

The Tweaks application has a switch to enable maximize buttons on windows https://itsfoss.com/gnome-minimize-button/
Gnome has workspaces. I currently 3 workspaces open. I regularly have four or more open. https://help.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/stable/shell-workspaces.html.en


The original interview is no longer available, but here are references.
https://www.theregister.com/2013/08/24/top_10_steve_ballmer_quotes_from_microsoft_history/
“Ballmer: I may have called Linux a cancer but now I love it” https://www.zdnet.com/article/ballmer-i-may-have-called-linux-a-cancer-but-now-i-love-it/
“Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer does about-face on Linux technology” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-ballmer-linux-idUSKCN0WC2RA/