I was using Windows for a long time, from 95, XP, 7 and 10. Games just worked out fine, software that I needed I pirated. But I was annoyed from updates, (cannot turn off MY pc, just update and turn off option) bing, fokin bing and oh the best - F1 binded to it.
On parent’s pc is 7 still installed lol, not gonna change soon, anyway, my old laptop(server since 2017) wasn’t working properly with win, so only option to save it was Linux. Ubuntu was my choice in few years back, That was the moment I discovered open source software (head exploding image).
Recently i switched my main computer into PopOs, since I worked on it I was ,scared, to do it, because of some windows specific software. (I’m still able to boot into win, I kept it for some programs that I need once per year).
But I will never go back to windows as a main. First month was little bit stressful, configuring things and getting used to new workflows, but it is just a pleasure to use. No annoying popups, no preinstalled spyware, no stress related to running unknown .exe files, no bing. I just went from small dark closed box to a nice huge green open(source) forest…
Everything just works. If not, I still can fix it (mostly). I’ve got better with security, I understand more how things works generally. I found my peace in getting to know more how things works, not just guessing what it can do and never actually find out.
So if there is some one that is disgusted with how windows pc works, and is still using it, just switch it for Linux. Just do it, it will bring joy into using your machine as you need to and want to.
Just wanted to say this…
…and share the software, you’ll be free… https://youtu.be/9sJUDx7iEJw
I just went from small dark closed box to a nice huge green open(source) forest…
best. sentence. ever.
enjoy your new found freedom to explore and learn, friend.
Gentlemen, we unplugged another one. Zion is growing day by day.
Windows 7 no longer gets security updates.
I’m on the yearly trip to linux land. The one thing that bothers me is hardware support, specifically configuration of hardware devices. My external audio device (Focusrite 2i2) works fine but there is no easy to change the bit rate etc without messing with core config files. This is the sort of thing that should be in the GUI already. My PS5 controller works as well but I can’t make it automatically go to sleep after 5 mins. Also HDR support is still missing.
That said, so far I’m finding ways to do what I need, but it is clear Linux still has much to improve if it hopes to attract more windows users.
Thats been my enduring gripe about linux.
95% of the time, it works flawlessly and to an astonishing degree considering, in my case, most of what i’m doing is running windows games at reasonable high detail. Something that I didnt think was feasible like 5ish years ago, which makes it triply amazing.
but its that last 5% thats just a miserable fucking slog. Tiny little things like that, that should be so easy, and seem so obvious, yet to do them is next to impossible or convoluted to hell. Like not being able make middle mouse buttom autoscroll instead of paste, or having to edit some obscure file directly to do the thing you need, or being obscure as fuck and difficult to, say, install a second program into a proton prefix for when you want to use a save editor or something for a game you’ve played a thousand times.
This is just because you are used to windows and it’s issues. I’ve been using Linux for 15 years now and I think this about Windows. It works great, in particular for some specific applications, but it is a pain to use. It is slow, lacks customisation and you always have to install drivers for any device you want to use. Plus those updates are really annoying when you don’t boot Windows for a long time. You can’t use your computer while they are installed and of you have a lot of them it can take a really long time. I’ll never switch to Windows!
Oh god, I have to install things to do things.
Thats never happened on linux!
These are the kinds of comments that never seem to come up when I’m looking for info about making the switch myself, they make it seem like everything is perfect now and there’s no issues, but these are the exact kind of small problems that end up making me switch back, because I don;t have the patience to sort it out while trying to get shit done. Like, cool, I can play my games just fine, but all of my peripherals have quirks and issues because the software that sets them up has no linux version.
Yeah. There has been more than one moment in recent history alone, much less across my years of linux history, where I genuinely was about 30 seconds from taking the tower off the desk and throwing it out the window because it was getting so. stupidly. frustrating. to do something that would be so brainlessly easy on another platform.
but, that was all extra stuff to gaming. Like, installing a mod into cyberpunk 2077. One mod just (a core/foundation mod, of course, that everything else relies on). refused. to work, despite following the linux/proton guide for it, installing all the extra bits via protontricks,etc etc. Or installing a second program into the same prefix so I could fool around and do some cheaty hacky shit (single player games i’ve beaten a half dozen time, folks, before the pitchforks come out.)
The straight, core gaming? and controllers? Pretty much a non issue, in my personal experience. Only extra step is to check proton DB to see if it works, and what proton version to use… and unless its multiplayer with nasty invasive anticheat, its fairly certain to work.
i am of the opinion that applications on linux need some work, flatpak would be perfect for this however it doesn’t have a good user friendly permissions system, it’s a pain in the ass to install applications on non-system drives (which is a much bigger pain for native packages btw) and wine needs to be more user friendly in terms of prefix management, yes we have lutris and bottles but those feel like superglue to wine itself, im genuinely on the verge of learning C and doing all of this myself since that’s most of what’s holding me back from linux
I have that interface and don’t have an issue with using Pulse Audio for this, why don’t you have a GUI?
