Linux Users

[brinxy29]

Who here uses Linux? I made the switch away from Windows in 2016 and have not looked back. I feel more comfortable and better secured on Linux vs Windows there they basically allow back-doors to everything on your PC. No thanks! I am currently using KDE Plasma. This is a recent change for me. I never used it before but have been enjoying it. Previous to this I was using Cinnamon and while I switched around a few times I always went back to it. 

Any other Linux users here?

[Uncrowned Guard]

I always say that I might switch over, but never do.  However, rumors of a "cloud-based", subscription-modeled Windows 12 coming might push me finally into Linux.

[Grungie]

On 10/11/2023 at 12:59 AM, Uncrowned Guard said:

I always say that I might switch over, but never do.  However, rumors of a "cloud-based", subscription-modeled Windows 12 coming might push me finally into Linux.

I can't find many sources on that for Windows 12.

Also I've been hearing people threatening to move to Linux every time Microsoft releases a new OS, and most of them are empty threats. Most of them either try it out for a little bit, and then get too frustrated at how different it is, and go back. That's if they actually put some effort into installing a distro in the first place.

It's not like an easy flip of a switch and go "I'm not using Windows anymore". There's all of your stuff you have to transfer over, then finding out that a good bit of your favorite software is either missing, or requires a lot of tweaks to actually work.

[Darth Cognus]

Where it's feasible. Having an abnormal number of home devices lets me have my cake and eat it. As Grungie points out the transition is not an easy switch, the Linux way is fundamentally different and while people with generally little knowledge of the difference or people who are just that in depth may not find it challenging, there is a vast in between of hurdles that cause people to skip a beat and swap back.

If anyone is thinking of this, the best advice I know of is to measure your expectations, to avoid jumping right into the deep end, and to not overthink it. Pick something and run, I tend to think Linux Mint is the best for this but if your spice is Debian or Ubuntu or heck, you're that odd fellow who got right into Arch Linux and loves it, then stick to it. Hopping is an easy way to kill your momentum, most of what you're looking at is just the desktop (not the same as the wider OS). Maybe instead decide if you like Gnome or KDE or want something in between (Cinnamon is a nice uncontroversial choice, XFCE is great for very low end hardware), and pick the best distro that appeals to that. For all the difference there is a great deal that is the same. Bothering with all the this or that is what knocks you out when most setups are just fine as long as they suit your hardware.

[Uncrowned Guard]

Mint was really good when I tried it, but I never stuck with it.  Oddly enough I use more Linux friendly apps then ever now, but I'm probably less likely to switch to it then ever.

[Grungie]

22 hours ago, Darth Cognus said:

Where it's feasible. Having an abnormal number of home devices lets me have my cake and eat it. As Grungie points out the transition is not an easy switch, the Linux way is fundamentally different and while people with generally little knowledge of the difference or people who are just that in depth may not find it challenging, there is a vast in between of hurdles that cause people to skip a beat and swap back.

If anyone is thinking of this, the best advice I know of is to measure your expectations, to avoid jumping right into the deep end, and to not overthink it. Pick something and run, I tend to think Linux Mint is the best for this but if your spice is Debian or Ubuntu or heck, you're that odd fellow who got right into Arch Linux and loves it, then stick to it. Hopping is an easy way to kill your momentum, most of what you're looking at is just the desktop (not the same as the wider OS). Maybe instead decide if you like Gnome or KDE or want something in between (Cinnamon is a nice uncontroversial choice, XFCE is great for very low end hardware), and pick the best distro that appeals to that. For all the difference there is a great deal that is the same. Bothering with all the this or that is what knocks you out when most setups are just fine as long as they suit your hardware.

Tbh, Mint, Ubuntu, and Debian aren't that different under the hood. Mint is based off Ubuntu, which in turn is based off Debian. So if you can figure one Debian distro out, you can figure the others out.

Arch is annoying for me, because it feels like the wannabe “difficult” distro, but without the benefit of Gentoo. Gentoo teaches you more of how Linux functions, and Arch feels like faux gate keeping. The community doesn’t help with that image either.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Grungie