It's superb for toggling pinned programs moment-to-moment, without needing to pay attention to UIs.
On smaller-than-regular keyboards, such as 60% size, function keys already require one extra key held to activate (Fn+<number>, an upside is being closer to reach while on the home row), so they're already both equivalent in keypresses for such users.
I use shortcuts heavily, but Win+number is something I never get used to despite knowing them. They way they work when you have multiple X programs opened (say, editors, explorers..) is kinda weird and I ended up just using alt+tab, which is much easier to press anyway.
Microsoft's PowerToys has a shortcut guide that might help get you over that last hurdle towards using win+number effectively. Might want to give it a look.
It's ok, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to register with "multiples of the same application" open, i.e. if I have Firefox at Win-2 then it's always the first window that was opened (which is fine most of the time) but if I need the other Firefox window then it's alt-tabbing again. No, tabs don't help here, I don't have 50 Firefox windows open, but often a second.
Ha, thanks. Was on Linux when I wrote that so couldn't try it. Also Win+Alt+Number opens a new window of that type. Weird hand twisting aside, this could be useful :)
I think most Linux systems have this too. GNOME definitely, for the applications pinned in the overview, and I would be very surprised if KDE didn't do this too.
On smaller-than-regular keyboards, such as 60% size, function keys already require one extra key held to activate (Fn+<number>, an upside is being closer to reach while on the home row), so they're already both equivalent in keypresses for such users.