Here's what it's like to live with Linux as my desktop OS.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/31142642

There are more than a billion PCs in use and, according to StatCounter, only 71 percent of them run Windows. Among the rest, about 4 percent run Linux. That’s tens of millions of people with Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, etc as their desktop operating system. I envy them.

Windows 11 has become more annoying lately as it shoves ads for XBox Game Pass in my face, pushes AI features no one asked for and demands that I reconsider the choices I made during installation on a regular basis. Plus, it just isn’t that attractive.

I’m ready to try joining that industrious four percent and installing Linux on my computers to use as my main OS, at least for a week. I’ll blog about the experience here.

It’s hard to give up Windows forever because so many applications only run in Microsoft’s OS. For example, the peripheral software that runs with many keyboards and mice isn’t available for Linux. Lots of games will not run under Linux. So I think it’s likely I’ll be using Windows again, at least some of the time, after this week is through.

However, for now, I’m going to give Linux a very serious audition and document the experience.

  • GoodOleAmerika@lemmy.world
    3·
    2 days ago

    I started with Linux mint for my personal home computers that I use for browsing and some gaming. No need to tinker around with drivers or configuration etc. Ubuntu is a little raw for new comer.

  • uxellodunum@lemmy.mlEnglish
    264·
    3 days ago

    What is it with these people that when thinking of Linux base their decisions on decade-old knowledge and go straight for Ubuntu. Ubuntu isn’t what it used to be, competition actually happened and we’re all the better for it. In the meantime, Canonical F’d up, and Ubuntu should not be anywhere near the top of the recommended distros list.

    Want something that actually works, go Linux Mint. Have much newer hardware and want to game, go with Fedora or an arch-based distro like EndeavourOS.

    Don’t go Ubuntu. You never go Ubuntu.

  • Libra00@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    Been doing this for a couple weeks myself and have had very few reasons to go back to Windows. In fact I haven’t booted windows in more than a week at this point. I’m using Nobara 42 (based on Fedora) because mostly what I do with my PC is game nad it’s worked great so far.

  • flatbield@beehaw.orgEnglish
    6·
    3 days ago

    Nice detailed log of the author’s experiance.

    The one issue I have is the mind set. It seems to be from the point of view that Linux should be just like Windows and use the same software and hardware. If that is what you want run Windows.

    On the otherhand if you want to use FOSS apps, use Linux and just dump Windows. My family has used Linux for over 20 years and yes it is fine. But you actually have to want that. And no, I do not use Windows, MS Apps, or Google Chrome at all these days and do not use dual boot.

    Also, dual boot gets old pretty fast. Probably best to choose a primary OS and run the other in a VM. Yes, something like 27 years ago I started with dual boot but have not setup that for at least 20 years probably longer.