Windows needs to stop showing tabloid news

I use Ubuntu (as stock as possible) for my media center PC, here are some reasons off the top of my head that prevent me from using desktop Linux for anything more serious:

Bluetooth connection to my headset sometimes causes the entire system to hard lock, requiring physical reset.

Sound sometimes goes static-y, have to reboot to fix.

I had to download a third party tweaker app to disable a sound output device that I didn't want to use.

Tearing of full screen video, I don't even remember how I fixed it.

A notification about something called "snap store" keeps coming up and needs a command line fix to dismiss.

The built-in app store keeps notifying me about a firmware update for my wireless keyboard. I'm not interested, and there is no way to dismiss it.

Firefox on Linux has an obnoxious habit of refusing to open a new tab until I restart it for updates (that were installed automatically, not through the system updates app). Sure, I want my browser up-to-date, but this is not an issue on Windows where it will never force you to restart the application. I looked around why this is the way it is, and the answers were that it had to do with how Linux works.

And, yeah, games.

I get that staticy sound problem from time to time on linux mint. `sudo killall pulseaudiod` seems to reset it without needing a reboot.

All my audio problems (including this) were fixed by switching to pipewire

I'm always surprised whenever these Bluetooth issues come up. The best Bluetooth experience I've had is with Linux, by far.

I have a BT keyboard (keychron), mouse (mx master 3s) and two headphones. They've all always connected instantly under Linux.

The headsets can use LDAC and aptx HD, which are both unsupported under Windows but work perfectly under Linux.

The mouse has noticeable lag under Windows, while under Linux it's indistinguishable from its wireless (non-BT) dongle. Installing the Logitech app and drivers doesn't change anything.

The keyboard and headphones usually take a while to connect under windows.

Except for the mouse, I've had these same peripherals on multiple PCs, all with Intel wireless cards, and all have exhibited the same difference in behavior between Windows and Linux.

> I had to download a third party tweaker app to disable a sound output device that I didn't want to use.

This is weird, I can disable any and all sound peripherals from the pulse audio control panel. I don't use ubuntu, though, so not sure what its default apps are.

Switch to Debian and install the Mozilla Firefox package rather than the distro's version. The bullshit will disappear.

This little thread already has like five different versions of "Linux works great for me, you just need to fizzbang the wagglesprocket"

For bluetooth issues pipewire may be a magic bullet. It was for me.

Ubuntu is well known for blowing their operating systems up. It's not unusual to disable a few things on a fresh Ubuntu.

One thing I vaguely remember is bluetooth being started with more options that you generally need. Can't remember what options I removed but using a more bare Bluetooth driver often fixes things.

You can control your sound output via alsa, usually a alsa control is shipped with Ubuntu.

Annoying you with snap is one of those typical Ubuntu things why people stopped recommending it.

So yeah, try using not Ubuntu

I decided to switch back to analog headphones that don’t require firmware updates from proprietary apps only available on Android/iOS with tracking built in. You can’t get much simpler than inserting a wire into a jack—and as a bonus with detachable cables they can last over a decade & don’t have batteries I’d have to repair in two years but can’t because of how they’re designed to be e-waste.