After three months using Linux as their primary desktop, the author of a personal technology diary reports booting into Windows only twice: once to scan a document and once to print a photo under tight deadline.
The transition was smoother than expected despite initial assumptions
The author installed Linux in January without extensive prior research or plans for troubleshooting, aiming to test how far they could go using it as a main computer. They found the experience less annoying than Windows and noted that while some tasks required extra steps—such as finding and installing apps—the process was often easier than on Windows.
Hardware and distribution choices influenced the experience
Certain frustrations stemmed from specific hardware, like an HP OfficeJet 8720 printer that did not function seamlessly in Linux, and the author’s deliberate choice of CachyOS, a rolling release distribution based on Arch Linux, over more mainstream options like Ubuntu with predictable release cycles.
A storage misstep led to a hands-on fix that felt satisfying
The author encountered an issue with Snapper, CachyOS’s built-in snapshot tool, which failed after the default 2GB boot partition filled up quickly, preventing new system snapshots. To resolve it, they booted into a live image, shrank another partition by 2GB, and manually shifted each volume on the disk to the right to expand the boot space—a process they described as tedious but straightforward and oddly gratifying.
Did the author miss any Windows-specific features after switching?
The author noted a few apps they still haven’t been able to replicate in Linux but did not specify which ones, emphasizing that the system felt calm and robust.
Was the rolling release distribution a source of instability?
Despite choosing a relatively new Arch-based distribution, the author reported no major breakdowns, describing most issues as minor and sometimes humorous, such as a gaming mouse that only functions in games.