A noob take on why DEs that have "windows like" workflows are not the best for new linux desktop users.

So, I watched a video today talking about a proposal on fedora to change the default DE from gnome to kde and they were advocating that it would be better for new linux users.

I know many people don't like the opinionated nature of gnome or don't think kde is "windows like"... And that's fair. But since the point is about new users that mainly comes from windows I will give my point, as I am a relative new user coming from windows:

When used to windows you are expecting things to behave like windows. Actually many people are not only used to, they do everything on a computer since they are born in windows... From gaming to academics.

Then, when you try to change and find something very similar to windows (in terms of workflow) and things don't behave like windows, it brings a feeling that it's cheap or that it doesn't work, causing frustration or a sense of need to go back to windows. Doesn't matter that kde is in a very polished state today it will never behave exactly like windows, because it's linux.

I say that because it happened to me when I tried to switch for the first time. (for other reasons I kept trying)

So, on one of my attempts I tried gnome, and:

it's so different from windows workflow (focus on workspaces, less menus, less minimize and maximize, concise visuals) my mindset changed and I started to face linux as an entirely different thing with a different paradigm.

That's why I think gnome is a good choice for new users. Not because it's better thank other DEs but because it's different. If you are an user that needs to tinker more you will naturally go after something else after a while.

Anyway, since then I moved to window managers and I'm happy, but it would not happened that easy if I kept trying to find windows on desktop linux.