r/linux • u/Zodiak1011 • 2d ago
Alternative OS Why does it feel like Linux is suddenly exploding in 2026?
I’ve been seeing more and more people switching to Linux this year, especially gamers. Bazzite, CachyOS, Linux Mint, etc. seem to be getting mentioned everywhere.
Why didn’t we see a massive shift like this earlier? What changed, or what finally pushed people to make the switch?
I know the Steam Deck was probably a big factor in showing people that Linux gaming is actually viable and that Linux isn’t as painful as it used to be.
But what else changed over the last few years that made Linux suddenly feel like a realistic alternative to Windows for so many people?
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u/chris_0611 2d ago
Windows. It just sucks suck so insanely much. I even hear 'normal' people complaining about it. Teams, Sharepoint, Windows updates, Start menu, search functions... Everything is just so incredibly sluggish and buggy.
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u/PoL0 2d ago
not only that. if you have dated hardware with low RAM win11 will run like shit.
install Linux and suddenly the hardware runs smoothly for day to day stuff. I just inherited an old HP laptop with 8GB or RAM (for the whole family to use) and windows was painful to run. installed Mint and it's a breeze.
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u/Jepser0203 10h ago
I'm literally running Mint XFCE edition on a HP ProBook with 2GB of RAM. Works like a charm, I mostly use it when I need to do stuff such as interact with different filesystems, fix my raspberry pi for the gazillionth time etc. This is also because BASH is much, much better than PowerShell.
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u/mrbuh 2d ago
Yeah I think the answer is more that Windows finally hit the tipping point where it's worse than ever, not that Linux is suddenly better than ever.
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u/chris_0611 2d ago
It's a combination of both really.
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u/BinkReddit 1d ago
This. The perfect storm; Windows is speedily getting worse daily while Linux is speedily getting better daily. Definitely a win.
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u/gargravarr2112 2d ago
Linux also had to be a viable alternative. Even my friend who's nearly afraid of technology has installed Bazzite and absolutely loves how much control he has over his PC. It's gotten much more user-friendly and with things like Fedora Atomic (which Bazzite is based on), rolling back after an update breaks is simplicity itself.
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u/malucart 1d ago
I should note snapshots aren't exclusive to atomic distros. I think most of the user friendly distros have that. Nobara, CachyOS, Manjaro are some that I know. The value in atomic distros is just in knowing that your system has the exact combination of packages that others do.
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u/Ocelot-79 2d ago
It's both. Linux is easy now. Many distros that come with complete setup and installing a new program can be safely and quickly done as flatpak as well. GUI programs already installed make using the terminal an option, not a necessity. Gaming is almost the same as windows through Steam.
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u/antichain 2d ago
What happened to Windows? Are they shipping vibecoded slop? Do they just care about consumers anymore? Do they all have post-COVID brain-damage? I genuinely can't understand how a corporation that ran the world could melt down this badly for no discernible reason.
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u/mrbuh 2d ago
I mean, they've been in a slow steady decline since... 98? Vista? I've always preferred Linux, but before Proton I kept a gaming desktop on Windows and I didn't hate win 7.
When's the last time any innovation came from them? All they do is make crappy knockoffs of features other companies/people invented and rely on their existing monopoly and corporate lockin to keep rolling.
They seem to think that they're so entrenched they can do whatever they want without losing customers.
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u/BinkReddit 1d ago edited 1d ago
Microsoft stopped caring; they just invest in the latest thing in the hope of turning a profit. No one there is taking ownership of making anything good anymore.
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u/Unquietgirl 20h ago
I mean, things just work with linux Now whereas they didn't before
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u/cornonthekopp 2d ago
I just switched to mint and its a breath of fresh air to not fight my computer for every little thing, to see updates as an optional but positive thing, vs windows where every update is an inevitable worsening of the service.
I just want something where im treated like a human being, whos allowed to control my own shit.
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u/Negromancer18 2d ago
I started using cachyos and was astonished when the update said it recovered a few MB of disk space.
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u/Particular-Serve3768 1d ago
yeah the update just slows down my computer more, and adds more stuffs i dont need like copilot everywhere, even in the file explorer lol
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u/classyraven 2d ago
It's not just Windows, too. I'm migrating from the Apple ecosystem after being in it for almost 20 years. The last straw for me was the monetization of the iWork suite, but it's been building up for me since the release of Tahoe.
