this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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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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tumbleweed is just fine
giving advice would be easier if you describe what is it that you do on the desktop
I’m a student, and I play games. So mostly I’m doing MS Office and Steam, but I’ve got a lot of random niche stuff I do too. Like I’m using Unity to develop a HoloLens app for a research lab, and I just use VSCode as my IDE. I use Bitwig Studio for audio production, Blender, Freetube, and some proprietary software from my University.
I guess I’m just wondering about compatibility issues I might face, and how to approach those. Are there just some programs that I won’t be able to use on Linux? I’ve heard about Wine, but it all feels conceptual. Like you ‘use’ wine to run windows programs but what does that mean? Do I run it like a VM? But it’s not an emulator?
I’m used to going to the internet, finding an .exe, and installing programs. But Linux has a package manager that you should do that through instead? But I’ve also seen a bunch of download links for Linux software online, so is there a difference in downloading something from the internet and installing a ‘Linux’ version of it, or installing that through a package manager?
Sorry I’m all over the place, i think my brain is a little scattered trying to figure everything out at once haha
Bitwig and Blender work great on Linux, as well as most games. MS Office and the proprietary apps will need a separate Windows install. Wine is a compatibility layer that essentially translates the Windows files into something that your Linux OS can use. It works great for some things, like games, but isnt recommended/doesn't work for others, like Office or Adobe suite. Personally I'd recommend finding the alternatives for the programs you need on Windows and trying them out, while keeping the original programs in your Windows install. You can get used to the workflow of the new programs and decide if switching is a viable thing for you. And if not, hey now you're comfortable with another set of programs just in case you need them in the future.