First point, i readily agree. I could not be bothered to search for any longer back then, but there most likely was a better alternative than going with the official driver suite.

Second point though - if the OS doesn't come with drivers that allow for a plug and play experience out of the box (like my Linux install, think it was Manjaro back then, did), I think that can be held against it. Shitty vendors harm the Linux experience all the time, and it is very often - legitimately as it can severely impact the user exerience - held against it.

Every one that bitches about Linux and plug-and-play always says it's Linux' fault for not working.

Now you say it's the vendors fault for not supporting Windows.

Make it make sense, other than 'I will defend my preferred option without logic'.

I remember building a PC with motherboard not supported by Windows, with drivers on a CD. Obviously I didn't have a CD drive, since why would I. Ubuntu supported it out of the box. Had way more success with printers on Linux than Windows. And god bless AMD.