I tried Linux as an average Joe for a month. Like a person doing it from scratch with no prior experience. I picked up Linux mint back then. I had a soundcard on my PC and had four sound devices. The fact I had to type a command line every time I needed to switch the output device got tedious really fast as opposed to just click the windows sound icon in the right bottom corner.

As I said, it's amazing, absolutely amazing, you can write your master's degree, do business, daily stuff with a free OS, but it's got a catch. I ain't there yet.

PLAfillerI tried Linux as an average Joe for a month. Like a person doing it from scratch with no prior experience. I picked up Linux mint back then. I had a soundcard on my PC and had four sound devices. The fact I had to type a command line every time I needed to switch the output device got tedious really fast as opposed to just click the windows sound icon in the right bottom corner.

As I said, it's amazing, absolutely amazing, you can write your master's degree, do business, daily stuff with a free OS, but it's got a catch. I ain't there yet.

That's strange. Maybe you just needed a different distro / desktop environment.



Edit: Mint with Cinnamon is nice to use, but kind of limited. The above screenshot is with Bazzite (a Fedora spinoff) with a KDE desktop.

AusWolfThis should teach Microsoft a lesson, but I'm afraid it's too late. Linux isn't just nicer to use, but it's also free. Thanks to Proton, gaming isn't an issue, either. There is no way Microsoft can trump that.

Free well windows has been free upgrade for awhile now.

Honestly I have no issue paying for a decent product. Zorin professional cost money and I’d gladly pay it if I find it good. I’d have no issue if another company developed a Linux distro intro an actual Windows competitor and charged for it. The amount of time and frustration windows has caused would be worth 1000’s.

soderhundred of new applications

Eh, I'd say it's just, like, a dozen at most for the majority of users:
Email client (if you were using Outlook, otherwise if you were using Thunderbird it doesn't count because it's pretty much the same, and most people just use the browser for seeing their email),
Word equivalent (Google Docs seems to be quite popular so maybe a good number of people just use that instead of a local application)
Excel equivalent (Google Sheets exist but honestly I feel like this might be less used, Excel is just that unbeatable once you go beyond the basics)
Plain text, i.e. Notepad equivalent program. It's plain text tho, so unless you were using features from like Notepad++, you probably wouldn't care much.
PDF reader (if any, some people just use the browser for this)
Image viewer
Video/music player maybe (Spotify/Youtube music users will probably not care much. For video VLC is kinda universal I guess, but audio players are super varied, I think)

The true issue lays more on:

-Learning the basics of how Linux works, like program installation/update, certain aspects of configuration, changed workflows of some things (like middle click paste being an irritant for anyone that uses autoscroll). This is mostly manageable tho.
-The initial transfer of your user profile/data from Windows to Linux (unless you want to go fully clean into it).
-Odd, prickly standalone issues that don't have a fix or are too complicated to fix (such as PLAfiller's sound outputs issue above, which I also have entirely because I happen to just have a set of speakers and a pair of headphones and I can't use the former without unplugging the latter) and end up being disruptive
-Some things that just won't work on Linux regardless of anything else (i.e., anticheat)
-Business/commercial software that just doesn't have and won't have a Linux version and you can't really replace because reasons (Adobe's Creative Cloud, for example) so you use Wine to work around it or keep a Windows install around for it (either a normal install or a VM, through VirtualBox, QEMU, WinApps, etc.)

mechtechFree well windows has been free upgrade for awhile now.

Free to obtain and free to upgrade aren't the same thing.

mechtechHonestly I have no issue paying for a decent product. Zorin professional cost money and I’d gladly pay it if I find it good. I’d have no issue if another company developed a Linux distro intro an actual Windows competitor and charged for it. The amount of time and frustration windows has caused would be worth 1000’s.

When there are completely free options that serve my needs just as well, if not better than paid ones, I do have an issue paying. But each to their own.

Linux seems like the promised land until you see 90% of multiplayer games don’t work there, though I’ll admit that for some people that’s not really an issue.

In any case, Linux really deserves some more love from those Game Companies.

There is no zero effort operating system


Windows 11 pro crashes with hogwards legacy. A few hours ago. Searching around. Deleting the hole folder + keeping the save games + repeating this process has shown me, do not change any grahpic card settings for a powercolor 7800xt hellhound on msi x670e gaming plus wifi with a ryzen 7700x and 2x32gib ddr5 hynix dram with a kc3000 2tb nvme with windows 11 pro. Not the first and not the last game that crashes. This game crashes after the warning screen, repeately while compiling shaders. Fact. Same fact as star wars jedi survivor crashed for months.

