After more than a decade in the Windows world, I’m finally taking the step into the Linux world, specifically considering Ubuntu or Fedora. I’m looking for advice on making this transition as seamless as possible, with a focus on improving my coding experience and ensuring a smooth gaming setup.

What are the key things I should take into account for a good transition? Any must-have tools, software, or tweaks? Additionally, I’m keen on maintaining a good gaming experience – any tips for optimizing gaming performance on these distros?

Your insights, recommendations, and personal experiences would be immensely helpful as I embark on this exciting journey. Thanks in advance for your guidance!

  • mvirts@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    #1 start by switching to all foss software on windows, try to use only software that is also available on Linux.

    #2 keep windows around and dual boot, if you make an effort to get things working in Linux before rebooting into Windows, eventually you’ll use windows less and less.

    • pHr34kY@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Absolutely #1.

      The biggest mistake people make is trying to get their Windows products running under WINE and whatnot. It’s an absolute headache.

      If you run Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice and VLC on Windows for a while, the jump to Ubuntu is seamless.

      I disagree with #2. You should make the switch with your next PC purchase. Keep your old PC around instead of dual-booting. People often conclude that Linux is difficult because Windows does not play nice with it.

      Make sure your new PC is Linux-friendly. The biggest red flag is an “Nvidia” sticker. Go AMD or Intel graphics. Trust me. Also, make sure the Wifi chipset is well supported. The rest will usually just work. Buy it, wipe it, and install linux-only from day 1. You can always reinstall Windows if you give up.

      • mvirts@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        That is a good point, I usually don’t think of anything that involves purchasing 😹