Linux: FAQ & Feedback

Got a question about Linux? Curious as to why I use the "penguin operating system" over Windows or Mac? Feel free to ask me, and I'll try my best to answer.

👨 Q. "Can I game on Linux?"

Of course, you can. I'm a gamer too, and play all my games on Linux. My Steam library consists of nearly 600 titles, and most of those work on Linux. Some, require a bit of tweaking to work, but most just work. For gaming outside of Steam, look at software such as Heroic Games Launcher. It supports playing games from Epic, GOG and Amazon. For general windows gaming (games that use installers or run from a single binary), look at Lutris or Bottles. Check game compatibility for your game of choice on protondb.

👨 Q. "With Windows 10 becoming end-of-life later in 2025, I refuse to switch to Windows 11 with all its AI crap, telemetry, spying and adverts everywhere. I'm thinking of switching to Linux. Should I switch now or wait?"

There is nothing preventing you from switching now if you want to. It has been said a million times already, but, Linux is not Windows. You need to remember that you are switching to a totally different operating system. Therefore, it would be better to expose yourself to how Linux works sooner rather than later. This will help you understand the different ways in which Linux works than Windows, and make your transition smoother. If you have a spare laptop which you don't use that often - try installing Linux on that first to test the waters. Alternatively, if your PC is powerful enough - you could run a virtual machine on Windows and install Linux on that, and familiarize yourself with a Linux desktop environment that you like. Remember, that you may not get the "full Linux experience", including GPU support in a virtual machine.

Next, make a list of the things that have to work on Linux. Things like your: printer, mouse, GPU, webcam, streaming hardware... Check compatibility before switching to Linux. Then, move on to which software you use on a daily basis. If your existing software is unavailable on Linux, look for an alternative which does work. These simple steps will help in making your transition a seamless one.

👧 Q. "Why don't you use Windows?"

I have used Windows in the past. From Windows Me up to Windows 10.

The thing is, even before I used Windows, I used Workbench on the Commodore Amiga in the 1990's. I always loved to tinker with that operating system, editing config files and poking around under the hood, seeing how things worked and learning new stuff. Windows never really scratched that itch for me. Sadly, I've watched Windows get ever more bloated, filled with adverts, annoying popups, and crashed more times than I can count. I just can't bare to use it any longer.

Linux is different. No bloat, it's fast, it respects my privacy, and it's "tinker friendly". It ticks all those geeky boxes for me. So, pragmatically, for someone like me, Linux rocks!

👱 Q. "Will you write a guide on installing Arch Linux for noobs?"

There already exists an official Arch install guide.

👱 Q. "In one word, why do you use Linux?"

Fun.

👱 Q. "Vim, Emacs, Sublime or VSCode?"

Honestly, I use them all! It all depends on what I'm doing. For speed, I use neovim. However, if I had to say which one I use more than the others - that would be Emacs.

👨 Q. "I've just found out about Linux and I love it! I've been using Pop!_OS for 3 months now. What distro do you use Supa?"

Take a look at my "About" page, There you'll find the Linux distributions I've used, and the current one I'm using.

👨 Q. "I see a lot of linux pages on your website. How come there are no pages explaining how to install linux for new people? This might help push Linux adoption especially with people who use your stuff in Second Life."

There are many, far better resources for "new Linux user guides" online. While I use Linux myself, I'm not a "Linux Evangelist". I believe that people should choose what works best for them; be that Windows, macOS, Linux - or maybe all at the same time. Linux is a journey, and I believe it's down to each person to make the first step, including learning how to install it - which is part of the fun of it.

👱 Q. "I'm thinking of switching from Windows to Linux. What is the best Linux for a new person?"

There is no "best Linux", in the same sense that there's no "best ice cream". Choose a Linux distribution that you like and learn to use that. Some Linux distributions are tailored for new users and some for advanced users. Without me knowing a users technical proficiency, it's really down to the individual to do some research and decide which one fits their needs.

👱 Q. "Should I switch to Linux?"

Ask yourself which software and hardware do you use every day on Windows. If you rely heavily on a lot of proprietary software or hardware (particularly those from Microsoft, Adobe or others which have no Linux compatible version), then switching to Linux is not going to benefit you in any way. However, if like me, you can adapt to using cross-platform alternative software and compatible hardware, and you become comfortable using those - switching to Linux won't be much of an issue. The choice to switch is ultimately yours. It's your PC after all.

👱 Q. "You ever thought of making guides for new Linux users?"

A lot of my existing guides involve copying and pasting commands from the web into the terminal. This runs counter to the general advice I see from other Linux users telling new users to never do this, unless they know what they're doing. If they are new users - they don't know what they are doing, nor even know what a terminal is. Therefore, my guides are aimed at users who have run Linux for a while and are comfortable navigating their way around the operating system, editing files, making changes and fixing any problems that may arise with their own setup.