My journey with operating systems

Throughout my life, I've switched between different operating systems quite a bit. Whether in my personal life or at work, I've had the opportunity to use Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Currently, I'm using Ubuntu, and have been for almost two years now. This has given me a good understanding of each operating system and allowed me to identify their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Linux, a system for everyone?

So, is switching to Linux really for everyone? It's hard to give a clear and definitive answer to this question, as it largely depends on the end user and their ability to adapt.

For my part, I would never go back to Windows or macOS, as I have been completely won over by using Linux. Speed, stability, free cost, and open source are the words that define this system.

Despite all these advantages, we must remain objective and acknowledge that it's not perfect either.

The positive points

• Works flawlessly on old hardware: No need to break the bank; any Linux distribution should run on your old PC that's been gathering dust in the basement for 10 years. Currently, Microsoft is increasingly neglecting this aspect and requires more and more recent hardware to function properly (processor, RAM, and especially the TPM chip, which is a outright prerequisite for using Windows 11 securely and officially). Linux, therefore, offers the opportunity to reuse old hardware without fearing rapid obsolescence in the coming years.
• Security: While Linux also has security vulnerabilities, they are much less frequent than on Windows and macOS. There are several reasons for this: Linux's code is open and accessible to everyone. Thus, vulnerabilities can be quickly detected and fixed by code maintainers and the community. Second reason: Linux is often less of a target because far fewer machines run it. Indeed, it is much more "profitable" to target Windows and macOS, as many more machines use these systems.
• Easy to install: In the past, installing Linux was a real ordeal. Now, it's no more complicated than installing Windows; you are guided throughout the process via a graphical interface.
• An endless variety of distributions: This might seem intimidating, but Linux comes in many different distributions. All you need to do is test them and find the one that suits you best. Note that for new users, Ubuntu, Mint, or Debian are good starting points.
• Master what you do: After a few weeks, you'll truly feel like you've reclaimed your computer and understand what you're doing. With other systems, you install things without knowing what's happening under the hood. With Linux, everything is a file, everything can be viewed and debugged. This provides a much higher level of control over time.
• A vast array of software: Admittedly, some software you know and use may not be available on Linux. Nevertheless, you will always find an equivalent, and in most cases, it will be free and open source!

The negative points

• Complexity: Let's not kid ourselves. Learning Linux will take some time and may even be discouraging at times. You will inevitably have to use the terminal sooner or later.
• Saying goodbye to some software: Were you highly proficient with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe, and the like? Then you'll need to adapt. LibreOffice, OnlyOffice, and Okular will do the same things as those paid tools you're familiar with, but nothing will be the same, and you'll need to spend time mastering them.
• Video games: This aspect has improved incredibly, but some games still don't work on Linux. Steam is there, and about 90% of games will work directly, but for the remaining 10%, it's impossible to get them running.
• Compatibility issues: This is becoming less and less true, but you might still struggle to find drivers for your graphics card or webcam, for example. Caution is therefore advised on this point.

My personal assessment

As you will have understood, Linux has its advantages, but also its disadvantages. For me, the biggest downside is the Office suite tools. For years, we've been conditioned to use these programs, and when you master something, it's hard to step out of your comfort zone and learn everything anew. I have to admit, even today, I still struggle with this.

For everything else, it's pure joy. I've found a system that is blazingly fast, stable, and where I'm able to understand everything I do. This last point is particularly important, and, I must admit, rewarding.