So, I finally decided, after years of putting it off, to try out Linux, specifically Pop_OS. I was waiting for another SSD so it would live on its own hard drive on my computer. Today it arrives.
I first heard about it from Emily (I hope this doesn’t offend anyone, just adding for clarity in case some aren’t aware, but formerly Anthony before her transition) on Linus Tech Tips a long time ago. It seemed like an interesting OS, but being the hater of change I am (ironic that I just made a huge change dropping Reddit and love it so far), I kept telling myself, “Yeah yeah yeah, I will try Linux at some point.”
So, does anyone else using Pop_OS have any advice for setting it up that isn’t in the online docs?
First off, congrats on making the jump!
I know switching OS’s can be jarring & feel like you’re having to turn your head inside-up & outside-down to figure stuff out. So be patient, long-time Linux users didn’t get it right the first time, either.
One place that helped me early on, was alternativeto.net. It lists alternatives to a specific program, and lets you filter by OS. If you’re not sure about alternatives to [insert program] that run on Windows/MacOS, but not on Linux, this is a decent place to start.
And that is one thing I have been looking for, I just couldn’t think of the right words for google to give the answer… Thanks so much!
Yeah, app discoverability is definitely a pain point on Linux, for various reasons. Flathub is certainly helping in that regard, but not all apps are available as a flatpak, so alternativeto helps fill that gap a bit.
And most importantly, in my experience, is when you get stuck and ask questions, don’t ask for a drop in replacement for <windows app>. Describe what you are trying to achieve and ask how people do that in Linux. Answers from questions posed like that can take you quickly into a deeper understanding of the *nix approach to things and will pay off greatly in the long term.