As much as I love using Linux, and wish people used it more, I will (try) to be the first to say:

The worst thing is to treat Linux as a drop in replacement for windows MacOS.

It's not. It can't be. And it *should never be*.

And that means something most people never had to do before: learn how to do the basics all over again. Yeah, it's similar, but not the same.

Things won't work. Apps may be bizarrely different than you expect. Or lack just that *one* feature that you rely on.

If you're doing this on an older machine? Getting frustrated? Then go back to your main. Its still there.

I will be uncompromising on this:

Its not the distro. It's not the desktop environment. Its not using "the right apps" or "the right hardware".

I don't help anyone put Linux onto any system unless they are willing to *learn*.

If you don't have time, don't have the patience, don't have the will to learn and solve problems... I can't help you. You'll just be angry and frustrated and hate the whole OS. And I'll hate myself for upsetting you vicariously.

There is no "best" in Linux.

There is no best distro. There's no best desktop environment. There's no best app.

All of that absolutist, best of 2026 nonsense has as much thought and consideration as a techbro using ChatGPT to write the speech he'll give you before laying everyone off.

There is no best in Linux. Anyone who says that is a damned liar, including myself.

There is only "best" for *you*.

There is no "best" in Linux.

There is no best distro. There's no best desktop environment. There's no best app.

All of that absolutist, best of 2026 nonsense has as much thought and consideration as a techbro using ChatGPT to write the speech he'll give you before laying everyone off.

There is no best in Linux. Anyone who says that is a damned liar, including myself.

There is only "best" for *you*.

As much as I love using Linux, and wish people used it more, I will (try) to be the first to say:

Don't. Don't install Linux.....on your primary machine. At least, not at first.

The thing with Linux is, it's messy. It's jank. You will mess it up the first time. Maybe the second or third too. You might destroy everything on your drive.

So don't put it on your main system. Put it on your last one, or one from the thrift store, or a pi. Play with it, find what you like and don't.

There is no "best" in Linux.

There is no best distro. There's no best desktop environment. There's no best app.

All of that absolutist, best of 2026 nonsense has as much thought and consideration as a techbro using ChatGPT to write the speech he'll give you before laying everyone off.

There is no best in Linux. Anyone who says that is a damned liar, including myself.

There is only "best" for *you*.

@socketwench Can we argue about the "worst" now, though?

@48kRAM The worst is whatever I'm using right now.

I will be uncompromising on this:

Its not the distro. It's not the desktop environment. Its not using "the right apps" or "the right hardware".

I don't help anyone put Linux onto any system unless they are willing to *learn*.

If you don't have time, don't have the patience, don't have the will to learn and solve problems... I can't help you. You'll just be angry and frustrated and hate the whole OS. And I'll hate myself for upsetting you vicariously.

Approach Linux like you're *dating*. You don't need to commit, your just hanging over tea. Get to know a distro, not by looking up a list but by looking in the mirror.

Maybe you'll like what this distro is like, maybe you'll want to bail and keep looking. That's good! That's why we have so many of the dammed things!

Find one that feels like home.

And when you've found you love it despite the busted sink, or that hole in the wall, then, you can move in.

There is no "best" in Linux.

There is no best distro. There's no best desktop environment. There's no best app.

All of that absolutist, best of 2026 nonsense has as much thought and consideration as a techbro using ChatGPT to write the speech he'll give you before laying everyone off.

There is no best in Linux. Anyone who says that is a damned liar, including myself.

There is only "best" for *you*.

Approach Linux like you're *dating*. You don't need to commit, your just hanging over tea. Get to know a distro, not by looking up a list but by looking in the mirror.

Maybe you'll like what this distro is like, maybe you'll want to bail and keep looking. That's good! That's why we have so many of the dammed things!

Find one that feels like home.

And when you've found you love it despite the busted sink, or that hole in the wall, then, you can move in.

@socketwench

I love the dating analogy here.

Also, I ended up running OpenBSD. Not sure what that says about my software romantic life...

As much as I love using Linux, and wish people used it more, I will (try) to be the first to say:

Don't. Don't install Linux.....on your primary machine. At least, not at first.

The thing with Linux is, it's messy. It's jank. You will mess it up the first time. Maybe the second or third too. You might destroy everything on your drive.

So don't put it on your main system. Put it on your last one, or one from the thrift store, or a pi. Play with it, find what you like and don't.

@socketwench wise advice. And I think the more someone uses their computer for deep work, the more it’s a tool embedded into doing something that’s important to them, then the wiser it is.

The more you actually *use* your computer to do things, the more “muscle memory” and little workflow tweaks and such you develop. And that makes switching cost higher.

@RussSharek You appreciate consistency, stability, even if it's not flashy?

There is no "best" in Linux.

There is no best distro. There's no best desktop environment. There's no best app.

All of that absolutist, best of 2026 nonsense has as much thought and consideration as a techbro using ChatGPT to write the speech he'll give you before laying everyone off.

There is no best in Linux. Anyone who says that is a damned liar, including myself.

There is only "best" for *you*.

I will be uncompromising on this:

Its not the distro. It's not the desktop environment. Its not using "the right apps" or "the right hardware".

I don't help anyone put Linux onto any system unless they are willing to *learn*.

If you don't have time, don't have the patience, don't have the will to learn and solve problems... I can't help you. You'll just be angry and frustrated and hate the whole OS. And I'll hate myself for upsetting you vicariously.