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u/Ordinary_Price_2189 1d ago
Man how can a multi trillion company still cannot figure out local search. Dude just copy paste the KDE implementation and you are good to go.
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u/BestRetroGames 2d ago
Opening a PDF on my corporate Windows 11 machine, Lenovo Gen 2 T14 - 10 to 60 seconds (depends on how it feels)
Opening a PDF on my Celeron N5100 Acer 3 laptop - Kubuntu - 0.5 seconds
It is not a mystery, really.
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u/DGN-YT 2d ago
Honest question, good pdf editor (or at least reader) recommendation for Linux? I don't do pdf often but it'd help to know for when I need to.
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u/Timoroader 2d ago
I have the same on my work computer, how on earth can it take up to 60 seconds to open one pdf? And why does it take so long to boot the computer up from cold? And god forbid, right clicking on a document and try to open it with Notepad -- 5-10 seconds just to see the Notepad option! Like, what???
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u/Mamune 1d ago
I mean thats a good result but surely theres something wrong with your corporate machine???
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u/BestRetroGames 1d ago
Nothing 'wrong'.. it is working as designed. If you get a brand new one, if will be the same.
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u/Nuzid 1d ago
Most likely very aggressive anti-virus/-malware software policies on the machine. I’m a local admin on my device but Defender exclusions keep getting reset via group policy and killing Cortex XDR (or any other of the corporate security tools) will cause security to call me…
I moved everything that’s I/O-intensive to WSL as a workaround and will be looking at getting a MacBook once the current lease is up.
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u/msanangelo 2d ago
gestures at Microsoft
need I say anything?
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u/oakinmypants 2d ago
They use AI to enforce their IP taking down games like Allumeria and Luanti and have contracts with ICE.
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u/Ocelot-79 2d ago
I have windows 11 on my work PC. It's quite clear that MS is slowly moving towards making the OS cloud-based and it makes the computer not be a Personal Computer anymore, whereas Linux is still for PCs.
Save a file? Option to save it to OneDrive. email attachment? Option to save it to OneDrive. Log in? use an online account. Read email? It goes through the cloud first. Use Excel? Option to do it on the cloud, through office 365. Search on the web? Option use copilot instead.
Windows 11 is not quite there, but it's obvious where the whole thing is going. Today it's hybrid management, a few iterations down the road it could be cloud-first.
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u/smile_e_face 1d ago
I had to help some of our new people install Office on their Macs a while back. Had to do it manually because something messed up with the provisioning and I couldn't be assed to reach out to the team and get it fixed. Haven't dealt with Office in a while because I'm mostly on Linux or maybe a Mac and just use Google for document work. But they do, occasionally, need Excel, so...
Ended up having to trawl through the Godforsaken website for about three times longer than necessary, because the link to download normal, offline, desktop application Office was hidden behind no fewer than four links, starting at portal.office.com. Every single page before that was trying to shove the Copilot version down our throats. It's like they want people to hate using their products.
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u/ven_ 2d ago
Algorithms are getting better at showing you stuff you might like.
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u/gihutgishuiruv 2d ago edited 2d ago
This is the realistic answer.
Desktop Linux is currently doing really well with gamers and nerdy teenagers, which is more or less where it’s been doing well for the past 15 years
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u/psioniclizard 2d ago
I am pretty sure its this. We are just much better at retreating into our own little bubbles now.
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u/zeb_linux 2d ago
Win 11 and Youtube videos from mainstream tech (for the better and worse).
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u/dinglebarryb0nds 2d ago
Linus (tech tips) has been in a Linux kick
Then once somewhat tech people see that they tell their friends and parents
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u/Additional-Sky-7436 2d ago
And it's not just tech influencers. Lots of general content types are talking up Linux too.
