It seems like the more interested I get in Linux, the less appealing it becomes. The community seems to have no fucking clue what they’re talking about, because everyone is just constantly talking over each other and contradicting themselves! I have spent so much time reading about Linux and distros and such to prepare for my eventual switch, but after all that I’m starting to question if I even want to make the switch. Here’s a few of the things I have read over and over, that confuse me to no end:

  • It doesn’t matter what distro you use, but also you absolutely should not use that one!! Use that one it’s much better trust me!
  • Gaming is good on Linux now, but also it’s super shit and you should keep windows if you want to game
  • Sure you can use Nvidia cards, but also no you can’t because nothing will work with them
  • Just dual boot if you’re not sure, but also no don’t dual boot because windows will erase your shit if you do
  • Trust me bro Linux is super easy to learn, also here’s 14 different specific terms you’ll have to Google, but even then you’ll barely understand them
  • Everything will work out of the box, but also you can’t use that thing with that other thing without configuring that other thing first but that’ll break that thing which needed that thing […]

I’m slightly exaggerating and I may get downvoted but I needed to vent. It honestly sometimes seems like Linux diehards are intentionally hiding some of its major pitfalls in order to “convert” more people to their side.

I know windows sucks and that’s why I want to switch, but at least when you have a windows question there’s a concrete answer, not a bunch of nerds yelling out incoherent technobabble-sounding answers that all contradict each other.

And for fucks sake please type the whole words when speaking to beginners. How am I supposed to know what a DE, a VM, a CLI, a WM, PM, or all that other stuff is?

Linux is the “least welcoming, yet most aggressively butthurt that no one is joining it” community I’ve seen in a while.

Alright rant over, you may yell at me now.

  • @hperrin
    9•6 months ago

    I started getting into Linux in 2006, and made the switch in 2008. I’ll tell you a few things I’ve learned in the last 16 years using Linux:

    • It doesn’t actually matter which distro you start with, because you’ll probably switch later anyway. I’m not even gonna tell you one. Just pick whichever one you want and start there.
    • Linux is easy to start learning, but there’s always more to learn, so you’re only “done” until you wanna do something new. This isn’t really any different than Windows or Mac.
    • Nvidia cards mostly work just fine. You’ll need the Nvidia drivers. Get them from your OS’ package manager, not Nvidia itself.
    • Gaming is good on Linux now, for most games. Some games still require Windows.
    • Windows used to overwrite your boot loader sometimes when it updated. That was back in the MBR/BIOS days. Now, with UEFI, you can dual boot without worry.
    • Not everything works out of the box. You’ll need to research your hardware before you buy it. Like it’s 2001 again.

    One of the awesome things about Linux, and probably one of the things that’s currently putting you off about it, is how many different options there are for how you can have your system work. It’s like Linux is the Cheesecake Factory menu and Windows is the In-N-Out menu.