What led you to Linux?

We’re always curious to hear what draws people to Linux - freedom, control, performance or just plain curiosity?
Did you start your tech journey with it, or make the switch after hitting roadblocks with other systems?

Share your story with us in the replies! 🐧
#StarLabsSystems #Linux #linuxgaming #linuxmint #laptop #tablet #FOSS

@starlabssystems Personally, I like the exploration of new means to interface with the computer and programs. The promise of "everything is a file" especially, thus leading me towards 9p. I like the ability to build out automation with small parts, fulfilling other promises that were destroyed when Windows became the "only" option

@starlabssystems windows updates are a pain. Also now they are full of stuff that is not needed.

@starlabssystems Windows ME was the last Windows with a good desktop experience. After that, Linux always had better desktops.

Also the power of the console. On Linux you get a hammer and are able to improve your skills with it over times.
On Windows you get a thousand tools, each works differently and each one has a limit on how to use it.
(For the same reason I use vim - unlimited skill curve)

@starlabssystems Bugs in macOS (particularly one which meant my iMac kernel panicked when it slept if I had an external monitor connected) made me angry enough to try Linux and I very quickly realised it worked better for me. Hardware behaved better and I wasb’t annoyed by “helpful’ behaviours in an over-curated operating system. After around 15 years as a Mac user I switched and haven’t looked back.

@starlabssystems I was using Windows XP, and not knowing any better, was quite happy with it. But the Windows versions that came after that looked like they had really enshittified UIs, so I took a linux distribution that comes with KDE, to keep the basic UI of task bar, start menu, and so on.
Never used Windows since, except a few times to play games that back then wouldn't run right on Linux.

@starlabssystems I was always aware of the issues with Windows, and I loved Linux servers for a long time, but Linux desktops never convinced me enough, even though I used them from time to time. Then Valve fixed the gaming part. 🎮 Then Trump came along and Ms disappointed me. 🤦 Now I'm absolutely satisfied with my Linux desktop, though I'm aware of its shortcomings. I see this choice as an investment in a better future.

I'd appreciate a Linux tablet too. 🤩 Any plans for new StarLite tablet?

@starlabssystems@mastodon.social I got too pissed off with trying to use msvc to compile code and used WSL for like six months, realizing it was infinitely superior devex wise, then made the jump.

@julia Good Jump 😎

@david_bardos Keep an eye on our platforms #starlite 👀

@starlabssystems Microsoft said I had to buy a license for software I had already purchased.

@starlabssystems I used to use Atari computers, with the last one being a Falcon. I had been using Unix for a while at the local computer club, and started running Linux on the Atari.

I then got a Sun SPARCstation running Solaris. I later started working for Sun, which meant I could get a better Sun machine to run at home. When I got a PC I ran Solaris on it.

After I quit Sun I moved to Linux, because it was easier to stay up to date, and that's what I've been using since.

Windows or any other Microsoft product has never been something I've even considered using on my own hardware.

@starlabssystems Back in 2008 I could not afford a fast computer to play my games — Windows Vista ran poorly (without Aero transparency), and XP would often slow down and require a major cleanup.
IIRC, the first Linux distro I tried was "Fenix Linux", on which my HP printer did not work; then I also learned that it wouldn't play any of my [Windows] games (lesson 1: Linux doesn't run ".exe" files).

@starlabssystems Microsoft's attitude with Windows in the recent years totally helped me to ditch this OS but there's more than just that: I built some desktop PC for my friends and the time spent searching for the best parts possible for the budget made me realize that i could also do the same for the software, not just the hardware.

As not everyone can buy a more modern PC to afford W11, the penguin will probably soar at the end of the year. 🐧

@starlabssystems A long time ago I was frustrated with win98 crashing all the time so I tried out an alternative. I spent a lot of time compiling and reinstalling and tinkering. Never going back.

@czinehuba @starlabssystems

What? Don’t you like random reboots that shutdown everything you were working on?

@bruisedthumb @czinehuba 😂 Good one

@starlabssystems

Linux is so old, you need to ask my father 😂.
He installed it on his PC, and when he got a new one, I inherited the old one with Ubuntu — my first Linux system. Now I use a refined fork of his Debian setup with ZFS history that backs up everything automatically when we flip a switch to enable our local ZFS backup server.

But other than that, it's speed. My school computers are nearly the same as mine, but use Windows. They take around 10 seconds to load the task bar.

@starlabssystems although I installed Yellow Dog on my G3 Mac back in the day, I still used a Mac daily because the graphics options on Linux were nowhere near level they are now(ignoring inkscape's CMYK).

I finally got fed up with Adobe, tried out Krita, Inkscape, nextcloud and realised I didn't need MacOS. They went with soldered ram and non-upgradable storage, I realised I didn't need Apple.

On my 5th year now, free of big tech full time.

@starlabssystems
I got fed up with Windows 10 regarding privacy and usability, so I switched to Linux.
First to Linux Mint, then to Fedora and GNOME.

Now, its only Linux on laptop, tablet and PC.

Got so far that for my sister, who needs a device for the next school yearl, Linux is the obvious choice, as it is the system she knows from my PC (where she games on).
That means I might extend the Linux device pool here with a StarLite soon...

@starlabssystems I didn't like how windows had a bunch of ads in the operating system and it didn't let me delete Microsoft edge -_-

@starlabssystems Most people don't like change, we like things the way they are! Unless one self choose change.

Look at Steam, GUI has remained almost static. People like it 😊
Linux is the same, you can choose to keep it like it is or choose change (but it isn't forced).

@RandomProfile Really SOON 😎

@starlabssystems mainly curiosity, having worked with Fortran and C++ in unix at NTU Athens, an effort with red hat (12 CDs) and mac tiger in 90s and a nice Sony Vaio around 2012 that I saved from scrap with Xubuntu. Then in Covid I saved another ~100 laptops and PCs of friends and family...currently on a lenovo T480 (2nd hand) running Fedora, excellent..... & Pop, elementary and Endeavour in the family....Fedora and Endeavour best of all ....never look back to MS.