Switched to Linux around the time Windows 11 was first announced to be a mandatory update, and all the bullshit about security.

I started out with Ubuntu, now I’ve been using Bazzite for over a year.

The programs I use, Gimp, Krita, Blender3D, Audacity, OBS, all have Linux native versions, and are generally part of the FOSS community anyway. Well, except for Audacity right now…

So my artistic work hasn’t been hindered in the least.

Games are a slightly different story. I switched from an nVidia GTX 1060 6GB to an Intel Arc A770. Overall a significant upgrade, but there are issues. Some I had with Blender3D not recognising the card (something that was largely solved by switching distro). Other problems still persist, specifically with Intel Arc, Linux, and UE5.

UE5 is an absolute hateable bitch and some combination of Linux and Intel Arc provides no end of trouble. I still can’t get certain games to run (i.e. Oblivion Remastered).

I did it in December. I had tried to run dual-boot many times in the last decade, but always ended up back at Windows (gaming was part of this). This time, I do not think I will going back.

I chose Pop OS because of support for Nvidia GPUs and out-of-the-box flatpak integration. It was a bit frustrating at first because the new Cosmic DE is rather buggy. But I switched to KDE and things are smooth now. If I could go back, I’d probably install Kubuntu (or maybe Fedora KDE)

Some things that have frustrated me:

• Getting RDP to work took some struggles, and KDE is very laggy through RDP. Instead I make RDP boot into XFCE.
• Updated my graphics drivers and all my games stopped working. Turns out this was because I had to accordingly update Flatpak stuff so that the container and my system would be synchronized.
• The game I currently play most (Elden Ring Nightreign) has some brief moments of intense stuttering. I think this is because of EAC— I did not have the problem in Windows. But this is bearable. Also, screen-sharing in Discord seems to cause much more performance degradation than on Windows.
• Zoom on Linux isn’t as good as Zoom on Windows (lacking features, a bit buggy).
• I don’t like (/know how to use Libreoffice). Not really a big problem because I mostly use LaTeX.
• Thunderbird doesn’t play super great with Microsoft Exchange, even though support has been added. I miss the outlook app (I mostly use outlook.com now).

Good things:

• I enjoy no longer being on Windows 11. From Explorer freezing randomly, to idling at like 16GB of RAM, to search not working unless I used task manager to end explorer.exe, I had enough.
• I very much enjoy being able to update everything through terminal in a few clicks.
• I like being in control of my own hardware again.

I’ve no regrets. I just wish I could also make the switch on my laptop. However, for whatever reason, my trackpad becomes intermittently sluggish on Ubuntu/Pop (I’ve tried both). None of the solutions online (XPS 9510) seem to work. If I ever purchase another laptop, I will be sure to get one with better Linux support.

80% of tools and tasks take about 20% more effort to get set up how I’d like them, which is fine - and even usually better because I can customize it more. However 20% of tools and tasks take 8,000% more effort to even work correctly, and I give up on half of them.

Its been 8-10 months I think. I haven’t had any major problems that weren’t caused or complicated by my own ignorance of Linux as a whole. I’ve learned a lot. I have gotten every game I wanted to play so far to run, one way or another. I set up my own home lab server for streaming and cloud storage complete with a VPN to allow remote access. I have also set up a Windows VM for some stubborn software that my partner uses from time to time (I honestly thought this would be harder than it was.) I also am in the process of indoctrinating several coworkers. I’m currently running 1 PC with Bazzite, 1 with fedora KDE, 2 with Mint, and a server running Ubuntu server and using casaOS as an interface.

I’ve really enjoyed the learning curve. My future plans were to change my server from CasaOS to something else, and to build a new gaming PC and try CachyOS, but that might get put to the side while hardware prices cool off a bit.

Its about 2 years with Linux on my laptop and about 1 year full time on all my devices, besides my work laptop with runs w11.

I run KDE neon on both. I distro hopped around from Ubuntu, fedora, mint, KDE, pop but ended up with KDE again. I feel like it does not matter anymore what de or distro I use. I need my browser and a terminal and my tools, then i can work.

Its nice having a reminder every time I am working with windows that I did the correct choice.

There are some bugs, but at least tgjey are mine now.

Only thing I miss, is ableton. I did not dabble in it with wine or winboat too much, but that’s the only thing I miss.

But worth it. I stand behind the idiology and got a few other people around me to switch

It’s been about two months, smooth sailing so far. No regrets. Running EndeavourOS with KDE Plasma, blender, reaper, steam and GoG, discord and a web app to use whatsapp. Have not missed windows one bit. I’m slowly learning more as I go, but so far the much boogified Arch has been easy to get going with Endeavour, and I haven’t run into any unmanageable problems so far.

I simply adore that the only programs on my PC are ones that I want on it.

Switched from macOS a year ago due to end life support, got the hang of the system after distro hopping for a while
Now I use Manjaro on a handheld 😝 never using macOS or Windows again

These few month been relatively smooth sailing. Lot of unlearning and recognizing just how limiting windows was in comparison.

I tried helping a friend with windows recently and immediate felt like I was back in the gulag, so yeah I think Im here for good

Working nice, no real problems. I am using Fedora. Still forced to use a virtual windows machine (actually a docker image) to make python exe for windows and to use excel (via winapps).

Only thing I didn’t get to is to set a good backup strategy yo be able to easily restore previous state if anything broke. It’s possible but ask for too much time to do it properly. Which there was an alternative to macrium reflects for windows.
I know there is time machine but my sub volumes are not named the way time machine is expecting.
It would be nice to have an easy app setting it all up!

Honestly it worked so well I often forget I’m a new user

works great. I’m struggling to even think of anything negative to say. KDE connect doesn’t work as well as I want between my laptop and PC? I really wish I could install something similar on my phone.

Switched from w10 to arch on my home, mostly gaming, pc. It feels nice, and i like their rolling update model. But i had s lot of experience with Ubuntu before, currently have it on my working laptop

I switched about a year ago. It’s going great. The only problem with my computer was because my RAM broke, but that would’ve still happened on Windows.

Vast improvements. No regrets. Still working through a few growing pains, though.

Switched from w11 to bazzite for personal use (still have to use windows for work) and it’s been great. Wish there were a few pieces of software with native Linux support so I could switch for work too.