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u/Qweedo420 2d ago
Windows is more disgusting than ever, Steam is showing people that Linux isn't just the command line, universal packaging formats like Flatpaks are taking hold, multiple monitor setups are now viable thanks to Wayland, and many famous youtubers are making videos about it
Edit: and now that I think about it, with the American empire collapsing, Europe is seeking an alternative
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u/Zodiak1011 2d ago
i agree.. microslop took a turn in a completely wrong direction
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u/nukacolaguy 2d ago
It’s good for them. It’s the wake up call we all needed to finally convince people to make the switch
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u/avveie 2d ago
They are supposedly doing something about it, but I hardly believe it’ll be enough.
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u/BrokenMayo 2d ago
“Potential ad removal from the interface”
Wonder what the subscription will cost lol
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u/madsdyd 2d ago
Not arguing, honestly curious: I have been running dual monitors since 2006 and dual + laptop screen since at least 2018. I have never experienced any problems or limitations. What exactly has changed with wayland regarding this area?
(Daily driving Linux since 1997. Yes, I am an old fart).
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u/Mother-Pride-Fest 2d ago
Wayland would be helpful if you had two monitors with different resolutions, as you could use fractional scaling to make them more similar. That said, X11 works perfectly fine for a normal same-resolution monitor setup, or even different resolutions if you're ok with them being the same scale.
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u/nobleisthyname 2d ago
Yeah I've been using dual monitors and Linux w/o issue since ~2011.
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u/Breaking-Away 2d ago
Same. This is mostly "humans are creatures of habit" and there’s been enough events that have caused people to try something new recently.
Windows 11 and the public opinion of the US declining internationally are the big two if I had to guess.
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u/AssistingJarl 2d ago
Not sure what the original commenter was thinking (I used dual monitors on X too) but as I understand it, X lacked support for different colour profiles or HDR support across monitors. Possibly that's useful for gaming, photo editing, or artists where they may have multiple monitors with significantly different configurations...?
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u/Qweedo420 2d ago
On X11, multiple monitors are actually considered to be one single extended monitor. This means that, for example, you can't set different refresh rates on the monitors without having synchronization issues, such as tearing or stuttering on the secondary monitor. Similarly, VRR and fractional scaling don't work very well on multiple monitors.
I use two monitors, 1080p/144Hz and 4K/60Hz, so these issues are very noticeable on X11.
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u/Easy-Reasoning 2d ago
Out of curiosity, have you been using the normal Nvidia drivers? These are very much not optional if you had anything to do with ML or just happen to have an Nvidia card and want to use all the features...
I used Multimonitor the first time in 2011 which just worked. However in 2017 I had some strange Lenovo workstation at work with an Nvidia Quadro card and I needed ML. It was possible with Debian testing/Ubuntu (alpha at first) but system updates were insanely unstable to the point I had to do clean reinstalls every 6 months.
That said, I'm again on a Lenovo laptop with Nvidia and it works fine with a recent Kernel. But after boot/reboot during graphical login quite often I need to switch to the console and back quickly so the secondary screen can "find its rhythm".
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u/TimurHu 2d ago
honestly curious: I have been running dual monitors since 2006 and dual + laptop screen since at least 2018.
Around 2010 when I first started using Linux, we had to manually edit an Xorg config file to make the system recognize a second monitor.
It also didn't work with hotplugging, so the config file needed to be changed when I plugged out the monitor.
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u/PlatinumDotEXE 14h ago
The only problem with multi monitor setups on X I ever experienced was outdated Guides telling you to edit weird config files... when everything can be easily configured with xrandr...
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u/Far-Note6102 2d ago
Don't know too. Seems like x11 is still doing it's job right. The only issue is that it's old :/
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u/arbicus123 2d ago
Windows was always disgusting. Maybe windows 7 was good, but since then its been a dumpster fire. The reason why people see windows 10 with rose tinted glasses is because of nostalgia and because 11 is even worse, but that doesent make 10 good.
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u/Jepser0203 10h ago
And it sets off a chain reaction. Once Linux becomes more publicly known (because more people start using it) this causes growth to accelerate, because people are starting to view the potential of it and it spreads through internet and word by mouth.
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u/full_of_ghosts 2d ago
Europe is pushing hard to break its dependence on American software, and Linux is kind of the only other game in town.
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u/Peetz0r 2d ago
Windows 11 has started sucking harder than usual. Also the idea of upgrading your hardware has gotten way way less appealing, and Windows 11 has hard CPU requirements that are frankly just weird. And Windows 10 has gone EoL.
