There isn't a "Windows version". There is the "official" Oracle JRE and the open source OpenJDK. On my Linux laptop TWS ran fine with OpenJDK but I was not able to run the Thinkorswim platform. I had to download the official Oracle Java runtime to get ToS running. I don't know if this has changed recently but I did run into that issue a couple of years ago. I tried hosting some applications that need to run 24/7 on my Windows 10 PC. Unfortunately Windows has the annoying habit of automatically installing updates and rebooting without my permission. This continued to happen even after I thought I had turned off auto installation. So I ditched Windows and switched to Ubuntu and now I have a near server grade computer that stays up for months at a time.
I can't respond to Windows related questions as I am not familiar with that OS. Neither am I familiar with ToS. It used to be on Linux that you needed to download the appropriate Java JDK to be able to run TWS. However, IB has changed this some time ago. These days TWS comes with the JDK included.
Linux is the poor mans computer I'm running a 6 year old + install of Win 7 , box loaded with all sorts of crap , games, graphics, audio. Never reinstalled or reset windows. As fast today as day 1. 8gig, I run 3 diff trading platforms at once. Smooth as silk. Can't really speak for Win 10 , who knows. I suspect equal performance barring bugs. Even lets me post here on ET simultaneously.
That's an unfair characterization. Just because Linux doesn't cost money doesn't mean it's for cheap or poor people. I'm an engineer and like most engineers I'd rather have more control over my tools and environment than less. Linux gives the most control to the power user. Windows probably comes in 2nd place. The Apple walled garden comes in a distant 3rd.
Not really, I have decades of computer experience and a lot of luck ;-) Fact is, 99% of users are inept