Xubuntu, Fedora, and Windows 10-11

So, I was pretty used to using windows 10. and had been using it pretty much since 2015. I jumped to it after using windows 7, never liked or used windows 8 outside of the school provided craptop from 2015-2016. I used to love using windows 7, I never understood mac os and I don't think I even knew what linux was at the time, but switching over the fresh and new windows 10 was cool. I liked the look, I was a little pissed that they updated MS office, since I had just gotten a certification in MS office 2007, and I didn't like, and still don't like the changes made to office.

Years later, now in 2022, after using windows on my PC and laptop-surface tablet I made the switch over to Xubuntu Linux. The reasons being was that I was tired of mainly 3 things with windows 10, first being the customization. I remember there being vibrant and really full theme changes you could install and get for windows 7. you could really make the whole thing look cool in different ways. I missed all of the sounds of using your PC, Windows 10 is pretty much silent, and changing the look of the OS is difficult and in trying to do so I fan into lots of errors and things would break. basically its made to not be messed with. second was uninstalling and dealing with shit I didn't want on my computer

Windows 10 now comes with so much bloat-ware that was just a pain in the ass to uninstall. it takes up storage and memory and Microsoft puts it on there without consulting the user. I was irritated with having to deal with uninstalling new stuff every time I had an update. which leads on to problem number 3

the updates, constant and unavoidable updates that you could have to stop using your PC for. It would also try to pull that sneaky shit where if you wanted to turn off or restart your pc you only could if you updated it at the same time. I hated this and it could really turn into a problem when you need your computer for time sensitive stuff.

SO, in 2022 when I was trying to spice up the look of my windows 10 desktop PC I got tired of shit breaking and windows 10 not having good customization to look for other operating systems. I stumbled upon the Chicago 95 theme for OS's using XCFE and was so impressed that you could really use a modern PC with the look of windows 95 that I said "F*ck it" and installed Xubuntu on a VM and tested it out for a while.

I never used linux before and the experience is a bit different, but good different. I fully switched over and installed Xubuntu linux with the Chicago 95 theme. its AMAZING. I really wish I could donate to the  people that made a theme this good, its genuinely the coolest experience, especially if you're a retro computer nerd like I am. Xubuntu itself is great too, its barely any space on my hard drive, super customizable (though I basically haven't switched anything since installing the ch95 theme), all updates are on your terms, there isn't any bloat/spyware on here and uninstalls are really easy once you get the hang of using a terminal.

That is one thing about using Xubuntu though, you will want to get used to seeing a terminal and inputting commands. sometimes that is good thing though, it can be faster than dealing with installers if you need something right away.

There are downsides though. the most irritating thing I've had to deal with is the incredibly unintuitive file system. Thats the one thing I still can't wrap my mind around. windows has a pretty straight forward file system...I think, to be fair it is what I grew up with.

I've also had issues where some games aren't working now, from steam neither elite dangerous nor BF1. there are some thing I should be able to do to make them work... but nothing I've found can these games launch. aside from that, mostly everything else I have tried works. Even my drawing app that is made for windows and Mac will launch on Xubuntu with 0 issues or lag thanks to wine(a linux program for running windows programs)

After not really using windows 10 for a long time I wanted to make some use of my surface pro, which is a laptop like tablet (with keyboard) running windows 10, for school work and studying. I decided that I needed it wiped clean, after 4-5 years of use nearly all of the storage was gone and I needed something fresh. so I re-installed windows 10 on the device only to learn that the whole MS office had gone SUBSCRIPTION. so FUCK THAT, I kicked windows right back off of there, I was done with the whole Microsoft experience and I installed a different linux distribution onto the tablet. I installed 'Fedora' which is a very different look and experience.

Fedora on the surface is great if you're doing what I was using the tablet for. meaning mostly Libre-office (linux alternative to MS office) and firefox. I havent tried really anything outside of that, as I only have the intent on using it for study.

so, windows 11? haven't touched it yet! but I will be seeing it for, likely a brief moment in 2-3 days. I ordered a new surface laptop go 2. The laptop should be pre-loaded with windows 11. my intention is to replace my surface pro which is nearly 5-6 years old now with the surface laptop. my intention is to also use it to study, so I'll probably use fedora linux again. which has this very clean Mac OS look to it that kind of makes it distraction free for better studying. I'll poke around windows 11 for a minute of course, but I have heard nothing good about it from my friends who use it. I've been suggesting they make the switch too, and one of them already does a dual win11-monjaro boot because he uses both.

so, whats the point of all of this. don't use windows, help people make the switch over to linux I think. or... use Apple? I can't believe I'm saying it but apple fans actually really got a point. I recently looked around at the apple ecosystem and, yeah thats actually a really solid deal IF you're making a big switch. I still want my PC using something different from my laptop and phone, so I'm not making a total conversion to a new eco-system. but I can see why someone would now. either way, fuck Microsoft's software, their hardware is actually good though.