No more Windows here, all Linux

[DavidEdwinAston]

I wouldn't sweat it. In my opinion the desktop environment is more important than the distro. I'm partial to KDE Plasma and Cinnamon, but desktop environment choice is more about personal preference than anything else now days. Some may use slightly less RAM, but I have tested many of them and did not see a difference in responsiveness, even on the computer I built 18 years ago. Sure, it's measureable, but I'm not confident it really is noticable - kind of analogous to comparing a SINAD of 120dB to a SINAD of 100dB.

I tried out Pop_OS! with its new Cosmic desktop, which was completely re-programmed in Rust. It looks very promising but, still, its feature set still is growing and there are some bugs being worked out. It's not the point where I would use it as a daily driver, but for some people it may be fine.

Thank you for that comprehensive response.
Good on you.

 

[Snarfie]

For some months i run Windows 11 installed with Rufus by passing basicly all anoying Windows 11 setup questions. For what it's worth i find it a remarkable stable OS runs smooth on my Lenovo X230 13 years old 3th Generation I5 Intel processor. I guess the swap of the original 1tb HDD for a 2tb SSD made largely the biggest difference. Got probably the same results installing a clean Windows 10 setup. Besides above i run DAW's like Ableton Pro tools etc. that can not be installed on Linux without major problems.

 

[levimax]

Congratulations on kicking the windows habit.... I have done so several times over last couple decades but always end up going back because of software I can't live without For a Linux PC used only for "music" can anyone recommend replacements for:

REW
Rephase
Active Crossovers using Motu Ultralite Mk 5
Foobar 2000
dB Poweramp
Audacity

 

[somebodyelse]

REW

You don't need a replacement, just download the linux version.

Active Crossovers using Motu Ultralite Mk 5

If you mean CueMix5 it's really just a web app, so you can extract the content and host it on linux, then use it in a browser from anywhere on your network. Details in the Ultralite Mk5 thread. If you mean a software-based crossover using the Ultralite, there are several options but CamillaDSP gets a lot of coverage here, including several howto guides for different use cases.

Audacity

Just install the linux version.

As for the others, they'll probably run under WINE if you can't find a suitable replacement. Someone's even packaged foobar under WINE. There's no shortage of other media players - just look in the multimedia section of the package manager on whichever distro you run.

 

[terryforsythe]

As for the others, they'll probably run under WINE if you can't find a suitable replacement.

I have Rephase and VituixCAD running under Wine. I don't recall any issues with Rephase, but I have not used it in a while. VituixCAD has some slight annoyances under Wine, but it still gets the job done.

 

[Achievement Undone]

I haven't run anything but linux for at least 15 years.

Same here! Sometime in 2010 to be exact. Same time I deleted my Facebook account. What a year it was!

 

[Achievement Undone]

Did in fact "record" over Windows whilst downloading them. Not concerned about that!

I see what you did there! Nothing wrong with that, BTW

 

[respice finem]

Can I ask the total newb question?

I'm retiring and would like to kick my windows habit.

I have lots of Microsoft Word documents, some excel sheets, many pdfs. I want to keep working on them. I want to be able to collaborate with other people who are still working in Windows environments. In particular opening, editing, and sending back .docx files. How hard would that be?

One possible problem you might run into with LibreOffice in Linux Mint (happened to me a few years ago, so I don't know if it persists):
The LO version included in Mint was quite old, despite update, and had some issues with complicated documents from recent MS Office versions.
The remedy was to uninstall LO and install it again (simply from the built-in store) in the latest Flathub version. It needs to be done only once, new versions are served via Mintupdate.

 

[respice finem]

BTW: You can have Windows and Linux on the same PC - either as a virtual machine, or as dual boot.
So it doesn't have to be one or the other. I'm using dual boot, Windows serving as an offline media player etc., Linux for pretty much everything else.
Since Windows is taken offline (NIC disabled in Device Manager), no Windows Update fears either.
Each OS has its own SSD.

 

[terryforsythe]

One possible problem you might run into with LibreOffice in Linux Mint (happened to me a few years ago, so I don't know if it persists):
The LO version included in Mint was quite old, despite update, and had some issues with complicated documents from recent MS Office versions.
The remedy was to uninstall LO and install it again (simply from the built-in store) in the latest Flathub version. It needs to be done only once, new versions are served via Mintupdate.

The version of LibreOffice installed by default in Linux Mint currently is up to 24.2.7.2. The Linux Mint Software Manager (store) also has version 26.2.1.2 available as a Flatpak.

For packages for which I want the latest version, I'll install the Flatpak version. If its not in the Software Manager, I'll install it directly from Flathub. Some applications provide downloadable App images on their websites, and I sometimes use those.

 

[terryforsythe]

BTW: You can have Windows and Linux on the same PC - either as a virtual machine, or as dual boot.

If using dual boot, I recommend having Linux on its own SSD. Long ago I had both Windows and Linux dual booting from the same drive, and a Windows update overwrote my Linux boot sector. As noted, it was long ago, so I don't know whether it is still an issue. But, it probably is better to be safe than sorry. Windows updates sometimes do weird things.

