I can’t wait to spend weeks trying to get my 10yr old scanner, my 4 yr old stream deck, my specialized proprietary keyboard mapping software, my almost unheard of cad software to work. Don’t get me started on doing it on my laptop.
Don’t get me wrong. Windows is going nowhere, and Im sure I’ll throw in the towel eventually. I know it’s gotten a little better than when I last tried it a few years ago, but I know its going to be painful, involve compromises, and probably some cash on forced hardware changes.
People pretending like the switch is easy for power users with specialized hardware are full of lies.
For me, it wasn’t a promise that Linux would be annoyance free. It was the simple fact that Windows had been escalating its annoyances and built-in ads to catch up.
Linux had some new annoyances, but I realized over time I just didn’t need to deal with the old ones. Keyboard shortcuts locked to the OS defaults was one; there were a lot of window management shortcuts I wanted to change or disable, and Windows simply doesn’t let you.
Got a friend who is way better at tech than I am, he made the switch to Linux about a month ago. Seems like it’s a constant battle between him and his OS. Settings will randomly change with no explanation. Programs will refuse to run. The other day we were playing a game and suddenly his mouse sensitivity shot down to like the lowest setting possible. He didn’t manage to get it fixed until the next day.
Shit like that is what keeps me from moving to Linux. I already get headaches when I have to troubleshoot an obscure issue I have on Windows; combing through dozens of message boards and YouTube videos from years ago with outdated advice or solutions that don’t work. I can just imagine having to do that almost every single day, but having even less resources because there are fewer people using my exact set up and having my exact problem.
I dunno. Less people but almost every one using Linux is tech saavy and an enthusiast. I think there’s a lot of resources for help with Linux. I think there’s also a lot more things to troubleshoot though because in general the world / devices are built specifically to work with windows.
Hardware rarely seems to be the issue with major distros. I have had zero trouble with hardware for years now with a big distro like Ubuntu. Some of the smaller or lightweight distros? Absolutely, a mixed bag of hammers not knowing what will work. Usually wireless internet, but sometimes it’s something weird like an NVMe not working or some USB driver.
Software OTOH is a really big problem. Software controlling hardware, for instance gaming gear like a joystick/throttle setup, RGB gear or pwm pumps for cooling, is nowhere near as comprehensive or user friendly, if it exists at all; and of course plenty of games and other windows/mac only software doesn’t exist for Linux or might work in something clunky like Wine.
Linux can’t do it all, but devs have little incentive to make things linux compatible. Why deal with the headache of trying to get their software to work on a bunch of different distros when Windoze and Mac are still working fine.
Steam is what happens when you heat up a stream. Elgato stream deck. Basically graphical keyboard shortcuts for people that can’t remember keyboard shortcuts.
I’m 100% sure it won’t be easy, but I’ve had a tab open for like 4months with instructions on setting up a dual boot environment. If I live image I’ll get frustrated and quit. This way I can work on it a bit at a time.
A live image is an ISO that you can boot directly to without installing on to your computer. You can place the ISO on a USB stick with Ventoy, and then during post you chose to boot from the USB instead of your installed drive.
Yes I know. I envision myself in a mercurial state Yanking the usb out as soon as I have driver issues. Making a partition for an install will take more work to undo, nudging me to commit to the change that I think will ultimately be beneficial.
If this sounds crazy, this is the kind of tortured process I go through on a daily basis to try to outsmart and tame my future self.
If it’s any consolation, my printer’s about as old and Linux Mint seemed to just recognise it the moment I turned the printer off and on again. Might be one thing to cross off the list quickly!!
I can’t wait to spend weeks trying to get my 10yr old scanner, my 4 yr old stream deck, my specialized proprietary keyboard mapping software, my almost unheard of cad software to work. Don’t get me started on doing it on my laptop.
Don’t get me wrong. Windows is going nowhere, and Im sure I’ll throw in the towel eventually. I know it’s gotten a little better than when I last tried it a few years ago, but I know its going to be painful, involve compromises, and probably some cash on forced hardware changes. People pretending like the switch is easy for power users with specialized hardware are full of lies.
