Windows has long had its detractors, yet during every upcoming Windows release when some controversial change causes some people to exclaim that this will finally be the year of the Linux desktop, most Windows users end up grinning and bearing it, and thus the year of the Linux desktop gets pushed back for the umpteenth time. Even if Microsoft charges subscription fees for Windows 12, I predict that people will either grin and bear it, or they will stick to Windows 11 for as long as they can. If enough people don’t upgrade to Windows 12, Microsoft might relent, like how Windows 8.1 brought back the smart menu and how later releases of Windows 10 addressed some criticism of earlier releases. But given previous patterns, I don’t expect a mass exodus to Linux.
It certainly pushed people towards MacOS and Linux. Office usage has also been decimated by Google docs and similar. Early education is largely on Chromebooks.
Mass exodus to Linux won't happen, but W11 may become the next XP that people won't upgrade from for decades. And then the price of hardware+subscription will be compared to buying an otherwise overpriced Mac...
I have been using windows since version 3.11, I will never pay a subscription for windows, will not install windows 11 and will not install windows 12. I have been a die hard windows user/fan for decades but windows is dying, the corpse is starting to stink. My future will probably have less microsoft and more Linux and MacOS once windows 10 is no longer usable.
