Linux Discussion Thread

Linux Discussion




It is 2025. Windows 10 EOL is here. Current desktop OS's continues to grow more bloated and bloated with LLM and AI models. Silicon Valley
appears to be recycling the same ideas every year with little disregard for whether or not they are actually innovating anything
of use for the general population. Apple continues its walled garden monopoly where you have to fork over an asston of money and 
abide by Apple's byzantine repair laws if you so much as put a scratch on your Macbook. Android just prevented sideloading of third-party 
apps. It seems that our current choices in software ecosystems are limiting at best.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), there is an alternative. This post isn't so much a guide as it is a catalyst for people to go off and discover Linux on their own.

What is Linux?

Linux (or GNU/Linux in some circles) refers to the operating system kernel (essentially, software that allows communication and interfacing between bare metal hardware and userspace software) of the Linux distributions. It is a free, open-source software that comes in many distributions (operating systems with distinct software applications/packages). Linux differs from Windows in many respects but it boils down to 3 fundamentals:

1. Open Source - The codebase of Linux is open to anyone to edit, make copies and distribute. You can customize it and design the UI and every aspect of the OS without any constraints. 
2. Portability - Linux is known for being able to run on a wide array of platforms and can even resurrect old computers from the dead.
3. Free - Linux costs zero money. It does not cost anything for you to download or use. You do not need to make an account, you do not need to pay money or a subscription fee and it certainly does not force you to lock into extra features. 

A Very Abridged Guide on how to download/use Linux


 Bare Metal 
The most common method. Download an ISO (image file) of a distribution on a USB/external drive and format it. Methods I recommend are balenaEtcher (linux), rufus (on Windows) and 
Ventoy (stick multiple ISOs on one USB). Make sure to disable secure boot on your laptop so your laptop can recognise the USB/external drive and mount it. There's also the option to just run the OS
live from the USB/external drive without the option of overriding your entire drive. It's your choice between running a temporary live environment that you can shuffle around every now and then or a permanent Linux environment. You must also take into account of whether you would like to dual boot or install Linux as the only OS on your machine.

 VM 
The next most common method. VMs allow you to run Linux alongside a seperate OS. Common methods for this include VirtualBox, Oracle or Hypervisor. VMs are advantageous as they allow you to try multiple Linux distros at the same time on one machine and allow you to maintain specific Linux environments for your own use. There's also the option of using Windows Subsystem for Linux.

There exists other methods using the command line (looking at you, dd) but for the sake of simplicity, the two above should be your primary ways of installing Linux.

General Advice


- There are several user friendly distros out there that have a easy GUI applet for setup. Some distros I recommend for first timers are Mint, 
Pop OS, Zorin OS and Ubuntu.
- Don't try and install Arch(without using arch install)/NixOS/Gentoo on your first try because some people said it will make you look cool. Unless you are a stickler for 
reading documentation or tech inclined, you will most likely face frustration. Try a arch-based distribution such as EndeavourOS (what I use), CachyOS or GarudaOS which 
has a easier set up.
- Kali, Qubes, Tails and other privacy focused OS's are designed to be run live from a USB (In the case of Kali, some people install it on desktops/laptops). Don't daily drive these OS's to feel like l33t haxx0rs.
- Desktop environments range from horrible (looking at you, GNOME) to windows-esque (KDE) to alien environments (Hyprland, i3). Pick desktop environments like Cosmic, LXCT, Cinnamon or KDE Plasma that emulate the feel of windows.
- Learn to use the shell. It'll make life a lot more easier.
- Learn to read the documentation.
- Don't just download any package you see online.


So, that's it. That's pretty much the general gist of Linux. Feel free to ask any questions or discuss in this thread about all your Linux related needs.
Minor Rant For Why Linux Kinda Sucks And There Will Never Be A Year of the Linux Desktop

Okay. Hot take time for all of your Richard Stallman, Linus Torvalds, Tor using, FSF, liberetarian grognards.
There will never be the year of the Linux Desktop at this rate and truth be told, Linux isn't for everyone.
In an ideal world, there wouldn't be an insane semi-monopoly duopoly and instead, a healthy ecosystem of OS
environments with unified standards where everyone is free to tinker on as they please.

Unfortunately, this is real life and the way it is right now, there is no conceivable way that Linux will achieve mass
adoption due to the following reasons. Most of these issues may be fixed or mitigated in specific distros but these 
issues still plague the wider Linux sphere at large.

1. Fucking package management.Package managing is less painful in Linux than it was before but it is still somewhat of a nightmare compared
to windows. For the uninitiated or worst, for those looking to develop specific packages/apps, you have to take into account the varying
amount of Linux distros and the various package managers they use (apt, pacman, dnf, portage etc). Let's not even get into the issue
of flatpaks, snaps and app images as a solution for compatability(and don't get me started on apps designed to work on X11 versus 
Wayland).

2. Backwards compatability and cross-distro compatability. As much as everyone likes to diss on Windows, backwards compatability is 
never an issue. If an app worked on Windows 7, it could work on Windows 11 and vice versa with minimal breakage. In Linux, there is 
no backwards compatibility (we're not talking about Nix here). Software from a past distribution will not run easily and OOTB on a future
version of the distro without jumping through some serious hoopsAn obscure software application will get less love on Linux than it will
on Windows and is at the mercy of any OSS developer who actively wants to continue development of the application.

3. Jank. The number of badly designed OSS/FOSS Linux GNU software is off the fucking charts. UI, UX and stability are painpoints 
when it comes for most comparative apps (looking at you, GIMP). You can tell that these apps were designed by basement dwelling 
programmers instead of actual human beings.

4. OOTB and onboarding. Some distros have improved on this but there is a reason why Apple, Microsoft and Android are more easier
to teach people. The reason is that sane people do not turn on the terminal and look at man pages all day. They need a sane OS that works 
OOTB with no frills attached. Giving the average user the ability to sudo every command is a surefire way to end up bricking a laptop 
unless they are very diligent and know what they are doing.

I also question the need for Linux to become a dominant market. For Linux to become dominant, it needs at least the following things: 
- Implement good QA/QC
- Pray to the gods that the AI bubble pops and Google/Microsoft/Apple miraculously crash and all software support for Windows is gone (This is bad
because most of these companies actually fund and sponsor the people who maintain popular Linux distros and packages)
- Create a universal packaging format/platform that requires little adhoc/intervention from the user. (I should not have to create a config folder/
predownload dependencies to ensure it works OOTB.) 
- Have a good security model.
- Have good default sound, graphical environment, desktop environments, security, firewall, utilities etc 
- Have a good amount of funding (1-2 billion)
- Have a solid development team.

And the question is as follows. Would the development of a unified Linux OS ultimately result in the development of the same status quo that we 
had before?

So, Linux isn't the ultimate solution to your woes. Maybe, you could try one of the dozens of Windows 10/11 debloater scripts online, stop using Edge
and switch to a different browser or try one of the many solutions that doesn't result in having to swap out the OS of your laptop.

However, if you are sick of Microsoft's bullshit, then, Linux might just be the OS for you.
Bork Struggle On
