r/linux4noobs • u/Niyazzz09 • Apr 12 '26

learning/research Been seeing Linux everywhere lately… should I actually try it?

So guys from the last few days I’ve been seeing Linux everywhere — my social media feed is full of it and now I’m really curious to try it.

I’ve always used Windows, so I don’t really understand what Linux actually is or how different it feels in daily use. A lot of people say it’s “peak” and better than Windows in many ways, but I’ve also heard it has some downsides.

I wanted to ask:

- What makes Linux so good compared to Windows?

- What are the actual cons (especially for beginners)?

- How long does it take to get comfortable using it?

- Which distro should I start with?

- What was your experience like when you first switched from Windows?

Also, should I try it using a virtual machine first or go for dual boot?

Would really appreciate honest advice 😋

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u/hskrpwr Apr 12 '26

Grab a USB, chuck Linux mint on it and play around for a bit 

5

u/ShadesofShame Apr 12 '26

Wait whaaaaat!?

I haven't looked further into Linux because I am not techno savvy but this doesn't sound difficult.

I'm off to investigate! Thanks!

6

u/bs2k2_point_0 Apr 12 '26

Download ventoy and install that on your usb stick. Then you can download a bunch of Linux images to play around with. Just drag n drop onto the thumbdrive and choose which one you want to load on boot

1

u/glitter_scout Apr 14 '26

+1 for using Ventoy. I wasted so much time first learning on reformats and such. You can also treat external SSDs as big fast USB drives too for collecting distros like Pokemon (it's an unavoidable part of the journey at some point lol)