this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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It depends what you want it to do. For basic stuff, linux desktop works fine. If you need specific software i'd look into if it's doable and how hard it is first.
Linux by default runs fine and without issues, if you pick a distro with stable releases. If you go with something like Arch, you likely will run into issues. If you want to do heavy modifications or run fancy software, you tend to run into issues. Thing about the fancy software is, it tenda to only work properly on linux, hence the issues being linux related.
If you're a gamer, just don't. A lot of people here will say you can run almost any game easily, but you usually need to do some fancy commands per specific game to get it to run properly. Which is fine if you just play one game occasionally, but if you hop between games or like buying the latest games, don't.
If you have a specific preference for desktop environment, make sure it comes with the distro and is well supported by it. You can install whatever you want on any distro, but you have more chance to break shit.
I'd go with Mint or Ubuntu for your first try.
How out of date is your comment about gaming? I barely touch my terminal and have never had issues with my linux gaming pc. If you use steam proton just works
He's just flat out wrong about gaming. I haven't had to put in any special "commands" (unless he means the tick box in steam settings to allow compatibility on all games, which I checked once and didn't have to futz with anymore...) and I haven't run into a game I wanted to play and couldn't. I've heard that games that rely on aggressive root-kit anti-cheat don't work, but I've avoided those titles on principle for a decade at least. But if those are titles you want to play, then yes, you'll need windows - no amount of tweaks or commands will make them work in Linux because of the game developer's choices.
That said, it really makes me wonder if gaming on Debian derivatives is worse? I can only speak to what I've used which is fedora based and arch based. And no I don't constantly run into issues with either. I've spent less time "fixing" stuff since I switched to Linux, not more. Ymmv.
Yes yes, i oversimplfied it for the sake of explaining to someone who doesnt know linux. I'm talking about having to figure out specific parameters that may or may not work on some hardware but not on others. I had this issue with 2 of 4 games i tried in 2021. Eventually i did get both games to work but with weird glitches.
I dont think debian is the issue, but nvidia and it's wonky ass linux drivers. my 12 button mouse is also useless in linux. maybe it's better by now. last time i tried i had issues with wayland. though i heard big update for fedora was coming for wayland in may (?) 2024, so i might try again then.
The biggest thing that always gets in my way is no Visual Studio IDE support. yes, theres other IDEs, i've tried them all with various levels of wonk to the point i end up jus not being able productive with c# or be even less productive in other languages.
Same with photoshop or video editing sofware. Sure, you got gimp and kedit, but theyre just not as good and have weird issues.