Meet AnduinOS - a custom Ubuntu-based Windows 11-like Linux distribution developed by a Microsoft engineer.

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SpectralUA@reddit

Yep, look like Win. Newbies who "want Linux but it must be Windows" should be happy.

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United_Brother1520@reddit

is it wrong to want something similar to windows?

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I don’t think it’s wrong to maybe desire a look and feel you’re familiar with. Plenty of Linux users theme desktops for a wide variety of Windows looks old and new as well as MacOS. As long as they don’t bill it as functioning just like Windows to set a false expectation it shouldn’t be a concern. That said… do we need another distro for this?

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keoma99@reddit

Wenn es der Popularität von Linux nützt warum nicht. Gerade mal 4% der Desktop Systeme sind Linux Systeme! Also alles was da irgendwie hilft, nur her damit.

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United_Brother1520@reddit

eh its probably for newbies

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agfitzp@reddit

Given how much of Windows 10 was copied from gnome-shell this doesn't surprise me at all.

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Capable-Silver-7436@reddit

so thats why i dont like 10...

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agfitzp@reddit

I thought everyone loved David Tennant?

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United_Brother1520@reddit

probably tryna get some of the more macos oriented audience

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agfitzp@reddit

Given the authors recent post, reading any actual plan from some screenshots is clearly tinfoil hat territory.
https://news.anduinos.com/post/2025/5/6/story-behind-anduinos-a-letter-from-anduin

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Wise-Emu-225@reddit

They are both operatingsystems

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SpectralUA@reddit

Nope. I didnt said that it is wrong. Just looked screensots.

Personally, I've never looked for systems that are "similar to". I'm quite happy with the interfaces of both. Or rather, I can always fine-tune what I don't like.

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Ok_Property4432@reddit

"...must be NeXTSTEP" ?

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Born-European2@reddit

Unt I'll it windon't cause he tries to use .exe

This flavour is not beneficial. Teach them Mint.

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RadioRavenRide@reddit

You're not going to believe one reason why people recommend Mint.

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keoma99@reddit

Es ist eine neue und sehr vielversprechende Distro. Sie könnte dazu beitragen Linux endlich populärer zu machen, speziell bei bisherigen und wechselwilligen Windows Benutzern.

Viele haben die Schnauze von Windows endgültig gestrichen voll, seinen ewigen Macken, der Überwachung, dem nicht existierenden Datenschutz, der fehlenden Sicherheit, der totalen Nichteinhaltung der DSGVO, der üblen Benutzerführung, dem neuen, wirklich schrecklichen Design! Ohne O365 Account geht gar nichts, usw., einfach schrecklich!

Windows 11 ist das beste Argument für Linux und gegen Windows. Eigentor.

Ich hab AnduinOS umfangreich getestet, keine Bugs bisher, keine Probleme, alles funktioniert. Design und Benutzerführung sind großartig, es gibt viele Einrichtungsmöglichkeiten, die gut durchdacht sind. Es ist gerade für Anfänger geeignet, als Desktop System für den täglichen Gebrauch. Ein paar Übersetzungen fehlen noch, eine gute Beta Version, ein Stadium, das Windows in keiner Version je erreichte. AnduinOS wäre geeignet auf Notebooks vorinstalliert zu werden.

Viele nutzen ohnehin nur Browser, Mail Programm, Grafik, Video und Musik Tools, Office Suite, Dateimanager, vielleicht ein TV und Radio Tool und natürlich Computer Spiele. Von Solität bis Steam, also High End Spiele ist alles verfügbar und vieles mehr.

Das ISO Image enthält das Basis System, wie jedes Betriebssystem Setup. Das Windows Setup enthält auch nicht mehr, dafür deutlich mehr nutzloses Zeug, Überwachungszeug ala Recall, usw. Das AnduinOS Setup enthält kaum Tools, keine Office Suite. Damit ist das Boot Image schlank. Weitere Software kann leicht mit dem Setup Tool nachinstalliert werden. Die Nutzung der Shell, irgendwelche Befehle eingeben ist nicht nötig.

Mehr dazu hier https://moxie4nav.wordpress.com/

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RomeoNoJuliet@reddit

"Microsoft engineer" , this is interesting, the day Adobe Photoshop engineers decide to contribute to Gimp will be a momentum day!

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send_me_a_naked_pic@reddit

Yeah I wonder how it doesn't interfere with his work.

