Linux is a Drift Car...That Drifts AF

Written by rajvirsingh1313 | Published 2022/08/04
Tech Story Tags: linux | linux-and-unix | learn-linux | linux-tips | linux-writing-contest | linux-for-newbies | windows-vs-linux | hackernoon-top-story | hackernoon-es | hackernoon-hi | hackernoon-zh | hackernoon-vi | hackernoon-fr | hackernoon-pt | hackernoon-ja

TLDRLinux provides more control and power to the user while making it friendlier and more productive while other systems don't let you do so as to just delete an admin-level folder in windows even being the owner of the device you have to go through many steps or sometimes you can't even delete it. The current best distros for beginners are Pop_OS and Ubuntu 22.04. Linux has great desktop customization. Also, there are a number of tools and extensions to use. The Linux is great overall to it's alternatives due to community being humble and hardworking.via the TL;DR App

Check out HackerNoon’s Linux Writing Contest and write about your own experience with Linux. You can also take inspiration from HackerNoon’s Linux Writing Prompt.

I am a Developer / Student / Freelancer / Artist / Gamer / Weeb.

These words describe my daily schedule and my personality. I have used ubuntu for a year or so, And let me tell you it is great except for a few caveats.

These 10 questions summarize my full byte-to-byte experience with this epic piece of 1’s and 0’s

1. Why do you prefer to use Linux over macOS or Windows?

It is the same as using iPhone, it is reliable and quick, and easy in context for everybody but it does have a learning curve similar to apple os when you first buy an apple product.

Will, you feel good if you are in the passenger seat of your most loved car, definitely not right? You wanna roll that piece of iron around the road, and take over all of the controls. You want to be the admin and the all-mighty in here besides that sweet engine called the kernel.

Linux gives you that power, it lets you take control and lets you roar with the engine. Windows makes you the passenger in your own beloved car, it takes control. For some it is good but for many, they wanna tune that thing up.

I use Linux for just that sweet terminal control, which just lets me do anything. Besides that, it got an enthusiastic community, and you can rice your desktop like a real tuner

2. Which is the best Linux distro that you have used?

I haven’t hoped around too many distros, Just use ubuntu cause it is easy to set up. But it dones’t really matter because with Linux you can do whatever the heck you wanna do…

Still, I think Pop_OS is getting good, and even better than any other. But Ubuntu 22.04 is also looking very promising as canonical wants to set a standard for the desktop environments.

3. What is the best thing that you love about Linux?

Customizability and Control

Linux doesn't limit you, this may be outrageous to some. But without getting deep in settings to just delete some folder for which I don’t have permission even though I know the password of the device. Is simply wonderful, to just use a terminal to manage everything.

Try before you install

And one more notable mention, There is that little option that lets you play around with the distro before you install. It is such a powerful feature that you can carry a pen drive around and just plug it into any PC and just start working from where you left off. Like yeah, people do it, you would often hear people using Kali Linux from just a pen drive. It is really helpful for a newcomer to test the best distro that fits their needs or whether the distro is having drivers correct.

4. What is your favorite customization for your Linux Desktop?

Desktop customization, terminal customization.

That body kit is wideeee

I use this configuration for my desktop. I use Tweaks to save my customization settings, It is different for every distro.

Desktop Appearance

I use Pling for discovering new Gnome shell themes and icons. Currently, I am using Tokyo Night Dark. And WhiteSur Dark icons.

Terminal

I am using Gogh, which is an open-source collection for the Ubuntu terminal. I have installed all the themes to test from, It’s GitHub website also lets you see how the terminal will look with every theme.

5. What would be your word of advice for beginners in Linux?

Google Everything, And take things easy.

Just drift in second gear

Wanting to try another distro, just get a pen drive and boot it with the distro you want to try, and just jump into it. Like seriously as I mentioned before, Every distro out there is made to be liked, not to be lost in.

Don’t fear, Just google it whether it is just a small driver issue, or your device is not booting up. There is a solution for it if there isn’t, There is a community just waiting there to help you. I personally just search on google, and there is already a solution for it. The same thing works for me when I am working on software, I just google it and there is already a solution.

If you are lost between choosing one distro from hundreds of Linux distros, then just choose Pop_OS or Ubuntu 22.04. I think made it less difficult but it’s still a difficult choice, so choose between whether you like Cyan or Purple. It’s easier now right? Lol

And don’t worry it will run.

It will drift even with a potato PC

Linux can run on a 15-year-old device. Like seriously.

6. What are some of the myths about Linux that you would like to bust for our readers?

If you are thinking that your drivers wouldn’t be compatible with Linux or that Linux is a just hacker’s thing, then you are wrong ( a little right with the drives one ). Linux and the OSS ( Open Source Community ) are working every ounce of their power to make it the best possible. So don’t worry, If your super exquisite GPU manufacturer dones’t provide Linux drivers then don’t sweat because there would be already an open source driver for it.

7. What are some of the tools and plugins that you recommend using with Linux for a fantastic experience?

I use extensions or you may call plugins. These plugins are little applications running in the background which makes your experience better.

I use Gnome Shell Extensions for finding extensions. But some are not available there, so you can just search their names on google, and you can install them from their GitHub repos or websites.

It is the same for the tools, you can just search their names and you will find a guide explaining them in detail from installation to use.

Here’s my list of favorite extensions and tools.

8. What are some disadvantages of Linux from your experience?

Compatibility

Some engine swaps aren’t possible

Yes, it is a disadvantage, I really wanted to use Fusion 360. As I am getting into the 3d printer hobby. It is disappointing and sad when you suddenly get to know that the program you have been using for years suddenly doesn’t support the os you switched to.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any solutions. There is Wine and just straight-up better alternatives for the same program. Like I found for the Fusion 360, FreeCAD.

9. What excites you about the future of Linux? What are your expectations for Linux in the upcoming years?

It’s fun, It is just start of the touge

I just get excited as I feel how Linux is affecting the world, how it is getting better and better, and showing how strong the OSS community is. I expect that there would be more polished distros, and more compatible software to run. As seeing gaming has taken off with the release of SteamOS. It feels great to experience and sees it grow.

10. Will you still use Linux if macOS or Windows were more privacy-oriented and even a bit open-source?

You own the car because the car’s history reflects your personality

Yup, I will still use Linux. As even if Microsoft did then their bit open source and bit our open source definitions don’t align up. And Apple and Microsoft aren’t gone change their habit of putting the user into a passenger seat. I haven’t used MacOS personally so I can’t be sure. But both represent cooperation, not a single open source team working and just living on the donations of supporters.


That’s it, folks, I am not a good writer 😅. So let me know how it is. I hope I have convinced you to drift with Linux.

Have a great day, and stay safe.

Check out HackerNoon’s Linux Writing Contest and write about your own experience with Linux. You can also take inspiration from HackerNoon’s Linux Writing Prompt.


Written by rajvirsingh1313 | A Programmer and Material Scientist
Published by HackerNoon on 2022/08/04