In November, I decided to install Linux on my desktop. It was about time for a change from Windows. However, my journey was full of minor hiccups that were more about my setup than Linux itself. I aimed to use Linux without getting bogged down in research or complicated fixes.
So far, the experience has been surprisingly good. Setting up my Nvidia graphics card was simpler than I’d expected. I did stumble upon a quirky issue with my gaming mouse—it only works in games! Still, I managed to print a document and do some work on my new Linux system.
I chose CachyOS because it’s designed for modern hardware and is gamer-friendly. After backing up my Windows files, I followed the installation instructions on the Cachy wiki. The setup involved a USB drive, and although I faced some challenges—like my mouse not clicking during installation—it didn’t derail me.
One of the biggest hurdles was deciding where to install Linux. I read advice to put it on a separate drive from Windows to avoid bootloader overwrites. After some partitioning on a 4TB storage drive, I made a boot partition and a larger root partition. Choosing a desktop environment felt overwhelming; there were so many options! I settled on KDE, which seemed versatile for gaming.
Installation was quick, taking only six minutes. However, I had to troubleshoot my mouse issues after booting into Cachy. Eventually, I discovered that unplugging my gaming mouse allowed my trackball to work fine, although my mouse’s quirks are comical.
Once I was in the Cachy desktop, everything else worked. I installed necessary apps with ease, grabbing Chromium, Discord, and more. While I couldn’t find specific apps like Airtable or Spotify in native form, I could access them through web browsers.
Linux software management is diverse, offering various ways to install applications, including Flatpak, AppImage, and Snap. These platforms showcase the open-source community’s commitment to flexibility.
I was excited to try some gaming. Cachy has a one-click gaming package, so I launched Steam and installed “The Outer Worlds.” The setup with Proton worked well, but my mouse continued to have issues outside gaming. It’s amusing to have a gaming mouse that doesn’t function outside of games!
One challenge is that I can’t play “Minecraft: Bedrock Edition” on Linux, as Microsoft hasn’t prioritized a Linux version yet. However, I’m exploring ways to run the Windows app using Proton.
Despite the initial learning curve, the transition to Linux has been smoother than expected. This quieter OS doesn’t sway my choices for commercial interests or push unwanted features. As I delve deeper, I aim to tackle more complex tasks and explore additional software.
I’m aware that I’m in the early days of this journey, and I expect to encounter new challenges. But for now, the experience has been refreshing, and I’m eager to continue exploring what Linux has to offer.
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Desktops,Gaming,Linux,Microsoft,PC Gaming,Tech,Windows