Also steam+proton+dxvk has gotten not just good but also extremely easy to use. Hardware support for almost everything is mostly a solved problem now. Most other apps have moved to webbased solutions that work on every platform. These things happened earlier, but combined with the above it does help.
But to many of us, Linux has been a realistic alternative to windows for years or even decades. I don't even see it as an alternative to anything at this point. It has been my primary OS for most of my life. From my perspective, almost nothing has changed really.
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u/Adriannho 2d ago
I've been on Linux since 2007, almost 20 years now. Boy it was rough back then and Linux on user machines has become so much better lately. Threads like this just fill my heart with joy.
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u/Additional-Sky-7436 2d ago
This is always a funny comment to me, and I think it's something of a retcon of computing history. I've been using Linux since 2001. It had it's issues, but so did Mac and Windows. Like, I think it's really funny how nostalgic people are for Windows XP today. Like, people that used Windows XP back in the day thought it sucked. Apple made a whole, very popular, commercial series where they didn't even have to show Windows sucking, they could just generally refer to it sucking because everyone at the time knew it sucked.
Since the 90s, Linux has generally always been at least comparable in user experience as it's contemporary systems. It's so much better now because it's competition has regressed, not really because it pulled ahead.
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u/Over-Blacksmith3132 1d ago
Tested Linux around 1998, it was h*ll to make graphics start working.
Now running Linux Mint on 2019 stationary home built, so smooth. I dont need/use MS Office, CAD software or Photoshop... Almost everything works way better than Win 11 Enterprise on my work computer (with 32Gb of ram).
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u/DisgruntleFairy 2d ago
I think its primarily a combination of windows 10 / windows 11 and proton. I know for a long time the only thing that kept me on windows was gaming. Now I can play most of the games I want on Linux so I changed over full time.
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u/Additional-Sky-7436 2d ago
Change happens very slowly and then all at once.
I didn't really believe that the Linux migration was real, I thought the data could be more easily explained by bot or something like that. Until a few weeks ago when I casually brought up Linux in my office, which is full of intelligent but not really techie people. Everyone no only had heard of Linux, but generally knew what it was and most people had opinions about it. That's something that wouldn't have happened 5 years ago.
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u/SweetGale 2d ago
- Windows 10 end of life and dissatisfaction with Windows 11.
- Valve have tried to make Linux viable for gaming for a long time. With the Steam Deck and the new Steam Machine, they're signalling that it's finally ready.
- After Trump took office for the second time, there was a big movement to boycott or at least decrease reliance on US products. There aren't that many other alternatives to Windows and Mac OS.
- Critical mass. When you see your friends, family, colleagues or favourite YouTubers switch to Linux, it feels easier to do it yourself. It shows that it's a serious alternative. A lot of people I meet are suddenly either talking about or in the process of switching.
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u/MD90__ 2d ago
Yesterday I moved my grandma's laptop to Linux mint and she's amazed how fast it boots compared to windows 11. She loves it and everything just works and isn't bloated. I'd say people are getting tired of Microsoft bloat
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u/Tallginger32 2d ago
I just picked up a refurbished thinkpad and installed Mint. The boot time is crazy. It runs significantly faster than my relatively newer / higher spec Windows work laptop. Coming back to Linux after a long hiatus, and glad I made the jump.
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u/CarelessPackage1982 2d ago
proton & steam deck really kicked it off I think. Especially the Steam Deck because it was a device that came with it installed.
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u/LordEli 2d ago
as a linux user of 10+ years im switching to BSD
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u/ThatonlyGeO 2d ago
the year of BSD is coming for sure(but I do expect alot of the elitist may actually go there....)
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u/goatsegoaterson 2d ago
The year of BSD? Are we talking about the BSD family of operating systems? The ones that laid the foundation for the internet we use today? An operating system like FreeBSD who's code gets lifted from and inserted into other operating systems like the Apple family's and the Playstation's? OpenSSH from OpenBSD? LibreSSL? The windows networking stack? I could go on.
"BSD"'s year has been every year, for years. Their guts are in all kids of systems. You probably interact with something BSD based every day.
