You might have heard once or twice that Windows is bad. I’m sure you also, at least once, experienced why – it’s slow, updates whenever it wants (even during standby), printers are a nightmare (they are, to be fair), browsing takes aeons… you get it. Perhaps you even thought about moving to Mac for these reasons – after all they’re well known for “just working”, right? Not just that, but you can use them for so much longer! Well, compared to cheap garbage computers that might be true, however in general it’s mostly marketing drivel.

Then there’s Linux. You probably heard about it – perhaps you even met one of our very devoted missionaries of the tux! If so, I’m very sorry – coping with big techs’ shenanigans all day and fixing family computers can result in some weird behaviour. And blogposts.

Once an operating system mostly aimed at tinkerers and developers, nowadays some versions of Linux can easily keep up and surpass the likes of Microsoft Windows and MacOS – of course always depending on what you want to do with it. Companies have been created around the free operating system selling devices with ever-increasing quality, and with the support of Valve it has been made a viable option even for demanding gamers. Heard of the new mobile gaming console, the Steam Deck? It’s running Arch Linux.

Now, I want to make one thing very clear to every reader: Linux is not to be understood simply as Windows replacement. As with MacOS it is a whole other operating system with different paradigms to get used to. In fact Linux is closer to MacOS in many aspects, given both came from the same family of operating systems called UNIX (You don’t have to remember that, just trivia). As such running a Windows .exe file on Linux instead of installing Linux software from the Software Store needs the same user approach as, let’s say, playing a Playstation 1 game on a Nintendo Switch. It simply is a different platform. However many modern tools nowadays also feature a Linux version or are web based anyway (meaning they can run inside your browser), and anything that doesn’t can be replaced by a plethora of awesome tools you find on pages 10 to 21.
The one and only exception here might be Adobe Photoshop – despite my best efforts I couldn’t find something comparable. Be not afraid though, artists do have tools like Krita, GIMP and others at their disposal with the latter being actively worked on to introduce non-destructive editing features in the future. Get them right out of the graphical Software Store that doesn’t flood your screen with ads and privacy-violating payware.

What you can expect

From here on I’ll keep talking about “Distributions” or “Distros” instead of “Linux”, since different flavours of Linux come with different expectations. Think of it like Android phones – It’s all Android, however a Google Pixel feels quite different than a Xiaomi with their MIUI Launcher, or Samsungs “One UI”. While Distributions like Linux Mint are made for ease of use and simplicity, others like the infamous Arch Linux are specifically made with powerusers in mind. To give you a hassle-free start I’ll present you three highly user-friendly distros right on the next page.

What you’ll also notice is how the Software Stores are centered around free and Open-Source applications (services like Spotify are also available though). Unlike Microsoft or Apple there are no investors to please, a majority of distros are maintained by a group of very dedicated private developers or small companies who make their main revenue by selling devices as well as support and cloud plans. As the community is extremely aware of the downsites of modern data collection you’ll also rarely find invasive applications or apps who’re calling home. This might reduce available options, however the upsides are clear: Smaller, fast-running tools that do exactly the thing you want without being slowed down by ads, want you to log in first or only exist to grab some data. This results in a faster experience overall without the system becoming slower over time.

Almost any distribution is built in a way that gives the user choice and control. That means you still have the option to let your computer automatically update itself, but it’s not the norm – instead you’ll be notified about updates after opening the Software Store. As we see on a regular basis with Windows, automatic updates without notifications often lead to massive unanticipated slowdowns. Not a good experience at all.

However if you’re always on the hunt for the newest trend in the IT buzzword world, I can happily announce to you that you’ll most likely be severely disappointed! This of course doesn’t mean Linux can’t be pretty – in fact a little visit at r/unixporn will show you how much love some people put into their machines to have them look truly unique. The goal of most developers however is to build a good and reliable system that respects you as a user – not a selling platform for the “new” Metaverse.

Enough talk – on page 3 I’ll show you how to try Linux on your computer yourself via USB stick, all without changing anything about your existing files.

This is how you get there.

Introduction

Our company doesn’t attempt to provide you a service in exchange for your data. Instead, you voluntarily give us your data, and you receive nothing in return.

wesellyourdata.com, basically google but with less service

Who of those with knowledge in Open-Source doesn’t know this sentence: “I know Google is bad, bad you can’t escape them nowadays”. Often, at least my never-ending optimism leads me to believe that, they also want to hide a feeling of helplessness stating obvious lies like “I don’t have anything to hide” (everyone does). And I can really much understand the sentiment; how are you supposed to avoid being tracked when every single person got their own tracking device full of sensors, microphones and cameras on them, every car got an uplink sharing anything they possibly can and many homes are full of devices specifically designed to monitor the surroundings, providing yet-to-be-necessary comfort functions. Any boundary of privacy seem to have fallen, as people even began wearing smartwatches, their telemetry happily uploading your most private information about your body to Google. And even if all of those things offer you a great deal of comfort, many people slowly realize that paying with all that you are to gain a little bit of comfort and funny gimmicks is an awful trade that’ll eventually bite you in the back.
As I grew up in Germany just after the berlin wall fell and the crimes of the STASI came to light, a situation just like ours in 2022 would’ve been unthinkable. The thought of paying for a device in the kitchen you’ll end up mostly using to create timers or listen to music that permanently got microphones and cameras directed towards you? Preposterous! Yet, in merely 20 years, people not just got so fascinated by technology that seem straight out of Star Trek (even though I don’t know why I need a talking toaster with firmware updates), they bought into it and started peer-pressuring everyone else into stripping to the buff – or, well, to the Zuck’.

