Windows Disasters That Prove the Madness

Earlier I wrote that using Windows clients in medium to large environments is utter madness. Today let’s look at some concrete examples from the last years that show exactly why. These are not abstract arguments. These are real, documented failures that disrupted businesses, cost billions, and exposed millions to risk.

Patch Tuesday roulette

We all know the ritual. Every second Tuesday of the month, admins cross their fingers and install Microsoft’s latest “fixes.” But too often these patches cause chaos:

In each case, the very updates meant to increase stability caused massive downtime.

Ransomware playground

Windows continues to be the number one target for ransomware. WannaCry in 2017 infected over 200,000 machines in 150 countries (BBC)^4. NotPetya followed, wiping out the IT systems of companies like Maersk, which later admitted losses of nearly $300 million (Wired)^5.

Fast forward to today: Ryuk, LockBit, BlackCat. All thrive primarily in Windows-heavy environments. Linux servers are targeted too, but the sheer dominance of Windows on desktops makes it the soft underbelly of enterprise IT.

Forced updates and broken trust

Microsoft loves to tout Windows as a service. In practice, that means forced updates that roll out whether you want them or not. Entire fleets of machines rebooting during working hours. New versions pushed with UI changes nobody asked for. Feature rollouts that overwrite user settings. This is not enterprise stability. This is vendor dictatorship.

The telemetry black hole

Another Windows gem: by default, it phones home constantly. Enterprise admins can reduce, but not eliminate, telemetry (Ars Technica)[^6]. That means you are running thousands of endpoints that siphon data to Microsoft servers without your full control. Imagine if Linux did that — sysadmins would riot.

The endless resource hog

Windows 11 now comes preloaded with ads in the Start menu (The Verge)[^7]. Ads. In a professional operating system you are supposed to use to run your business. Combine that with Teams auto-installations, OneDrive popups, Edge nags — and you get a user experience that is hostile by design.

The conclusion is unavoidable

When you look at the last years, the evidence is overwhelming. Windows is unstable, insecure, bloated, and designed to serve Microsoft’s interests, not yours. These are not isolated mistakes, they are symptoms of a rotten architecture and a vendor relationship based on lock-in.

Linux proves every day that another way is possible. Transparent updates, predictable releases, true choice. It is not just cheaper and more secure, it respects you as the operator of your own infrastructure.

If yesterday’s post was the rant, today’s is the evidence. And the evidence makes one thing crystal clear: running Windows clients at scale is not just madness, it is malpractice.

Further Reading: Escape Routes to Linux

If this makes you want to break free, here are some of the most mature and enterprise-ready Linux distributions to explore:

Pick one, try it on a spare machine or in a VM, and see how it feels. Linux is not just an alternative, it is the better way forward.

[^6]: Ars Technica (2017). Microsoft opens up on Windows telemetry, tells us most of what data it collects
[^7]: The Verge (2024). Windows 11 Start menu ads are now rolling out to everyone