I guess another distinction to be made here is that Linux is a kernel. the "BSDs" are complete operating systems. There's a bunch of them, it's not a singular.
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u/ThatonlyGeO 2d ago
Yes Im aware that there are multiple BSD out there...but the BSD's(specially free and open) would enter the state of what linux is before kind of situation for there desktop market(but again this is a joke or a playful remark to the elitist that believe that their os they in their desktop should be an obscure one.)
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u/Pretend_Challenge_39 2d ago
Because microsoft is bullshiting again with windows by forcing you to do stuff...
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u/TheVenetianMask 2d ago
On top of all the other reasons, online support for Windows has been enshittified so much that is barely one step removed from percussive maintenance. Your average "computers friend" is probably as lost as you.
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u/ToxicBuiltYT 2d ago
Windows already sucked and it's exponentially been getting worse, and Linux has been exponentially getting better.
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u/No_Morning_6292 2d ago
Windows 11 helped push a lot of people over the edge. Microsoft took perfectly capable PCs and basically declared them obsolete with TPM 2.0, supported CPU lists, Secure Boot requirements, etc. Then you add the forced Microsoft account stuff, ads/recommendations, telemetry, UI changes nobody asked for, and constant pressure toward Microsoft services. Meanwhile Linux gaming got dramatically better thanks to Proton, Steam Deck, better drivers and distros like CachyOS, Bazzite and Mint becoming much easier to live with.
Linux didn’t suddenly become perfect — Windows just gave people a lot more reasons to finally try it.
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u/Fcking_Chuck 2d ago
People are starting to realize that Microsoft Windows might not be the best option.
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u/mongojob 2d ago
Storage and ram prices getting out of control made me realize that I'm going to be stretching my hardware a lot longer than originally planned. I've never not had videos Linux nodes doing various things but it's been 15+ years since my desktop has been daily driving Linux. Going really well so far
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u/daddy_schlong_legz 2d ago
Because foreign entities are trying to remove US dependency. I think china is the biggest player in doing so. They're phasing out windows ahead of schedule in the public sphere for a home grown linux distro, so it's not jump in logic to believe they're going to pick up linux in their private life as well.
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u/Creative-Ad653 1d ago edited 1d ago
For me and many others it was Recall. Microsoft rolled it back partly due to the backlash but the damage was already done (and then tried again IIRC? Haven't been in the Windows ecosystem since then so IDK).
Even though there was nuance to it, like it would only work on certain hardware etc and hadn't been rolled out to production yet, for me the idea of it was just the last straw. We all have a red line and mine was crossed there. I had enough of running an OS where at any moment it could do something I didn't like and I just had to deal with it because of the proprietary nature of Windows. You are not allowed to change anything about the system itself or fork it, the EULA that you are forced to sign to even use the system explicitly prohibits any reverse engineering of your own software that you bought regardless of the laws on that in your own country.
Windows has always been like that, but Microsoft has been way more callous lately and there are going to be consequences for that which includes users feeling like the sacrifice of learning and switching their workflow to Linux will be worth it to not have to deal with w/e Microsoft is cooking up next.
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u/BeginningEcho4983 2d ago
- Linux getting better
- Windows getting worse.
And beyond that the REAL user requirements diverging from whatever fairytale m$ has been dreaming about regarding cloud integration and software design and all...
(Really, who wants onedrive deleting your data at the 5GB limit because it forcefully wanted to sync everything and delete offline copies?)
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u/Szhadji 1d ago
Yes and no. Linux is definetly getting more popular but it is not exploding. Especially not in user share. You guys are just in an echo chamber and think it is exploding. Maybe it climbed from 4 to about maximum 4.5% if we are real. For many people the ease of use, compatibility and convinience of Windows is just better. For about 75% to 80% of people. All this talk about Linux gaming and content creation and it's still a worse experience then on Mac, let alone Windows. As long as there will be this much freedom in the Linux space there will be no change. But freedom is the whole purpose of the kernel so tough luck. If there would be a curated and agreed upon standard between distros and Linux as a whole maybe it could be something more.
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u/Fun-Sample336 2d ago
But what else changed over the last few years that made Linux suddenly feel like a realistic alternative to Windows for so many people?
Is there hard data to confirm this? Even if more people get disgusted by Windows, I would expect them to try Apple instead.
