linux or windows?

For anything non-gaming I use Linux.

For anything gaming I still use Linux.

81

You had me in the first half. Not gonna lie.

14

I use arch btw.

52

Been 100% Linux for over 3 years. All my servers, my fancy gaming PC, my personal laptop, my side business laptop, my work laptop, my Steam Deck, all Linux.

No dual boot, I have a single Windows VM on my work laptop to test Windows apps because my workplace is a Windows shop.

I don't miss Windows even a little bit. I am so much more free and enjoy computing way more now.

27

TempleOS

24

Could you not make me feel miserable out of nowhere? I am a mostly decent person?

4
The only honest answer in the whole thread

4

Permanently Linux since 2001. Debian is life.

21

Ay, recently jumped on debian!

Running debian on a vm, till I get familiar enough to fully replace my win10 os (probably in 9months max).😄

4
Same, since debian potato, and forced to use windows in my work.

4

Linux

21

Windows. /s

The diagram of Linux fans and Lemmy users is pretty much a single circle.

19

“How do I get my Mac to do this thing?”

“Use Arch”

1

Both. I'd prefer Linux because it respects me as a user, but unfortunately too much stuff constantly breaks to fully convert. The moment I can play Assetto Corsa with all my mods using my wheel in VR I'll consider fully switching. Many other games already work though, so I'm slowly converting to using Linux as my default and Windows as the exception instead of the other way around.

(I use Arch btw)

15

Which wheel do you use?

1
- Forgot the number, but one of the most common Logitech ones. Right now I'm not even getting past the first hurdle though, which is getting Assetto Corsa with Content Manager and mods to start. I spent a few hours on it and then decided that I had better things to do with my time
  
  2
There are distros that don't break

1

i get to use linux at home, im forced to use and support windows at work

15

Linux, it fits my needs better on desktop, and is much less painful to troubleshoot than Windows, with more freedom and control than macOS.

10

Yes

8

On laptop Arch Linux with KDE because all is automatic, on gaming PC Arch Linux with i3wm because games and all runs so fast and so well.

8

i3 is so great!

1

Windows to play pirated game

Linux for everything else, including work.

7

windows ftw (forced through work) linux btw (because tortuous work)

7

Are there seriously no lemmy users on a Mac? Lol.

I use Debian.

7

I do use a Mac and I hate it... It's a birthday gift from my family, because owning a Mac makes the "man"...

Uuhg, I always need to learn things twice... First how it works on Linux and than how to reproduce the same on Mac...

There are to many shitty workarounds that do not behave the same way Linux does even though it's UNIX based.

.plist files comes to mind

how to make a samba share mount on boot/access

Default's to zsh

Shitty default terminal and dumb keyboard shortcuts...

Default applications are useless... (Thanks homebrew 👏)

I fucking hate it... And after 4 years of intense use I still do not understand why people would willingly buy something like that closed crap ecosystem. Maybe just a hipster thing...
4
lonely Mac user pops in to say hello

3
I bought a old Imac at a thrift store and put XFCE on it. It was a great machine until the power supply finally gave out. I would do it again if I had the chance.

2
- When I was studying radio production at uni back in 2010, the Adobe Audition editing suite was rammed full of 2009 iMacs, all running WinXP. It was a bit of a headfuck for a moment, but iMac hardware was second to none, the uni must have got a decent discount from Apple to buy that many, and at the time Audition was Windows only.
  
  And to be fair, they made for excellent editing machines.
  
  2
Are there seriously no lemmy users on a Mac?

Artist are probably still on Reddit to access the larger user base.

2
My work computer is a MacBook since I need it for JAMF stuff but all my personal machines are Linux or dual-booted w/Windows

1

Linux for gaming Linux for servers Linux for desktops/notebooks Linux at work Linux for mobile

7

Both. It's not like you have to use only one.

6

Permanently Deleted

5

Oh hello! I also use Arch. Initially I just installed it on one machine for the meme but it's been so good it's now on both desktop and laptop. The meme is also still fun.

