Posted on 10/06/2015 3:46:33 AM PDT by ShadowAce
It's easy to forget how intimidating it can be when trying something completely new for the first time. This is especially true when a power-user comfortable with Windows tries Linux. Since I'm a power user of various Linux distros, Windows and OS X, I have some insights that I think people looking to migrate to Linux need to read. Let's get started, shall we?
The first thing that people who migrate from Windows need to understand is that Linux is not Windows. People seem to forget this fact when they experience something completely foreign while using Linux. Like when the audio doesn't appear to work despite the volume slider being adjusted or the default video driver doesn't offer expected gaming performance, among other areas of confusion.
Linux newcomers must realize: this is Linux, and 99% of the time there is a reason or a fix that addresses an unexpected issue.
For example: If you're not hearing audio when the volume is turned all the way up, this is probably because PulseAudio has the app's volume turned down. Main output settings can be overridden by app specific settings within the volume controls. Same applies for microphone inputs vs app specific settings.
Then there is the issue with the gaming performance. On Windows, you're using video drivers that provide good performance out of the box (usually). Under Linux, you're usually using Open Source video drivers. Depending on your distro, there is usually a tool provided to allow you to install the proprietary video drivers very easily. But newcomers rarely know this without either reading it someplace or being told ahead of time.
Getting Linux newcomers to rationalize these differences is difficult. Let's face it, human nature is adaptive...but not without kicking and screaming the entire way.
One of the simplest and wisest things a user can do before jumping over to Linux is to setup a flash drive with persistent storage incorporated into it. This flash drive would be loaded with their preferred Linux distro and then the person should learn to "live in it" for a period of time.
Taking this approach does the following:
By taking this approach, anyone looking to try out Linux with any level of seriousness is able to have a full desktop experience limited only by the size of their USB flash drive storage space. It's simple and based on my own trials with folks, it helps the end user to determine if Linux is a good fit.
Surprisingly, I've found it's easier than it used to be for home users to make the switch. Because they rarely have a preference on which office suite they're using and most of them are using Web based email. This helps users overcome half the battle of switching right out of the gate. And if they also took my advice on using a flash drive with persistent storage, they know if Linux is going to work for them long term or not.
Backing up pictures, videos and documents is pretty obvious. And with modern browsers like Firefox and Chrome providing built-in synchronization tools, all one needs to do is login to their browser to extract all of their user data with the utmost ease. It's critical, however, that the synced data be tested on a secondary machine before wiping the Windows installation. This ensures nothing is lost during the migration.
Important: Make a list of the software you use on Windows, then visit "AlternativeTo" in order to match it up with an open source replacement. I'd suggest installing the found applications onto the persistent USB flash drive install for testing. This step alone will save the newcomer a lot of frustration.
Once the newcomer has established that Linux on their desktop is hardware compatible with their PC, have found applications they like and haven't hit legacy software roadblocks that would pull them back to Windows, it's time! Let's throw the switch!
First, backup all of your data before doing anything permanent! Next, triple check that you have your product key(s) and related "media" for all of your Microsoft and Adobe products. Lose these keys and reverting back to Windows will be a lot more unpleasant. Plus, you might wish to run them on another PC someday in the future.
With a bootable flash drive or DVD of their preferred distribution, begin the installation. Once the installation is complete, run your distribution's updates. If the user relied on a persistent flash drive install for any length of time, they're aware that the next step is to install any missing proprietary media codecs.
Next, using the software list gained from AlternativeTo, install the related software. Ubuntu based distros will allow the user to do this via the Software Center or Synaptic. Other distributions may have other package managers for making this happen.
Assuming the installation went well, the newcomer is ready to begin customizing the desktop! After all, that's half the fun of using Linux!
The methods used to customize your desktop will largely depend on the desktop environment that has been selected. Here are some of the major desktop environments and how to customize them: GNOME, KDE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, XFCE.
Now that the installation is fully customized to meet the user's needs, they're ready to use it in much the same way as they did with Windows. The key differences are as follows:
Personally, I have never, ever run into an issue where my peripherals were unsupported out of the box. Those who run into issues are usually dealing with printers from one of the following vendors: Lexmark and Canon. I've found Epson and HP to be very well supported. I'd say overall HP wins for the best support as it provides the hplip tool that supports functions like wifi printing. When purchasing a new peripheral such as a printer, I recommend checking the OpenPrinting website first. There are printers out there that are simply not compatible. Thankfully, the list of supported far outweigh those unsupported.
