Why I Switched to Linux
In mid-to-late 2023, I got the news that Windows was pulling support for Windows 10. This was a big problem for me, and not just because I didn’t like the visual and functional changes present in Windows 11. My computer literally cannot support Windows 11. Whenever I was looking into upgrading, Windows would tell me that my hardware is incompatible with the new software.
This was and is a widespread issue across many devices. It’s not even that the computers are old. Sure, my computer is getting there, since I originally built it in 2017. But it and many other computers are still using quite powerful processors. And more importantly - they still work.
It felt to me as though Microsoft was pushing towards an e-waste epidemic, where computers would be discarded in spite of having fully-functional components. It irks me in the same way smartphone companies want their customers to upgrade to the new model every single year. This was unacceptable to me. Luckily, I knew about one solution to my Windows problem: Linux.
Linux in 2012
When I was younger and still in school, I became interested in building a computer. I first learned that you could build your own computer through my oldest brother. Originally, I thought that doing this involved soldering and learning how to build a microprocessor. Luckily, the act of “building” is actually more an act of assembling pre-made parts.
Since I was a very young and jobless student, my budget for this computer was extremely small. A Windows license was somewhere around $100 USD at the time, so my brother suggested installing Ubuntu instead. And thus, this was my first operating system on a computer I had assembled myself.
It was a bit of a learning process. A lot of the apps I was used to having were Windows/Mac only. Steam also had a lot of games I couldn’t play anymore. I would click the little penguin icon to see what games I could actually play on Linux. In spite of all the changes Steam has had since then, there’s still a little penguin on the Linux install of Steam.
Linux was ultimately a budget option first and foremost. I wanted to get a Windows install going as soon as I could, since I kept running into restrictions and Windows-only solutions. When I eventually had enough money, I bought a Windows key, eventually removing Linux from my computer.
Linux in 2023
So much had changed after a decade of using Windows. After investigating different Linux flavors, I eventually chose to install Linux Mint. I didn’t feel like I needed to understand code to install programs, play games, and browse the web. As a programmer, I do still code on my machine, but it wasn’t necessary to install what I needed to function.
For accessibility reasons, I need to use a controller if I’m to spend significant amounts of time on the computer. It acts as a mouse with a few buttons bound to common keystrokes I frequently use. I remember trying to install Steam on Linux a few years prior, but it wouldn’t support the use of a Desktop Configuration for controller. Thus, I couldn’t use my configured controller bindings I had gotten used to using on Windows. I believe that with the rise of the Steam Deck, Steam has really stepped up their Linux support. My controller can now be used across the entire Linux desktop, at times being even more responsive than it was on Windows.
Coming from the hellish landscape of Linux gaming in 2012, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to play my favorite games if I switched over. However, Proton has been an absolute legend in the Linux gaming space. Essentially, when running through Proton, my games behave the same way they would on Windows. I’ve not experienced any problems with any of my Windows games to this day - even games that my research said would have significant issues, like the Master Chief Collection.
Would I Consider Switching Back?
I do wish to upgrade my computer at some point, which undoubtedly would allow me to install Windows 11. I also have the option to go back to Windows 10; however, with today being the end of Microsoft’s support for the OS, I’d have to pay them additional fees to continue getting security updates. Why would I do that?
Linux does everything that I want it to do. I don’t use Adobe products or anything else that I would need a different OS for. And that’s not even to mention that Linux is so much better to program in. I’m extremely happy with my Linux install, and hope more people give it a chance. It’s especially worth it to reduce the amount of e-waste produced when Microsoft inevitably drops all support for Windows 10.