Asklemmy

Games (Blizzard and Riot) I have a linux laptop that I occasionally use. It is far better than it was years before, yet there are still occasions when it just does not work, or it refuses to update.

The first time I tried to switch to Linux, it was a bad choice of Distro (Puppy, I think Lucid Puppy, where I learned that I would rather use Windows 3.1's UI than stock XFCE) me incorrectly believing I could just run it from USB all the time so my family could just use Windows (I couldn't have been older than 14 and the PC was old at the time, we got it in 2005 and it came with XP and struggled with Windows 7, and the storage was low,) and just not making an earnest effort to learn Linux. This was all user error. I tried Mint also, which straight-up didn't work on my hardware at the time.

The second time I tried to switch, Mint again, about a year or two and a new PC after the first. I think Cinnamon is one of the best UIs ever made, but I also think Windows 10's is pretty good (to be clear I despised Windows 7's UI,) and I ran into compatibility issues and ultimately found that, with no strong benefit to web browsing or gaming (this was well before Proton) which were the main things I used my PC for, and still needing a lot of Windows software, just being mostly Windows worked.

Last time I tried to use Linux earlier this year, I didn't intend to switch fully, but I wanted to switch my music making hobby, that I do with Linux Multimedia Studio, to Linux because some features of LMMS don't work on the Windows version (I wanted to link multiple channels to a single VST plugin, which is necessary for the VST plugin "Genny" to produce a file that works on a real Sega Genesis.) This feature does work on the Linux version of LMMS, but Genny itself does not (and I did install WINE, some other VSTs did work.)

I'd love to say I'll switch when Windows 10 EOL hits, Windows 11 has a fucking awful UI and starts to introduce some of the reasons I've never seriously considered Mac or iOS (I feel like Windows used to at least respect that my PC is MY PC when Win11 doesn't,) but I can't because that last one still sticks in my mind. I keep a Mint partition on my PCs, but it's pretty much solely for doing things that might get me malware on Windows, or helping fix Windows if I break it.

I tried adopt Linux as main OS but some incompatibilities happen when gaming, working or video streaming. I still use MXlinux and LinuxMint in old machines, Basic applications.

I had to recompile nvidia-bl every time the Linux kernel updated or my backlight control keys wouldn't work. Put up with it for four years then installed Windows 10 when it came out.

PUBG, waited for years and then caved.

Was using arch +5 years and eventually I just wanted to play some PUBG. win10 has been bearable as it doesn't change much anymore. Wallpaperengine is nice plus. Yes there are ways to achieve the same on Linux, but haven't seen anything as good with built-in library for Linux.

Back on win10 for something like 6 months, during which I switched to NVIDIA. NVIDIA + Wayland is not really something I wan't to tackle anytime soon.

Being able to focus on gaming, fixing other parts of my home lab and automating updating other system has been breath of fresh air. Gaming and upkeep of the system was always some amount of work, when comparing to windows. I have felt the windows hasn't gotten in my way almost at all, ( apart from getting ansible automation working. Windows being the target of palybooks. But that was just my inexperience with windows and such stuff)

For now if my win10 installation stays solid, I don't see myself going back anytime soon on my gaming machines. Even on my lan pc getting full control of fans has been a hassle on Linux, yes there probably is kernel module on aur for the chipset or the support will be in future kernel but the simplicity of https://github.com/Rem0o/FanControl.Releases is just golden, I don't know will I bother when everything works without hassle on windows. This is all on ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi.

After troubleshooting/automating Linux systems for 8 hours a day I guess I just want to be able to play games and relax after work. For now the os of choice for that is windows for me.

I can't use Fusion 360 on Linux, so I dual boot windows. But that's the only time I ever go back. I don't even run a bootloader with options and you'd never know Windows is on my machine unless you interrupted the boot process and checked boot drives. Getting into Windows is a manual process on my system.

So I didn't quite try it to switch, rather installed linux to dualboot specifically because one game had lag issues on windows, and ultimately there are just 2 things keeping me from making linux the main and windows the backup.

One is game compatibility, while linux has come a long way it's simply more convenient to be on windows which can effectively run everything (even if there are a few more performance issues at times).

The other is that I couldn't find a DE of which I liked the look that could handle high refresh rate monitors properly. LXDE works for my purpose and I think it looks ok, but by design it just doesn't feel as nice to use as windows.

Hated gnomes UX, liked KDE but it couldn't handle my monitor. Wouldn't wanna bother with trying many more options unless I actually know it will work with my hardware.

My OS kept stalling/crashing on boot-up a few months into using it and I could not figure out why or how to fix it. Couldn't log in or input any commands into the terminal to try out anything so I just gave up.

Luckily my important data was backed up and I had Windows on another drive. I thought the drive might have failed, but it hasn't had any issues since on Windows. I'd love to return to Linux in the future but I think that experience wil haunt me for a while.

My primary desktop is Windows 11, but literally no other computer I personally own runs Windows. Part of it is games, part of it is proprietary software (music production, dj, etc). I could probably game on Linux full time, but until the commercial software situation is improved I will always have an additional Windows or Mac computer.

LSB dependent printer driver (Epson M100)- (Debian has a love hate reatioship with LSB - Compat package), Display Link - official drivers available only for ubuntu LTS, and Hikvision CCTV cameras IVMS is not officially supported by linux. Basically corporates making bad decisions.

I could never get my bluetooth microphone to work under Linux, and I was having to input my password many times every day just to accomplish simple tasks. Couldn't even make the password into a PIN, that wasn't allowed for some reason.

Laser cutter control software is windows only, just haven't had the time/energy to rip out the entire control system and rework it to be open source.

My main issue was trying to get two monitors to work. I followed some guides on how to update the drivers and each time it broke to the point that it would only be a black screen. Not even a terminal to help troubleshoot.

I have a 3080 12GB and can't use it on Linux. After about a week of trying I gave up.

My gf and I only plays valorant. I really wanted to get into linux environment but I might give it another chance tho. I just need a good distro.

HDR support didn't work when I tried it for madvr or games. Not sure if that area has changed.

Although I do use Linux (so should not respond here, I know), the reasons are probably similar to why Android vs iOS. They are different philosophies. No-one really is wrong, it is about personal fit.

Just one thing: Lightroom.

Have a mouse? You need to find a driver Oh Is that a keyboard? Yeah you'll need to get a driver for that too. Oh you have a monitor now? Guess what?.. Yeah go find a driver. But wait, there's more. Oh you want to run that software? Yeah you're gonna need to search for an hour for some random file so you can run it.

Well, that was my experience about 4 years ago, no idea which distro, but I just upped, left and felt warm and cosy in my fat bloated windows 🤷‍♂️