As someone who switched to Linux over a year ago. Quit bitching, and switch.
second
“Man, I’ve had a headache for a long as I can remember.”
“Here, try some aspirin. At least give it a shot.”
“No thanks, I need the headache. It lets me play Fortnite.”
I dare you to prescribe Linux to someone suffering from a headache
Damn dude, that headache is bright to you by your continued use of Windows. That doesn’t happen in Linux.
It happens when you pick arch or Gentoo as your first distro.
En Migraine laughs at Gentoo after some time, but is dreadful of LFS as first option
Every OS can be headache inducing.
As long as you recommend a basic distro it’s fine, most people will never notice the problems of Linux.
Ubuntu rightfully gets a lot of hate but it’s pretty easy for noobs to use.
More like installing a subcutaneous implant
“It’s easy, man. You just need to inject this needle under your skin. What do you mean you’re uncomfortable doing that? Anybody can do it. And if you don’t like it, you can just use the same needle to pull the pill back out and you’ll be back where you started, no harm done. Now, there’s about 48 different pills you can choose from that vary in performance and legitimacy. I use Grafff (yes, with 3 Fs, two Fs is the legacy version), but you could start with NBOSC or RBOSC or LBOSC. But you could also try Flan or Yellow Welly. You could try Trim, but it takes some getting used to not having eyes. Honestly, its not that bad though. Anyway, once you have QBOSC (I mentioned QBOSC, right? It meant replace RBOSC but they split and are just two different things now) you’ll need to find this thing called DaemonFlare to make your legs work so you can play games and stuff. The whole thing should take like 20 minutes… or 9 days to work out the issues”
having installed linux earlier this year this is so true
I feel like so many Linux advocates would get more interest if they were at least a little honest about the upfront friction, and recognized how obtrusive so many acronyms and half-names (or “hames!”) become.
Main thing I want to work out is a reliable path for reinstalling Windows, so people know they have a safety net. Licensing is often complicated since it came with people’s computers.
This is funny. You’re getting heavily downvoted because it’s criticizing Linux. I don’t actually agree with the sentiment. Though I get how people might have that perception. Still, this is funny.
But what part is inaccurate? Its easy if you know how to do it and daunting if you don’t.
The same thing could be said about doing laundry.
There’s a dumb anime game in Steam next fest called Fate Trigger. It’s not innovative at all, but it runs fine under dwproton, which lets me experience the thrill of battle royale that I’d never been willing to stomach Fortnite to try out.
well, maybe you should switch. stare
Ok, what’s the best distro to switch to?
If youre new to Linux I always recommend Linux mint. Rock solid Distros that can even be used by your 80yo grandma.
Distros are for noobs. Real men just use the kernel.
This guy is genuinely immune to the “Ughm, akctually it’s GNU + Linux, or as I prefer to call it, GNU/Linux…” copypasta, holy crap.
You may just be the chosen one :O
Or as I like to call it, Linux + Nothin’
As in, Sanders?
As in
If you come from Windows or Mac and want to keep similar UI familiarity and ease of use then ZorinOS is pretty good. A friend of mine migrated away from Windows and installed Zorin OS core, choosing nvidia drivers during installation. They are very pleased with the experience so far.
One that seems nice to you.
My pick is Fedora. Really tho you shouldn’t have a problem as long as you avoid Manjaro. (Sry manjaro bros)
Honestly, I’m kinda looking at Fedora a little more now. I’ve been using Arch for the longest, but I tried Fedora once for the first time recently and was surprised. It’s got a lot of polish and is very close to my Arch setup anyway.
Ideally, I wanted to do Fedora Silverblue + guix package manager, but apparently that’s not totally supported. So maybe regular Fedora + guix or I’ll just stick with Arch + guix.
the one that best suits your needs :3
I already switched to Mint, it’s great!
Mint is great! I use it for my laptop. Lightweight and responsive, perfect for utility. But for my desktop Bazzite is king 😎
what? I sit in the Linux ecosystem for years - Literally my first PC as a child was on Ubuntu - and never heared of ”Bazzite”? Can you elaborate?
https://bazzite.gg/ will explain
Oh yes! I have seen the logo - I know it. though the name is not much remarkable :)
simplest explanation is that it’s for people who want to game on Linux and use Linux with minimal configuration and tinkering. It just has a lot of sane defaults like:
- Nvidia drivers and Steam pre-installed
- Flatpak for apps (installing packages is discouraged since doing so recklessly can break your system)
- “immutable” core (this is harder to explain but basically it makes it very hard to break your system)
- background updates with easy rollback in case something goes wrong (just be warned that by default you can only rollback to the previous state, nothing older than that)
- Wayland
- advanced tools in case you need them (docker, podman, distrobox, ujust scripts, brew, DX mode)
- active community to provide help and support
It’s an atomic Fedora distro for gaming
Would Bazzite work decently on a laptop?
