Linux users! Why Linux?
Linux users! Why Linux?
I've been using Linux for eight years now and can confidently say it outperforms all other operating systems. It offers superior stability, speed, security, utility, lightweight design, and customization options. Right now I'm running Arch Linux with I3-Gaps. It runs only 185 MB of RAM on a fresh start and launches in about ten seconds after powering on. I3 handles windows efficiently, allowing me to maximize my 14-inch thinkpad's capacity without adjusting window sizes. A Mac with similar specs would cost twice as much, and my business-class laptop already includes advanced features like fingerprint sensor, smart card reader, multiple USB ports, display port, docking station, two batteries, two M.2 SSD slots, and a standard 2.5-inch bay for HDD or SSD. It weighs just 1.56 kg and remains slim. Even if you add all those Mac accessories, you'd end up paying three times the price of this laptop while sacrificing performance significantly! While many Linux distributions can be faster than macOS or Windows, macOS lags behind my setup. Many Linux configurations offer better speed compared to these alternatives. Edited July 5, 2018 by SansVarnic
It's not true that thinkpads are cheaper than MacBooks. The T480s are priced similarly to the MacBook Pro 13" with comparable features, especially in Finland. Updated July 5, 2018 by SansVarnic
Choosing between coding, fixing electronic components, or retrieving data from potentially faulty storage devices.
The decision comes down to choice. I moved to Linux as my main desktop before Windows 98 launched. If you truly need to use your computer and wish to build a tailored environment, Linux (or FreeBSD) offers the best path. There are likely over 50 desktop options available. You get full control over each program you run. Adjust how logging functions operate. Manage every system your computer interacts with. Set compile flags precisely for your specific hardware. If you crave power and wish to master Linux, it’s a straightforward journey. I suggest embracing the complete transition rather than dual booting, as it saves time. Dual booting often leads to frustration when issues arise—forcing you to troubleshoot instead of learning. Spend about 30 days installing Ubuntu and see how it goes. By the end, you might discover a new appreciation. Just remember, every change can feel unfamiliar at first. Stay patient; sometimes adapting is necessary for improvement.
Well, it functions well for what I need with my computer. My focus is on exploring and gaining deeper insights into how the operating system operates. There are no restrictions on how thoroughly you can explore its inner workings; documentation exists (though most of it requires some effort to find). Other motivations include ease of use or simpler software updates (like package managers and repositories). Of course, at times acquiring certain hardware or software can feel more challenging initially, but once everything is configured properly, upgrades become much smoother compared to other systems lacking central repositories. The specific scenarios I’ve needed server-like capabilities are managed more effectively by Linux than any other OS available for consumers today (such as file storage, remote connections, DTV recording). These points mainly stem from user experience considerations—mostly tinkering, beginner programming, casual gaming, and office tasks on my home machine. There are additional reasons too; I’m confident the OS respects my privacy (it doesn’t “phone home” behind me) and it’s free. This means both a financial benefit and a nod to open-source software—licensed under free terms. I support that movement, though some users may not agree or understand its value.
This is not my experience at all. I think the community is quite friendly most of the time (there certainly are some exceptions; see below for one example!). However, there are a few quite large straw men in your reply. First, as a user, you are no ones peasant. You can not possibly benefit anyone by just using something (that you did not pay for). Second, command line is not outdated "like it's 1979 all over again". It is a very good UI - better than GUI in some situation - and these two should not be mutually exclusive but complementing each other. Some kind of command line UI should always be available (and, thankfully, usually is), since it is more failure resistant (i.e. does not require such a complex background system). Computers (software and / or hardware) do break and things are easier to fix from a lower-level interface. Also, command line is always similar (and / or identical on a similar OS) despite a different desktop environment, which is another good reason to prefer it to some other way of doing things; especially when giving instructions how to solve some problem. Software on Linux, including desktop environments, are often developed (for a large part) by volunteers and people on their free time. Also, there is a lot of heterogenity on Linux and desktop interfaces (Kernel and the whole stack in between it and the GUI/DE). This means that not all things can be done as easily as on competing OSes, which are more homogenic and have paid developers that try to make the user experience as fluent as possible for paying customers (I don't mean there are no paid developers on Linux, but none are getting paid/revenue from average home users). All this means: Linux is not for everyone; it is what it is (partly because of reasons above). I'd steer away if you can not use Google, read documentation and use the command line (but: I'd keep my computer-illiterate family members computers running Linux hands down than having them run any other OS, if I need to maintain their computers!). Sometimes the "rudeness" of the community might be because the user is asking something is very basic, already answered in some FAQ or frequently on the forum in question (and it seems that the user is unwilling of unable to use the search). It can be frustrating to answer the same question again and again - but even then it should be remembered to be polite. Also, I've seen some policies I don't agree on - for example, Arch Forums lock "old" threads way too often IMHO (it happens even though the discussion is still relevant, forcing people to begin new threads, and they follow their "time limit", whatever that was again, quite intensively; I can understand the rationale on rolling-release distributions, but sometimes there could be some slack on a case-by-case consideration).
Often it's simpler to instruct a computer directly instead of using menus. Try launching a service by typing "service apache start" or moving through the GUI and selecting it from a list, then right-clicking and choosing start. With the CLI you could finish before your mouse reached the start bar. Formatting a disk is another task—using zpool create tank /devpath or similar steps, which still involves multiple menus. This isn't just about convenience; Microsoft recognized this challenge and introduced PowerShell. There are skilled Windows professionals who deserve recognition because mastering these tools takes considerable expertise.