There’s another reason you should care about your privacy too, and that is governmental control. For modern governments, the data we accumulate about ourselves are like a mountain of candy for a myriad of reasons. Not just good ones, like calculations about infrastructure and where to build a new hospital – but even more for surveillance. At this point we don’t even need to talk about China, Russia or the USA – all of them are going thoroughly nuts on collecting and analysing data of their and anyone elses citizens. Europe however is a close competitor for being on the worlds’ ranking of surveillance states, court rulings being the only reason why we can still talk to our friends through (some) instant messengers in private (supposedly).

Let me give you three examples of how your data is commonly, right now, used against you:

1. Targeted Ads and profiling
   ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎By now it’s common knowledge that we’re constantly being targeted with specific ads, tailored to what we might want to see to maximize the effect. However, many people aren’t aware about the extend, specifically of Googles “AdSense”. Using all resources – Search history, GPS data, Voice Assistant (even if you think it’s off), photos on your phone, visited websites (through Google Analytics, used on almost any website), bought products, time you spend on said websites, shops in the city you seemed to be interested in, people you’re socializing with (either online or those you invite to your home) – they can predict not just what you like to see, but also what you’re about to do to such an extent, you might already bought something not because you genuinely wanted it, but because you saw or heard something in the right moment to make you think you want it. And with targeted ads planed in electric cars, smart ad screens in cities changing their display when you walk by and our habit of using new online media that gets more and more cluttered with ads, it definitely will get way worse before it gets any better. Hell, they even target our very dreams at this point.
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2. Analysis of your private files and chats
   ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎You might have heard about the rufus when Apple introduced its controversial CSAM feature, supposed to find child pornography in private media. If not, it’s about an AI controlled system systematically scanning any private picture that gets (usually automatically) uploaded into the Apple cloud. If sth. is detected, it also gets automatically send to law enforcement. The problem with this is obvious: an AI, without intrinsic knowledge about the private life of ALL of Apples customers, can not differentiate a child on a beach on your holiday photo from real chipo. Systems like this regularily ignites a storm of outrage, especially in groups of independent security experts and data protection organisations. Even many child protection organisations see this negatively, as seeing the whole population as potential child molesters will do more harm than any good, and proper police work to convict actual criminals would be way more effective. However, as it is now, these things are either already implemented or about to be implemented by politicians all over the world.
   ‏‏‎ ‎
3. Your life as a product
   ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Did you know how much worth you are? Not just because you’re awesome, but because of the data you create. That’s why those profiles and data I mentioned in point 1 is called the “modern days oil”. Let it be your exact movement data (Google tracks that by default), your voice patterns picked up by Alexa or how you drive your car, everything is bundled, losely anonymized and sold to data brokers. Those then resell it to well-paying customers, and they make no difference between Russia (really bad if you’re from eastern europe), another company or your friends and family. And how it’s possible to deanonymize given data is shown by security researchers – for example when this priest’s data has shown him using Grindr.

All that said, it’s not impossible to regain your privacy. And to help you making a first step, I want to show you some alternative smartphone manufacturers that actually value your privacy, who offer modern devices without or with very few Google services. And the best thing about it, you’ll still be able to access the Play Store in most cases. Question being: Do you really want most of the junk there?

I’ll also show you some great alternatives to greedy apps like Youtube, which will enable you to still watch your favourite Youtubers¹ without giving Google your whole contact book. And although there may not be alternatives to some of the worst apps – like TikTok – you can, if you wish to do so, just keep using them as you always did.

¹ Since such apps also often circumvent annoying ads or even skip sponsor segments, please consider giving your favorite creators some bucks through their favourite donation platform.

For years now, Linux is struggling to really achieve a stable foothold in the world of desktop computers. Even though it’s the de-facto standard almost anywhere else, let it be Servers, Smartphones, IoT (Internet of Things), integrated systems and more, it just keeps failing to attract a greater userbase and is still most well known as a system for professionals and nerds, something you can’t actually get any other work done than what IT specialists do.

While this may change rapidly in the near future (mostly thanks to Valve, who’re pushing things with their Proton compatibility Layer and their soon-to-be-released Steam Deck that’s based on Arch Linux + KDE), the details that’re hitting on the breaks still persist and should, in my humble opinion, be put more into focus as the opportunity of a massive influx of new people is on the horizon.

