One time Ubuntu’s lead guy decided all windows would be left-handed like Macintosh… the day before an LTS feature freeze. That was such a shit-show that I went back to Windows 7 for most of a decade.

In more modern times, Mint XFCE was negligibly lighter than Mint Cinnamon, even on a ropey old laptop, and you can’t do half as much docking / hotkey stuff. And that’s before the relief that is gTile.