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DrunkOnRamen@reddit

no fuck those guys, they are as autistic as libreoffice.

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gpowerf@reddit

Windows 11 is hardly a benchmark for aesthetics or usability, so why are we replicating it? The common justification is that it helps users transition from Windows to Linux more easily. But let’s be honest—these users managed to adapt from Windows 10 to 11, and many of them have been using computers since the days of Windows XP, or even 3.11. These aren’t people who’ve lost the capacity to learn; we’re not dealing with a cognitive disability here. Distros that mimic Windows 11 are essentially duplicating a sub-optimal interface for no meaningful reason.

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Tall-Leader-1964@reddit

The problem is that even if it looks like Windows, it won't behave like Windows. The first thing a newbie will do is look for the Edge browser and the One Drive icon.

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Business_Reindeer910@reddit

Edge works on linux, so you're covered there.. One drive could be made to work (if it doesn't already). I think the problems extend far beyond that.

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send_me_a_naked_pic@reddit

One drive could be made to work

I'd love it because I use SharePoint for work and it sucks that I can't access my files on Linux.

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Tall-Leader-1964@reddit

Of course there are more problems but a newbie will typically look for the familiar icons...If you can get something to work it's fine, but things have to work out of the box. On the other hand I think that imitating the Windows experience is the wrong way to approach it. The sooner a new user understands that Linux isn't Windows, the better off he will be.

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Business_Reindeer910@reddit

the better off they will be*

On the other hand I think that imitating the Windows experience is the wrong way to approach it.

I wish i knew if that were true or not. We talk a lot about how linux could be more more user friendly by doing this or that to make it more windows like.. but what is the actual experience for folks who say switched from Windows to Mac?

Shouldn't that kind of thing help guide what we do here?

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githman@reddit

Windows 11 is hardly a benchmark for aesthetics or usability, so why are we replicating it?

Just what I wanted to say myself. I took one glance at their screenshots, and the taskbar alone made my eyes cross.

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GreenSouth3@reddit

THIS^

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riklaunim@reddit

Anduin may be trademarked by Blizzard ;)

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Odd_Cauliflower_8004@reddit

The tolkien estate wants a word with them

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KrazyKirby99999@reddit

If Figma can trademark Config, why can't Blizzard trademark Anduin?

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zinozAreNazis@reddit

No fucking way a court granted “Config” as a trademark……..

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KrazyKirby99999@reddit

https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=88673913&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch

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zinozAreNazis@reddit

For: Arranging, organizing and providing on-line and in-person interactive training classes, workshops, educational conferences, seminars, courses, educational meetings in the field of digital design, and collaboration and technology as it relates to digital design

Seems to be specific enough that it shouldn’t have an impact on FOSS

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Illien37@reddit

this is the registered mark Is it really that specific?

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tamachine-dg@reddit

I think it will be a massive let down for all the FOSS developers thinking about writing a program called Config which helps arrange, organise and provide online and in person interactive training classes, workshops, educational conferences, seminars, courses, educational meetings in the field of digital design, and collaboration and technology as it relates to digital design.

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Albos_Mum@reddit

Wait until you hear what Ligma trademarked.

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sgriobhadair@reddit

"And even now the wind of they hope cheats thee and wafts up an enemy fleet with black sails. Up the River Anduin they come even now, the river which leads the edge of the Pelennor Fields."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrhvrK6CvMU

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lambdaRUNE@reddit

trademarked by Blizzard

So basically Microsoft lol

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TheTrueOrangeGuy@reddit (OP)

Who knows. Mental Outlaw made a video about it.

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Amiska5v5@reddit

I tried AnduinOS in a virtual machine and noticed that Firefox is installed via this repo:
https://mirror-ppa.aiursoft.cn/mozillateam/ppa/ubuntu

Is this repository safe to use? Is it an official Ubuntu repo, or at least a generally trusted one? I couldn’t find much information about this mirror “aiursoft.cn.”

Should I be concerned about using Firefox from this source?

Thanks for any advice!

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YxtOk@reddit

fait par un ingé Microsoft Chinois... Ils annoncent être a fond sur la confidentialité des données, présenter leur équipe sur le site officiel, etc.

Je suis pas totalement fan des ingé Chinois, mais l'exception peut confirmer la règle, sont pas tous à fond pour le Parti.... Il y a aussi des gens libres et heureux de l'être

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ntmstr1993@reddit

So you basically just reskinned Ubuntu.

