2 years was a long time to wait to use the extra memory that Linux could use out of the box.
For 8 years, Linux had the same limitations as Windows. Then for 2 years it was ahead. Pae could always be turned back on with a boot switch. Going back 25 years to criticize Windows is kind of weird but you do you.
(I run Linux on a variety of PCs, SBC's, and VM's in my house. I just get annoyed by unjustified Linux fanboyism.)