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I will offer a third perspective: Linux has a really horrible user experience on the Desktop but it is the least shit option of the mainstream operating systems

I will offer a third perspective: Linux has a really horrible user experience on the Desktop but it is the least shit option of the mainstream operating systems. For me the choice is simple because a non-free operating would not be acceptable. And no, I am hardcore ideological about it, I use a Linux Kernel with binary blobs and all but the point is having system that serves me and me alone. Telemetry, advertisement, forced updates, not allowing me to do whatever the fuck I want with my system are non-starters. Beyond the ideological I want to note that while learning curve with Linux is steep there are some aspects that make it worth it: It is mostly a one time investment: Linux is pretty conservative. Once you get it, you get it and wont really have to learn anything new. Most of the time even the bigger disruptions to the ecosystem are not that relevant to the end user and can always be simply avoided if one chooses to, not just for years but decades or forever. Compare this to Windows. I used Windows XP heavily and absolutely wouldn't be able to perform basic tasks on an modern Windows system. In comparison, if as Linux user from the Windows XP era were teleported into our times, they would still feel at home on today's Linux and could be perfectly productive in nearly not time. If you are in tech, you might have to learn Linux anyway: Linux server skills are really important to have. And these skills translate back to the Linux Desktop and vice versa as well. Also docker performance is vastly better on Linux than on Windows or Mac so that alone makes the Linux the best platform for developers. (Not to mention many tools being only Linux native or having priority Linux support.) Also people need to stop using Ubuntu. I have been using Linux for ages and find the UI super confusing and wouldn't be able to do anything on it. It's just shit. Use Linux Mint. Oh and I am using NVIDIA GPUs just fine on Linux. I had some trouble with freezes and crashes but most of these got fixed in updates. Maybe we can use Haiku as a daily driver one day but for now there is really no good alternative to Linux.

TulliusCicero 4y ago
My last attempt was using Mint precisely because that's what people kept recommending and it still sucked ass, ran into major resolution/scaling and audio issues immediately that made me abandon it for Windows 10. It's too bad, because W10 has its own annoyances (mostly the forced updates and boot interstitials) but at least it actually worked. While I don't have a problem with proprietary software as a Principe, it is nice to have community driven stuff as a counterpart, which is why I periodically test the waters with Linux. It's just that, every time I run into annoyances and problems that make me give it up. Anyway, ideology aside, I use all three major desktop OSes regularly: gaming desktop is Windows, work laptop is MacOS, workstation is Linux. Linux has certain niceties for developers, but for non-dev-specific stuff it's the most painful to use overall (although MacOS has a penchant for hiding things from the user which can be very frustrating). I also encounter the most instability with it, I think, though these days all three aren't that bad on that front. Edit: though I'm thinking about a Steam Deck, and that's a Linux PC I suppose. Valve has been doing great work at making Linux more viable for PC gaming.
- cardanome 4y ago
  Depending on how long ago that was, you might simply want to try again with a newer version of Mint. New hardware can be a problem, especially on Mint which is a little bit more on the conservative side. It just takes times until drivers are made and improved and finally land in Linux Mint. It's not like Windows where drivers are available on day one. It doesn't feel that much of a problem for me because I started using Linux back in the days when driver support was big, big issues. Back then you weren't even sure if you could get wifi working. These days it is smooth sailing COMPARED to back then but I can see how it might take adjusting for someone coming from Windows. Yes, you have to shop for hardware with an eye on Linux compatibility in mind.
palata 4y ago
Isn't Linux Mint basically just a different UI on Ubuntu? I mean there are also alternatives not based on Ubuntu (Arch, Debian, Fedora, Alpine, Void, ...)
- cardanome 4y ago
  Yes. But also no snap, telemetry or other Ubuntu shitfuckery. It only just takes the good stuff from Ubuntu. Being based on Ubuntu is pretty great because is is allows access to the huge package ecosystem. Lot's of commercial software is (sadly) only targeting Ubuntu so you can just use the .deb without problems. Stock Debian is also a great choice (Ubuntu uses Debian as a base) but a bit harder to set up for beginners. (There is also a Debian based Linux Mint variant.) There are many good Distributions but strictly for beginner "I don't want to tinker" suggestions, the Debian-based ones are a safe choice, again because of the package ecosystem. (Though something like OpenSuse is also very friendly).
  - palata 4y ago
    I always found the Arch wiki amazing, but of course that's for those who actually want to tinker :-).

TulliusCicero 4y ago

My last attempt was using Mint precisely because that's what people kept recommending and it still sucked ass, ran into major resolution/scaling and audio issues immediately that made me abandon it for Windows 10. It's too bad, because W10 has its own annoyances (mostly the forced updates and boot interstitials) but at least it actually worked. While I don't have a problem with proprietary software as a Principe, it is nice to have community driven stuff as a counterpart, which is why I periodically test the waters with Linux. It's just that, every time I run into annoyances and problems that make me give it up. Anyway, ideology aside, I use all three major desktop OSes regularly: gaming desktop is Windows, work laptop is MacOS, workstation is Linux. Linux has certain niceties for developers, but for non-dev-specific stuff it's the most painful to use overall (although MacOS has a penchant for hiding things from the user which can be very frustrating). I also encounter the most instability with it, I think, though these days all three aren't that bad on that front. Edit: though I'm thinking about a Steam Deck, and that's a Linux PC I suppose. Valve has been doing great work at making Linux more viable for PC gaming.

cardanome 4y ago
Depending on how long ago that was, you might simply want to try again with a newer version of Mint. New hardware can be a problem, especially on Mint which is a little bit more on the conservative side. It just takes times until drivers are made and improved and finally land in Linux Mint. It's not like Windows where drivers are available on day one. It doesn't feel that much of a problem for me because I started using Linux back in the days when driver support was big, big issues. Back then you weren't even sure if you could get wifi working. These days it is smooth sailing COMPARED to back then but I can see how it might take adjusting for someone coming from Windows. Yes, you have to shop for hardware with an eye on Linux compatibility in mind.

palata 4y ago

Isn't Linux Mint basically just a different UI on Ubuntu? I mean there are also alternatives not based on Ubuntu (Arch, Debian, Fedora, Alpine, Void, ...)

cardanome 4y ago
Yes. But also no snap, telemetry or other Ubuntu shitfuckery. It only just takes the good stuff from Ubuntu. Being based on Ubuntu is pretty great because is is allows access to the huge package ecosystem. Lot's of commercial software is (sadly) only targeting Ubuntu so you can just use the .deb without problems. Stock Debian is also a great choice (Ubuntu uses Debian as a base) but a bit harder to set up for beginners. (There is also a Debian based Linux Mint variant.) There are many good Distributions but strictly for beginner "I don't want to tinker" suggestions, the Debian-based ones are a safe choice, again because of the package ecosystem. (Though something like OpenSuse is also very friendly).
- palata 4y ago
  I always found the Arch wiki amazing, but of course that's for those who actually want to tinker :-).