Moving to Linux

Which operating system I used usually didn’t give me much thought. I had used PC and Mac in the 90’s but the first computer I ever owned was a Gateway PC in 2001. I enjoyed having my own computer to tinker with and experiment on, I even uninstalled Windows and ran Linux Ubuntu briefly. At that point, my career and interests changed and I didn’t use a computer much for many years.

I received hand-me-down computers from various jobs or people while I worked construction and restaurant jobs. Everything seemed to change for me during the dark, solitary times of the Covid pandemic. My interest and curiosity of computers began to turn back on, especially as I learned more about programming. I bought an Acer PC, which I later found out was the company that purchased Gateway, and decided to switch my career to programming and coding.

I found that using Windows worked just fine for me, as I was familiar with the platform despite many new versions. My first programming job required the use of a Mac and I found that there were pros and cons to each OS, at least how I saw them. Negative features of both OSs are the proprietary nature, lack of individual control, and the cramming of AI features in their devices. It didn’t take long for me to yearn for a more customizable, lightweight, and less invasive experience. So I’m going back to Linux!

Oh boy has the world of Linux distributions changed since I first tinkered with them almost 25 years ago (ish!). I know that open source and slightly more DIY setups are not for everyone, but they are for me. I am trying Linux Mint currently, which has a very Windows-like experience. A timely switch as Windows 10 is sunsetting support this year, and users will be forced to AI laden, spyware adjacent OS. Plus machines are just cheaper than MacOS devices that don’t have the customization I want, and I feel have greater vendor lock-in with software.

I also want to support and explore the world of open-source to try to mitigate the monopolization of software. I know its a drop in the bucket but every single user helps.