Linux
Though I had tinkered with Linux for years (including one time I managed to dual-boot my computer in middle school before I knew what I was doing), I only began my transition to Linux in early 2018. But I haven’t looked back since. When I replaced my 10-year-old laptop last summer I didn’t even bother to install Windows.
I now run Fedora and I’m very happy with it. For me, Linux is superior to Windows by every applicable measure. I switched to a more open-source ecosystem for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to:
- I believe in Free Software
- I like being the true owner of my own computer
- I have a much better idea of what software is running on my computer
- I’ll never be locked into expensive software
- I’m just cheap in general
- It forces me to learn
That last point is why there is a category devoted to Linux on my website. As much as I love Linux, sometimes it feels like just running Linux is a project of its own.
I’ve lived in rural areas for much of my life, and although I didn’t grow up a farmer, I have seen firsthand what they have to deal with when equipment breaks down. They know how their equipment works and if it breaks down, they just start taking things apart until they figure out what’s wrong.
When using Linux, you have to have the same attitude. You don’t have a multi-billion-dollar corporation that you can call up and complain to. You know your machine and you know what software it’s running. So you just take things apart until you figure out what’s wrong. Maybe it’s a simple fix, like installing a few missing development headers. Maybe it isn’t so simple and you have to build a kernel module. Maybe it’s a much harder problem. But whatever the problem is, I’ve always managed to solve it eventually, gaining experience and confidence in the process.
In this category I will occasionally post articles that describes times when I had to do just that.