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lproven@reddit

No. No Snap, native .deb-packaged Firefox, Flatpak and a Flatpak store instead, and what I believe the cool kids call a "curated" collection of over a dozen GNOME addons to make it quite a different desktop experience.

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MichaelTunnell@reddit

to be fair, that is the majority of what Ubuntu based distros do...a remix of Ubuntu that significantly changes things is pretty rare

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ntmstr1993@reddit

That is true

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haveyouseenthisboi@reddit

Dash to panel is only what I need if I miss windows

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versace_dinner@reddit

Hot take: this is really good for Windows users transitioning to Linux or users who often jump between the two but want to maintain a similar muscle/visual memory. I think it's stupid to undermine it as "just reskinned Ubunut". I also don't think even Zorin OS is comparable to how familiar this is for Window's users.

This is coming from an Arch + dwm user.

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sheeproomer@reddit

It's just Ubuntu theme with a Windows skin and instead of proper packaging it takes the flatpak copout route.

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sheeproomer@reddit

Buzzword and implied seal of pile overload.

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MarcCDB@reddit

I've installed AnduinOS here and honestly.... It's not bad at all.... Better than ZorinOS for instance... No bloat, cool design... I like it.

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eldelacajita@reddit

The mention of ecology has me puzzled.

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TheTrueOrangeGuy@reddit (OP)

Ecology is related to Microsoft forcing you to upgrade your hardware to upgrade to Windows 11. By buying new hardware you create e-waste.

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eldelacajita@reddit

Oh, I see. Maybe it could be explained more directly, explaining how it can give new life to existing hardware.

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Stilgar314@reddit

If it's basically Ubuntu with Flatpak instead of Snaps, this is, probably, much better than SteamOS for all those people swearing they will ditch Windows the minute Valve releases it for general PC usage, but it won't draw attention enough.

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conmac7@reddit

I estimate a lifespan of two to four years, after which it will likely be abandoned and eventually discontinued.

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Declamatie@reddit

Can it run on an Arduino?

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disastervariation@reddit

It's vinceliuice's fluent theme. At least the wallpaper and icons.

I hope the credits were given, vinceliuice's themes are awesome and I would not feel comfortable if someone installed the theme on Ubuntu, called it a new OS, and ended up as a subject of an article without giving credits.

Just saying.

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rakhalism@reddit

where can i get he AnduinOS wallpaper:/

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Hairy_Educator1918@reddit

I'm gonna set this up on my dad's work PC and see what he will say.

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lKrauzer@reddit

Heard bad things about it, gonna try it on a VM, not gonna lie the theme is nice looking imo

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Helmic@reddit

My OS of choice for tech-challenged people has been Aurora, as it can update in the background and is very reslient agaisnt user error, but I would like that sort of theme on Aurora for people that really need things to look just like their old OS to be able to navigate it. A good number of elderly users navigate based on the visuals and relative location of things, so if an icon moves or gets a redesign they can be utterly lost because they can't follow the step by step they have in their head or wrote down. And now that Win11 is a thing, there's gonna be people who need Win11 themes.

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Sf49ers1680@reddit

I've been running Aurora for a little over a month now and I agree, it's a great distro for tech-challenged people. I'd have no issue putting it on a computer for someone like my mom to use.

In regards to themes, there's a couple Windows-style themes by Night on the Icon and theme store in KDE that come pretty close to replicating Windows 10 and 11.

Windows 10

https://store.kde.org/p/1366371

Windows 11

https://store.kde.org/p/1546069

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linuxlifer@reddit

Thats very descriptive... bad things... lol

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DrunkOnRamen@reddit

I heard it likes to drive around in a beat up van offering candy to children.

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linuxlifer@reddit

Oh shit that makes complete sense to keep it in a VM then.

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the_party_galgo@reddit

I don't get it. Doesn't mint, for example, already look a lot like windows? And what is changed is very simple and straightforward

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GreenSouth3@reddit

what a waste

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GreenSouth3@reddit

just - why ?

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Keely369@reddit

NGL my main gripe with Linux is not being enough like Windows.

JOKE! Guys can't you take a joke? No I'm not leaving.

Guys..

IT WAS A JOKE.

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FattyDrake@reddit

I'll admit, I'm starting to miss automatic updates that add ads and AI features I never wanted.

Saving to my hard drive and local network instead of defaulting to a paid-subscription cloud service is also starting to get to me. Why does no distribution want my email address just to log in!?