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u/Live-Imagination1350 2d ago
For me it was proton.
I have tried Linux in the past but never felt ready. After trying CachyOS more than a year ago there was nothing that could keep me in Windows anymore.
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u/citramonk 2d ago
for those who are working with Linux for a while it's not so "sudden" and actually been happening for the last 4-5 years or so.
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u/jeffrey_f 2d ago
My reason: Linux is a great option for an older computer. I have a 10 year old laptop that I run Linux on because it can still use the laptop. I have 2 repurposed with Linux
The truth is, since Linux is not centralized like MS and Apple, no one has a real headcount. The only "headcount" would be the diminishing headcounts on MS and Apple. And Apple has put great efforts into preventing other OS's from being installed on their hardware.
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u/danielsjt 2d ago
I’d say it’s the culmination of many things —
Microsoft’s EOL of Windows 10 and the negative feedback loop around Windows 11
People trying to extend life of computers (couldn’t tell you the last time some of my friends bought a computer, vs a new phone every couple years). This was the case even before prices started skyrocketing
Installers getting even easier and more simple, you can get an Arch-based distro deployed without ever touching the terminal
UX continuing to improve out-of-box — many distros are outright more attractive than Windows
Proton’s maturity driving influencers and gamers over to Linux, which then has them get a level of comfort with advocating to friends/family
Net - probably a different reason for each person, but enough good things lining up will definitely drive adoption at a macro level
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u/Agreeable_Turnip_261 2d ago
Hardware prices increasing making people want to get more out of older computers+valve working on steam
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u/rabbidearz 2d ago
Also, Atomic Distros (like Bazzite) just work so you don't have all the troubleshooting and headache in a totally new environment you once had. Just install and use.
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u/redditor100101011101 2d ago
Because digital fascism has been exploding lately. And open source has always been tech of the people.
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u/buzzfriendly 2d ago
Day 6890 and not a single forced app, system update, software program or AI of any kind. Its a rather compelling option if you ask me.
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u/mage_irl 2d ago
A lot of it has to do with coverage on YouTube. Take a look at the millions of views Linus Tech Tips is getting covering Linux. This is why I think video editing should be something that needs work, it's going to pull people over who will get users interested in Linux. Kdenlive is alright but simply not comparable to professional software like Davinci Resolve. I used Resolve on Fedora for a while, but it kept breaking, so I just dual boot into Windows now.
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u/viranth 2d ago
Because a lot more people ARE using linux than before, and your algorithms probably make you see more of it than before. There is still a long way to go for mass adoption, tons and tons of businesses will continue to use windows because software used will not work on linux. At my job that's how it'll be. I could probably get some bandaid solution working, but it will take time and probably break, so it will be a time sink and not worth the hassle. And for some machines you can't really mess around trying to make it work, because the machine HAS to work, and it's costing money for it to not be running.
When linux will have some sort of magical support, so it can run any windows program, then the masses will switch.
Oh and the AUR catastrophe also shows how vulnerable linux is, and as more and more people use it, more and more situations like that will happen. Before you go arguing against that, yes I know the argument against this, but with more and more NEW people coming in, it still has issues.
I switched 100% from windows 11 to linux this year, I love it. I will never go back, but my friends, family and work colleagues that aren't tech savvy, they will never switch unless it's as easy. I mean come on, a lot of people struggle with their cellphones.
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u/MunchieMunchy 2d ago
For me its my job. I work lightly with redhat but wanna jump more into linux admin roles / cloud engineering, so almost everything but my main gaming computer is fedora currently... and even then im ready to ditch the 3 shit tier games I play on windows only because the anti cheat doesnt work on Linux and get my last comouter onboard. Its just nice to have such freedom with the OS and now the main distros have never been more user friendly
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u/GreatBigPig 2d ago
It is the perfect storm.
Microsoft is providing a shit Windows experience, while Steam is creating the cornerstone of a newer Linux gaming advancement.
Microsoft Windows is a small percentage (8% I think) of profit for Microsoft, while the big earner for them is cloud and data services (around 40%), run in a large part on Linux based equipment. Microsoft has foolishly taken Windows users for granted, while other, smarter companies are starting to see the writing on the wall and take chances on alternatives.
