> This is not true in general. Linux Desktop UIs like Gnome 3 have taken a lot of criticism precisely because they have not been copying Windows and have deviated considerably

The criticism towards Gnome 3 is due to the reduced usability, customizability, constant breaking of backwards compatibility (especially when it comes to parts that allow customization), treating the desktop like an overgrown tablet and a general tendency of its developers to treat their users like they don't know what they are doing - if not outright ignore them. For examples, check out Reddit's /r/linux whenever anything towards Gnome is posted to get an idea of what people are actually saying about it (both positive and negative).

> (due to patent concerns). Of course, there are some fringe "garage effort" Linux distros that don't care about patents and do just give some part of the community what they want.

Sorry, but this phrase is incredibly loaded. Are you affiliated with Gnome? Let me try to break it down:

"due to patent concerns" - this is textbook FUD that tries to present Gnome as a project that cares about patents (why would Gnome care about patents any more or less than other projects?) and create the impression that other desktops do not care. Moreover it implies (but doesn't explicitly say so that it can be denied later on) as granted that patents are indeed a concern for an open source desktop environment to the point that not only it is worth mentioning but actually Gnome making an active effort towards avoiding patents by redesigning their UI.

"there are some fringe "garage effort" Linux distros" - implying that any distribution that does not share Gnome 3's concern (assuming they exist and isn't just an excuse) is a fringe and garage effort. BTW i've noticed this with several Gnome developers: they tend to downplay anyone and anything that doesn't fit in their worldview as unimportant (for fun, try to ask them about Wayland and X11 and suggest that Xorg will continue to exist after -say- 5 years - some cannot even fathom the idea that even if all Xorg developers lose their senses, others can fork the project and continue its development just like the Xorg devs forked XFree86 and just like XFree86 was forked from X386).

"that don't care about patents" - again the implication that patents are something that Gnome alone cares about and that only unimportant, fringe garage effort distributions can ignore them, but Gnome - being the big and serious project that it is - has to abide by the patent masters and...

"just give some part of the community what they want." - ...being unable to give to the community what they want. Although i have to say, i like the backhanded "some part" here and the implication that it is only a small part of the community that wants something better.

Of course the entire phrase is based on the assumption that a) patents matter so much that Gnome has to design their UI around them and that b) everything else that does something closer to what the users actually want can only do it because it is fringe and unimportant. Both being false of course since there are tons of other efforts that are as important as Gnome while giving to users all sorts of options - with KDE being the obvious elephant in the room, but also with efforts such as Cinnamon, Budgie, elementaryOS/Panteon, etc. Also avoiding working on stuff because they might be patented (and honestly, most of the stuff users want - like a desktop, icons, a start menu, etc - are things that even if they were patented would have their patents expired by now - again assuming these patents are even valid and enforceable) is a fool's errand since patents exist for pretty much everything and the best an open source project can do is simply ignore them unless someone comes after a project at which point you can try to change the specific part that is a problem. It isn't like anyone can even kill a project or anything, otherwise even Linux would be dead.

Honestly i dislike this sort of "implied mudslinging" towards a ton of other projects and efforts, trying to paint them in a negative way in an attempt to both give excuses for why Gnome is the way it is today and downplay not just the concerns of its users but the users themselves as unimportant.

Try to avoid it please. I don't know if you are a Gnome developer or just an overenthusiastic user, but attacking every single other project that isn't Gnome on nebulous and arbitrary grounds is not the best way to make a good impression.