One of the most common reasons for switching to Linux is to breathe some life into older hardware, which often struggles with Windows’ increasingly bloated demands. While that is a great reason to switch, the performance boost isn’t actually what I’ve enjoyed the most about switching to Linux—the user-first approach is.
Not only is Linux very customizable, it also doesn’t assume to know what the user wants to do or how they want to do it. You have nearly free rein over how your PC looks and functions, which is increasingly unusual in other major PC operating systems.
A user-first workflow
I don’t have to fight with my computer
Since the release of Windows 10, I’ve often felt like I was battling my own operating system, much like I might have to fight actual malware. Between compulsory reboots at inopportune times, what feels like a million nagging prompts, and a system that prioritizes what it thinks I should be doing over what I need to do, Windows is increasingly exhausting to use.
Windows isn’t the best operating system anymore
Operating systems are now a commodity, and Windows is a bad pick.
Linux—specifically Kubuntu in my case—fixes that problem by giving you way more control over every level of your operating system.
You decide when updates download and install, you can easily control which services and apps run at startup or on a schedule, and customize how your desktop behaves.
If you’re tired of feeling like your PC isn’t really yours, it is worth trying Linux. The catch—and it is significant—is that more control means more responsibility; nothing is decided for you by default, and it is generally easier to break Linux with a careless command than Windows.
I’d recommend doing a bit of research on available distros and picking one that ticks as many boxes as possible in its default state as possible to minimize the amount of tinkering you need to do.
There is real privacy
Goodbye telemetry
Most modern operating systems collect usage data as a baseline, and the opt-out settings are often buried under layers of opaquely-named menus. It creates a feeling that your computer is constantly “phoning home” regardless of your preferences.
Mainstream Linux distributions generally don’t ship with invasive telemetry, and because the OS is open, you can actually inspect what is running in the background.
If there is any telemetry active (even benign telemetry), then you can disable it completely.
Just remember that your OS is only one piece in a much larger privacy puzzle. Your browser, the websites you visit, and the other apps you use can still collect and report an exceptional amount of data about you and your usage habits.
If you want to maximize your privacy, you’ll need to lock down your browser, carefully curate your apps, and be proactive about how you browse the web.
Linux has a great terminal
The Terminal is a superpower
On other systems, the command line often feels like an annoying tool—something you use only when more conventional (GUI) options fail.
However, on Linux, the exact opposite is often true. Linux is packed with great command-line tools, which means that many routine tasks that would take dozens of clicks across three different Windows can be handled with a single, well-written command.
It is easy enough to write a small script that repeatedly does the same thing so you don’t need to memorize something convoluted, which means that the commands you use are easily repeatable, even if they’d be cumbersome to rewrite manually each time.
The only tradeoff, like most things with Linux, is a bit of a learning curve. It takes a while to become comfortable with the Terminal and all it can do. Start by learning core commands, then gradually build small scripts for tasks you find yourself repeating daily.
Customization that’s actually yours
Shaping the system instead of accepting it
Most people are stuck with a fixed interface they can’t meaningfully change. You accept the layout the OS gives you, even if it doesn’t match how you think or work, or move on.
Linux allows you to swap entire desktop environments and window managers to fit your specific workflow, which makes your PC both more pleasant to use and a more productive tool.
It is easy to become mired in all the different options, so I’d recommend trying to find a distro that is close to what you like from the beginning to minimize the amount of tinkering you need to do.
A system you can understand and repair
Transparency instead of opaque black boxes
When Windows encounters a major problem, it is famous for only offering an opaque error code and nothing else. You often have to try a few solutions and hope that you stumble onto something that actually works.
Linux takes the opposite approach; when something breaks, you can get every excruciating detail about what went wrong.
That allows you to appropriately address the issue. If it is feasible, you can apply a surgical fix to address the specific issue. If it is a big problem that would be tedious to solve manually, you can do a fresh install.
Regardless of the problem or the appropriate solution, Linux gives you the information you need to make an reasonable decision about how you approach the issue.
Linux makes a PC truly your own
The real value of Linux isn’t just that it can breathe life into an old laptop; it’s that it fixes problems of control, privacy, and workflow.
If you’re curious, you should try it on a spare machine or in a virtual machine to feel the difference yourself.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
