The author recounts their long history with Windows, starting from their first computer running Windows 98 to two decades of use. They appreciated the familiarity and efficiency of Windows until updates and ads began to disrupt their experience. The breaking point came with the problematic 24H2 update, which caused serious bugs, particularly with Chrome. The author faced a series of frustrating issues, including unexpected updates that shut down applications and persistent glitches that made their computer nearly unusable. Frustrated by the lack of accountability from Microsoft and the ongoing problems, the author decided to switch to Linux. They installed CachyOS, an Arch-based distribution, despite concerns about app support for their work as a software developer and musician. The transition wasn’t easy; they encountered issues like broken sleep mode and the absence of a native Linux version of Ableton Live. However, they found they could resolve NVIDIA driver issues with relative ease compared to the struggles faced on Windows. They also discovered native alternatives like Bitwig Studio, indicating that while Linux presents its own challenges, it offers a sense of control and respect for user preferences that Windows no longer does.