I made the switch recently as well. I was really unsure of how the whole thing would turn out with me having used Windows for the last 20 years +, but man, it was way easier than I thought.
I went with EndeavourOS on my desktop and Pop!OS on my laptop (for easy igpu/dedicated gpu switching) and I haven’t missed Windows since. What’s the most difficult is learning the new keyboard shortcuts, but even those you could rebind in Linux. Because you can customize the OS to however YOU work best, instead of having to conform to whatever the OS thinks is best for you.
And man, package managers, am I right? How cool are they…I tried to use chocolatey and winget on Win11 but they never felt quite right, but pacman and yay? Absolutely glorious. I love typing yay into the terminal every couple of days and watching it go, keeping my system up to date.
This is exactly my setup as well - endeavourOS on the desktop, Pop_Os! on the gaming laptop, both dual-booted with Windows (for now). I’m not doing much PC gaming recently anyway but that’s why I kept the windows 10 installs for now - but haven’t used either in more than a month.
I actually do most of my gaming on Linux. No problems thus far. I’ve only got Win11 on my PC to play VR.
One of us! One of us! Which distro did you go with, and how has the driver functionality been? Is this for a laptop or a desktop?
Main is Pop_Os and server is now Mint. With ryzen PC setup it´s great. Laptop is old i5, didn’t have a problem.
I’m thinking about making the switch soon, can you tell me why you went pop_OS instead of mint?
I’m getting overwhelmed with options and just want to know why you went with one over the other
Not OP, but I’m building a new PC that will run Pop too. Main reason is that it’s very different from a UI perspective than Windows. Which I’m so sick of. I actually like MacOS but hate Apple’s hardware prices. So Linux it is and Pop seems like it’s stable and designed well. I may have to run a Win VM to use Fusion360, but I’d like to try FreeCAD first though. I’m designing for 3d printing so nothing crazy complicated.
If you have a very new hardware, Pop Os is probably better. Otherwise, mint!
They said it was PopOS in the post
I looked for it, too. :(
I had a very similar experience when I switched to Linux around 2 years ago. Now I dread every second I have to use Windows at work.
Like you i switched from about 30 years of windows to Linux almost three years ago, Ubuntu, Mint, Manjaro, Endeavour before ending up with Arch which I find perfect. I also have two PCs running Debian for HomeAssitant setups in two homes but I don’t like Debian I sometimes use my wife’s Windows setup for Garmin Express as that’s the only windows program that I need. So keep on going, Windows is not missed,
Today you’re big chungus. Tomorrow you’ll be oh lawd he comin’.
Great to hear!
Now that you have a couple of days since the switch what are you missing or not missing aside from what you pointed out? Any little things that stick out?
Missing? Nothing. Few things were easier to run on win, some wizards helped me along the way but otherwise, I don’t think I was happier to use a computer. It’s 3-4 months since I switched main and only one time booted into win for my bookmarks and passwords
Awesome!
Thanks for the update!
Welcome! I’m a relative newcomer myself and have had a mostly positive experience. My computer is a joy to use now and I actually feel like I own it. Pop Os is also what I’ve been on for a while and I love it!
Thank you for sharing your linux journey!
I’ve been toying around with linux since the old famous slackware distro!
I have used Windows professionally, later switched to Mac, but my desktop (my main driver) has been linux for a long time.
I run it the way I am most productive with it (yes, Gnome, don’t hate me, but liked xfce before that).
I like the way everything is customizable, light weight and… free.
I remember that exakt feeling a long time ago and I also never went back. It’s just too good. :)
I want to switch, but every flavor I’ve tried so far has not been compatible with my twin graphic cards.
No promises but arch Linux is pretty much a swiss army knife for stuff like this. I just use it because I can get it running on anything and set it up anyway I want.
Well, swiss army knifes work… really bad in comparison with specialised tools.
Then it’s more like if you can’t find the right too for the job, make one.
… and with high probability you will make it subpar to one maden by industry.
Don’t get me wrong, Linux sure is entertaining and powerful, but it demands you to be very very experienced with it to gain considerable profit over using proprietary stuff.
I’m beginning to think you’ve never used Linux or you have only dabbled with it a little in the past. I almost wonder if you’ve even used arch properly setup with kde or gnome or even booted up arch before.
Either way, it’s hard to have a debate with someone who is either arguing a point without understanding the other side or has very outdated information about a subject and is disinterested in discussion. I don’t judge if you prefer windows or Mac os or whatever. I don’t think this conversation is going to go anywhere and I don’t care to waste energy on it.
Either way, it’s hard to have a debate with someone who is either arguing a point without understanding the other side
It’s true.
Good for you, welcome aboard!