- The Document Foundation, which makes LibreOffice, is the latest to jump on the anti-Windows 11 bandwagon
- The organization argues that Windows 10 users should switch to Linux
- It outlines the strengths of Linux, which include being free, open, and transparent
More than a few big players on the Linux side of the fence are now weighing in with the anti-Microsoft sentiment, and another has just joined this club: The Document Foundation (TDF).
What is that, exactly? TDF is the creator of LibreOffice, an alternative to Microsoft Office for Linux (and other platforms), and the organization has a multi-pronged argument to try and persuade Windows 10 holdouts to try a Linux distro rather than migrating to Windows 11. (And of course, some folks can’t upgrade to the latter, anyway, due to Windows 11’s heftier system requirements).
As Neowin flagged up, TDF has a blog post entitled: “The end of Windows 10 is approaching, so it’s time to consider Linux and LibreOffice.”
That’s straight to the point, certainly, and TDF also makes it clear that it’s supporting the broader ‘End of 10’ project, also urging those facing the end of Windows 10 (in October 2025) to switch to Linux.
TDF observes: “The countdown has begun. On 14 October 2025, Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 … The good news? You don’t have to follow Microsoft’s upgrade path [to Windows 11]. There is a better option that puts control back in the hands of users, institutions, and public bodies: Linux and LibreOffice. Together, these two programmes offer a powerful, privacy-friendly and future-proof alternative to the Windows + Microsoft 365 ecosystem.”
The organization insists that sticking with Windows 11 limits the consumer in terms of fostering a continued dependence on Microsoft, and its “forcing” of the use of its various services, cloud integration (OneDrive), and of course the Microsoft account.
TDF points out that Microsoft is trying to drum up subscriptions (meaning Microsoft 365, for those who use Office – and indeed OneDrive), and reduce “control over how your computer works and how your data is managed.” That latter potshot is aimed at how Microsoft’s system of telemetry works, piping data from your Windows PC back to its servers (though how much, and what kind of data, depends on your settings).
The final shot echoes a lot of other worries out there: “Furthermore, new hardware requirements will render millions of perfectly good PCs obsolete.”
And that’s one of the main beefs when it comes to the Windows 11 upgrade. It’s not necessarily that people don’t want the newer OS – though some don’t – it’s just that due to security measures imposed with Windows 11, which rule out older CPUs (and PCs without TPM 2.0, a security feature), a lot of Windows 10 PCs simply can’t have it.
So, get Linux instead is the answer, and in the case of this particular sub-campaign, grab LibreOffice as well to replace Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
TDF emphasizes the free and open nature of both Linux and LibreOffice, and how they are overseen by foundations, rather than a company looking to turn a profit. And also that older Windows 10 PCs will have no trouble running a Linux distro (and there’s a wide choice of different flavors of desktop OS to pick from, of course).
Analysis: Free, open and trustworthy – but too steep a hill to climb for some?
There’s an increasing amount of momentum getting behind the ‘switch from Windows 10 to Linux’ campaign. Remember that recently, KDE (which makes a Linux desktop environment called Plasma) argued that Microsoft is guilty of enforcing a kind of ‘tech extortion’ on Windows 10 users, and while, as I noted at the time, that’s extreme language being used, I get where the sentiment is coming from.
TDF is to some extent picking up that ‘extortion’ theme here, particularly when it talks about Microsoft trying to lock folks into its various services. And it’s a fair observation in some ways: the Microsoft Account is very much being pushed by the software giant, and there’s persistent badgering in Windows 11 to use, say, OneDrive. Although this is nudging and veiled advertising more than it’s ‘forcing’ anything on anyone, granted, it’s still annoying to see this, and the various ads (some of them outright adverts) Microsoft peddles via Windows – a paid-for OS.
As TDF underlines, Microsoft is looking to make a profit, whereas Linux is free, open, and transparent, and therefore more trustworthy at a fundamental level.
I won’t retread the ground that I’ve already been over in my recent stories regarding the arguments of why Linux might be a tricky proposition for a good number of Windows 10 users, but I need to again point out some of the downsides in the interests of balance here.
The main issue is that in the case of less tech-savvy users, going from Windows 10 to Linux is quite an upheaval. There’s a whole new interface and way of working to learn, and there are bound to be apps that people have purchased that aren’t compatible with Linux, or games that won’t work properly (certainly those online games with anti-cheat protection).
In its blog post, TDF advises that: “Replacing Windows and Microsoft Office is not as difficult as it seems, either at an individual or corporate level.”
Then it suggests that a first step towards making the switch from Windows 10 to Linux is: “Start by testing Linux and LibreOffice on a second partition of your PC (for individuals) or in less critical departments (for companies).”
This is rather a case of ‘nail, meet hammerhead’ in terms of worries about less tech-savvy users making a transition like this to a whole new OS. There are doubtless massed ranks of Windows 10 users out there who wouldn’t have a clue how to set up Linux by using a partition on their drive. And yes, you can find out how – and the Linux community is, in general, undeniably super-helpful (as TDF touches on elsewhere) – but still, I think how far out of the comfort zone this is for a lot of PC owners is being underestimated here.
The crux in many ways is that Linux is more of an enthusiast proposition by its very nature – and that’s part of what makes it great, and why the community is tight-knit and so supportive. But for the average Windows 10 user, the migration to Linux may simply appear to be too steep an ascent, and the initial teething problems they may face, particularly with hardware or software compatibility, may make the climb feel perilously close to vertical.
Those who are mulling a move to Linux might want to peruse TechRadar’s roundup of the best Linux distros for beginners, or the distros that are similar to Windows, and so could help you feel more immediately at home.
