"Install Linux" is without a doubt the most frequent recommendation from the penguin riders for those users frustrated with Microsoft's decisions. Windows 11 is approaching at full speed, many computers will be left behind, and the idea of making the jump no longer sounds so strange. In fact, some projects seek to simplify the transition process, and one of them is Windowsfx 11, a clone of Windows 11 based on Ubuntu LTS and KDE that already has a public preview.
"Escape from Redmond, WA"
What is it that keeps the average user away from the Linux universe? Is it the idea of "learning everything all over again"? The fear of a hardware conflict? The lack of support for certain elements like anti-cheat in online games? The natural rejection of change? A combination of all of this? We could be exploring answers until the year 2027, but we cannot deny that Linux has improved a lot. Even the craziest hypotheses suggest that Windows will transform into a Linux distro, combining the best of both worlds.
For the moment, it is Linux that takes the initiative through clones and imitations that seek to reproduce the dynamics and appearance of Windows. One of the most interesting is Windowsfx, which we met last year with an interface very similar to Windows 10. What is next on the list? Obviously, the project leader Rafael Rachid has decided to aim his cannons at Windows 11, and the result is a preview of Windowsfx 11, which will very likely become the best Windows 11 clone made in Linux.
Windowsfx 11: A Windows 11 clone with a Linux heart
The ISO image takes up 4.2 gigabytes, and we have noticed that SourceForge servers are not handling the download very well, so we recommend being patient. The official page explains that the package base of this distro is Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Neon, with KDE 5.22.5 and Linux kernel version 5.11. The theme is Linuxfx WxDesktop Windows 11, and I must say that overall it is a solid reproduction. Naturally, a trained eye will quickly detect the essence of KDE, but its attention to detail extends even to the OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience) phase.
The easiest thing is (as always) to evaluate the distro in live mode, but the formal installation presents no surprises. Very different is the story for .exe and .msi support: The installation process of Wine and all dependencies is extremely long, with huge downloads of files stored in the Internet Archive, among which the Windows 7 SP1 and .NET Framework 3.5 stand out. Personally, I recommend not installing this (for now), and turning our attention to the rest of the system.
Programs and appearance
The software selection is quite complete... perhaps too much. The factory configuration offers three browsers: Chrome, Firefox, and Edge for Linux. In the rest of the package we find AnyDesk and TeamViewer for remote sessions, Audacity, Inkscape, and GIMP, Spotify, VLC and Kodi for all multimedia playback, Telegram, OnlyOffice, and the online versions of Microsoft Office also make an appearance, the Gambas 3 IDE, Helloa as a desktop assistant, OBS Studio if you want to stream or record your screen, and even a Steam installation. I understand that the developer doesn't want to leave anything to chance, but I would like to customize the software a bit more.
The reproduction of Windows 11 is not limited to the start menu or the ability to run Windows programs with Wine. The settings section borrows some elements, and I would dare say that Windowsfx 11 knows how to make better use of the spaces in windows, although the menu selection process has some errors. The same happens with the Spanish translation, which drags the occasional misspelling.
Fortunately, customization is quite extensive. Windowsfx 11 uses "Brisa" as the initial theme, however, we can change to Brisa Crepúsculo, Brisa Oscuro, and three variants of We10XOS. Brisa was enough for our evaluation, but don't hesitate to experiment. Application style, Plasma style, color palette, window format, fonts, icon packs, cursors... the sky is the limit. If Windows 11 allowed us to make 10 percent of these changes, it would be revolutionary.
In summary
Is Windowsfx 11 a convincing Windows 11 clone? On appearance and the start menu, yes. Formats, colors, icons, menus, taskbar... some aspects need to be polished, but we must not lose sight of the fact that it is a preview, and there will always be something to fix. As for functionality, let's say that Linux doesn't take too long to appear. I think a more compact software selection would do it well, eliminating certain redundancies (for example, the three browsers).
To conclude, Windowsfx 11 has a free edition (the one we evaluated here) and a professional one with support for Active Directory, OneDrive integration in the file explorer, and unlimited access to WxDesktop resources, all for $20.
Official site and download: Click here
