With the growing number of users jumping from Windows to Linux, I decided to fully take the plunge and dive deep into the Open Source ocean. A few months and several headaches later, it has proved to be the best computer-related decision I've made in over a decade (and perhaps in my entire life).

There. That’s out of the way. I recently installed Linux on my main desktop computer and work laptop, overwriting the Windows partition completely. Essentially, I deleted the primary operating system from the two computers I use the most, day in and day out, instead trusting all of my personal and work computing needs to the Open Source community. This has been a growing trend, and I hopped on the bandwagon, but for good reasons. Some of those reasons might pertain to you and convince you to finally make the jump as well. Here’s my experience.

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It’s no secret that Windows 11 harvests data like a pumpkin farmer in October, and there is no easy way (and sometimes no way at all) to stop it. The operating system itself acts exactly like what was called “spyware” a decade or so ago, pulling every piece of data it can about its current user. This data includes (but is far from limited to) hardware information, specific apps and software used, usage trends, and more. With the advent of AI, Microsoft made headlines with Copilot, an artificial assistant designed to help users by capturing their data with tools like Recall.

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After dealing with these issues and trying to solve them with workarounds, I dual-booted a Linux partition for a few weeks. After a Windows update (that I didn’t choose to do) wiped that partition and, consequently, the Linux installation, I decided to go whole-hog: I deleted Windows 11 and used the entire drive for Linux.

  • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip
    2·
    3 hours ago

    You’ve got a bunch of answers already, but I haven’t seen explicit mention that SteamDeck is Linux, so beside ProtonDB, you can also check your favorite game on Steam.

    My experience has been that a “SteamDeck Verified” or “SteamDeck Playable” badge means the game runs well on my Linux PC as well.

    It’s not terribly interesting anymore. I notice two categories of games that don’t trivially run on Linux:

    • Games with invasive anti-cheat tools, where the Anti-cheat tool simply isn’t available on Linux. (Common with multiplayer competitive shooters.)
    • Games old enough not to be compatible with modern game engines and unpopular enough not to have received a remaster. Some “classic” N64 era Star Wars games that I still like fall into this. (The ones that cost about $3 each on Steam). I still play them on Linux, but it takes some effort and patience.

    And there’s the standard cutting edge game disclaimer: Linux isn’t magic. I find games with specific high-end requirements that are still difficult to run on Windows or Mac are usually only slightly easier to run on Linux.