You need to look at the cost of improvements, and they overshadow all progress.
I'm going linux with TWM (desktop with design look from the 70s) on ARM because M$ is clearly not thinking about the long perspective.
We need a stable platform to build quality software.
And that's saying alot seen how linux is deprecating libc after very short time and the legacy joystick API is not being compiled into modern kernels anymore.
Stability is way more important than bells and whistles.
You can use IceWM instead of TWM; it's almost as lightweight and much more stable.
Also, if any, CTWM (with the welcome screen disabled) can be as good as TWM but with better features (sticky menus and the like).