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taimusrs@reddit

One of my colleague's ThinkPad is on Windows 11 Enterprise but is not on a 365 plan that has Azure AD, has their install brick every single time they reached a certain Windows update. I love when you're punished for not giving them enough of your money

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Keely369@reddit

Preach brother.

Also Linux settings.. what's up with that? You set something and then.. it just stays with the new setting you've set. I miss the excitement of Windows settings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWwurXmobU

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DrunkOnRamen@reddit

Here's the thing, Windows has a lot of good stuff, fractal scaling is one of them. There is no shortage of things to actually complain about it but there are things that Linux can copy from Windows to improve upon itself

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FattyDrake@reddit

KDE has had fractional scaling for awhile now, and with more granularity than Windows offers.

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OscarWilderberry@reddit

Well, it really looks like Windows 11, it's given me a right case of PTSD!

If it helps people to move over I'm all for it. Am I going to use it? No, because it looks like Windows 11!

First thing people will notice: no soddin' adverts, news feed pop ups, and a whole other bunch of annoying shite nobody ever asked for.

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Tall-Leader-1964@reddit

To be honest I think it looks better than Win11, and it certainly performs better.

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Ripdog@reddit

I've always thought these "Windows-like" distros have been very misleading, right back to the much more high-effort attempts like Lindows, in the past.

The core of what seperates Windows and the Linux desktop is not the theme, or where you click to open the start menu. It's the workflow, and it's different in ways which are extremely difficult to replicate on Linux.

Software installation is a big one. On windows, you go the publisher's website and click the big Download button. On linux, you're expected to go through the package manager - and most of the time, these have had pretty crappy GUIs. This has improved a lot in recent years, yes, but there's still a big learning curve.

I see AnduinOS instructs users to go through the flatpak store to install apps, and hopefully it provides good user education on how this works. But even if it does, flatpak has a huge list of caveats which force the user to learn about it and fiddle with it to get things working properly through the sandbox. I used Flatpak for a while last year, and I dumped it after a couple of months where I was endlessly opening flatseal to add new permissions to apps to get them to damned well work.

The other big one is system updates - Window's automatic updates may be annoying, but they're a million times better than manual updates which all linux distros require. And you'd better pray that the new Ubuntu update doesn't render your PC unbootable... The relative reliability of Windows update is a huge benefit to the platform which no distro has ever been able to replicate.

(Yes, I know windows update has problems sometimes.)

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konstanty_willeman@reddit

If he wrote all the configuration tools with gui that are in windows and not in linux distros, then I would be amazed. Now, that is just some skin, do you really need to make a distro out of it?

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Ray-Debian@reddit

So it's a Linux distro based off another distro that's meant to look like an OS that's meant to look like another OS? Ok

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-o0__0o-@reddit

Why do distros keep using Ubuntu packages rather than just Debian? My understanding is that Ubuntu doesn't prioritize .deb packages as much now that snap exists.

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FattyDrake@reddit

Ubuntu packages use software made after the neolithic period ended.

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DrunkOnRamen@reddit

I do remember when Debian had newer version of PHP than Ubuntu, that was a wild find.

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mrlinkwii@reddit

My understanding is that Ubuntu doesn't prioritize .deb packages as much now that snap exists.

this is mostly false , they prioritize .deb packages of certain packages , firefox, thunderbird , because its not worth the time to build them since they update faster than most

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LordCommanderTaurusG@reddit

I use Linux Mint. Any use for this?

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Typhurin@reddit

Would love to move to Linux fully. But I’m sure a lot of the games I play aren’t supported and such. Thought this anduinOS was perhaps a mix of the two somehow. Could go over but maintain the functionality of windows in terms or compatibility..?

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cgoldberg@reddit

I'm definitely not going to try a distro maintained by one guy and has a goal of being like Windows.

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Xtrems876@reddit

Right. We didn't have a windows themed desktop paraded as a "windows-like linux distribution" this month yet, it was about time for a new one. What kind of major controversy will this one end up in, I wonder?

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Cesar_PT@reddit

what's that taskbar and menu? would love to try to mimic that in kde if possible

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Maximum-Ability5950@reddit

That's good. A new Linux distro.

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BigHeadTonyT@reddit

I don't know. If I would want something like that, I'd use XFCE, enable the Dock app, change wallpaper. Pretty much the same look.

That centered taskbar for apps. You can get that on Windows 10 too. I used TaskbarX for that.

https://taskbarx.org

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