I use Linux because it’s reliable, secure, and efficient for a wide range of tasks.
I use Linux because it’s reliable, secure, and efficient for a wide range of tasks.
Windows 10 LTSB on my personal setup—my custom PC built with Linux distros. I’m using several versions of Linus Linux on an Asus Zenbook; it’s mainly for entertainment. My Galaxy Tab A runs Android 6.0.1 and might need an iPad in the future to manage my digital mixers remotely. Eventually, I plan to try a hackentosh just for fun.
Windows 10 is installed on my PC since I rely heavily on .exe programs that work best on Windows. I’m used to using Windows 10 because my family uses it all, making it more familiar for me. It’s straightforward and easy to use, which helps me get the most performance from my gaming PC. On my laptop, I run Manjaro Linux mainly for its nice interface, and I prefer how the display scales in my 14-inch 1920x1080p screen. Manjaro also uses fewer system resources, which is helpful with my limited hardware—dual-core Kaby Lake i3, 12GB RAM, and built-in graphics.
I haven’t touched Windows in a while—over four years, mostly just for testing. I occasionally spin up a Windows Server VM. For work, I’m using a MacBook Pro; Linux isn’t allowed for some reason, though I suspect the IT department prefers Macs. If I could, I’d switch to Linux. Windows feels cumbersome with its setup (especially the terminal), and while I can handle it, it’s not ideal. Cross-platform native development is tough because libraries aren’t as straightforward as in Linux, where everything comes pre-installed. You often have to find workarounds. The MacBook works fine for me, though—cooling and hardware are decent, and the screen is great. On the OS side, Windows is a clear winner overall, though it has its quirks. Vagrant and NFS sometimes break with updates, but they’re fixed now. Docker runs best in a VM, which is frustrating. There’s no Vulkan support—only MoltenVK, but validation layers aren’t available. I have a project exploring Vulkan, but it’s not working smoothly because of that limitation. My current distro is Fedora; I started with Debian early on and liked it well enough. I moved to Linux mainly for curiosity, but there were some hiccups (like compatibility issues with my old laptop). Now I’m sticking with Fedora, especially since it’s compatible with CentOS servers I used before. I prefer RPM packages for testing, and I’m happy with the recent software versions available. I’ve been using Gnome since then, tried Plasma yesterday, and might switch to Cinnamon if it works better.
I was reflecting on this today, not just about the specific operating systems people use on their computers, but about all the devices they interact with regularly. In my routine, I began tracking what I use, and it became fascinating. On my computers, daily, I rely on Windows 10 Home across two laptops, Windows XP and Vista at work (including embedded and kiosk setups), ChromeOS for demos, and Android on tablets at both home and work. Occasionally, I switch to Windows 7 on a personal laptop and her office machine. A few times a month, I try Ubuntu, though I don’t remember the exact version, it’s an older release on a used laptop. My Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and various Windows versions (95, 98, 98SE, 2000) are part of my setup too. What stands out most is the range of non-traditional devices—my phone isn’t a smartphone but runs BrewOS; the Amazon gadgets mostly follow FireOS rooted in Android; my Vizio TV seems Android-based yet uses Linux; and my old Blu-ray player relies on Java-heavy software. The ecosystem is diverse, spanning many different platforms and technologies.
Desktop setup - Windows 10 Professional. Our environment is built around Windows solutions, with most of our tools natively supported. Work servers - Multiple Windows server editions, RHEL, Oracle Linux, and Ubuntu Server available. Oracle 12c main database hosted on Oracle Linux. SQL Server deployed on Server 2016. Home desktop - Windows 10 Professional. Portable laptop - Pop OS 19.04
I rely on Windows 10 Pro for both personal and professional tasks because of its convenience and comfort. I also worry about compatibility issues with Linux software.