I hate the linux terminology. it is just the kernel without the userspace and e.g. the gentoo kernel patches.
in 2025 I could not use my box because of broken linux firmware related to gfx1101, the 7800xt hellhound, or no dri device was created related to 6.18.0 linux kernel with mesa and gentoo patchset.
I remember 4 times a fuckup by gentoo on my box in 2025. Two I can name instantly the others I would have to think much longer to name that. Pure numbers, nothing made up.

Gaming does not work properly in anything. It is always most of the stuff works, some stuff needs work. Feel free to check out the linux section here where I tried only wine-proton and where I have shown it does not work. heroic-bin, a binary blob works.

Except my previous xiaomi mi a2 smartphone I do not remember any device which worked without any extra work.

windows 11 pro was broken with the official microsoft refurbisher windows 11 pro license on my refurbished lenovo laptop with ryzen 4650u and 8gib dram. A device which is more than 4 years old and quite common. Feel free to dig up those screenshots I shared multiple times. Or the stuff i wrote about the false gpu drivers from windows update.

I really want and really prefer a zero tweak, zero fix operating system. show me something and i will find a bug most likely quite fast.

AusWolfFree to obtain and free to upgrade aren't the same thing.

The same windows 8 pro code did not activate my box in may or june 2025 when i bought the msi x670e motherboard and removed the x670 asus motherboard.
Just for information, windows 8 pro keys can not be used anymore. Sample size 1 by me.

zenlessyankMyPC days started with Win 3.1/DOS and I have had every version since. In that time I have learned how to use Windows the way I want to use it and know how to keep crapware off my rig. It is second nature to me and I use a lot of open source software to fill my needs proper without crap coming in.

I have played with many of versions of Linux and find it cool but I am not throwing away 30+ years of knowledge away, yet. I ran CentOS for many years on a tertiary rig, but then watched it get IBM'ed and decided it didnt matter what platform you use, there is always gonna be something you will have to watch out for because of greed and control.

Yes, I realize that I might have to move over when Windows 12 arrives because of some baked in horribleness, but right now Windows 11 is MY bitch and it does EXACTLY what I tell it to do and nothing more.

I also started with Win 3.1/DOS and have pretty much the exact same knowledge. I also know how to get rid of all the extra crap Microsoft bakes into their system and have done so. However, I have chosen to throw all that knowledge away and switched to Linux around 2 years ago. I still dual boot with Windows but spend 90% plus of my time in Linux. The small percentage of time I spend in Windows is for gaming and gaming only.

_roman_The same windows 8 pro code did not activate my box in may or june 2025 when i bought the msi x670e motherboard and removed the x670 asus motherboard.
Just for information, windows 8 pro keys can not be used anymore. Sample size 1 by me.

MS considers a motherboard swap as a new PC, with all the limitations of licensing. Could just be that.

AusWolfThis should teach Microsoft a lesson, but I'm afraid it's too late. Linux isn't just nicer to use, but it's also free. Thanks to Proton, gaming isn't an issue, either. There is no way Microsoft can trump that.

Resolving the anti-cheat issues would probably convince even more people to switch to be honest. That's the biggest barrier for gamers who play multiplayer games.

NathaaabDef not switching to Linux anytime soon when VR is barely working over there, like other software I use.

Hopefully the Steam Frame, as a Linux (and ARM) VR device improves that a lot, both for native support and for Proton.

AquinusResolving the anti-cheat issues would probably convince even more people to switch to be honest. That's the biggest barrier for gamers who play multiplayer games.

I play multiplayer games and was really worried about that at first, but it turned out to be a non-issue for me. Epic's EAC is by far the most popular anticheat software and it supports Linux. Valve's VAC also supports Linux for obvious reasons. It's Riot and EA that aren't onboard yet. Haven't touched a game by those companies in decades.

Event HorizonI play multiplayer games and was really worried about that at first, but it turned out to be a non-issue for me. Epic's EAC is by far the most popular anticheat software and it supports Linux. Valve's VAC also supports Linux for obvious reasons. It's Riot and EA that aren't onboard yet. Haven't touched a game by those companies in decades.

EAC is a case by case basis unfortunately, and so far most cases are "no". The ones that are often require a lot of manual setup, which is normal for Linux.

linuxvox.com/blog/easy-anticheat-linux/

Windows 11 has been running flawlessly on my PC since I switched to it. I believe most people complaining about it either lack proper hardware to run it or the knowledge to set it up properly. When you have both it's a smooth ride really.

If softwares and games availability was the same on Linux i'd probably switch to a linux distribution like Ubuntu as it feels lighter, more optimized and better managed with the packages system, but for now i'm still satisfied enough with Windows.