Important: As a general rule, any of the peripherals found in the top results by brand on sites like Amazon are supported. For example: query Lexmark, results are MS312dn, CS310n (laser printers) and S305, 1512, and X5650 (inkjet). In the case of Lexmark, all the laser printers work, as does the S305 inkjet. The 1512 is unknown and the X5650 is known not to work.
If you're buying an inkjet all-in-one, make it one of the HP models. I own a HP Officejet Pro 8600 and it has flawless support both locally connected via USB or connected over my LAN by wifi. I simply installed hplip and set it up using this approach. One could take the easier approach and just install it using the built-in desktop environment's printer dialog via USB, but using hplip also provides wireless scanning capability using Simple Scan. So the aforementioned approach is preferred.
I realize that some folks reading this will immediately latch onto the following as "proof" that using Linux on the desktop is more difficult. I would argue it depends on ones perspective.
Ease of use and compatibility are funny things. I own a netbook built for Windows 7 Starter Edition, I installed Windows 10 on it and critical features won't work. All of the hardware is detected, however the function keys needed for basic operation are no longer compatible. I've researched and verified that ASUS has no intention of doing anything about it.
This means that I cannot use wireless (it's disabled despite being detected) and I cannot adjust the back-lighting. I researched this issue extensively – it's planned obsolescence at its finest. By happenstance, I also own a second netbook of the same model. I have Ubuntu MATE installed and with a simple phrase added to the grub menu (used for booting), it has working function keys and fully functional Intel 802.11n wireless.
By using Linux, I'm free from the planned obsolescence found with proprietary operating systems. Linux answers to one master – its user. Does this mean Linux is harder? I think that's a matter of personal perspective. Oh, before it comes up – I don't compile software. There is no need to, so anyone making this claim that it's still a "must" is telling you stories.
With a community of folks willing to help you, I've found there is very little Linux on the desktop can't do. I hope newcomers looking to migrate are able to join me in this experience.
bookmark for later.
I’ve been a Linux user for 10 years, and even I find this article intimidating.
Getting into Linux isn’t that hard! You download it, put it on a USB drive to try it out, and mess around with it. If you like what you see you install it. If you come across any errors (like drivers or audio or such) you just google it.
Coping with Windows, auto updates and blue screens is far harder than Linux.
Not to mention the AV, anti-malware, etc you need to master just to keep it safe.
I started using UNIX in 1978 or so. I use both Windows and Linux now. Linux still has problems dealing with video, audio and printing. Other than that it is fast and stable as can be.
Thank you for this.
or you can just buy a Windows computer and turn it on.
Until Linux geeks figure that out, they will never take over the computer world.
its only been several decades- i am sure they will be coming around any day soon. Maybe in the next ‘distro’
I have not seen a blue screen in 10 years... what version of Windows are you running?
Every time I buy a new computer, I think maybe I’ll stick with Windows on this computer.
Every time I also buy a new drive, just as a fall-back, and install Linux on the new drive as a fall-back.
Every time, I end up using the new drive, and Windows just sits in the box.
Every time.
I boot up a new computer just to be sure the hardware all works.
Then I wipe the drive and install Fedora.
Revived a Lenovo Thinkpad just this weekend my daughter was at odds with, with Linux.
I burned the bootable DVD and threw it and in 5 minutes I have a very servicable laptop/tablet with touch screen...yadda, yadda, yadda.........
I am prety much a computer expert now.
WINDOW 10 SUCKS !!!
Posted from my Win-10 machine ... that simply works.
I’m saving up for a high-end gaming computer.
I want an operating system that allows me to access the internet for online play and game updates.
I don’t want Windows or Chrome.
I’ll do all my surfing, commenting and emailing on another computer.
I want a clean, lean and mean gaming machine without any extraneous crap on it.
Is Linux what I’m looking for?
For various reasons, I regularly use about a dozen, or so, PCs. For home use, I buy off lease Dell units, usually for $150, or less, and then pitch the most obsolete one in the pile. My most used software item is MS Excel. The Open Office Spreadsheet version simply doesn’t compete with Excel. It can’t handle any of the graphing or data processing things I do regularly. Excel ‘97 usually does, though I mostly use more recent versions. None of the alternatives that I’m aware of will support even that. So it’s Windows for me.
It really depends on the game(s) you are wanting to play.
Steam has a native Linux client that is pretty good. There are Linux versions of several of the major games out there--but there are also several games with no Linux native versions for which you would have to run an emulator (like Wine).
Given that you have a specific goal in mind, I would perform more research into the titles you are interested in.
As far as Internet connectivity, that's a no-brainer. Linux will get you online faster than Windows typically does.
LibreOffice, though, is head-and-shoulders above that. Give that a whirl and see what you think.
Ain't it the truth.
Thanks to ShadowAce for the ping!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.