Terminal-Affinity is hurting the experience

“As a user of [Linux & Win] now – Aaaaay… – they’re both bad.”

Linus Sebastian, CEO Linus Media Group

Just by reading this, many users may be instantly outraged. The Terminal is one of the reasons Linux is so beloved by many professionals, and it’s obvious why: Unlike Windows, it gives you access to absolutely everything. Why should anyone despise it?
The reason is quite simple: Accessibility. Let me give you an example.

Recently, Linus Sebastian from the well beloved Linus Tech Tips Youtube Channel has started a “Linux Challenge” with Luke, one of his colleagues. Both are seasoned Windows powerusers who now switch to Linux for (at least?) a month while recording their experience. The videos are not out yet, but they’re already talking lengthly about it on their weekly WAN show. And while they also struggle with problems that just pop up as people use vastly different configurations with devices from manufacturers that may or may not respect some standards as they should, they also encounter problems that are so incredibly unnecessary you wonder why there’s still only a commandline option for that.

As an example he brings up a file copy into a folder that belongs to root. Things like this should not be a big deal, especially not on an operating system that keeps being praised as being most open and letting the user do whatever they want to do (even if it’s unfathomably stupid). Yet, even after 20 years, big Linux file managers like Nautilus and Dolphin still do not have implemented a proper system to raise privileges on users demand, making it virtually impossible to administrate your own computer outside of the terminal. This is especially frustrating as tutorials for Linux are praised to be super simple because of their copy & paste nature, yet as soon as you have to copy a file to a destination outside of your /home folder you have to learn how sudo ‘cp -r <src> <dest>‘ means, directly followed by chown as well as chmod to set up file permissions correctly. Not to mention cd and ls if you never saw a terminal before. Welcome to Linux.

This is just one example, but it leads to one of the biggest issues as the file privilege system of Linux may be powerful, but to new users it’s a literal beast.

Such problems don’t come from nowhere. As the GNU/Linux Community is mainly made out of nerds and professionals, there aren’t enough people to demand a solution thats not just easy to use if you already know it, but also intuitive on first glance and a great experience to use (which, for most people includes a GUI). Even something small like asking if you want to either open or execute the file you just double-clicked makes a huge difference for someone who’s trying to find his way through something new they don’t have to use. Telling a frustrated user to “use chmod +x” after their executable only opens as text file only leads to even more frustration. Not to mention file managers even implemented the “make file executable” checkbox, it’s just rarely mentioned.

A loud minority of Toxic Elitists

“Just go back to Windows if you don’t want to learn yourself.”

A toxic response

Of course, neither of the above applies to every distro (Linux Mint does these things really well for example), nor does the following apply to every forum or distro-specific community. Yet, every new Linux user will eventually face the dreaded dragon of the Linux Community: a toxic, elitist environment where your trouble will be met with ridicule, as only filthy non-Linux peasants would dare to expect a graphical experience over the chad command line. /s

Jokes aside, experiences like this are made daily and keep driving away potential newcomers. And even if you’re not the person who’s directly involved, looking up solutions only to find toxicity towards others who were right where you’re standing right now makes a lot of people wish their Windows back, where they knew how to go around. Keep in mind, nobody who tries Linux has to use it, but they want to use it. Being send back to where they came from, their bad experience with Linux will persist.

It can be even worse to be trapped in the pit between apologists of different distros while looking for help. Nobody is helped by reading “Oh, you should’ve picked my distro over your distro because that distro sucks”. From my personal experience, most of these people don’t even think about what’d be best for the one who asked, but what they like best. If you don’t support that you might as well go back to your dirty Windows. /s

This can lead up to ridiculous situations, in where you can get accused of being stupid simply because of your choice of distro. Those people can’t be helped, but given the size of the community, overlaps in distros and the almost absolute lack of graphical tutorials you’ll eventually meet those people. Even worse, they might argue that the missing feature protects you from harming your own system – an argument we constantly hear from Apple. Hard to be more disrespectful if you ask me.

Still worth the hassle

“User Experience? Very good. […] Which is why I’m genuinely switching my work laptop to Linux and I genuinely think it’s gonna be a better experience.”

Luke Lafreniere, COO Floatplane Media

Despite all the problems and the initial learning curve being a 90° brick wall as soon as you’re forced into the terminal, it can be very much worth the hassle. There are communities out there which are very welcoming too, Linux Mint communities being a good example. But if the Linux Community really wants to keep up the pace all the system options finally need to be made accessible graphically, details like gnome-tweaks not being present by default have to be ironed out (they’re working on that tho’) and a better documentation has to be present on how to get by solely by the means of the GUI to not just attract new users, but to keep them.

Because let’s be real, users that aren’t tech-savvy don’t want to use the terminal. They want a nice clicky button to press while not being treated like idiots.