I have been officially a Linux user for a while, and I'm wondering, how did you discover Linux? In my case I just remembered its existence, because I have been a Windows user 4 life, then it became a really good choice after investigating A LOT. And why I switched there in my old PC? It was suffering when using Windows, not even a single app open and it was in agony. So I installed Zorin OS, it's good, doesn't eat too many resources, and gets things done.
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For Linux users: How did you discover Linux and why you switched there?
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Topic Starter
When I built my computer in 2020, I always was interested in using Linux. Three years later, I'm an intermediate user who knows the basic commands, and went into customizing i3 and BSPWM.
I discovered it before August of 2020, when I build my PC, and wanted to use that since. I never put Windows on my computer... ever.
I discovered it before August of 2020, when I build my PC, and wanted to use that since. I never put Windows on my computer... ever.
School library computer ran linux and that was when i was in an elementary school
I honestly can't remember how I first heard of it, but I finally took the plunge in 2002 when a friend showed me Slackware. The idea of FLOSS/the GPL appealed to me, as did all its tools, compilers, and desktops. I've used Linux exclusively on my laptops since 2004, and on all my machines since 2017 or so (basically all Slackware, too).
my previous school's computer lab is running on linux
not fully switched but i just boot there when im in a mood
not fully switched but i just boot there when im in a mood
Topic Starter
Also, if you ever installed Arch, how would you do it? The easy way or the hard way?
i did it manually, archinstall script got me issuesBluePyTheDeer_ wrote:
Also, if you ever installed Arch, how would you do it? The easy way or the hard way?
I watched Druaga1 and I saw he installed Arch Linux and other distros and I was like "that's fun. I wanna do that.", so I did.
I switched because I began to learn how BS Windows is and because I found Linux cool.
I switched because I began to learn how BS Windows is and because I found Linux cool.
I did it multiple times the DIY way. Then I tried archinstall, then I realized that I just want the AUR and not bother with the DIY aspect as much, so I went with EndeavourOS. I will probably switch to Linux Mint once 22 comes out.BluePyTheDeer_ wrote:
Also, if you ever installed Arch, how would you do it? The easy way or the hard way?
I first heard of Linux from my old CA teacher, who would often share titbits about Linux. At the time, however, I was quite young (11 iirc?) and wasn't obviously a programmer, so I didn't want to do anything with it. Well, that was until I got my first laptop.Windows had always been, to me, not the best eye candy of choice. It looked okay, but not great, and the option to customize, I felt, was squarely lacking. I had to go through hoops to customize the bare minimum. I disliked it. But the main reason I switched to Linux was one word: privacy.
Google had an option for you to download your data. On one curious occasion, I did exactly that. Unfortunately for my old self, I wasn't expecting to encounter voice recordings of me using Google Voice Assistant from years back. I spent the following hours trying to find a way to de-google my phone. And Windows was naturally the next. Granted, I didn't stick to my first Linux distribution for two days (it was mint), but so far Linux has treated me well.
Google had an option for you to download your data. On one curious occasion, I did exactly that. Unfortunately for my old self, I wasn't expecting to encounter voice recordings of me using Google Voice Assistant from years back. I spent the following hours trying to find a way to de-google my phone. And Windows was naturally the next. Granted, I didn't stick to my first Linux distribution for two days (it was mint), but so far Linux has treated me well.
Hmm...
I guess I found a linux because somewhere in the internet heard there's a open source operating system in which you can do whatever you can do with it and since I don't like Windows overall and like the ability to modify then one time thought I would give a try and yeah even so I'm still using Windows (purely for some games and for paint dot net) but switched because I like that freedom that Linux gives, both in terms of creativity, personalisation and functional.
I guess I found a linux because somewhere in the internet heard there's a open source operating system in which you can do whatever you can do with it and since I don't like Windows overall and like the ability to modify then one time thought I would give a try and yeah even so I'm still using Windows (purely for some games and for paint dot net) but switched because I like that freedom that Linux gives, both in terms of creativity, personalisation and functional.
I used to do undergraduate research at my university, and one of our projects was dealing with needing to interact with CPython, and I couldn't for the life of my get my C/C++ environment working (I was an engineering student at the time before I had switched to CS, so I was learning all of this on the fly :^)). I did tons of digging for about a week to try and fix my current environment instead of gutting everything, and one of the PhDs in our lab suggested that I try out Linux (all of them either used Ubuntu or MacOS). So, over a weekend, I dived into Manjaro and Ubuntu, and I had tons of fun with it.
