I remember when Microsoft announced that it was working on the next big release of Windows. It was approximately one year ago.
I used to look forward to new releases from Microsoft. Windows 95 was fresh and new and very different from its predecessors. It wasn’t perfect, but there was an excitement because it was innovative and new. Since then, I can count a few times when Microsoft has released an operating system that excited me – Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 10. I was excited for all of them. And, yes, there was an occasional dud in the bunch, too – Windows Me, Windows Vista, Windows 8 (and 8.1).
Things have been changing in the last 4-6 years, however. The world and how we use technology has changed. Social media has made it possible for people to be heard – we just didn’t realize back then how many jerks lived among us. But we certainly know it now.
It looks like Windows 11 will be another dud, at least initially. This, coupled with stories I read about issues that early adopters are facing with Windows 11, gives me reason to pause. We have a few computers in our home that would not be eligible for Windows 11, so they would be desupported in a few short years. This has also given me some reason to doubt Microsoft.
I know that change is inevitable, but I am probably not the only one who sees the great hypocrisy of the tech world. Spend a lot of money touting how green a company is, while making the vast majority of PC’s unsafe, so that users have to decide whether to toss a perfectly good PC away (by actually throwing it away or selling parts, or the PC) or continue to use it unsafely.
Years ago, I dabbled with Linux. It was a hobby, so nothing serious came of it, but I remember how frustrating it was to work with incompatible hardware and limited software support – or at least that is what I thought back then. I used the time since Microsoft announced Windows 11 was coming to do some more research and I was happy to see how Linux for the desktop is continuing to evolve.
Compatibility
No doubt, an operating system that has – on a good day – at most about 2-3 % stake in a market will not attract hardware and software companies whose main focus is profits. People tend to be risk-adverse, so those in charge of making such decisions at hardware and software companies are wise to pursue the greater opportunities that Windows offers.
But compatibility is just one factor I considered. I can always retool my hardware, my processes and my point of view. I can adapt to give myself the greatest chance to succeed. And that’s what I did.
First, I set out to build a new PC with parts that would be most compatible with Linux (according to my research). Then, I chose Pop OS!, a Debian-based Linux distribution that had a good reputation, community, and a good track record for compatibility with broadest array of hardware devices.
Mind-Bending
I also looked at all the programs that I used in Windows to determine whether there is a similar version that runs in Linux:
- Office-compatible word processor, spreadsheet, presentation and e-mail client
- Video, audio and photograph editors
- Web browser
- System/ Data backup
- Personal finance software
- Tax preparation software
- Chat client
- Development IDE/ text editor
- Gaming support
- Music / Video player
- Password manager
- Printer drivers
- Script (film) software
- Note taking app
- A way to manage RGB (lower priority)
- Image manipulation software (thumbnails)
As you see, the list is pretty long. I’ll write about my thought process and decisions I made for each of these in future posts, but the main thing that you (or anyone else considering this move) should consider is what are you willing to do without? What is a “nice to have” and not a “must have”?
For me, the trade-off came down to this: Is my need to use ___ software more or less important to me than the long-term stability and peace of mind I would get from moving away from a system that can and has changed towards a path that no longer fits me? If the answer is that it is less important then, I’d be okay – even if I had to give something up. Otherwise, I’d have to find a workaround … or I would have to stay in Windows.
Final Decision
When I did my research with each of the categories I named above, I decided to move to Linux. I knew it was not going to be easy. I also knew that there would be frustrations along the way. If I had my way, I would stay on Windows 10, not because it was the best for me, but because it was familiar. I didn’t go looking for a new side project. But with an ever-shrinking runway ahead when Windows 10 will finally lose support, I had to make some decisions.
I haven’t tested all the features or decisions I made so far, so this is an introduction to the topic and to make you aware of the decision. In this blog, I’ll continue to write about my journey. While, yes, it does not have anything to do with the purchase of the 2022 Ford Maverick, I decided that this blog is really about new things I have done in 2022. I hope that you’ll bear with me as I continue to expand the breadth of this blog for new content as motivation strikes.
Thanks for reading this post. What new things have you taken up this year? Any regrets or useful information to share with others who might have a similar project underway? Any tips for me? Please feel free to leave a comment.