Windows 8 for Linux: Nostalgia or Nightmare?

Windows 8 is dead. Long live Windows 8. A Linux dev just brought Microsoft's most loathed UI back from the grave.

Developer er-bharat has resurrected the polarizing Windows 8 interface as a Wayland desktop environment for Linux.

The project offers a tile-based layout, horizontally scrolling desktop, and mobile-style app drawer—features that once defined Microsoft's 2012 operating system overhaul. The GitHub description reads: 'If you are one of who enjoyed the windows 8 and miss its fluid animations but have since moved to linux... this is for you.'

Not all elements made the transition. The developer explicitly omitted the 'charms menu'—a hallmark of Windows 8's touch-centric design—stating: 'it dosent provide charms menu because i always thought its useless.' The project's niche appeal is acknowledged in the repository's self-deprecating tone: 'none of them are nearly this funny.'

This revival arrives decades after Windows 8's initial reception. The 2012 OS faced widespread criticism for removing the traditional desktop in favor of its 'Metro' interface.

Yet on Linux, where customization is king, the project finds a curious second life. Installation instructions are available on GitHub, though the developer warns: 'it is not a full replacement for any desktop environment.'