From then, I daily-drove Ubuntu for about 3 years, and I'm actually back to using Windows until I can afford a Mac. While I do love tons of things about Ubuntu, the breaking point for me is having to maintain two different systems, whether that be via dual-boot or two different physical systems. I could break my back trying to get all of the games I play on Linux working, but I'm just not interested in Linux *that* much, as most of my programming interests are web or game related.
From then, I daily-drove Ubuntu for about 3 years, and I'm actually back to using Windows until I can afford a Mac. While I do love tons of things about Ubuntu, the breaking point for me is having to maintain two different systems, whether that be via dual-boot or two different physical systems. I could break my back trying to get all of the games I play on Linux working, but I'm just not interested in Linux *that* much, as most of my programming interests are web or game related.
Linux is pretty popular and since it could run on chromebooks I learned about it by trying to start up etterna on my school chromebooks it did not work because developer mode couldn't turn on
I messed with Linux every now and then prior to Windows 10, but always found it lacking for gaming on the lower-end hardware I had (Intel 950 GMA).
I got concerned with privacy when Windows 10 came out, went to Linux exclusively then, and also had some higher-end AMD GPUs. Gaming was a bit better and this was before Proton.
I distro-hopped for a bit, hosted servers, and stuck with Fedora for years between versions 20(ish)-39. Ubuntu was what I started with, but I moved from it. Tried other distros too (Arch, Solus), and since I reinstall probably multiple times a week Arch only survived one reinstall before I got tired of it :p It has no security MAC by-default whereas the mainstreams use AppArmor (or Fedora SELinux), which makes it a hard-no for me (I doubt I'm configuring it any better than mainstreams and they already did the work :p)
Today I use openSUSE Tumbleweed; I like rolling-release and openSUSE provides the most-convenient and mainstream rolling-release distro. Server has up-to-date components, and they package the latest GNOME pretty nicely too.
I got concerned with privacy when Windows 10 came out, went to Linux exclusively then, and also had some higher-end AMD GPUs. Gaming was a bit better and this was before Proton.
I distro-hopped for a bit, hosted servers, and stuck with Fedora for years between versions 20(ish)-39. Ubuntu was what I started with, but I moved from it. Tried other distros too (Arch, Solus), and since I reinstall probably multiple times a week Arch only survived one reinstall before I got tired of it :p It has no security MAC by-default whereas the mainstreams use AppArmor (or Fedora SELinux), which makes it a hard-no for me (I doubt I'm configuring it any better than mainstreams and they already did the work :p)
Today I use openSUSE Tumbleweed; I like rolling-release and openSUSE provides the most-convenient and mainstream rolling-release distro. Server has up-to-date components, and they package the latest GNOME pretty nicely too.
just for finding an OS that is not slow on my netbook that was running windows 7 so I used lubuntu 16.04 and now used opensuse Tumbleweed for everything <3
currently dualbooting a framework laptop w/ win11 and ubuntu for my degree
At school they proposed to put dual boot on your laptop, which I did, they gave me Debian + KDE plasma.
Now I switched to Ubuntu for more updates but still use KDE plasma
Now I switched to Ubuntu for more updates but still use KDE plasma
My laptop is dying when Windows update bloated it, so I'm looking for lightweight OS. Now my laptop dies slower with Fedora!
(on a serious note, that's because I can't open browsers fast enough for work demand)
(on a serious note, that's because I can't open browsers fast enough for work demand)
Not a linux user but I knew about it early in life since the computers in my primary school had ubuntu or debian installed.
That was back in late 2000s/very early 2010s. I learned how to use a computer with Debian back then.
Have tried it, it's cool but I don't really own a PC so I cannot do a proper install and use it. I don't think me using it would be much of a problem since the majority of programs I use are already on linux as well and I am not too much of a gamer at this point.
I'd switch to linux as I really feel that microsoft will make windows a subscription service, just like basically anything digital has been turning into: movies, videogames, programs, and even whole videogames... it's just a matter of time a whole operating system turns subscription-based.
That was back in late 2000s/very early 2010s. I learned how to use a computer with Debian back then.
Have tried it, it's cool but I don't really own a PC so I cannot do a proper install and use it. I don't think me using it would be much of a problem since the majority of programs I use are already on linux as well and I am not too much of a gamer at this point.