I’ve been using Linux mint for over a year now. The only problems I’ve ever needed Windows for is
a) playing obscure Japanese games
b) translating said Japanese games
I’ve been able to get LunaTranslator to hook into a visual novel by running them both in the same Bottle. Textractor worked in the past too. Not sure about other types of games though, I’ve only tested a few visual novels. And getting the visual novel itself working in the Bottle can be a bit of a crapshoot. So far I’ve had luck using the soda runner for my Bottles, and then in the Bottle settings, add the environment variable
LC_ALL=ja_JP.UTF-8and set the language to “Japanese”.If you just want translation then LunaTranslator should be enough, but I do sentence mining, so I have LunaTranslator and a VN running inside a Bottle, and LunaTranslator connecting to RenjiXD texthooker page (running in a browser outside Bottles) using the websocket method (in LunaTranslator enable “network service”, then in RenjiXD texthooker page settings connect to
ws://localhost:2333/api/ws/text/origin, more info here). Then I can scan words using Yomi-tan and add them to my Anki flashcards. I did have to write some hacky scripts to add screenshots and audio to my flashcards as well, if anybody is interested I can share them.I coming back to this, thanks for the quick guide :D
What about Windows makes translating easier?
I can’t really find any ocr-based local translators for Linux
Tesseract is a way to get the OCR but the translation is… hmm not sure
Wine?
Doesn’t work. Wine is famously bad at allowing multiple instances to interact within the same container
It took a bit of time, but using a protontricks launcher, I’ve been able to do this for a trainer or two on a game on Steam.
that’s why you use heroic or bottles or a number of other wine/proton manager launchers
Well, i made the final switch to linux myself last year and i’m pretty happy all things considered. But while a lot of things improved over the last 10 years some deal breakers are still around. In my case: just this week an update broke my desktop enviroment entirely for the SECOND time since august. I couldnt even log in. Yeah, i had automatic back ups and the issue was solved in 5 minutes.
But thats not my point. Every single linux install i had going since 2012 fucking died on it itself at some point because of an update. On three different thinkpads, three different tower PCs, running like 6 or 7 different distros. On some of these thinkpads i literally only used the browser to watch youtube and shitpost for months. Nothing else. Didnt touch the console once and never ran some random c&p command i didnt understand. Didnt install anything else. Also i used normie distros like ubuntu and the like. Still every single time at some point an update killed the entire GUI/OS. In the past i just switched back to Windows.
Now Windows is so bad that i learned to deal with this shit. Maybe i’m unlucky. Maybe i’m stupid. But this is just a constant for me in the linux experience. IDK how i could recommend Linux to my normie friends/family. I let massgrave run for them for LTSC or extended support stuff. Done, and i will probably never hear a thing about that OS/PC again. Linux? Nah, i’m good. I dont have the time to do first level support for them if something breaks.
/Also atm i just have the time to geek out and invest time in my OS. Just 3 years ago that would have been a no-go. Things i use for leisure just needed to work in my very limited spare time. Back then i’d rather have taken a nap than to deal with tech issues.
I’m on Fedora and have upgraded versions since 39. havent had a problem yet. currently on the latest 43.
Sweet. Your experience is valid as mine!
I’ve had Linux Mint running on my ThinkPad T430 for a while now and haven’t encountered a single issue. Some distros have awful quality control with their updates (ubuntu) which can cause the issues you’ve encountered. Going with a stable distro is key for a good experience.
I’m happy to hear its working out for you without any issues. Your experience is valid as mine. But you stating that a normie distro like ubuntu has quality issues proofs my point. :D
Which distro did you use? Manajro by any chance?
I dont think so. Maybe once? I dont remember all the distros i tried over the years. As i said it even happened with ubuntu on a thinkpad where i made it a point to do no funky shit at all.
Currently i’m running CachyOS and do lots of funky shit. Fair game. But only because i know i just can roll back if something breaks.
Cachy has very fast and unreliable updates, so it breaks often. ptr usually makes an announcement on Discord when an update is borked with instructions on how to avoid it. If you want stability, run Debian instead. Cachy is for geeks who want the cutting edge.
Ubuntu and the like
Switch to a real distro like Fedora
Are you using an older NVIDIA card by any chance? I only had my desktop break when using a GTX-1060.
Nah, RDNA2.
Step 1: Just don’t pick Ubuntu
Step 2: Refer to Step 1
Optional step: Don’t pick GNOME for the Desktop Environment lol
Idk, Gnome is quite nice. The biggest downside of gnome is the lack of Settings, but apart from that I really like the look and feel.
if you want something that just works, and don’t have any special requirements, ubuntu is a decent option
So which one should I pick? I have a decent spare pc at the moment and was thinking about trying it out for Linux.
