this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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I have used Windows all my life, and I have some questions. (lemmy.world)
submitted 20 hours ago by ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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Basically the forced shift to the enshittified Windows 11 in october has me eyeing the fence a lot. But all I know about Linux is 1: it's a cantankerous beast that can smell your fear and lack of computer skills and 2: that's apparently not true any more? Making the change has slowly become a more real possibility for me, though I'm pretty much a fairly casual PC-user, I don't do much more than play games. So I wrote down some questions I had about Linux.

Will my ability to play games be significantly affected compared to Windows?

Can I mod games as freely and as easily as I do on Windows?

If a program has no Linux version, is it unusable, or are there workarounds?

Can Linux run programs that rely on frameworks like .NET or other Windows-specific libraries?

How do OS updates work in Linux? Is there a "Linux Update" program like what Windows has?

How does digital security work on Linux? Is it more vulnerable due to being open source? Is there integrated antivirus software, or will I have to source that myself?

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

Can Linux (in the case of a misconfiguration or serious failure) potentially damage hardware?

And also, what distro might be best for me?

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[–] BaconIsAVeg@lemmy.ml 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Are GPU drivers reliable on Linux?

As long as you’re not using Nvidia.

removed please.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 3 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

I really don't understand how you can say things like that when Nvidia-specific problems are regularly reported. Just because you don't personally have problems, doesn't mean lots of other people don't. Having dealt with it personally, I can confirm it's absolutely a problem on some machines. Especially older ones.

[–] BaconIsAVeg@lemmy.ml -1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I have a 3090 in one machine and a 7900XTX it my primary desktop. Pretending AMD "works fine and has no issues" is pure hogwash. When I primarily ran the 3090, I had no issues other than than the same standard ones I had with AMD (tearing in Xorg without picom, hardware playback in Youtube, etc).

Every person who parrots "AMD good Nvidia bad" is the same type that believes "if it ain't open source, it sucks", and usually is in the "I run some gaming focused, Windows-like distro so I can play my non-open source games" camp.

All I want is a simple questionnaire when someone signs up. "Would you run Linux on your desktop if it didn't have Steam/Proton support?" that would just lock all you XBox lobby/Windows refugees into a LinuxGaming community.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 0 points 5 hours ago

You're just imagining a bunch of shit no one said.

[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago

I’m using an RTX 5800 with Nobara and although I can game fine I get multiple graphical bugs in the desktop (parts of windows not fully rendering, flashing artifacts when moving windows, and aliasing artifacts around fonts (yes I’m running the correct resolution). So Ulrich is right, it’s absolutely a problem even on newer hardware too.