By the way Microsoft was going the last 10 years you’ll have exactly your first paragraphs work on windows too, anyhow.
I am still running windows on a gaming only device but I am regularly amazed at the amount of effort that goes into breaking things.
For me, it wasn’t a promise that Linux would be annoyance free. It was the simple fact that Windows had been escalating its annoyances and built-in ads to catch up.
Linux had some new annoyances, but I realized over time I just didn’t need to deal with the old ones. Keyboard shortcuts locked to the OS defaults was one; there were a lot of window management shortcuts I wanted to change or disable, and Windows simply doesn’t let you.
Got a friend who is way better at tech than I am, he made the switch to Linux about a month ago. Seems like it’s a constant battle between him and his OS. Settings will randomly change with no explanation. Programs will refuse to run. The other day we were playing a game and suddenly his mouse sensitivity shot down to like the lowest setting possible. He didn’t manage to get it fixed until the next day.
Shit like that is what keeps me from moving to Linux. I already get headaches when I have to troubleshoot an obscure issue I have on Windows; combing through dozens of message boards and YouTube videos from years ago with outdated advice or solutions that don’t work. I can just imagine having to do that almost every single day, but having even less resources because there are fewer people using my exact set up and having my exact problem.
I dunno. Less people but almost every one using Linux is tech saavy and an enthusiast. I think there’s a lot of resources for help with Linux. I think there’s also a lot more things to troubleshoot though because in general the world / devices are built specifically to work with windows.
Hardware rarely seems to be the issue with major distros. I have had zero trouble with hardware for years now with a big distro like Ubuntu. Some of the smaller or lightweight distros? Absolutely, a mixed bag of hammers not knowing what will work. Usually wireless internet, but sometimes it’s something weird like an NVMe not working or some USB driver.
Software OTOH is a really big problem. Software controlling hardware, for instance gaming gear like a joystick/throttle setup, RGB gear or pwm pumps for cooling, is nowhere near as comprehensive or user friendly, if it exists at all; and of course plenty of games and other windows/mac only software doesn’t exist for Linux or might work in something clunky like Wine.
Linux can’t do it all, but devs have little incentive to make things linux compatible. Why deal with the headache of trying to get their software to work on a bunch of different distros when Windoze and Mac are still working fine.
Dude… the Steam Deck run on SteamOS which IS Linux.
Anyway all it takes is to put a bootable usb in your pc, and check all the hardware before installing anything.
Sounds great but I don’t have one of those.
Don’t have what? A Steam deck, a PC, or a USB?
Edit: StReam deck
A steam deck. I kinda want one, but feel like that would seal the deal on achieving 0% productivity.
???
Steam is what happens when you heat up a stream. Elgato stream deck. Basically graphical keyboard shortcuts for people that can’t remember keyboard shortcuts.
Test it by booting into a live image, no install required.
I’m 100% sure it won’t be easy, but I’ve had a tab open for like 4months with instructions on setting up a dual boot environment. If I live image I’ll get frustrated and quit. This way I can work on it a bit at a time.
A live image is an ISO that you can boot directly to without installing on to your computer. You can place the ISO on a USB stick with Ventoy, and then during post you chose to boot from the USB instead of your installed drive.
Most Linux ISOs are live images.
Yes I know. I envision myself in a mercurial state Yanking the usb out as soon as I have driver issues. Making a partition for an install will take more work to undo, nudging me to commit to the change that I think will ultimately be beneficial.
If this sounds crazy, this is the kind of tortured process I go through on a daily basis to try to outsmart and tame my future self.
If it’s any consolation, my printer’s about as old and Linux Mint seemed to just recognise it the moment I turned the printer off and on again. Might be one thing to cross off the list quickly!!
The steam deck is already a linux device so I’m not sure why you’re worried about it working with linux
A stream deck is not a steam deck