Introduction

Going test into the big 2026, Windows as an Operating System has been doing pretty bad for the past years; like forced AI Implementations, Non-functional normal tasks, and more. With AI getting a lot of buzz these days, they are going into the stinky direction by using AI as one of their tools to write codes (like, a big part of it). [citation required]. If you're one of the people who wants to stand up and say 'Screw off, Microsoft!', then you're in the right direction. These series of posts will be all about the steps on getting into Linux as the replacement for people moving out, or mostly just a general guidance on how to start using the OS good enough. You can definitely try the [other alternative](link to ios), which is quite costly depending on what you want, or [the other twin](that one os),but let's do the one that I know well most.

Figure 1. Sleeper

Again, these series are directed towards people who want to learn linux, or just use it for daily drive. I'll try make everything as simple and comphrehensible as I possibly can.

sudo pacman -Syu

#include <iostream>
#include <string.h>
int main(){
    std::cout << "hello";
}

What to Expect

Windows Softwares Not Working (A little part of it)

Simply put; different environment, different language, law, culture, everything. For gamers, some games that uses anti-cheat (Vanguard, EAC, anything Kernel-level [Citation Needed]) will not work. For the white-collared people, no Microsoft Office, Excel, and other microsoft products (can make it work but tedious.). For other society people, no AutoCAD, Adobe Products (this one is a benefit), and some other softwares that goes unmentioned.

Good news is, there are alot of alternatives for such software. Here are the lists of some softwares that you might use. There are definitely more, you just have to google it.

Bad news is, they are probably not native format-wise. For example, if you use LibreOffice as Microsoft Office alternatives, some file format and documents will not render the same as it is naturally; they are not back-compatible with each other (FWIW, same goes with Google Docs). But again, there's literally Microsoft 360 which works natively as long as you have internet connection (online service).

Just think of every problem has its way. I swear its worth the price.

Learning Curve

If you want to stay as a normal person, wants to go on with their days, uninterrupted, functional as a member of society, under linux, you'll at least need to learn :

For the ones that stays to learn and understand how it works, it will be pretty high at first, but its really enjoyable once you get the grasp of everything. It's like a snowball effect, you just have to stay and survive long enough to reap it.

You're in Full Control

You will generally learn how to control your system manually through terminal, line by line, bar by bar, but you have full control. It feels nice.

Risk and Reward

Linux gives you freedom, and freedom comes with responsibility.

Unlike Windows, Linux usually assumes that if you're running a command, you know what you're doing. There are very few safety nets preventing you from deleting important files, breaking your desktop environment, or uninstalling critical packages.

The good news is that almost everything is recoverable if you know what happened. Since the system is open, solutions are usually documented somewhere. Reading logs, understanding error messages, and searching documentation become valuable skills over time.

Think of Linux as owning a manual transmission car. It takes a little more effort to learn, but once you understand it, you're in complete control.

The Culture of Package Managers vs Executables

One of the biggest culture shocks for Windows users is software installation.

On Windows, downloading software usually means opening your browser, finding the official website, downloading an .exe, clicking "Next" several times, and hoping nothing unwanted gets installed alongside it.

Linux generally works differently.

Most software is distributed through package managers, which are applications that download, install, update, and remove software from trusted repositories.

For example:

| Distribution | Package Manager | | ------------ | --------------- | | Ubuntu | apt | | Debian | apt | | Fedora | dnf | | Arch Linux | pacman | | openSUSE | zypper |

Installing software is often as simple as:

sudo apt install vlc

or

sudo pacman -S firefox

Package managers also handle dependency management automatically, meaning they install everything your application needs to run.

This doesn't mean Linux cannot use installers. Many applications provide:

• AppImage
• Flatpak
• Snap
• Native installers
• Source code (if you're feeling adventurous)

Different distributions have different philosophies regarding which formats they prefer.

Examples

Here are a few Windows applications and their common Linux alternatives.

| Windows | Linux Alternative | | ---------------- | ------------------------ | | Microsoft Office | LibreOffice, OnlyOffice | | Notepad++ | Kate, Geany | | Photoshop | GIMP, Krita | | Paint.NET | Pinta | | Visual Studio | VS Code, VSCodium | | WinRAR | Ark, File Roller, PeaZip | | Discord | Discord | | Steam | Steam | | Spotify | Spotify | | VLC | VLC |

Not every alternative is a perfect replacement. Some are better in certain areas, while others may lack specific features.

Which Distribution?

This is probably the question everyone asks first.

"What's the best Linux distro?"

The answer is...

There isn't one.

Different distributions exist because people have different priorities.

Here are some common recommendations:

Ubuntu

Probably the easiest place to start.

• Huge community
• Lots of documentation
• Beginner friendly
• Stable

Linux Mint

If you're coming from Windows, Mint will probably feel the most familiar.

• Traditional desktop layout
• Easy installation
• Great for everyday users

Fedora

A good middle ground.

• Modern packages
• Reliable
• Backed by Red Hat

Arch Linux

The famous one.

Arch is designed around simplicity and user control, but it expects you to configure many things yourself.

People often joke:

"I use Arch, by the way."

You'll understand the meme eventually.

Others

There are hundreds of distributions.

Some are made for:

• Gaming
• Privacy
• Servers
• Security testing
• Old hardware
• Developers

Don't spend weeks trying to find the perfect distro.

Just pick one and start learning.

Tradeoff

Every operating system has strengths and weaknesses.

Windows offers:

• Excellent commercial software support
• Great compatibility
• Familiar workflow
• Better support for some competitive games

Linux offers:

• More customization
• Better developer experience
• Better privacy
• Better package management
• Usually lower resource usage
• No forced advertisements (for most distributions)

Neither is objectively better.

Use the tool that fits your needs.

Many developers even use both.

Options

Before replacing Windows entirely, you have several ways to try Linux.

Virtual Machine

Safest option.

Install Linux inside VirtualBox or VMware and experiment without touching your main system.

Dual Boot

Install Linux alongside Windows.

Choose which operating system to boot every time you turn on your computer.

Live USB

Most distributions can run directly from a USB drive.

No installation required.

Perfect for testing hardware compatibility.

WSL

If you're primarily interested in command-line tools, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is another great option.

It gives you a Linux environment inside Windows without replacing your operating system.

Final Thoughts

Linux isn't magic.

It won't instantly make your computer faster, turn you into a hacker, or solve every problem Windows has.

What Linux does offer is freedom.

Freedom to understand your system.

Freedom to customize it.

Freedom to break it.

And perhaps most importantly...

Freedom to learn.

If you're willing to spend a little time getting used to it, you'll gain a much better understanding of how computers actually work.

The next posts in this series will walk through choosing a distribution, creating a bootable USB, installing Linux, and getting your first desktop up and running.