Why I Ditched Windows as a Software Engineer

Do you want your memory to be hogged and your CPU to overload? Use Windows.

Do you want unlimited spyware and bloatware? Use Windows.

Do you want to own your system, enjoy optimal performance, and maintain privacy? Enter Linux.

I was an avid Windows user for basically all my life.

I used Windows for software engineering, gaming, and everything else.

Only a few days ago I switched to linux, and to say this changed my life is an understatement.

In this article, I will share my experience transitioning from Windows to Linux and compare both operating systems from a software engineering perspective.

So without further ado... Let's dive right in!

1. The Switch

It all started when I was talking to my brother about linux. He is an avid linux user, and this conversation sparked my curiousity enough to give it a try.

I always wanted to try kali linux, because this is the supposed "hacker" OS, and so I got to work setting it up.

The process was quite simple, and I installed kali linux after only 1-2 hours.

2. An Unexpected Twist

I loved setting up kali linux.

With my software engineering background, I was able to set it up and make it as accessible as Windows in under an hour.

There was a problem though.

I initially didn’t realize that Kali Linux is not a stable operating system and isn’t optimized for software engineering purposes.

After a viral X post of me announcing that I switched to kali linux, I realized the negative consequences of this shortly:

The issue was audio-related: when I plugged in a second monitor, the sound stopped working, which was a major problem.

After spending hours trying to fix it and considering all the comments from X, I made the executive decision to abandon Kali Linux.

But I didn't go back to my Windows, I still loved linux and appreciated the customizability of the system, the massive performance boost, and so on.

Instead, I took the majority advice from the X comments and I switched to linux mint.

Now I am currently on linux mint, a stable distribution, and I don't have plans to return to Windows or switch to another OS anytime soon.

3. Why Linux is Much Better than Windows

I’ve been experimenting with Linux Mint for a while now, and I’ve identified three main improvements that I appreciate after switching from Windows:

3.1. The performance is unmatched

The performance was so much better.

After running visual studio code, along with a development server, the memory usage averaged at around 70%.

Now this may seem bad, but this is because I have an 8GB RAM laptop.

On Windows the same task would actually use up 100% of my RAM, which just shows that Windows is an expert at hogging all your memory.

3.2. The system is yours

This is what makes linux addictive for me.

The endless customization options is very important to me, and the moment I realized that you can customize pretty much anything on linux, I knew that I would never go back to Windows.

Each customization is also a learning experience, since it requires executing a combination of terminal commands to achieve the desired result, such as customizing your file manager, bootloader, etc.

And with great power comes great responsibility.

I’ve learned that it’s easy to accidentally mess up your system with commands like sudo rm -rf --no-preserve-root.

However, this is perhaps the only disadvantage I see for linux over windows in terms of software development, but this is a natural consequence of having more control over your system.

3.3. Maximum Privacy

While Windows is loaded with spywares and data scrapers to track your usage patterns and spam you with advertisements, linux is completely free of all this.

As I said in 3.2. "the system is yours", which means you can control what software you add, remove or update on your system.

4. Final Thoughts

This was my short and sweet journey from linux to windows, and I learned a lot from this process.

The switch was fun, and I’m now enjoying the benefits of Linux not only for software development but also for everyday computing.

I plan to stick with linux for as long as possible, and I will keep windows in the rear view mirror for now.

If you are struggling with performance, privacy, and customization and you are on Windows, then come over to linux and all of these problems will be solved for you.

Looking forward to seeing you on linux! 🫡

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