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~2007, Compiz wobbly windows and the desktop cube was my gateway via Ubuntu, after a few years shifted over to Debian with XFCE

I used Linux for a good while 20 something years ago. Mostly for recording music and some gaming (you can say what you want, cube/sauerbraten/openarena/… I had a great time that I look back to fondly).

Then got back on windows around vista all the way to w11 7/8/10 all “ok” OS experiences imo.

11… man, this thing frustrates me so much. Everything you try to do is like getting gaslighted. Updates/reboots whenever it feels like, regardless of what you have going on. (My setup requires a few keystrokes at boot, if not the fan goes nuts)

Coming back to Linux feels like a breath of fresh air. Especially now that installing/using it has become a breeze compared to back then. It does what you ask. Why doesn’t big tech corp get that through its thick skull?

Also, my data is mine.

Back in 1999 my windows laptop got hacked and my bank identity was accessed. On a Clean Windows I had Just Installed.That did it. I formatted my hard disk and installed first Linux Mandrake and finally settled on Debian Potato . Never looked back.

Post subject:

Why?

Post content:

Why did you switch to Linux? I’d like to hear your story.

I feel like I’ve been click-baited.

I switched while studying Cyber Security (it wasn’t a good course) probably because I figured a more techy OS is better.

When Microsoft announced the sunset of Windows 10.

I was still in uni at that time. Started with Ubuntu, disliked snaps and moved to Pop. Stayed there for last 5-ish (?) years. It does what I want it to do, I don’t care about switching distros now.

This feels like a fireplace for all Linux users to meet :D

Same as most people. OSs have just evolved to become systems made to serve their creators rather than their “customers”.

Windows wants to steal all your data and then use it to shove ads in your face.

Apple also constantly tries to push their own products and services through the OS, not to mention continually pushing the boundaries of irrepairability and locking you in an ecosystem. And just being extremely expensive.

During early high school years I heard about this thing called linux and there’s something that’s ubuntu, and said, why not? downloaded the ISO, installed on my USB with rufus, had panic attacks installing the dual boot myself for the first time, and done. After 2 months I switched to Arch (best thing I did) and ever since I’m deep diving in this Programming-Linux-Cybersecurity rabbit hole that I’m quite enjoying.

Fast forward to now, I’m using LFS and compiling my own kernel. My main desktop is a T440p with 4 OSes installed (maybe adding Plan9 to the mix if it supports my system)

I’m planing to mess more with “my own” distro thing maybe installing a Linux system without GNU: Linux + sinit + sbase + ubase + musl

For fun, in the 90’s. Windows was cool still, but what Linux was at the time was just fashinating and I just loved it.

I heard two talks around 2001 or so. one by Wolfram, after which I swore never to use mathematica again. and one by stallman after which I switched completely to Linux and never went back to windows.

still on Linux 25y later. went from days when getting sound working was a challenge , to today when even obscure tablets work out of the box.

started with red hat. used Gentoo for about 5y. then debian for 10, and now arch.

went from the old “crux” and metacity, to openbox to fvwm to gnome to kde plasma

i remember the old days I was envious of Mac users for transparency and the present windows features, and I ran this utility called Skippy that would screenshot windows and present them… all these features are now built in to the wm now, so no tweaking needed

I got sick of my devices spying on me

1. I’m a lifelong contrarian.
2. I refuse to overpay into the locked-down Apple ecosystem.
3. Windows has become worse with every release.
4. I use Arch btw.

1. fun, I like trying out new software
2. I love the philosophy of free software.
3. fuck Microsoft and windows.
4. It’s actually just better

(I switched last year)