Linux Mint if you want something nice and easy out of box.
Fedora if you feel like taking the plunge
Bazzite if you want Fedora’s advantages for gaming but don’t want to mess with a conventional Linux install (kinda more like Android, lots of guardrails)
My LMDE VM has been excellent for several years now. My laptop with Bazzite that I set up to test out the gaming side of things has also worked well, but that’s only been in use for a few weeks now and I still have a lot of niche stuff to test out before I can really recommend it. As a baseline just being able to play games there’ve been no issues just running the games I tried.
Define “decent”.
I tend to recommend Linux Mint, it’s pretty easy to grasp for noobs (i’ve installed on two of my family’s laptops, no complaints). Zorin OS also seems nice.I don’t know, I don’t know much about hardware. A gaming laptop from 5 years ago. Still usable today, ran windows 11. I only upgraded because I flooded the keyboard and it stopped working.
I will try that Mint, seems nice.
You can “flash” the installer file on a USB drive and boot from it to test it out without installing (it’ll be slower though).
I honestly don’t understand the Ubuntu hate.
Then again, my computer usage is just a glorified browser now as all my app needs are on the cloud anyways.
The Firefox snap package was absolutely fucked last time I tried Ubuntu. I had to manually add a repository to get Firefox via apt instead. That was a few years ago and it’s probably fine now, but I don’t really use Ubuntu anymore because of this. Why snap even exists when we have flatpak is also beyond me
I want to make the swtich, and I have been looking into it, seems pretty simple.
But then I read the comment section in any post on linux, and they talk about kernals and other super techinal stuff.
Any day now tho, ill take the plunge
Edit: never had so many responses before, guess linux is the magic word. Even if i didnt respond to your replies, i appreciate and have updooted them.
I made the switch a few years back, and have fucked with zero kernals. I installed Linux mint, and it just works.
Every now and then I’m forced to use a windows machine, and every time I go back to my rig, it’s a huge relief. It works so much smoother and faster, no bs.
It doesn’t slow down everything, because logging my data on my computer through my Internet connection just isn’t a thing Linux does.
Thanks for the response. I had kinda come to the understanding that kernals and other techno babble would either make more sense once i got started, or was stuff that wouldnt apply to a casual like myself.
It was super easy for me, and I’m by no means a sophisticated user. I used the terminal a couple of times just to try it out and get some settings just how I wanted them, but could have easily gotten by without it. If you look back fondly on xp you’re gonna thrive on mint!
I did it last year, and I’ve been very happy with the results.
I’m reasonably tech-savvy for a user. I can follow instructions, but I don’t understand the super technical stuff. I watched a few YouTube videos and read a few tutorials, and it was all pretty easy.
The system updates are easier than Windows. I don’t have to understand what a kernel is; I just have to click the update button.
Thanks, im probably in a similar boat.
Its like when I talk about cars.
I dont speak in make and model, I speak in chassis and engine codes. Replacing an engine is a 1 weekend job that I could do half drunk back when I was drinking. Unless you’re swapping the engine for something not meant for that car I would describe that job as big but easy.
And then I remember a lot of people know make and model and thats it.
Linux Mint with Cinnamon is the easy one with good, widespread adoption. Been good for me.
Unfortunately:
- outdated packages as hell
- X11 causes performance issues and low frame rate when having more than 1 monitor
- KDE is just more sexy but hey, it is what it is
- all Ubuntu based distros have problem with the new kernel and compatibility problem with virtualbox?
- outdated stuff, again
Apart from that, yea, works pretty well, I use it on my desktop
What’s nice is that there’s forum posts for a lot of things, but said forum blocks VPNs (fuck that, really) and issues do happen from time to time
I would still probably use Mint as it’s basically one of the best Ubuntu based distros with good support and adoption, that isn’t Ubuntu.
And they’re bringing Wayland support, hurray!
Sure this few days/weeks switching will be hard. But one day it will click and you realise how much you are doing without worying about what microsoft is doing to your machine.
I tend to recommend Linux Mint, it’s pretty easy to grasp for noobs (i’ve installed on two of my family’s laptops, no complaints). Zorin OS also seems nice.
You can “flash” the installation disks onto a USB drive and boot from it to test it out without actually installing it. It’ll be slower but you’ll get to test-drive it.Yes, mint is where i think im going to start, with the usb load to try it out. I had planned to do this last year, but upheaval in the living situation had me put of off, and im now on week 2 of no home internet, thanks alot crazy winter storms.
Thanks for the advice.