Steam is a juggernaut.
They have the funds to do things their way, while avoiding the shit show that is Windows, whether in its current state, or the future mess it will become.
It feels like Linux is "suddenly exploding", but really it is just a bump in desktop usage, most likely due to gaming. Linus is already much more of a big deal than most people realize.
Linux is already a force to recon with, and has been for a number of years. A few examples:
- Linux is powering all of the top 500 faster supercompters
- 63 % of the servers on Earth are Linux
- 62% of embedded systems are Linux.
For Microsoft, they have themselves embraced Linux.
- Their Azure Linux, is a free and open-source Linux distribution developed in part by Microsoft. It serves as the base for cloud infrastructure and edge services. It is based on Fedora Linux starting with version 4.0. Today, 66% of customer cores in Azure run Linux, showcasing its integration into Microsoft's cloud services.
Back to Steam. Their decision to use Linux (Arch based) and create their own software to support gaming is a wise move. It is proof that a company can embrace Linux and profit. I think this snowball is rolling along and likely to get bigger as more corporations realise that partnering with Linux, will likely increase their success.
I remain optimistic in all this. I have used Linux on and off since installing it in late 1994 with Slackware Linux. I have enjoyed Redhat's Mother's Day release in May of 1995 and Debian's Buzz release in June 1996. Admittedly I have been forced to use Windows in its many forms throughout that time, as my career dictated that, but have always loved Linux.
I look forward to the day that Linux will occupy a much larger desktop usage, as that will be when most people will take notice.
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u/guidedhand 2d ago
You know part of it might be the crazy PC prices.
Like people looking for a change in that computer and that change isn't coming from a new PC now because it's too expensive, so they change the operating system and with the cost of living crisis the free way to do that is move to Linux. It kind of feels like microsoft gave up on changing windows other than adding AI bits to it that people hate
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u/TooManyPenalties 2d ago
More exposure there’s been a good bit of YouTubers and big tech ones like LTT making videos about it. That’s just one slice of the pie others in here have said what some of the other reasons are.
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u/Spookiest_Meow 2d ago
Because Windows 11 sucks, and compared to Linux it's complete garbage.
- Free
- Open-source
- Easier (depending on distro)
- Smoother
- Uses hardware more efficiently
- Games work better
- Does what you want, not what Microsoft and their advertising partners decide you want
- Doesn't put fucking ads in the GUI (dystopian bullshit)
- Doesn't spy on you
- Doesn't get infested with viruses when incompetent users click on things they shouldn't click on
- Wealth of choices - multiple base distributions and countless spins, many desktop environments
- Completely customizable. You can make it yours. You can do whatever you want. You have that freedom.
There are very few valid reasons to even use Windows at this point. Not none, just very few.
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u/freddyr0 1d ago
I've been reading the same stuff for 30 years, relax. You just got more interested maybe.
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u/VarietyMage 1d ago
The past 2 Windows updates made things horrible. DOSBox used to open instantly. Now it takes 10 FULL SECONDS.
Also, said updates are running so much stuff in the background that I can't kill, that one of my games crashed due to overheating where it NEVER did before.
I don't care if it's illegal surveillance or routine trash, it's got to go.
I just got my Mint install running today.
#FuckMicroSlop
#BanAI
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u/zavocc 1d ago
I'm using Linux because my 8gb daily driver machine tends to be slow overtime with windows, some electron based apps runs incredibly slow, and I've been quite frustrated with developer tools like python requiring you to install visual studio just to install pip packages, aside from WSL which had been solid but even then its a bottleneck considering its VM based where code server had been freezing the WSL2 instance.
I've seen MS trying to improve windows but it's going to take a while especially with the trust they broke over the years.
I'm also more concerned about the idea of GDID thing recently, who knows what other ways Microsoft had been fingerprinting our installations to be used against you even if you strip out Microsoft related services, the idea of having a device means you use it as a tool and your responsibility if something bad happens, not a surveillance system and Microsoft can suddenly arrest you at their own will.
I made a switch with Linux recently after years of using Windows, I mained Ubuntu and Fedora gnome and I'm surprised both runs buttery smooth on my mid range machine, even having a lot of applications open, it doesn't lag my computer if the resources goes peak.
