Table of Contents
Many people try switching to Linux every year. Some of them actually become Linux enthusiasts or at least happy Linux users, but others fail miserably and return to Windows.
At first it's maybe even hard to say why. They've chosen the right distribution, correctly set up a dual-boot system, memorised basic terminal commands, studied the structure of the UNIX file system, and watched all the tutorials on YouTube. And yet, somehow, they still went back to daily driving Windows.
The answer is simple: Linux falls behind Windows when it comes to hardware support and software compatibility. Many popular Windows apps have no proper alternatives on Linux, and as a result, people with different hobbies often have to basically reinvent their workflow from scratch.
To make the learning curve less steep and the transition more gradual, people often decide to keep their existing Windows installation intact and learn Linux at their own pace, which eventually leads to failure.
The slippery slope of dual-booting
Some users may also believe that Linux is inherently more complex than Windows, so instead of even attempting to take a deep dive into the system, people will try to follow the path of least resistance, by making the transition less costly and less scary by providing a safety net of familiarity.
I believe this phemomenon might be linked to certain mindsents and psychological concepts, such as "the comfort of familiarity", "the fear of change", but most importantly, the perceived cost of switching, which we discussed in the previous article.
Rather than completely abandoning Windows people start by dual-booting (or even using a virtual machine) to run Linux alongside existing Windows installation, which kind of allows them to dip their toes into the Linux ecosystem while still maintaining the comfort and familiarity of using Windows on their PCs.
This approach seems wise and therefore appealing because it reduces the perceived cost of switching, but in reality, it's a form of procrastination, as it allows users to indefinitely delay committing to Linux due to the perceived risks and uncertainties associated with it.
But at the same time, users who are accustomed to Windows may find it way easier to resolve issues within that environment. If they encounter a problem in Linux, the instinct will 100% be to reboot back to Windows, where they feel more comfortable and confident.
Hey, if a videogame has weird audio issues like the crackling sound, or if it crashes randomly after a couple of hours of gameplay, it might take a while to localise and fix the problem on Linux, while on Windows, the problem itself might not even appear at all.
Linux can (and definitely will) present some technical challenges that require a deeper understanding of the system. Newcomers will be overwhelmed by the need to troubleshoot things. And believe me, the inconvenience and the fear of data loss will eventually drive them back to Windows.
While dual-booting might seem like a nice pathway to explore Linux, it is basically a large safety net that sometimes encourages users to retreat to Windows when faced with challenges. So, in order to switch to Linux successfully, you need to restructure your life
Restructure Your Life
If you think about it, switching to Linux is not that different than going to the gym. A bit intimidating at first, sure, but with enough persistence, support, and the community wisdom contained in the Arch Wiki, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.
I don't go to the gym often, but my wife and I love swimming! We drive to the swimming pool at least once every single week. But no matter how much we love swimming, we would 100% miss our training if we were to prepare our bags right before the next session.
In order to enjoy the relaxation that water brings, we have to pack our fins and goggles literally the same day we return home, as soon as they have dried out. I repeat: we prepare our backpacks multiple days before the next swimming session and keep them right at the front door in order not to miss the training. Why? Because if we had to pack our bags two hours before the session, we would never be able to find the energy and motivation to do it!
Same applies to switching to Linux. In order to sucessfully make a switch, you need to structure your life in such a way, that switching to Linux would require less effort and will become easier then staying on Windows.
Just like my wife and I have to pack our bags days ahead of our next training, you have to create routines and habits that will stop you from spending too much time using Windows.
If you need to reduce the time you're spending on it, just remove the dual-boot partition at all and install Windows on the separate SSD, and then simply disconnect it from your PC and put it in the closet. So every time you'd need to boot Windows in order to, let's say, play a videogame that requires troubleshooting on Linux, you'd have to open your computer case and plug SSD back into the motherboard.
It's not a daunting task if you think about it. Plugging it back will only take a few minutes, but will be inconvenient enough to stop you from implusievly doing it, meaning that you won't see this as a viable option. By doing this, you will quickly reduce the amount of time you spend on Windows every week simply by making it more difficult and inconvenient.
That may sound ridiculous, but for many, it is a necessary step. The truth is, switching is hard. It will always be. Ditching your familiar Windows routine is difficult. In order to succeed, you have to embrace the unknown and believe in yourself that you will eventually figure it all out.
Embracing the unknown
The best way to learn how to install and use Linux is to actually use it every day for extensive period of time. First, you have to reinvent your daily workflow. Start by writing down your tasks and the list of applications that you rely on most in Windows. Look for alternatives, available on Linux.
You can replace Microsoft Office with LibreOffice, Adobe Phtoshop with GIMP and Krita. If you are editing videos on Windows in Adobe Premier, learn a diffrent NLE that is available on Linux like Blackmagic's Davinci Resovle. Sadly, there is no propper Adobe Lightroom alternative that can compete with it feature to feature. But in that case you can reinvent your whole creative pipleline in RawTherapy or DarkTable.
If your work involves specific tasks, consider distributions tailored for those needs. The main goal here is to help you maintain the same level of comfort and productivity as you transition from Windows to Linux. While some applications may have different UI, they offer similar features.
But that is only half of the problem. You'd also need a ton of practice!
Practice
If you want to become a power user, practice managing drives and filesystems. If you want to become a Linux server administrator, practice managing servers. Practice writing simple shell scripts, practice configuring networks from the command line, practice starting and stopping systemd services, and practice changing firewall rules.
Learn how to troubleshoot things, how to deal with minor inconveniences, how to fix an unbootable system. Figure out when to upgrade, and what packages to upgrade first. It's your job to maintain your own system. And your particular distro of choice is going to be as stable as you want it to be. Also don't be afraid of seeking community support: Google your issues on Reddit, watch YouTube tutorials and ask on forum for guidance!
Predicting and solving problems before they appear is essential for maintaining your system's stability. To achieve this, it's important to understand the potential risks, learn how to protect your data, and implement measures to make your system more redundant. While it can be challenging to anticipate every possible issue, it's realistic to expect that you'll need to respond to problems as they arise. With hardware failures, human errors, and malicious attacks happenig all thte time, it's crucial to develop a routine for backing up your data and restoring it when needed.
The Upshot
In order to succed at switching to Linux, you have to overcome the fear of change and to cultivate a specific mindset that is necessary to learn a completely new operating system. Gradual exploration with live sessions and virtual machines and dual-booting will never get you the same result as taking a deep dive.
Embrace the change and view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Identify your essential applications, reinvent your workflow by reducing your dependency on them, familiarise yourself with the new desktop environment and terminal commands.
If you've been using Windows for your whole life, chances are high that it has the appealing convenience of familiarity, which will try to stop you from investing your time and effort into resolving problems on Linux. Resist.
Experiment, customise, and don't forget to restructure your life in order to create habits that will help you to break with Windows for good.