I’ve written a microkernel for an embedded device before and enjoy that kind of thing. I haven’t had to use any of my kernel experience in the year or so I’ve been on linux.
My linux install (Fedora) took a while because I was reading up on a bunch of the options instead of just taking the defaults. Ended up mostly just using the defaults and the ones I did change, I kinda regret because the snapshots that I wanted to save disk space by avoiding would probably come in handy if I break something and don’t know how to fix it.
Ignore it’s just either passion or online flexing. You can use any of the main well supported distros in full chill mode. Power on use shut down.
I run stock Pop OS and I’ve only recently wanted to give a shit about macros.
You should only care if you’re running a specific software. By and large its AS SEEMLESS as using Windows.
Note that its not really BETTER its mostly just DIFFERENT.
The only difficult part as a newcommer are the installation process, partitioning and choosing between different things you pretty much know shit about.
Anything debian or debian based is a good start KDE plasma for that windows feel Learn how your particular package manager works and thats it.
Unless you have some compatibility issue, it’s pretty much straight forward.
Gaming has its things, but it is super doable. I have been a debian usdr for 14 years, but kept a winfows partition for gaming. 2 months ago switched to arch for gaming. So far, i have played +10 games with no issues, steam pretty much just works and lutris (think of it as a foss game launcher) needed some tweaks, but is pretty good.
If you have doubts, you can always try it on a virtual machine, meaning, you dont risk anything.
Having an office job means I can do both, since I can’t make my work machine run linux
Penguin noises intensifies
Ltast good product was Windows Vista. Ok, maybe Xbox controller S. Only IBM is worse than that
It is well possible (and even encouraged) to actively despise both Microsoft’s enshittification of its software and the harassments by the Stockholm syndrome’d Linux community.
As opposed to the MS Stockholm syndrome going on here?
Honestly, despite me not using either of those operating systems, I much prefer the Microsoft guys here. They don’t try to convert everyone to their religion.
Is that a thing? I don’t think I have ever heard someone defend microslop on here and you can bet it’s different for Linux.
I meant more the comment I was replying to rather than Lemmy as a whole.
It’s a bit Stockholmy to say “I know it’s completely enshittifying and awful but I don’t want to switch to a free alternative “
I’m kind of in the same boat though. Compatibility still breaks lots of things people don’t think about.
- music production (that’s me)
- video editing & pp
- architecture software & planning software
- legally compliant software for taxes, etc.
- various GIS software
- very specific closed source hardware
There’s quite a few people I can confidently recommend Linux to, but there’s also a bunch I can’t.
I tried setting up my DAW setup with external plugins and even with huge limitations I couldn’t get it to work. I tried 8 times, with 5 different configurations. This is not feasible. I had to switch back, and I hate that I had to do it, but I’m working with artists and costumers, and things need to work fast and stable.
oh no! help me! I’m trapped on an operating system I chose that I can configure however I want and that I can leave whenever I want!
unlike Windows, the default OS on 99% of machines, that people keep using despite the constant enshitification because of 1 or 2 softwares won’t run elsewhere and are thus trapped, no Stockholm syndrom here.
that I can configure however I want
systemd disagrees.
that I can leave whenever I want!
All operating systems, except (maybe) iOS, do that.
systemd disagrees.
Devuan, Gentoo, Slackware.
Other operating systems.
There are (a few) distros that don’t even uses systemd and anyway you can still tinker with systemd.
And by leaving, I meant I’m not stuck (like the Stockholm syndrome of your comment implied) on linux and can actually leave to BSD or other (or even back to windows if I ever get brain damage, who knows), so basicaly I don’t know where you get your “Stockholm syndrome” from.
If that’s all you took from my comment, I think that’s fine.
Stockholm would require the situation to be bad in some way. It is not.
If they want to complain for venting purposes, they should state as such; otherwise the innate urge to help someones situation can’t be helped.
Man if they figure out stable alternatives to Premiere Pro and Ableton I’m on board, but for now all of that is not easy to do and the setup can be extremely janky.
Ofc I’m talking actually usable, not “it runs”.
been pointing people to this Windows as an augment for just one or two programs:
“Looking Glass does not support audio routing. The preferred solution is to pass through QEMU’s audio to your host’s audio system.”
That eliminates Ableton ofc (because that pushes you out of the vm for audio and then you have to deal with additional jank and you’re back to dealing with your Linux distro for better or for worse.
Premiere pro that could work though of course for audio you’re also back to square one.
I want to but I can’t afford a new hard drive to install it onto.
- Copy files to keep to cloud or other machine.
- Prep usb drive with favorite OS installer (zorin, pop, mint, bazzite, fedora, nix, etc)
- Boot into usb drive and wipe hard drive to put linux on it.
- Copy desired files back onto your linux machine