1
- Permanently Deleted
  
  2

GNU/Linux only, with KDE Plasma for desktop as possible. Using it on work laptop (Kubuntu), home laptop (openSUSE Tumbleweed), PC (openSUSE Tumbleweed, also used for gaming), Steam Deck (Arch-based SteamOS). I don't use spyware/adware so Windows is out of question for me. Also it is not free as in freedom and opensource.

5

Nice to see another openSUSE Tumbleweed user!

3

Windows and Linux dual boot on my PC. Linux on Steam Deck (obviously, since it's the default)

5

Linux, but I keep windows on the other drive just in case I need a windows only app. Rarely happens except for VR.

5

I switched to using Manjaro full time recently

4

Manjaro

I highly recommend avoiding manjaro like the plague, their team is incredibly incompetent (see: https://manjarno.pages.dev/ ), I say this as someone who has given people manjaro for years and regretted it, I was also their it person, manjaro regularly broke every few months and gave people a very bad taste of linux

for example, why are kernels given version numbers in packages? This caused 3 separate peoples computers to break multiple times. Everything good about manjaro comes from arch, everything bad about manjaro comes from the manjaro team.

Y’know how it’s not rolling release because they delay packages by 2 weeks? They actually do no testing in this time. How do I know this? They pushed an update that caused steam to uninstall your desktop environment. Famously covered by linus tech tips… this is something that should have easily been caught, and yet the two week window did absolutely nothing.

the truth is for manjaro there is no real usecase, there’s no set of desires that align with manjaro being the best choice for you. I am not asking you to switch away from manjaro, but I do not think we should ever recommend it to anyone, and on your next machine, I recommend trying the arch installer.

But if what you’re looking for is an easy pre-setup arch, use endeavoros

If you want something simple and up to date, use fedora kinoite

If you’re a power user and want to configure every little thing about their system, use arch or nixos

If you don’t care at all about updates and want the most rock solid system possible, debian.

0
- Oof, that sounds really bad... I haven't had any issues with it so far in the ~3 years I've been using it (I had it on my old T430s for the longest time); don't even know how I first found out about it, I think it got a lot of coverage when it first came out.
  
  I'm not trying to discredit your comment, far from it, neither am I really recommending Manjaro; I know that there are better alternatives but I'm a lazy bum, so I just installed the first distro that came to mind (kinda embarrassing considering how meticulously I planed every other aspect of my switch-over to Linux). Thanks for your comment, though.
  
  Do you have any tips for me as far as staying on Manjaro is concerned?
  
  1

macOS, mostly.

Been fiddling with Mint lately on my 2011 Macbook Pro, with a view to using it for self hosting a bunch of stuff, but haven’t really had the time / brane capacity to really figure it all out.

Windows can lick my anus. I have Win11 in a VM on my work Mac, and it’s dreadful.

4

Built a new computer last year and didn't want anything to do with win11, so I switched to Linux Mint. I really like it, and there's a lot of help all around online. Thankfully because of Proton, I haven't had any trouble playing any game yet. It's been great!

I do miss ClipStudio for painting and OneNote for ttrpg notes, but I've been making due with Krita and Notion.

4

GNU/Linux for life. Winbooze only at work, sadly.

4

Linux all the way, for loads of practical and ethical reasons

4

Linux. Couldn't be arsed dealing with Windows.

3

Linux.

3

GNU Guix FTW.

3

Can't get any more GNU/Linux than that, nice.

2

Currently Debian.

3

Fedora KDE on home computer
Manjaro KDE on wife's computer
Endeavor Sway on small laptop
MX Linux XFCE on GPD Pocket
Fedora GNOME on work non-sanctioned laptop
Ubuntu WSL on work sanctioned laptop

3

Manjaro

I highly recommend avoiding manjaro like the plague, their team is incredibly incompetent (see: https://manjarno.pages.dev/ ), I say this as someone who has given people manjaro for years and regretted it, I was also their it person, manjaro regularly broke every few months and gave people a very bad taste of linux

for example, why are kernels given version numbers in packages? This caused 3 separate peoples computers to break multiple times. Everything good about manjaro comes from arch, everything bad about manjaro comes from the manjaro team.

