This was my thought as well. Unix was built from the ground up as an OS to support researchers and engineers. Later people adapted it to desktop use. Windows was built to be easy to use for the average person from much earlier on. I don’t think anyone claiming that it’s not easier to use than Linux has used it lately or is being completely honest.
Fortunately, today the gap is really small compared to what it was IMO. Compatibility with games has gotten really good which pretty much leaves behind the proprietary professional apps in terms of raw functionality. With Microsoft testing the limits of how much they can exploit their user base, I think we’ll see slow but steady growth in the desktop Linux space.
As much as I’m against the takeover of minimalism in logo design, something a bit more subdued would make people more likely to use the free version. The anime girl vibe may not be the one for every website.
Maybe Xe has little interest in people using the free version, which is fine, but they still haven’t nailed down the pricing. You contact them and set up a meeting to discuss the price. That may change as soon as they gain some traction though, so we’ll see.