My Switch to Linux
| 1970 words
| 2025 | Technology
Well it's official, I'm a Linux slut.
To provide some context, I switched from Windows to Linux on Saturday the 12th, and I'm already loving it! There is a sense of freedom that comes with using Linux I feel, especially since I don't have to worry about the constraints that Windows gave me. It's partially because of this, as well as the fact that support for Windows 10 will be ending in October of this year, that I finally decided to make the switch to Linux, which was something that both excited and frightened me as a long-time Windows user.
Truth is, I've never used another OS besides Windows in the entire 25 years that I've been alive. Since I started using computers at 3 years old, all I've ever known was Windows, aside from the few times I tried to use MacOS in my childhood before getting frustrated to the point of tears. I honestly never really had much luck with other operating systems, after my mother switched the family computer to MacOS Snow Leopard back in 2009, to the point where the old family computer operating Windows Vista was given to me as my own. From there, I would learn a lot about how to operate Windows, due to it my hatred for change and my inability to get used to any other OS.
I do also have experience in using ChromeOS, which is a distribution of Linux, but I remember my expertise in it being limited because I wasn't ever really taught how to use one, nor did I know at the time that it even was a distribution of Linux. Even though my father has also used Linux before for his job, it never became something that was passed onto me, so I never really had any reasons to learn how to use Linux.
Sure, I had my gripes with Windows that would only grow as the years went on. But Windows is all I know, and I always had bad experiences trying to use other operating systems! How on earth could I learn something like Linux? Isn't it supposed to be really complicated? Admittedly, I was very ignorant on Linux and how it really worked, and it would take until just recently for me to finally push myself to learn after getting insanely curious about it one day. Little did I know that I'd go from having nothing but insane curiosity about it, to now having it operate my main PC in just a few days.
I'm a very hands-on person, and I learn best when I'm able to physically do something, so I decided that the best way for me to learn was to install a Linux distro onto a virtual machine first, before deciding if I wanted to make the switch. The distro I landed on was Linux Mint, due in part to it's friendliness towards ex-Windows users, and what a breath of fresh air it was! It took me downloading a couple of programs onto the virtual machine for me to decide that I wanted to go further with this, which would lead me to spending the rest of the week backing up my files and partitioning a USB drive to get ready for a dual-boot of Linux Mint and Windows 10. I decided that going for a dual-boot was my best option for now, as this would allow me to still have access to Windows in the off chance I wanted or needed to go back, for whatever reason.
At the start I had a few issues, particularly with the USB drive being read. I initially partitioned the USB drive using Etcher, but after hearing about some issues with privacy and operations, I decided to try Rufus, as well as using another spare USB drive I had laying around. For some reason, the first time I tried Rufus, some of the files were entirely missing, which was pretty confusing and frustrating. I eventually went back to using the first USB drive I had and repartitioning it, which also didn't work on my PC, and left me with more questions than answers when it worked perfectly fine on my laptop. I was puzzled, until I saw that the inside of the USB port was teal, and realized that I needed to plug it into my 3.1 USB port. Oh, right.
After I figured that out, everything went smoothly! I was able to get Linux Mint installed with no problems, and before I knew it I had a fresh install on my computer! As soon as installation was finished, I got started on installing my programs (which I really enjoy doing through the terminal, because I'm a freak,) and ricing my desktop because I love customization. Oh, and here's a treat for my fellow ricing enthusiasts:
My setup currently includes Conky set to the Mimosa theme, a desklet for desktop post-it notes, and Plank Reloaded for my most-used programs. I also currently use Kitty as my terminal and zsh as my shell, but I may decide to change these in the future if I decide to experiment a little more with these things. What I'd love to have in the future is a completely customized fastfetch, like many of the other rices I see on Reddit and Tumblr! Also, my desktop background is a commission I got from the wonderful Yorozumaru on Skeb, please check out their work!
Naturally, this experience has taught me a lot of things, some of which include:
- Switching not being as complicated as I thought it was. Using a Linux-based operating system will involve learning some new things, so you at least have to be willing to do that, but if you can get over that learning curve, it really does become easier to learn the ins-and-outs of Linux operating systems.
- The distribution you use does matter, but only when it comes to how you intend to use Linux. I chose Linux Mint due to it's familiar Windows experience, while also giving me the customisation and features that Linux is known for, but that might not be the right choice for everyone! For example, if you learn by doing things and want something that's entirely customizable, then you're more likely to love Arch Linux. If you're more intimidated by having to learn an entirely new OS, then Linux Mint, Zorin OS, Kubuntu or Linux Lite are likely going to be better for you, especially if you're most familiar with Windows; Elementary OS, Deepin Linux, or Ubuntu Bridge are for you if you're most familiar with MacOS. Intermediate users may be happier with something like Fedora or Debian, and hackers might find something like Kali Linux, Parrot OS, or Blackbox to be more up their alley. The great thing about Linux is that there's a little something for everyone of all skill levels,
- I've realized that I love being able to get to know my computer and how it works. I still don't understand everything about it and have lots to learn, but I already feel a greater sense of control over it than I did when I was primarily using Windows!
- I actually own my computer now, and I love it. The damn thing lets me remove .bin if I wanted to because I actually have full control over it! Unlike when I was with Windows, where it felt like I was just a computer user rather than a computer owner.
Now, would I recommend Linux? I can absolutely recommend it if you're a developer of some kind, but would I say the same thing about the average computer user who likely hasn't ever opened the terminal on their current OS in their entire lifetime? In a way I would, especially with distributions like Mint, Zorin, Elementary, Deepen, and Ubuntu being so familiar to the operating systems that most people are used to. With these distros, you likely won't even need to open the terminal ever in the time you're using it, especially if all you want is a working PC! I also think Linux is a great option if you're becoming disillusioned with Windows like me, and don't want to switch to MacOS (understandably so.)
But at the same time, I recognise that switching to Linux isn't always a viable option for everyone. Even with the swaths of alternative programs out there specifically for Linux, I understand that there's not always good options for everyone's needs. I also know that many driver companies make their products specifically for Windows first and foremost, and either get to Linux later down the line or not at all, and it's up to members of the community to reverse-engineer these drivers to work on Linux. Lastly, sometimes it depends on people's employment or education, and they're tied to using a certain OS due to the programs required. These factors ultimately come down to the fact that Windows holds a monopoly on computer operating systems, and while it is possible to break out of the Windows ecosystem, it can also take a bit of elbow grease to get everything working properly depending on your computer's specs and software (I'm looking at you, NVIDIA,) and it's understandable why some people just don't want to deal with that.
It also doesn't help that there's a lot of myths surrounding how Linux works that can scare novices away from it, from claims like "You need to be a coder to use Linux," to ones like "It takes like 20 lines of code just to install/update a program." Both of these aren't true, and Linux has become much more developed to handle things like installing programs easily and pain-free, but it's hard to detach the reputation Linux has garnered since it's existence.
In conclusion, I'm in love with my new OS, and I don't regret making the switch in any regard. In theory, I would recommend it to anyone who has experience with developing and even hacking, as well as those who feel bogged down by Windows and want to take back their computer as something they own rather than something they just use. But I also understand that it's not always a viable option for everyone, and sometimes the best thing you can do is to stay with the operating system you have.
With that in mind though, I don't think people should be scared of Linux if they really do want to try it out, and I'm always happy to answer anyone's questions if you happen to have any! Feel free to send me an ask or DM on my Tumblr blog or shoot me an email, and I'll answer as soon as I can! I'm always happy to help others start their journey with Linux, because I think it's one that's well worth getting into.