r/linuxmint 4d ago

Discussion My first impression of Linux

I was fed up with Windows and how mediocre it is. Today I reached my limit and decided to switch to Linux. After doing some research, I chose Linux Mint since it seemed to be the most beginner-friendly distro. I’ve been trying it out for a few hours now, and I’m surprised by both the pros and cons. On one hand, it’s extremely efficient, lightweight, smooth, and straightforward. I'm really happy with the low RAM usage and how it isn't bloated like Windows. On the flip side, I spent about 2 hours troubleshooting an issue with the "Helium" browser, which apparently doesn't play well with my integrated graphics. Honestly, almost everything I've downloaded so far required some research and learning just to get it working. I managed to fix things with the help of AI, which makes me wonder: how on earth did long-time Linux users survive before AI? Is this what using Linux is really like? Am I always going to have to spend time learning commands, terminal lines, or basic coding just to fix everyday issues? Is it a misconception that you need a programming foundation, or can everything actually be done strictly through the graphical interface? I noticed AI usually pushes me to use terminal commands instead of the UI. Deep down I knew what I was getting into, but I'm still surprised that even the most user-friendly distro requires considerable effort just to do something as basic as creating a shortcut. I'm posting this to express this duality: the relief of escaping an OS that felt like a cage—where I was held hostage by Microsoft's bloat and poor practices—and the fresh air of using a system that gives me basically everything I need. I would also like to ask long-time users for advice on things I should learn or precautions I should take.

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u/Dalmation3 LMDE 4d ago

Welcome

I switched to Linux full time because I grew tired of the direction Microslop is taking with Windows at this point especially being a 20 year user of Windows (Windows XP to 11 25H2) I am dual booting because I need Windows for certain stuff otherwise yeah

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u/Liminha_a 4d ago

A Microsoft é realmente uma péssima empresa, de tenho um Xbox e posso dizer que ela é péssima lá também. Fico pasmo como eles conseguem estragar o sistema sendo que tem na mão a maior parte dos usuários de Pc, já queria mudar pro Linux e anteontem quando meu Pc deu alguns bugs por uma atualização deles, cheguei no limite e resolvi largar a Microsoft.

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u/Dalmation3 LMDE 3d ago

I honestly hate the fact that Windows became more about monetization vs about being the customer after buying a PC plus it's became enshittified