Windows 10 reaches 70% market share as Windows 11 keeps declining

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Windows 11 UX, Regressions, and Fixes

  • Many comments call Windows 11 a regression from 10: worse taskbar (no side placement, breakage, initial lack of “never combine”), crippled calendar view, clunky new right‑click context menu, and removal of convenient options like “Troubleshoot connection.”
  • Some of these regressions were later reversed (seconds in tray clock, taskbar labels, “diagnose network” entry), but users resent how long it took and that third‑party hacks were needed.
  • Others argue Windows 11 is an overall improvement once ads and “AI/spyware” defaults are disabled, citing better multi‑monitor / mixed‑DPI handling, controller and Bluetooth support, and removal of old Win8-era UI remnants.
  • Several say Windows has become more user‑hostile over time, with advertising, upsell prompts, and Microsoft overriding user choices (e.g., default apps, replacing built‑in Mail with Outlook).

Upgrade Model, Hardware Requirements, and TPM

  • Frustration that Windows 10 was marketed as “the last version of Windows,” then Windows 11 arrived with stricter and, to some, arbitrary hardware and TPM 2.0 requirements.
  • Many machines from just a few years prior (including high‑end CPUs) are officially unsupported, though commenters note the checks are easily bypassed.
  • Some see the requirements as DRM/marketing‑driven rather than security‑driven; others say support inevitably has to end for old hardware, regardless of version naming.

Why People Still Use Windows

  • Key reasons given: gaming, specialized/business apps, DAWs and pro media tools, RDP quality, Excel, legacy Win32 apps, and broad driver/peripheral support.
  • Inertia and OEM bundling are repeatedly cited; many non‑technical users just use what ships on cheap hardware.

Linux, macOS, and Alternatives

  • Several users report moving to Linux (often with Steam/Proton) or macOS and only booting Windows for a shrinking set of games or pro tools.
  • Others tried Linux but ran into issues: audio stack complexity, Wayland transition rough edges, fractional scaling, RDP-quality remote access, and binary compatibility across distros.

Market Share and Data Quality

  • Some welcome Windows 11’s apparent stall as user “voting with their feet.”
  • Others argue that the Statcounter data behind the article is too noisy and volatile to draw strong conclusions about real-world adoption trends.