 

[respice finem]

If using dual boot, I recommend having Linux on its own SSD. Long ago I had both Windows and Linux dual booting from the same drive, and a Windows update overwrote my Linux boot sector. As noted, it was long ago, so I don't know whether it is still an issue. But, it probably is better to be safe than sorry. Windows updates sometimes do weird things.

Same here.

 

[respice finem]

The version of LibreOffice installed by default in Linux Mint currently is up to 24.2.7.2. The Linux Mint Software Manager (store) also has version 26.2.1.2 available as a Flatpak.

For packages for which I want the latest version, I'll install the Flatpak version. If its not in the Software Manager, I'll install it directly from Flathub. Some applications provide downloadable App images on their websites, and I sometimes use those.

Flathub also provides some packages not included in Mint - like MPC-QT (which is more or less MPC-BE for Linux).
A nice and fuss-free option.

 

[KSTR]

I'm also on Linux (Mint XFCE) for like 95%, for years now. Most Windows native program run fine under WINE unless they need hardware access or have other quirks (like my good old PhotoShop 5.5). For those few I have a W11 VM running, with disabled NIC.

Yet some programs really need a native W11 and have issues when running in a VM (VirtualBox), mostly for graphics-related stuff. Altium Designer in my case (read and blue are switched in some intermediate layer of the graphics interface under some special conditions, a really funny and reproducible bug of VirtualBox), and it also needs internet access. Hence I still have a native W11 install. I've also set up a VM that uses that physical W11 install, the actual SSD it is installed to. Works fine and saves time when I want to check things in Altium quickly.

 

[Keith_W]

 

[respice finem]

There are many "converts" from Windows to Apple or Linux. I've been using Windows for many years, and DOS before it. While, roughly, every second version of Windows was good, since XP I began to have the impression, MS is turning against its users gradually. The "tipping point" for me was Recall. Yes of course, I can disable it or even delete it, like "100" other annoyances before, but I grew tired of having to defend myself from my OS, and to fear every update. And, I don't really believe that this is going to change at MS. Even if they would sort it out temporarily, the next "great" idea (to make the wheel square) will not be far away. As the Germans say "die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht" (the cat won't give up stalking mice).

 

[Ricardus]

Same here! Sometime in 2010 to be exact. Same time I deleted my Facebook account. What a year it was!

I started with Red Hat 5.2, but wasn't full time back then.

 

[PristineSound]

I don't understand the hate for Windows in this world. Before Windows 8, I get the hate because of all the blue screens, ever since, Windows has been stable. Some people hate Windows as a way to stick it up large enterprises but many of these people are Apple lovers, which speaking of enterprises, Apple is much worse with hardware monopoly at a much steeper price point.

I used to be a Linux admin when I was in college helping manage a Linux cluster for math researchers, so I know a thing or two about Linux. And I can tell you, as a tool for everyday computing, Linux sucks. It's great if you want to geek out and build yourself something like a firewall or if you are a software engineer, but as an everyday computing tool? Nah, it's nothing but a waste of time and frustration.

 

[ernestcarl]

as an everyday computing tool? Nah, it's nothing but a waste of time and frustration.

It definitely used to suck more (for desktop linux). Those few of us who persevered think the other benefits outweighs the "waste of time and frustration".

I keep two much older computers with Windows 10 and 11 on the rare occasion/need -- switched offline for the most part and no Microsoft account.

My daily portable driver is a 2012 Macbook Air with only 4GB or ram installed with Linux Mint. It's good enough for my computing needs. I might replace it eventually with an M1 laptop if I can find someone to gift it to me -- wherein I also plan to install Asahi Linux. Heheh. Half of the computers and computer hardware I own are all hand-me-downs from generous friends and family who are devout Windows and Mac users -- I have no reason to despise such folks for their generosity. I am always happy when they upgrade their stuff -- eventually their old trash is gonna be thrown out not into the bin but straight into my lap.

 

[PristineSound]

It definitely used to suck more (for desktop linux). Those few of us who persevered think the other benefits outweighs the "waste of time and frustration".

I keep two much older computers with Windows 10 and 11 on the rare occasion/need -- switched offline for the most part and no Microsoft account.

My daily portable driver is a 2012 Macbook air installed with Linux Mint. I might replace it eventually with an M1 laptop if I can find someone to gift it to me -- wherein I also plan to install Asahi Linux. Heheh. Half of the computers and computer hardware I own are all hand-me-downs from generous friends and family who are devout Windows and Mac users -- I have no reason to despise such folks for their generosity. I am always happy when they upgrade their stuff -- eventually their old trash is gonna be thrown out not into the bin but straight into my lap.

If you have limited hardware power, sure, Linux can be good option. But it's just terrible as an everyday computing tool, lack of full driver support, lack of software support, endless typing to get something basic done. I turn on my computer to get task done in the most hassle free and efficient way, not to be a system admin.

But anyway, my 2 cents on the unfounded Windows hate.