My Love for Debian and why I left Windows for Ubuntu
Introduction
I began my journey in 2018 during my first year of college. I installed Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, a popular Linux distribution, on my old and buggy computer. However, I quickly ran into difficulties using it, especially with the Linux terminal, which I had always seen used so effortlessly in hacker movies. To keep using my PC, I had to set up a dual boot with Windows.
At some point, I wanted to abandon Ubuntu and go back to fully using Windows. But I persisted watching tutorials and learning on how to perform commands such as;
ls, cd, mkdir, sudo, cp, mv, rm, touch and more
The ubuntu terminal
As time went on, I began to fall in love with the operating system that once seemed so challenging. My appreciation for the terminal grew even more when I discovered how easy it was to install software using commands like `sudo apt install
sudo apt-get install chromium-browser
The Windows Experience: Convenience with Constraints
Windows, with its user-friendly interface and widespread compatibility, has been the go-to OS for many users worldwide. For a long time, it served me well, providing a seamless experience for everyday tasks, gaming, and a broad range of software applications. However, as I delved deeper into my interests in cloud engineering, server-side development, and automation, I began to encounter several constraints and this reason led me to fully adopt Ubuntu as my main operating system.
- Limited Customization: Windows offers some level of customization, but it often feels superficial
- Performance Overheads: Over time, Windows systems tend to accumulate bloatware and unnecessary background processes, impacting performance
- Closed Ecosystem: The closed-source nature of Windows means limited insight into its inner workings.
Although Windows has its limitation, one cannot deny the fact that large enterprise softwares (Adobe Creative Studios, Autodesk Software, Gaming Software and Platforms, ERP and CRM systems like SAP, and more) can run more smoothly on Windows operating Systems than Linux, although Ubuntu and other linux distributors have made a lot of effort in wine
Why I Stuck with Linux: Freedom, Stability, and Community
Since making the switch from Windows to Linux, I’ve discovered a level of freedom and customization that I never thought possible. Linux allows me to tailor my computing environment to my exact specifications, from the kernel up. This granularity of control is invaluable, especially in my role as a cloud engineer and developer.
With tools like Bash scripting, package managers, and a plethora of open-source software at my fingertips, I can automate tasks, optimize performance, and explore innovative solutions in ways that Windows simply doesn't accommodate. The open-source nature of Linux also means I’m constantly learning and growing, as I can dig into the code and understand how things work under the hood.
Additionally, the stability and reliability of Linux have proven essential in my work. Unlike Windows, which can become sluggish and cluttered over time, Linux maintains its performance even with heavy use. This is critical for my development environment, where I need a robust and dependable system.
The vibrant community around Linux, particularly distributions like Debian and Ubuntu, ensures that I always have access to support and resources. This community-driven development results in a continually improving ecosystem that keeps me ahead of the curve. In short, Linux not only meets my professional needs but also aligns with my values of openness, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
What's Your Reaction?
