over so bad many years ago, I’ve been Windows ever since.

      • anakin78z@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 years ago

        Details are fuzzy at this point, but I believe it was a series of updates that kept having issues and finally one update that completely screwed up the machine, and in trying to fix it I ended up losing some important data. I was pissed off and got an MS Surface, and I kind of loved it, so haven’t been Linux since.

    • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      2 years ago

      Would you take someone complaining about being “screwed over” by Windows XP seriously? Your complaint about Mint falls into the same category.

      • anakin78z@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 years ago

        I’m not trying to convince you of anything. I was genuinely shocked that Linux Mint is still around. Haven’t heard about it in years. You’re free to not take that personal.

        • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
          11·
          2 years ago

          You made a completely uniformed statement as if it was still valid. You’re free to take the fact you were called out on it personally.

          • anakin78z@lemmy.world
            1·
            2 years ago

            Fact: I’m shocked Linux Mint is still a thing. Fact: it screwed me over in the past. I don’t see how either of those statements can, by definition, be uninformed or not still valid. What are you trying to prove? I don’t need you to validate my life experiences. Why are you acting like you need me to validate your life choices?