I would really encourage more people to use Linux, even if it means you suggest them Ubuntu or Mint, It's miles better than Windows and removes any kind of frustration you had with Windows, gives you bit more freedom. If you don't mind switching from MS Office to Libreoffice or google doc, it's going to be smooth sailing.
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u/goalmaster14 1d ago
Microsoft shot themselves in the foot with me. I was only hanging on because of game compatibility. Once I got that working on Mint I stopped using windows for the most part. although, I still have it dual booted on one of my hard drives just in case I ever need it or one of my friends drags me over to Fortnite. I recently figured out I have to tinker with my games even less on Bazzite and switched over to that and think this is probably where I'm staying.
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u/kuddlesworth9419 1d ago
Software support, Windows problems not being fixed and getting worse in some cases and more media coverage.
I think the biggest factor is software support. I suspect a lot of people will switch to Linux if Adobe would support Linux but I doubt that will happen. Adobe has a stranglehold on a lot of media creation which is a shame especially in the photography industry. Even though their are alternatives to Adobe software a lot of people won't use anything else.
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u/TestingTheories 1d ago
Most apps run on browsers now. That’s been the big shift from my perspective. So I even do my day job for government (MS Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, Service Now, Trello) all on Linux Mint.
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u/StillWorthEveryPenny 1d ago
I recently switched to linux for the first time and I have no friends that have made the switch yet so among my group i'm the pioneer so here's my reasons for finally cutting over:
Microslop recall will soon be non-optional, for sure.
Tired of microsoft apps constantly spamming me with ads for their products when i'm doing things (onedrive, xbox store, etc)
How clear it is that microsoft fucking hates it's users. They really seem to have this mindset of 'what are you gonna do piggy? you've been on windows for forever. Whatcha gonna do? switch? lmao. Have more enshittification slop".
Linus Tech tips video's showing how it's pretty easy and if you aren't doing something super specific then linux is probably already a better experience, linux uses less resources in the background b/c it's not spying on you constantly.
Also, i know some people are going to call this dramatic but tech has gotten 'rapey' if you know what I mean.
Meaning, they pop up an add for shit, and the two options are 'yes daddy' and 'ask me again later'. Why is there not a 'no' or 'never show me again'. They're removing our ability to not consent to things.
Proton's existence. Gaming in linux being stable for the overwhelming majority of games, made the switch possible.
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u/sayhisam1 16h ago
I might get flak, but AI massively favors open source over closed source.
I've had a blast modding my DE and other random things using AI, or debugging weird issues. Windows by comparison feels archaic, closed, frustrating.
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u/TehSvenn 2d ago
Linux development got a cash injection at valve, making it more usable by the average consumer, while windows got worse (and sentiment towards legacy big tech got way worse).
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u/Lost_Ad_2317 2d ago
Sovereignity. European authorities are experimenting Linux as a measure to rely less on the US.
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u/Daniel_Writes_Things 2d ago
It is just a feeling.
We got old users, new users, and high number of new “users” that just install every possible gadget and put it on desktop despite not knowing difference between operating systems and toasters; basically people who brag around they “use” Linux.
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u/sexystriatum 2d ago
How do you think about the popularity of installing linux on Windows 11 virtual box.
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u/Gunzhard22 2d ago
Windows sucks, AI shoved down everyone's throat, techno-oligarchs literally ruining the world, so "fuck em let's use Linux".
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u/vexatious-big 2d ago
Fun fact: the Linux kernel and Windows NT (which is the base for all modern Windows) are about the same age - around 30yo.
They took vastly different approaches though, and have historically appealed to different categories of people.
I would say that Windows and Linux have not truly been competitors on the desktop up until a couple of years ago, as Linux has never truly appealed to the masses before.
But don't forget that MS has tried to badmouth Linux in the past by calling it: a cancer, communism or un-American. I will remind you that GNU has started in the USA.
MS with Windows 11 in particular have become complacent and they thought that users would not leave their platform irrespective of how poor the user experience becomes.
Apparently they are having a rude wake-up call now.
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u/lunchbox651 2d ago
Etc etc
The more of these things compound the more some people will gravitate to an open source OS