Five years ago, I made the switch from Windows to Linux, and I haven’t looked back since. I started my journey with Linux Mint, where I stayed for a while. It was a great introduction to Linux, and I still recommend it to anyone seeking a Windows alternative. After Mint, I transitioned to Ubuntu for a bit before finally settling on Debian, which I’ve been using since late 2021.

Currently, I use Debian, though not the stable version. I prefer the Testing branch (codename Trixie), which is essentially a testing ground for what will become Debian 13 in about a year or so.

I’ve previously written about how I use my Linux machines and the software I prefer, but since it’s been five years since I fully switched from Windows, I think it's time for an update. On my main machine, my go-to applications are LibreOffice for productivity, Signal for messaging, Audacious for music, SimpleScreenRecorder for screen capture, and Firefox for browsing. For note-taking, I primarily use Obsidian, although Emacs is slowly taking over that role, and I already use Emacs extensively for writing.

As for gaming, Steam and Lutris are two fantastic tools that make gaming on Linux seamless. A common misconception is that most games are only playable on Windows, but Steam and Lutris debunk that myth. Thanks to the magic of Proton, I can run a huge chunk of my Steam library on Linux. You can see how well various games work on Linux via ProtonDB. It’s like voodoo! I can easily play games like Firewatch, Cities: Skylines (both 1 and 2), Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation, Europa Universalis IV, Anno 1800, Football Manager, and many more.

Back in 2019, Steam was my sole platform for gaming, but I’ve since embraced Lutris, which allows me to run games from Ubisoft and Epic Games. Thanks to Lutris, I can enjoy Ubisoft titles like Far Cry (3-6), Ghost Recon: Wildlands, The Division 2, Watch Dogs (1 and 2), and the Assassin’s Creed series. From Epic Games, I have access to Football Manager 2024, Dishonored (1 and 2), Ghostrunner, Dying Light, Control, Civilization VI, and many more.

My Steam and Ubisoft platforms. I also use Epic Games (not visible here).

I don’t do much video and photo editing, but when I do, I use Olive and Kdenlive for video, and GIMP for photo editing.

When I first started with Linux, I used the Cinnamon desktop environment due to its similarity to Windows, which made the transition smoother. However, for over a year now, I’ve been using Debian with the XFCE desktop environment, and it’s been a joy. Debian’s stability combined with XFCE’s simplicity and lightweight nature makes for a reliable and efficient setup. It may not be packed with features, but it has everything I need to get the job done.

My desktop running Debian (Linux) and XFCE desktop environment.

When I first started using Linux full-time, I wrote the following (translated from the original blog post in Danish):

Linux is definitely more user-friendly now, though it can still be a bit tricky for complete beginners. However, I’d argue that unless you dive into more complex distributions like Gentoo or Arch, most people can try Linux versions that offer a user experience similar to Windows or macOS: Linux Mint, elementary, Pop!_OS, Zorin, and Ubuntu. For now, I’m staying a little longer – hopefully, for good.

That still rings true, and Linux has only become more accessible to the average user. I’d even go so far as to say that Debian is a solid starting point for a Linux novice. As I wrote five years ago, I still think I'll stay a little longer with Linux.