N3utroIf softwares and games availability was the same on Linux i'd probably switch to a linux distribution like Ubuntu as it feels lighter, more optimized and better managed with the packages system, but for now i'm still satisfied enough with Windows.

Ubuntu is based on Debian, which means it's stable, and gets major updates every 6 months, instead of smaller updates more frequently. As a result, it is a polished distro, but can lack optimisations and hardware support. It also uses Cinnamon as a desktop, which is on the X11 compositor which doesn't support VRR and HDR for modern screens. For a Windows-oriented PC enthusiast and gamer, Fedora and its derivatives with a KDE desktop are much more recommendable, imo.

AusWolfpolished distro

Mint is by far the most polished one I've experienced. I rarely have to dink w the OS stuff. It's great!

remixedcatMint is by far the most polished one I've experienced. I rarely have to dink w the OS stuff. It's great!

As long as it supports your hardware, Mint is awesome! Just like I said, Debian (and Debian-based distros as a result) can be slow with updates, and X11 doesn't have VRR or HDR, which can be an issue for some.

For a gamer / Windows expat, Fedora + KDE is just as great, or even better due to the Wayland compositor and quicker updates for cutting-edge hardware support.

TruEKamiIn any case, Linux really deserves some more love from those Game Companies.

They have their heads up their ass about "cheating" when ppl are taking that too seriously and compromising their entire systems and handing over the house keys to every tom, dick, and harry that asks for them. These game companies need boycotted to bankruptcy, Nobody should have ever given in to that crap! These kernel level anti-cheats could have been killed and laughed at earlier but ppl had no spine so that's why we are here. They can easily have implemented anti-cheat server side and used AI tools that run server side instead if they wanted to get serious.

PLAfillerThe fact I had to type a command line every time

Try this if you use pipewire


You can set per-app device playback easily.


Pulseaudio (if you use that instead) has this

I swapped to Linux 2 years ago, for the first year I dual-booted to play Fortnite on Windows, but once I got bored of Fortnite around a year ago, I haven't touched Windows at all. I have gotten very lucky and the anti-cheat games I play now happen to support Linux (Dead by Daylight, War Thunder)

Along with anticheat games, the main barrier I would say exists for people wanting to swap to Linux is the infinite options of distros and desktop environments. If you have a friend to guide you, that is great and can make learning Linux very easy and rewarding. Without a friend, you are stuck in a sea of opinion online not knowing who to trust

Not me, i moved to Win10 LTSC IOT and i should be good to go for at least til 2032. Unless... developers/publishers stop supporting Win10 altogether and also nVidia stops releasing drivers. I won't move to Linux until the whole gaming industry does so, you can't play most competitive games on linux as they block you as soon as it is detected.

As much as I don't like what they are doing, they simply don't care. Just look at what they have planned with the Co-Pilot infused Explorer.......more AI, even if many users don't want that and even Dell said it's not working to push any sales when you stick AI on it.

I tried Linux at first with Suse around 1996/97 and looked at several distros at several times.....last time last week with Bazzzite but the Bluetooth dongle wasn't working and the first advice was to get a dongle that works...........

zenlessyankUntil you sudo apt update and something breaks and you gotta fix it. Or you buy a new fancy keyboard and can;t get it installed because, you know, there was nothing to learn.

You should know better than this.

He's right. There's nothing to learn. One thing to understand is you need to use password to authorise certain things. That's all a regular user needs.

etayoriusUnless... developers/publishers stop supporting Win10 altogether and also nVidia stops releasing drivers

Nvidia said they'll only support drivers for a year after Win10 EoL'd. So come November you'll be out of luck, at least for new game support.

I've been DOS/Windows since about 1994. It finally became painful enough that I started dual-booting Bazzite about 6 months ago. I've had some teething issues (no meaningful prior Linux experince), but nothing I haven't been able to work through. Usage is currently about 80% Linux, with the goal to eventually eliminate Windows (or only use in edge-cases)

zenlessyankUntil you sudo apt update and something breaks and you gotta fix it. Or you buy a new fancy keyboard and can;t get it installed because, you know, there was nothing to learn.

You should know better than this.

Or until you decide to install the latest Windows update, or it does it on its own anyway, because Microslop doesn't give a sh%^ about QA and user control.
Linux users aren't the only one having to use a terminal.
www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-some-windows-pcs-fail-to-shut-down-after-january-update/

AusWolfLinux is fine as long as you're not playing online games. If you do, then use Windows, obviously. That is my opinion. If you don't like it, that's your problem. I can't help you further.

Online games are fine if the devs or publisher aren't lazy, or stupidly blame Linux for cheaters, IMO most games using kernel level anticheats aren't worth it anyway because they're usually full of cheaters and macro users regardless.