I'd switch to linux as I really feel that microsoft will make windows a subscription service, just like basically anything digital has been turning into: movies, videogames, programs, and even whole videogames... it's just a matter of time a whole operating system turns subscription-based.
winnyace lol
real answer: idk when but i assume its around 2018 or so, forgot the exact scenario on how i even stumble across it. then around 2020 some guy named winnyace started publically flexing arch on the osu forum and i looked into it deeper, still no interest tho as i was pretty content with ms. fast forward january 1st 2024 and i installed ubuntu lol. havent fully switched yet (dual booting), but its a factor of uni assignments and my slowly rising hatred for microsoft.
once i get a new laptop (like the ones that can run games and shit) i'll redownload linux w/o dual booting for this laptop. or when windows 10 end its service idk.
real answer: idk when but i assume its around 2018 or so, forgot the exact scenario on how i even stumble across it. then around 2020 some guy named winnyace started publically flexing arch on the osu forum and i looked into it deeper, still no interest tho as i was pretty content with ms. fast forward january 1st 2024 and i installed ubuntu lol. havent fully switched yet (dual booting), but its a factor of uni assignments and my slowly rising hatred for microsoft.
once i get a new laptop (like the ones that can run games and shit) i'll redownload linux w/o dual booting for this laptop. or when windows 10 end its service idk.
yo supClevelandsMyBro wrote:
winnyace lol
real answer: idk when but i assume its around 2018 or so, forgot the exact scenario on how i even stumble across it. then around 2020 some guy named winnyace started publically flexing arch on the osu forum and i looked into it deeper, still no interest tho as i was pretty content with ms. fast forward january 1st 2024 and i installed ubuntu lol. havent fully switched yet (dual booting), but its a factor of uni assignments and my slowly rising hatred for microsoft.
once i get a new laptop (like the ones that can run games and shit) i'll redownload linux w/o dual booting for this laptop. or when windows 10 end its service idk.
discovered thru some infra guys at my mom's work some years ago, and I didnt switch totally, because I dont need it.
I don't exactly remember when I discovered Linux, but I know my plans to switch to Linux started. It was 2021, and Windows 11 was going to be released. When MS announced the minimum requirements, people were mad and switched to Linux. I then started my plans to switch to Arch Linux on the day that support ended for Windows 10. It ended up going earlier (December 22, 2022), and I ended up switching to Fedora Linux instead. I then started my osu! journey on Linux, using osu!lazer (I don't remember when) and ended up creating an osu! account just a few days before the start of 2023
I want to switch my current laptop to Mint XFCE but all I have is an SD card which doesn't work.
I only recently discovered Linux and I want to convert my current computer to it since Windows 11 24H2 is gonna brick it because my system is REALLY OLD (No POPCNT), thanks Micro$hit!
I only recently discovered Linux and I want to convert my current computer to it since Windows 11 24H2 is gonna brick it because my system is REALLY OLD (No POPCNT), thanks Micro$hit!
I imagine you really can't buy an USB flash drive? You don't have any around the house either?
my previous school computer lab is running on linux and no i did not switch
I got the endeavour thing cos i was suggested it and wanted wiggly windows that have physics and stuff (i got my wish and now my attention span is infinite as i can play with the windows themselves)
Edit:also i had it on steam deck (ofc) so i was like, why not just use pc with it
Edit:also i had it on steam deck (ofc) so i was like, why not just use pc with it
First time I encountered Ubuntu in a random PC on a hotel back when I was teenager. I noticed how nice the UI feels and was confused on how it operates. Fast forward to now, I have these four reason why I tried linux
• I wanted to try customising (performance, appearance, look and feel, accessibility, etc) to my desktop experience ever more freely as I wish it to be. Windows being their nature of a proprietary product means that it's just naturally going to be limited option as opposed to wide array of choices of Linux.
• I wanted to try to see if I can be more independent from Windows. Although I still need window-exclusive programmes such as 3ds Max, Autocad, Illustrator, etc, I can see myself just using it on a VM instead as I getting used to and learn more about Linux.
• Better OPSEC and consent for not getting spied on by Microsoft or my data being used for both bots ('AI') and any commercial purposes.
• Satisfying my nerd desire to learn Linux
Now dual-booting windows11 and linux mint as a beginner! It's a nice green field out here
• I wanted to try customising (performance, appearance, look and feel, accessibility, etc) to my desktop experience ever more freely as I wish it to be. Windows being their nature of a proprietary product means that it's just naturally going to be limited option as opposed to wide array of choices of Linux.
• I wanted to try to see if I can be more independent from Windows. Although I still need window-exclusive programmes such as 3ds Max, Autocad, Illustrator, etc, I can see myself just using it on a VM instead as I getting used to and learn more about Linux.
• Better OPSEC and consent for not getting spied on by Microsoft or my data being used for both bots ('AI') and any commercial purposes.
• Satisfying my nerd desire to learn Linux
Now dual-booting windows11 and linux mint as a beginner! It's a nice green field out here