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Bhawesh Kumar
Bhawesh Kumar

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Switch to linux while learning programming?

For a new user?

I've used windows for most of my life like most people. Last year when I got a new laptop and started learing python I heard about linux on the internet. I always knew about linux but like most people I had a mindset that linux is for tech nerds and hackers and all those cool internet people. When I googled,"Linux for beginners", I was amazed by just how beginner friendly it is!

What are distros?

I'm no linux expert but I've used a few different distros in the past year. Most of them were based on ubuntu. In simple terms linux distros are like different android skins provided by different manufacturers like oxygen os by oneplus and color os by oppo, their looks and features might vary but under the skin all of them are same android. This is mostly same with linux distros, they may have different look, feel, user experience, workflow and package managers but under the skin all off them are for the most part same.

Opensource?

What are opensource software? This was the most concerning thing for me when I first switched to linux. And boy i was wrong, opensource softwares can be as good as softwares developed by big companies. They are made and polished by the users for the users. You found a software you like? Want to contribute to it's development by adding some new features? Well stop thinking and just do it, that's the beauty of opensouce software. I also worried if opensource softwares are safe or not and I'm not completely sure how to explain but they are as safe as proprietary softwares. Just to be clear, they are not perfect. If you're into video editing, digital art, image editing and things, you will not get adobe suite but there are some goodd alternatives for some use cases.

For coding?

It's absolutely perfect for all your programming needs. It's just as good as other OSes if not better.

Conclusion

If you are eager to try linux but you're also afraid to dive into a completely new eco system, just take the roll and try it yourself.

Some good distros I used as a beginner and also using right now are:

  1. Elementary os
  2. Pop!_Os
  3. Zorin os
  4. Kubuntu
  5. Linux Mint
  6. Ubuntu (currently using)

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Top comments (18)

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chrkuhn profile image
Christian Kuhn

If you are completely new to Linux I recommend starting with "default" Ubuntu in an LTS version. Avoid using the latest version if you do not need support for i.e. hardware that is only recently supported.
This way you will find heaps of help and troubleshooting information for exactly the version you are using.

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anirudhrowjee profile image
Anirudh Rowjee

I can attest to this - I've been using Ubuntu since I was 12 (14.04 LTS), and because I could mess around with stuff, I learned so much about scripting, build tools, how OSes work at a deeper level, disk management, graphics drivers, etc. This helped propel my love for programming - It's a great Idea to switch to linux, but I would suggest dual-booting when possible, because support for MS Office isn't that good in Linux, even with Wine, etc.

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mrlarson2007 profile image
Michael Larson

There is the linux subsystem for Windows, that way you can use linux in Windows with no dual boot.

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

It was not polished when i switched but I've heard great things about it since

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

Thankyou!

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tominekan profile image
Tomi Adenekan

I am a linux user through and through but I have heard a lot about how hard windows is for programming. I recommend galliumos for low level systems (I had a chrome book and I needed to be able to code effectively so I got galliumos because of its lightweight features). Here is the website to galliumos

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thoughtinstinct profile image
SparklingINsilence

Im in love with Linux Lite which is perfect for making the transition from other OS into the linux world.

Learning about how to tweak my system opened to me the world of programming and what a sweet world that is. Im glad all this is available for free.

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scroung720 profile image
scroung720 • Edited

Nice, I landed my first job due to my Linux knowledge. I wish it helps you too.

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

Thankyou.

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joccoo profile image
Jovan

Yes i was thinking the same before i switched to linux and now i can't use windows anymore.
It's simple better, all the way!

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

Indeed

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giangvincent profile image
giang vincent

Do i need to try all those distros or I just pick one ? Im confused

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winstonpuckett profile image
Winston Puckett

Just find one, then when you get bored of it, try another. Ubuntu is good and fairly friendly 😀

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

You can use ditrotest.net to try different linux distros on your browser before choosing

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thoughtinstinct profile image
SparklingINsilence

I would advice you to give linux lite a try. It's perfect for making the transition into linux

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fultonbrowne profile image
Fulton Browne

Nice to see more people using Linux and free software :]

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

:)

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dietr0 profile image
Bhawesh Kumar

Yes, they are all based on ubuntu and they are good for beginners atleast what i can tell from my experience.