Y’know how it’s not rolling release because they delay packages by 2 weeks? They actually do no testing in this time. How do I know this? They pushed an update that caused steam to uninstall your desktop environment. Famously covered by linus tech tips… this is something that should have easily been caught, and yet the two week window did absolutely nothing.

the truth is for manjaro there is no real usecase, there’s no set of desires that align with manjaro being the best choice for you. I am not asking you to switch away from manjaro, but I do not think we should ever recommend it to anyone, and on your next machine, I recommend trying the arch installer.

But if what you’re looking for is an easy pre-setup arch, use endeavoros

If you want something simple and up to date, use fedora kinoite

If you’re a power user and want to configure every little thing about their system, use arch or nixos

If you don’t care at all about updates and want the most rock solid system possible, debian.

1
- I fully expected someone to respond like this, but here's the thing...
  My wife and I moved over to Manjaro when it was the hot new thing and we were new to Linux. She stays on LTS and only updates a couple times a year - and thusly have had no issues at all with it. I'm not about to demand that she let me re-image her computer and undo all of her customizations just because the internet hates Manjaro.
  
  Simple fact is that she's on Linux and I'm proud of her for being willing to take that step.
  I named several other distros including the very ones that you man-splaned to me, don't get hung up on the one ;)
  
  2
- I don't know about all the details but yeah I had a bad feeling with manjaro and a lot of people argued against it. Followed my guts and a happy EndeavourOS user :)
  
  1

Linux. Seems like Windows comes with a lot of baggage these days.

3

Ditched windows several months ago now :3

3

I use both. Windows for the domain, backup, Video-surveillance, emby and some other critical things, and linux for proxmox and a lot of diverse vms. Mainly ubuntu lts.

It's not a religous thing, it's a pragmatic one. Best tool for the job

3

Linux (windows at work tho).

3

Windows at home because use computer only for gaming.

Windows at work because required.

Like Linux and used it for years but don't have a usecase currently that justify it.

3

i switched to linux exclusively i think in 2011. currently using mx linux on my desktop.

3

Linux

I distro hop often but im currently using debian.

3

I'd use linux in a heartbeat if it was supported by the tools I use for work.

3

I use Fedora 40, with KDE spin since I'm not a fan of the GNOME UI. I actually have windows on a sperate SSD on standby just in case I need some program that won't work even on WINE. The user experience is much better than windows, no random bugs/inexplicable disconnection of USB devices, No ads, No random bloatware that can only be uninstalled through the terminal like edge, The right-click menu doesn't take 6 seconds to load for inexplicable reasons & it doesn't raise the temperature of my PC by 10C because I opened my web browser or VSC

3

Linux, but sometimes I have to use Windows.

2

Linux Mint

2

Permanently Deleted

2

Linux desktop and laptop

2

Linux for 10 years now.

2

I like that you're asking this on Lemmy, home of Linux lovers.

2

MS-DOS. Just joking, Linux, obviously.

2

Both. I have a desktop running Ubuntu (though I am strongly considering switching to debian) I use that for most computer related tasks and activities. I also have a gaming laptop running windows I dig out for some VR (it has a better gpu) and professional gigs like design or video editing.

I would install linux on the laptop, but I can't live without a few programs I have never successfully gotten running under linux (Resolve and the affinity suite). I could dual boot my desktop into rock linux (which is the only "official" resolve distro) and try to get affinity running under wine. I have been out of work for a few years though, so removing windows from the laptop isn't a high priority.

2

Dual booting WinOs 11 and OpenSuse Leap 15

I only use OpenSuse rarely tho.

Need Win11 to run stuff like Ansys for college.

2

I can't get SteamVR to work in Linux unfortunately, it's the primary thing preventing me from deleting my Windows partition

1

What issue do you have?

1
- Using the Index, SteamVR keeps throwing a display not found error for the headset. Tracking seems to be registering but the screens remain black. I saw some people say that replacing the trident cable fixed this issue for them, but I am doubtful since it just works in Windows. I tried the stable, legacy, and beta versions of SteamVR, all to the same effect. Also tried changing the amount of displays connected and what port the headset uses. I imagine it's some sort of display driver issue (Nobara linux, wayland on nvidia) but I have not been able to figure it out.
  
