Why You Should Switch to Linux

frog

Hey so like. You should switch to Linux.

But what about my games?

I've been gaming on Linux for over a decade now, both with and without Steam. Most games you can buy/launch through Steam work just fine with Proton (obviously your mileage may vary) and you don't even need to install/run Proton by itself. You can just click the little gear (Manage) for whatever game you're trying to play on Steam, click on Properties, then under Compatibility you wanna check the box next to "Force the use of a specific Steam compatibility tool" and choose the most recent version of Proton from the drop-down menu. Let Steam install/update whichever version of Proton you're using, then launch the game normally. It gets more difficult if you're not using Steam, but there are other ways to launch games through Proton very easily on Linux. Lutris can also be used to launch games/programs with Proton. Things can go wrong of course, but mostly I've been able to play almost every single game I've wanted to on Linux with Proton.

But isn't Linux for like, tech-savvy computer nerds?

Nope! Depends on which version of the Linux OS you're using. Linux Mint is virtually identical to Windows both functionally and aesthetically.

But what about Microsoft Word and (other stuff available on Windows I need desperately)?

Linux Mint comes pre-installed with LibreOffice (which functions the same as Microsoft Word) and various Linux versions of stuff like Microsoft Teams and Spotify that you can install with the Software Manager. I'd personally recommend ditching Firefox (which comes pre-installed on Linux Mint) and installing LibreWolf or Waterfox instead if you're upset about all the AI garbage Firefox has gotten into recently. Unless you wanna get super technical, you should be able to install every program you need through the Software Manager.

But what about all my files, documents, etc.?

You're gonna need to save those somewhere if you're installing Linux Mint. Linux Mint WILL NOT (and I cannot stress this enough) Linux Mint WILL NOT keep your files and documents and whatever. If you install Linux Mint over your existing operating system (i.e. wiping the OS and installing Linux Mint where Windows used to be, which is how I'd recommend doing it) everything on your computer will be gone. Back up your files before messing around with your OS. USB drives are cheap and there's a bunch of cloud storage options out there. You could even use your phone or tablet as temporary storage if you've got enough space. Just remember to back everything up before you try to install Linux Mint over your existing OS.

But what if I wanna go back?

Don't know why you'd wanna go back to Windows, but you could (theoretically) re-install Windows over Linux Mint? I've never actually tried this.

But how do I even install Linux Mint?

This is gonna vary depending on your OS and you should look up a tutorial, but I promise it's easier than you think. You just need a USB drive (preferably an empty USB drive), a functioning computer to access the Internet, and maybe a few hours of free time.

But what if something goes wrong?

shrug emoji Unfortunately I can't really, uh, help with that??? I'm not super tech savvy, I just know a lot of stuff. But stuff can go wrong when you're installing Windows, right? It doesn't matter which OS you're installing, Something Can Go Wrong and maybe your computer gets fucked. Just be mindful and aware of the risk you're taking and follow the tutorials as best you can.

So that's about it for installing Linux. Obviously I'm not forcing you to make the switch, just letting everybody know the option is out there. This is specifically about installing Linux Mint on newer computers running Windows 10 or Windows 11 btw. There are Linux OS options for older machines, but this is about getting rid of Windows 10 and Windows 11.