Consider upgrading to Linux No0b if you want better performance and features. Ask yourself why you need it now.
Consider upgrading to Linux No0b if you want better performance and features. Ask yourself why you need it now.
These systems aren't built on Linux; they resemble Unix but remain distinct from it. What I want to highlight is what you're retaining: software options. Linux tends to offer fewer "killer" applications—people rarely switch because they miss something essential. Thanks to open source, many tools that work well on Linux can also run on Windows, though not vice versa. Adopting Linux often means letting go of certain proprietary products like Adobe, Autodesk, several game developers, and yes, Microsoft Office. For these, alternatives exist, but they're typically outdated or not fully functional for practical use. Many complain they avoid Linux because their preferred games or programs don't work there.
One thing I overlooked using Windows is diversity. Windows offers a uniform look; changing it feels like swapping wallpaper occasionally. Linux provides around a dozen desktop environments—Gnome, KDE, xfce, lxde, Unity, Cinnamon, Mate, and more. Some are unfamiliar to Windows users, such as tiling window managers like Awesome. You can select a Linux setup that suits your needs.
Power is another aspect. I'm not focusing on raw speed, but if you have a slow Windows machine, a lightweight Linux distro can breathe new life into it by using fewer resources. This means less effort to get things running smoothly.
Control is important. With Windows and MacOS, users often feel they manage their devices manually, which can be limiting. Linux invites you directly to the command line, making it easier to automate tasks and manage processes efficiently.
Ownership matters too. You decide when and how your computer updates, powers on, or shuts down. No company dictates these settings, and you're never restricted from using your machine in certain ways.
Linux can be playful, too. Many distributions include fun utilities like "fortune," which generates random phrases, or "cowsay," which displays ASCII art with silly text. You can chain commands together—like typing "fortune | cowsay | lolcat"—to see a whimsical ASCII cow pop up in rainbow colors. Such lightheartedness is rare on Windows.
Which is a feature in my opinion. By the way, Solaris actually is a real Unix . Why would you want to use the copy? Getting rid of Adobe is fine - the major problem is that Unices and Unix-like operating systems (which are not macOS) suffer from a severe lack of graphics applications which are even good enough. I would love to see Affinity's awesome suite ported to them. This is a false statement. Windows has always supported to replace the standard "Explorer" (or, before that, "Program Manager") by your own executable, e.g. Blackbox, Cairo Shell or KDE for Windows. Feel free to do so. That ended with systemd.
Solaris offers a tightly controlled closed-source license and a much more limited end-user software collection compared to Linux. It stands out as an attractive option for a professional sysadmin. For someone casually exploring Windows, a popular mainstream Linux distribution would be the better path. Don’t waste time chasing "real Unix" ideals—just enjoy Portal or Netflix. When deciding between a Linux version of Adobe or GIMP/Inkscape, I’d pick GIMP/Inkscape. My go-to Linux graphics tool is Imagemagick, a command-line utility. Yes, it’s real. Over 31 years, I’ve never seen anyone swap Windows Explorer for something else. I’ll take my chances, but it’s not the most popular move. Skip Systemd—it’ll improve significantly once they refine the startup process.
If I had known, I wouldn’t have purchased Affinity Designer when Inkscape was an option. /me shakes hands quickly, expressing disappointment. The phrase you need is 'terrible.'
When switching between different operating systems, keep your goals in mind. Treat Windows as Windows, MacOS as MacOS, and Linux as Linux. While you can adapt each system to resemble the others, perfect imitation is impossible. Figuring out what each OS is best suited for can be tricky, but Linux usually shines in terminal-based tasks.
UNIX refers to an operating system that adheres to the POSIX standard. Linux is fully compliant with POSIX. All Unix programming interfaces such as unistd.h function equally well on Linux, macOS, or any other Unix platform. UNIX is essentially a brand and certification—similar to obtaining a job qualification. You can be a mechanic without the certification; coworkers might be certified mechanics, but that doesn’t diminish your skills if you perform the same tasks.
Linux distributions have significantly improved in usability and ease of use over time. They offer several benefits, including lighter performance, exclusive tools unique to Linux, the ability to tailor settings to your preferences, and the potential to breathe new life into older computers. By early 2019, a growing number of Steam games were already running on Linux platforms.
Stability: Windows can be pain to keep running smoothly (looking at you feature updates). Linux on the other hand will just run regardless what you throw at it. I had an install on a USB stick I didn't shutdown, when I was finished I just closed all applications, ran sync (complete writing to disk) and pulled the USB out - the install never broke. Installing programs: Package managers are amazing. Just type what you want and BAM, it's installed and working. No more installing 5 different copies of VC++ redistributable or manual PATH editing Terminal: Ever done some repetitive work across multiple computers i.e. installations? Needed some filtering/processing the GUI couldn't do? Want to try 10 different Linux distros in VMs at once? The Terminal will be your friend.