XDA Developers

A personal account of switching to Linux as a daily driver and ultimately regretting it. Key pain points include poor gaming compatibility (especially anti-cheat engines like Apex Legends dropping Linux support), frustrating driver issues particularly with NVIDIA, the hidden time cost of maintenance and workarounds like Wine, missing essential software (e.g., Photoshop), and a community that can be unwelcoming to newcomers. The author concludes that despite genuine enthusiasm for Linux's open-source promise, the practical friction was too high for everyday use.

I regret switching to Linux, even though I wanted to love it

The community, while passionate, can be hard to parse

If gaming is your main concern (as is with the author), then Linux is definitely not for you as a daily driver. It’s just not there yet, and won’t be in a while. Heck, I’ve used Linux for 30 years and still default to Windows for gaming (but only that).

IMO, the author may be as opinionated, if not more, than custom distro designers. Many of the struggles described seem to be directly linked to long-standing issues intentionally.
<h3>Gaming</h3>
Yes, online gaming is still a pain point because of kernel-level anti-cheat software that does not play well with Linux. Some anti-cheat providers specifically ban or block use on Linux (Epic Games/Apex Legends). Despite being a known issue with simple options such as dual booting, they say it requires
<blockquote>
…significantly more effort than simply installing the game on an already-compatible operating system…
</blockquote>
The process to install most Windows games from Steam on Linux is as simple as one (1) setting to turn on Steam’s “Compatibility Mode” that just enables Proton. For most games, that means a one-click install instead of the “too tired of fideling with settings to enjoy a game” that the author said.
<h3>Hardware</h3>
Drivers are an issue for the author, specifically Nvidia drivers being broken and needing to be recompiled. They mentioned having to fix Nvidia drivers multiple times, and complain when Linux doesn’t use the full power of their system.
Complaints of non-specified tech and external accessories not working due to Windows-only proprietary drivers and “simply weren’t compatible”. Who doesn’t remeber the LTT Linux debacle that involved Linus’ prosumer, tech enthusiast, niche hardware requirements?
<h3>General Complaints</h3>
“Linux isn’t free, you pay with your time!” If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard this, I’d be able to pay off my credit cards in one payment. Yes, switching your platform comes with an adjustment period, there is a learning curve. Linux comes in a variety of flavors, and some require more terminal use than others, but the author complains about Linux file structures and learning where to find things; what is he looking for? Never says.
“Even once Linux is up and running, the maintenance can still take quite a bit of time.” Wine needing to be configured and requiring Photoshop, which is yet again, a known issue. They admit there are Linux tools that can replace commercial applications, but complain about muscle memory when working in Photoshop vs GIMP, and doesn’t want to run Photoshop in some compatibility layer. RESPONSE: PhotoGIMP modifies GIMP to look like Photoshop’s interface with Photoshop keyboard shortcuts. So what’s the real issue?
<blockquote>
The Linux community, while passionate, can be hard to parse. It’s not always beginner-friendly
</blockquote>
Almost every issue you may run into on Linux has likely been solved by the community before. The author says many Linux enthusiasts expect you to put a certain amount of effort into researching the answer to your quesiton before asking for help. That’s kind of the point, look for the solution before you ask for someone to give you the answer. Unless you go to the Arch Linux forums…
<h3>The Cherry On Top</h3>
Author says Linux existing is a miracle, an open-source system with an enthusiastic community that is functionally on-par with Windows and Mac. “But you need coding skills…willingness to invest time into getting up and running…different Linux operating systems from Ubuntu to Debian” (I’m sorry, what? )
something something something… Linux doesn’t suit my use case…something about playing with it on a spare device… “I’ll stick to MacOS”…
You started off with complaining about gaming on Linux, but you’re on Mac which is arguably less gaming capable in comparison.
As one commenter says on the post, “You’re just trying to be controversial and get views. lol.”

I’m not quite getting the point of the article: an Operative System is, like everything else in tech, a tool.
If you are a web dev (me: 10+ years in php, jquery, some stuff in Vue, lots of DB), Linux is basically your bread and butter. Gaming? No thanks. Advanced Photo stuff? No thanks. And that’s what basically everyone knows since the beginning of time (that is , 01-01-1970).
There isn’t a “proper” best operative system: there’s only the OS that does what you need.
If you need a trustable, sort of stable OS, free of charge, that allows you to do your IT job, Linux is very much OK.
If you have other needs, go where your needs lead you (Windows for gamers, Mac for Photoshop “the way it is meant to look like”).
Why is it so difficult to accept that Linux is mostly for devs/ITs, and it doesn’t make much sense for another variety of people?

Dualbooting is actually a pretty elegant solution to most of the issues raised here. Yes, setting it up requires some technical knowledge, but it’s a one-time thing — and if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, any decent technician can handle it in under 30 minutes for next to nothing. The barrier is lower than people think.
The real benefit is that you get the best of both worlds: keep Windows strictly for what actually needs it (games with anti-cheat, Photoshop, whatever proprietary software you rely on), and run Linux for everything else. Ubuntu is a solid choice here — stable, regularly updated, beginner-friendly, and backed by a huge community.
And let’s not forget privacy. Windows telemetry, mandatory Microsoft accounts, background data collection… Linux simply doesn’t do that. For anyone who cares about their digital privacy, that alone makes the switch worth it.
On top of that, your machine will just run better. No background Microsoft processes, no updates hijacking your CPU at the worst possible moment. Linux is lean, and you feel it.
Sure, you have to reboot to switch between the two — but in practice, most people’s use cases are distinct enough that it’s rarely an issue. For anyone in tech especially, this setup is almost a no-brainer. But honestly, anyone can benefit from it.