Some more thoughts on Linux and Windows

When it comes to computers, familiarizing yourself with different platforms can help you learn about interfacing with all kinds of computers and systems. Having done so myself for the best part of two decades, it's allowed me to see the similarities between Windows, MacOS, and various distributions of Linux. For, as different as they all are they all inevitably share far many more similarities when it comes to the user experience than they do stark differences.

Many of the strongest differences are found with more niche platforms, typically for more specialized usage or for more experimental individuals. For instance, most distros of Linux opt for a desktop environment or window manager that is roughly analogous to how MacOS and Windows behave. Think KDE, Gnome, Cinnamon, Xfce and their derivatives. But, then there are more diverse options that throw the more typical interfaces out the window. Think of Blackbox and it's related options or dwm, or even Compiz. While all of those run atop the X Window System, they have very diverse methods for user interaction and window management.

My first interaction with these was with Blackbox, eventually openbox and Fluxbox as well. It would have been the early 2000s, before the 2006 release of Vista. It was a bit of a jump into the deep end as at that time I had only used DOS and Windows. I don't remember why I tried it but I remember enjoying thinking differently for how to interact with my desktop. No taskbar. No typical start menu. Instead of clicking a button to initiate tasks I had to use a right click to get a verbose menu with everything from settings, to programs, to even file management. I even ran it on Windows XP for a while via the bb4win port. Unfortunately, due to the increased instability of removing Explorer from Windows desktop management it wasn't particularly usable. But, it allowed me to learn more about how Windows works and to consider if there were better ways to use it, even without bb4win.

That interest in learning, and in testing out other options, has continued through to today. I find myself switching between different options on my Linux installs. Partly to learn more, partly to find which best suits the particular hardware configuration, and partly to find the best method for that particular computer. Right now I have hardware ranging from 2010 to modern hardware. From laptops to desktops. Amusingly, including several Mac systems. One of the most powerful aspects of your computer is your ability to modify it. Installing upgrades, swapping hardware, connecting peripherals, and even installing other operating systems.

In the current environment, with the growing interest in Linux gaming, familiarity with it is going to be more and more popular for the average user. The rollout of the Steam Deck and of SteamOS in particular are going to be the first Linux desktop experience for potentially millions of users. As more software is ported to Linux it's going to become more appealing as a distinct and valid option for everyday usage. Having used Linux in various forms for over twenty years the continued advancements in simplification and ease of use have been nothing short of fantastic. Though Windows and MacOS are more refined for the most part, major Linux distros are now nearly as refined. The difference between Ubuntu 6, when I first used it, and Ubuntu 21.10 which I now use almost every day, is an even wider gulf than that between Windows XP and 11. Though cursory glance might not show much, the experience is so much smoother and more refined, and hardware compatibility is orders of magnitude better, especially concerning graphics hardware and network hardware support.

The ability to install and go is something that I find Linux now does better than Windows in most situations. It installs quickly, and runs without drama. It's rare that I encounter hardware that requires a foray into the terminal anymore. The most recent example I can think of is the RGB support for my Razer products, which I can easily manage with OpenRazer. Though the animations aren't the same as those on Windows, there is a lot of customizeability and it covers even the built in RGB keyboard for my Razer laptop. Honestly, I was surprised at how well supported it is and how easy it is to set up and to change the settings and animations. I wouldn't have expected that kind of software and driver support even ten years ago.

Perhaps most exciting is that I expect to see more options when it comes to laptops and desktops with Linux preinstalled. Pop!_OS and SteamOS both appear poised to be ready for such forays. Steam Machines, for instance was a precursor to the Steam Deck and I wouldn't be surprised to see them, or another successor to them, to appear with the general release of SteamOS. Software like Valve's Proton and the game manager Lutris in particular have been massive boons to Linux compatibility. The last major hurdle is anti-cheat support, which is also gaining support even for non-native games.

I'm hopeful that with the growth of Linux for games will also lead to a growth of Linux for productivity. A native implementation of Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite would be big names for instance. And though the thought of either coming a decade ago would have been unthinkable, today it's far less outlandish. With the growth in popularity for open source, and of online services such as Google Docs and even Microsoft's own Office 365, is making switching easier with each passing month.

Yet, switching isn't even necessary. There's always the option to dual-boot, to run multiple operating systems on the same computer. I for instance dual-boot most of my systems, with Windows or MacOS and an install of Linux. It's easier than ever and with the availability of larger and cheaper drives, solid state and mechanical, facilitate that option easier than ever. Linux for instance can even be run off of a fast USB drive now, allowing you to test out the system without a permanent change to your system until you're ready and interested to commit to it.

Honestly, it's all very exciting and encouraging. Coming from using Linux as a secondary option on my lackluster netbook in 2007 to using it daily on my laptops over their stock Windows or MacOS systems is amazing to me. Is the year of the Linux desktop finally here? Or was it already here and just finally gaining traction? Maybe ask again in six months of Steam Deck rollout because i have a sneaking suspicion that the winds of change are bringing the viability of a third way for personal computers that hasn't been seen in years.