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what are pros and cons of linux?
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this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2026
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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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In my experience, the main cons are overall support from some 3rd party applications. I can't as easily access some software as I can on Windows, such as a digital certificate software that's required for my job, for example, which requires me to have Windows on a VM just to upload some files on a specific system. In this case, Wine/Bottles unfortunately does not work.
And, for gaming, sometimes modding is not as simple as it might be on Windows, requiring some extra tinkering to make things run on a same prefix, which is generally not very intuitive.
But the gap is definitely way narrower nowadays. Running games, without mods, is super easy with Steam or Heroic. And software support is also huge nowadays! Even Nvidia driver support is getting much better - I usually have zero issues running (stock) games on CachyOS with Proton.
My Windows usage nowadays is very minimal. And even then, I don't really support Microsoft anymore... I don't pay for a Win11 license, I don't use Windows Office, I don't use Xbox app, and I definitely don't use OneDrive. And I also cleaned lots of telemetry and other bullshit with WinUtil.
And regarding the pros: Full control over my device (never again locked by the system to access a path even with admin rights, for example) is the big one.
No telemetry, no ads, no one trying to force me to use software I don't want, and ZERO dark patterns. No more having intrusive notifications asking me if I want to use software X when I said I didn't numerous times, while also offering me just "maybe later" as an option. No software being intrusively installed on my system without my consent. No setting options being silently re-enabled without my consent after an update.
And, as a nice extra, Linux distro's are generally way cleaner and lighter than Windows, with much better performance all around, since they're not filled with clutter and a bunch of shady processes running in background.
I despise using Windows nowadays. I don't want to use a product or a service that does not respect me as a consumer.
I have it on my desktop just as a remote server for gaming with Moonlight/Sunshine, and as a VM on my laptop exclusively to digitally sign some documents as I mentioned earlier. Other than that, everything else I do, I do with Linux. I don't miss Windows at all, and that has been the case for some years now.