With the growing number of users jumping from Windows to Linux, I decided to fully take the plunge and dive deep into the Open Source ocean. A few months and several headaches later, it has proved to be the best computer-related decision I've made in over a decade (and perhaps in my entire life).

There. That’s out of the way. I recently installed Linux on my main desktop computer and work laptop, overwriting the Windows partition completely. Essentially, I deleted the primary operating system from the two computers I use the most, day in and day out, instead trusting all of my personal and work computing needs to the Open Source community. This has been a growing trend, and I hopped on the bandwagon, but for good reasons. Some of those reasons might pertain to you and convince you to finally make the jump as well. Here’s my experience.

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It’s no secret that Windows 11 harvests data like a pumpkin farmer in October, and there is no easy way (and sometimes no way at all) to stop it. The operating system itself acts exactly like what was called “spyware” a decade or so ago, pulling every piece of data it can about its current user. This data includes (but is far from limited to) hardware information, specific apps and software used, usage trends, and more. With the advent of AI, Microsoft made headlines with Copilot, an artificial assistant designed to help users by capturing their data with tools like Recall.

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After dealing with these issues and trying to solve them with workarounds, I dual-booted a Linux partition for a few weeks. After a Windows update (that I didn’t choose to do) wiped that partition and, consequently, the Linux installation, I decided to go whole-hog: I deleted Windows 11 and used the entire drive for Linux.

  • TipsyMcGee@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    9·
    4 days ago

    Around December, I got my first non-work non-Mac computer in recent memory and it came with Win 11 (not Enterprise) installed. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I first booted it up: a completely hostile and bloated experience, in my opinion. I’m not new to Windows, I’ve been on pretty much every version from 95 and forward– including ME and Vista – and it’s never given me the ick like Win 11 did. Installing Debian was a massive improvement – including out of the box functionality.

    Your preference is fine, if you have software you need to run that is fully compatible with your system and the user experience doesn’t get in the way of your workflow – all the power to you. But I genuinely don’t believe it’s a good reflection of most people’s experience and needs. Linux these days are as plug and play as Windows, if not more.