  1

I use Debian testing (Linux) for the most part. I maintain a Windows VM for Apple Music.

1

I use all 3, ordered by how often I use them: Linux > MacOS (hackintosh) > Windows

1

Desktop:

Windows. Got the thing a few years ago and didn't bother installing Linux since I was still new to it and didn't have the drive to learn enough about Linux to go through with it. Haven't done it now because I'm probably upgrading in less than a year and no point since I can just use it for experimenting with server stuff.

Laptop:

My last couple laptops have ended up with Linux on it. On my absolutely shitty pawnshop laptop I broke something in windows, making it so I couldn't do a lot of admin things since there was technically no admit account. Didn't feel like paying for a fresh installation on the shitty thing, so I instead switched it to Ubuntu, which I had in a thumb drive because I was trying to follow a guide telling me how to fix my windows issue, which didn't work at all.

My current store bought laptop runs a Debian fork that I wanted to try, MX. I quickly ran through the win11 setup process before removing that bloatware OS off it. Now I have things set up in a way that works just right for me, despite not being able to figure out why the headphone jack has a problem where it'll only play very staticy, very low volume sound at max volume depending on how loud the original audio is. I've given up on that, though, because I'm not smart enough to figure it out and have already switched to a wireless bluetooth set that works.

1

Windows. Can't be arsed to deal with Linux.

1

As much as I'd like to use Linux, I use windows because I need OneNote, Teams and Office.

1

I am in school, and make heavy use of Teams and Office, and do just fine in Linux! 365 on the web, Libre Office, and Teams in a Flatpak. My instructors can't wrap their heads around it. I'm the only one in my program! (IT, no less.)

13
- I should've added - I'm a teacher and make regular use of inking, classroom integration in OneNote, teams assignments to word for pen comments, excel macro workbooks, SharePoint syncing etc..
  
  Unfortunately web wrappers for office lose to many features.
  
  Plus (on my last look) the cameras on my surface pro would never work, so that's another bust.
  
  1
https://snapcraft.io/p3x-onenote
https://snapcraft.io/teams-for-linux
https://snapcraft.io/ms-365-electron

1

Mainly linux but i have windows for when i need to scan something or run programs that won't start trough wine. Mainly the driver for my hp printer since scanning doesnt work with hplip

1

Windows, namely because Paint Tool SAI only runs on Windows...

1

Windows. Albeit 11 sucks so much that I fully intend to give Linux a shot at my next hardware upgrade.

Running windows mostly because I really don't want to fight or research, etc... after doing just that 40hr+/WK. You folks have me convinced it won't be the hell past experience made it to be.

Laptop runs debian but I don't use it much.

1

Linux Mint, Debian edition for my PCs, Debian for my servers.

Edit: Win11 at work.

1

Right now trying out Arch to get rid of my windows machine. It still has a lot of quirks but its fine so far. Most alarmingly i still have to find out how to make it use my grapics card properly.

1

My primary machine is still Windows, but pretty much all of my other machines run some version of Linux. The only reason my primary is winows is because I do a lot of 3d modeling and gaming. (Yes I own a steamdeck and it works really nice, but some of my fav's still refuse to just click the "let anticheat work on Linux" button.)

1

I use both

Windows at work and Arch at home.

1

Windows, but I'm looking to get a laptop I can dual boot into Linux. The pipeline strikes again.

1

I was dual booting windows NT4 and Slackware 3.0. A lot of my old 3.11 and 95 software didn't work on NT4, so eventually I stopped using it.

I've moved on to Arch Linux, now, but the software I use to sync my palm pilot doesn't work. It's available in the AUR, but it won't build.

1

Switched to Mint for desktop. Been mostly fine. Getting it installed was surprisingly harrowing. Annoyed that most mod tools for games are targeting windows. I guess I have to figure out wine and its whole prefix system.

1

installed ubuntu as dual boot, but windows gladly broke, currently using ubuntu

0

Windows due to gaming.

0