Why not Linux?

I recently turned on a gaming computer that I made several years ago, and was immediately greeted with a message that it could not update to Windows 11. It’s good to know that my hardware is incompatible with the goals of the Microsoft corporation.

Realizing that I didn’t want to spend several thousand dollars on a new and probably crappier version of hardware I already owned, I opted instead out of using Microsoft products.

I bought a flash drive, installed Linux Mint on it, and went to down destroying the remnants of my hard drive in an attempt to wrench myself from Microsoft’s regime. As I booted up the computer with Linux, and avoided partitioning my drive, I tried to establish whether this plan was worth it.

Here’s why I think it is, and why I’m likely not going back to Microsoft.

First, Linux gives me control. If I can conceive of something, I can do it. I don’t need to wait for any Microsoft Forced-Updates, and can decide what I’d like to do for my computer at my own leisure. This means that what I learn will stay relevant. Microsoft by contrast, reworks its designs every few years to sell a new version of Windows. Avoiding that means that what I learn is able to be more firmly established.

Second, Linux gives me safety and privacy. Because I am not reporting back to Microsoft what I’m using my computer for, it’s a lot easier to switch networks, use VPNs, and more generally avoid vulnerabilities. There’s a bunch of game theory as to why Microsoft has vulnerabilities that Linux doesn’t, but in short, because anything that looks weak can be fixed, it’s easy to avoid consistent problems with my data being stolen. Additionally, since each program can be terminated more easily, I don’t have to worry about ransomware as much as I would under Windows. Plus, because most good programs have been vetted by software repositories, I can avoid scammy software.

Third, Linux gives me money back. Not literally of course, but that I don’t have to spend my precious space on bloatware. Instead, I can more easily delete what I don’t like and cross-compatibility means it’s easy to support changes to hardware. For instance, if my graphics card needs an upgrade, I don’t need to buy a fully integrated device, and can replace the parts that I want. In practice, this means I don’t need to upgrade my software, and I use less electricity.

Finally, Linux is better for the environment. One major side effect of having to buy new technology all-the-time is landfill space is used when I get rid of things I no longer need anymore. Because I don’t need to get rid of old things, I don’t waste as much. Combining that with the knowledge that I’m not having to purchase new Silicon to be mined, and it makes sense that Linux is clearly the choice for advantage.